Malta’s buses are run by Malta Public Transport, under the name tallinja, and they reach almost every town and beach on Malta and Gozo. A single journey costs €2 in winter and €2.50 in summer, paid to the driver in cash or by contactless card, and the ticket is valid for two hours including changes. Most routes start from the terminus outside Valletta’s City Gate. This guide explains the fares, which travel card is worth buying, the routes visitors use most, the airport and night buses, and how to use the tallinja app.
€2
Single fare in winter, €2.50 in summer
2 hours
Each ticket covers changes within two hours
€3
Night and Airport Direct buses
Free
Children under 4
How Much Is the Bus in Malta?
| Ticket | Price | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Day routes, winter | €2 | From 18 October 2026 to 12 June 2027 |
| Day routes, summer | €2.50 | The rest of the year |
| Night routes (N) | €3 | Routes numbered with an N |
| Airport Direct (TD) | €3 | €3.50 on the TD1 to Ċirkewwa |
| Children under 4 | Free | No ticket or card needed |
Every single ticket is valid for two hours, with free changes in that time. Pay the driver in cash or with a contactless bank card. If you cannot show a valid ticket, or forget to tap your card, the fine is €50.
Tallinja Cards and Travel Passes Compared
If you will take more than a few buses, a card works out cheaper than single tickets. All of them are valid on Malta and Gozo.
Best for a holiday
Explore Flex
€27 7 days, or from €21 for 4
- Unlimited day, night and Airport Direct buses
- Add-ons: Gozo fast ferry, harbour cruise, sightseeing bus
- One person per card
- Children aged 4 to 10: Explore Child, €7 for 7 days
Best for a few trips
12 Single Day Journeys
€19 12 trips
- Shareable between a group
- Free changes within 2 hours
- Night and Airport Direct rides use 2 journeys
- Valid 6 months from first use
For residents
Personalised tallinja card
Free travel, €25 to register
- Free on day and night routes
- Free Valletta ferries and Barrakka Lift
- TD routes €1.50 a journey
- Apply online; delivered in about two weeks
Where to buy: at the Malta Public Transport sales offices in the airport’s Welcomers’ Hall and baggage reclaim, at the Valletta and Buġibba terminuses and at Sliema Ferries; at card machines, including at the airport; at Agenda Bookshops, 8TillLate and WH Smith shops; or in the tallinja app. If you buy an Explore Flex card in the app, you collect the physical card from a dispensing machine, for example in the airport’s baggage reclaim area.
Step by step
How to Catch a Bus in Malta
- Plan the trip Use the journey planner in the tallinja app, which shows the route, the stop to walk to and live bus times.
- Wait at the right stop Every stop has a name, which the app shows you. Make sure the driver sees you as the bus approaches.
- Pay or tap Pay the driver in cash or by contactless card, or tap your travel card on the reader by the driver. A green light and a chime mean it worked; a red light means it did not.
- Change if you need to Your ticket covers any changes within two hours.
- Ring for your stop Press the stop button in good time, and follow your stop on the app if you are unsure where to get off.
Key Bus Routes for Visitors
Routes numbered 1 to 95 mostly start from the Valletta terminus, just outside City Gate. These are the ones visitors use most.
| Going to | Route | From | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mdina and Rabat | 51, 52, 53 | Valletta | About 30 minutes to Rabat, a short walk from Mdina’s gate |
| The Three Cities | 1, 2, 4 | Valletta | About 25 minutes; the 1 goes to Senglea, the 2 and 4 to Birgu |
| Marsaxlokk | 81, 85 | Valletta | About 40 to 50 minutes, busiest on Sunday market day |
| Sliema and St Julian’s | 13, 15 | Valletta | Along the harbour through Gżira |
| Buġibba and Qawra | 31, 45, 48 | Valletta | The 48 is the most frequent |
| Golden Bay | 44 | Valletta | Via Mġarr to Għajn Tuffieħa |
| Ċirkewwa (Gozo and Comino ferries) | 41, 42, X300 | Valletta | About 1 hour 15 minutes; the X300 is quicker |
| Ċirkewwa from the coast | 222, 221 | Sliema, Buġibba | The 222 follows the seafront from Sliema |
| Blue Grotto | 74, 201 | Valletta, Rabat | The 201 links Rabat, the Blue Grotto and the airport |
Our guides to the Comino ferry, getting to Gozo and the Blue Grotto have the stop-by-stop details for those trips.
Early flights and late nights
Airport Direct and Night Buses
Airport Direct buses have fewer stops, space for luggage, USB charging and free wifi. They cost €3 (€3.50 on the TD1) and are included in the Explore Flex card.
- TD1: Rabat, Buġibba, Mellieħa and Ċirkewwa, hourly
- TD2: St Julian’s and Pembroke, every 30 minutes
- TD3: St Julian’s, Sliema, Gżira and Msida, every 30 minutes
- TD4: Valletta and the Gozo fast ferry, every 30 minutes
- TD5: Rabat and Buġibba, hourly
Night routes carry an N and cost €3. They run late in the evening and into the early hours, mostly out of Paceville in St Julian’s and Valletta: the N13 links Valletta and St Julian’s, and the N11 runs from St Julian’s north to Buġibba and Ċirkewwa. Check the nights each one runs in the tallinja app.
Landing in Malta? Our airport to Sliema guide walks through the TD3, taxis and ride-hailing pick-up.
Free to download
The Tallinja App
The tallinja app, for iPhone and Android, is the easiest way to use the buses as a visitor.
- Journey planner: enter where you are going and it shows the routes, walking directions and times.
- Live tracking: follow buses on the map in real time.
- Service alerts: get told about detours and roadworks on the routes you use.
- Buy travel cards: buy Explore Flex cards and add-ons, then collect the card from a machine.
- Favourites: save your regular stops and routes.
Buses on Gozo
The same company runs Gozo’s buses, at the same fares, and every travel card works on both islands. The hub is the bus station in Victoria, the capital. From the ferry at Mġarr, route 301 reaches Victoria in about 15 minutes, with buses every 15 to 20 minutes for most of the day. See how to get to Gozo for the crossing itself.
Good to know
With a personalised tallinja card, the Valletta ferries to Sliema and the Three Cities and the Barrakka Lift are free. On an Explore Flex card, you can add credit and use it to pay for the Valletta ferry.
Routes change with roadworks. Before a long trip, check the service updates in the app or on the Malta Public Transport website.
Malta Bus FAQ
How much is a bus ticket in Malta?
€2 in winter (18 October 2026 to 12 June 2027) and €2.50 in summer for a single journey, valid for two hours with changes. Night and Airport Direct buses cost €3, or €3.50 on the TD1.
What is tallinja?
Tallinja is the brand used by Malta Public Transport for its buses, travel cards and app.
Can tourists get a tallinja card?
Visitors usually buy an Explore Flex card (from €21 for 4 days or €27 for 7 days) or the shareable 12 Single Day Journeys card (€19). The personalised tallinja card, which gives free travel, is aimed at residents and takes about two weeks to arrive.
Can you pay by card on Malta buses?
Yes. Drivers sell single tickets for cash or contactless bank cards.
Are buses free in Malta?
Day and night routes are free for holders of a personalised tallinja card. Everyone else pays the single fare or uses a travel card.
Do Malta buses run at night?
Yes. Night routes, numbered with an N, run late in the evening and into the early hours, mostly from St Julian’s and Valletta, for €3.
How do I get from the airport by bus?
Take an Airport Direct bus: the TD3 to Sliema and St Julian’s, the TD4 to Valletta, or the TD1 to Buġibba, Mellieħa and Ċirkewwa.
How we wrote this guideThis guide was researched and written by us at Experiences Malta, using the official and local sources listed below, and we review it through the year. Prices, timetables and opening hours change, so please check before you travel. More about Experiences Malta.
Sources: Malta Public Transport: fares and tickets, Malta Public Transport: personalised tallinja card, Malta Public Transport: Explore Flex add-ons, Malta Public Transport: Airport Direct, Malta Public Transport: tallinja Direct, Malta Public Transport: all routes, Malta Public Transport: tallinja app, Bus photos: Kk70088, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.