Malta Taxis and Car Rental

There are two types of taxis in Malta, white, which can be hailed on the street or picked up at a stand, and black, which belong to a private fleet and need to be booked in advance. Prices are not standard, except at the airport, and should always be agreed in advance. Many of the independently owned cabs operate through Taxi White Licensed Amalgamated (+356-2182-3017), which takes phone and web bookings. Ecabs (+356-2138-3838) is a black car service with a focus on quality and convenience which is particularly popular for airport transfers. It is common and convenient for travelers to charter a taxi for a couple of hours to go sightseeing to pre-agreed destinations for a negotiated price.

Car rental is a good way to get around Malta as it is small and many of the best attractions must be accessed by road. Most of the major international rental companies are represented in Malta, although it is a good idea to book in advance during the busy summer months. Car rental is generally cheaper than other European destinations although it has been said that vehicles can frequently be in poor condition. Drivers must be over 21 years old and have had an official driver's license for over a year. Gas stations usually do not accept credit cards so be prepared to pay in cash.

Malta Ferries and Water Taxis

Malta has a regular ferry service between Circewwa and Valetta on the islands of Malta to Gozo as well as less frequent trips to Comino. Malta Water Taxis (+356-7999-0001) has a fleet of new boats and A&S Water Taxis (+356 2180-6921) offers full day sightseeing trips as well as crossings between Valetta and the three cities in fully restored traditional dghajsa boats.

Malta Buses

In 2011, Arriva (+356-2122-2000) launched a new Malta bus service, with schedules and routes covering most of the island, including all the main tourist destinations. While buses can get crowded and are sometimes late during rush hour, bus travel in Malta is generally a convenient and affordable way to get around.

In addition to the public transportation buses, there are two other companies in Malta that run hop-on, hop-off sightseeing tours, City Sightseeing (+365-2346-7777) and Malta Sightseeing (+365-2169-4967).