Getting There By Air:Malta International Airport (MIA) Tel: 21 249 600.
Website:
www.maltairport.com The airport lies towards the south of the island at Luqa, 7km (4.5 miles) south west of Valletta, 13km (8 miles) from the tourist enclave of St Julian’s and 22km (13.5 miles) from the resort of Mellieha.
The airport is small but modern with all the usual international airport facilities of car hire, currency exchange, airline desks, information offices etc.
Bus no. 8 connects the airport to the bus station at Valletta. It departs every 20-30 minutes from around 0530 to 2000. From Valletta buses run to all parts of the island. Taxi fares from the airport are regulated. Pick up a copy of the latest fares from the airport tourist office. Outside rush hour, you can drive to the airport from anywhere on the island in 30 to 45 minutes.
To continue onto Gozo,
Helisureste (tel: 21 561 301
or 21 557 905) operates a daily helicopter schedule service with frequent flights throughout the day, departing from Malta International Airport and landing Xewkija Heliport in Gozo. The flight time takes around 15 minutes average, making it the fastest, most comfortable and most spectacular way to travel between the two islands. Fares are also inexpensive.
Getting There By Water:It is possible to travel to Malta by ferry from Sicily with
Virtu Ferries (website:
www.virtuferries.com) and from Salerno on mainland Italy with
Grimaldi Ferries (website:
www.grimaldi-ferries.com).
Malta Maritime Authority (tel: 21 222 203; website:
www.mma.gov.mt) can provide further information.
Getting There By Road:No-one in their right mind drives across Europe to get to Malta. There are car ferry services from some Italian ports but the cost/hassle against the cheap cost of car hire on the island makes this a non-starter for conventional holiday makers.
Within the walls of Valletta, roads and streets are steep and narrow and there is very little parking space. Because of its location on a promontory and its city walls, only one side of Valletta may be approached by vehicles. If you are resident within the walls, you may be able to find a parking space (enquire with your host) but for day visits, use one of the marked car parks just outside.
Getting There By Rail:Malta’s rail network was dismantled more than 70 years ago, so traveling by train is not an option on the island.
Getting Around:Public TransportThe only public transport on Malta are
buses run by the
ATP (Malta’s Public Transport Association). The island is famous for its much photographed antiquated fleet (many dating back to the 1950s) but it includes many modern vehicles too. A map and timetable of all routes is available from the ATP kiosk at the main terminus outside City Gate Valletta. A list of all routes and timings by summer/winter and mornings/afternoon (though not a full timetable) is available online at
www.atp.com.mt (or tel: 21 250 007).
Regular services connect all parts of the island, though the majority use Valletta as the island hub. There are a few ‘direct route buses’ linking the resorts with attractions and areas of tourist interest without having to route via the capital. Fares are cheap so have small change to hand. One-, three-, five- and seven-day Saver Tickets can be purchased at the termini at Valletta, Buggiba and Sliema Ferries, or from any branch of the BOV bank. The only late buses are those which operate out of the nightlife enclave of St Julian’s/Paceville.
Within the walls of Valletta roads and streets are steep and narrow and there is very little parking space. There is no bus service and although visitors may drive into the city, it is not recommended. Taxis (see below) and horse-drawn
karrozin (carriages) (the latter run solely for tourists and are expensive, so always haggle on the price) are the only form of transport.
TaxisBy comparison to other transport costs, taxis (always white) are relatively expensive (roughly on a par with western European fares). They rarely work on the meter so it is vital that you agree a fare before you set off.
Wembley’s Taxis (tel: 21 374 141) is a reputable company.
Car HireCar hire on Malta is among the cheapest in Europe but beware that the standard of driving is poor, parking is often very difficult and the traffic is frequently congested.
Recommended car rental agencies include:
Avis (tel: 21 225 986; website:
www.avis.com) and
Europcar (tel: 21388516; website:
www.europcar.com), with whom
Air Malta passengers are offered special discounts.
Bicycle HireBicycle hire is not recommended due to the poor road and driving conditions and very heavy traffic.
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