How to reach Malta?
The Maltese Islands are within easy reach of most European countries by means of frequent and direct sea and air services.
Air Malta, the National carrier, and Transavia Airlines operate an extensive schedule of air services between Amsterdam and Malta. Both Air Malta and Air Holland have charterflights from Maastricht Aachen Airport. The flight takes approximately 3 hours.
Regular and frequent car-ferry, catamaran and hydrofoil services are operated between various Italian and Sicilian towns and Valletta - Malta's Capital City, by a number of shipping companies.
Malta has the cheapest car hire rates in Europe. Prices start from LM 4.50 per day including mileage and insurance. Weekly arrangements are the most favourable. Driving is on the left; a national and international driving licence are acceptable. There is a speed limit of 64 kilometres per hour (40 miles p.h.) on highways and 40 kph (23 mph) in urban areas. Although Maltese law permits driving from 18 years upwards with no upper-age limit, several car-hire firms are reluctant to hire cars to persons under 25 or over 70. Check with your travel agent.
Malta's public transport system offers a cheap and efficient way of touring the Island. The main bus terminus is at Valletta from where buses operate to all parts of Malta, although there are also direct, point to point, services. The cost of a bus route ranges from 11 cents to 16 cents. The longest bus journey takes about fifty minutes; the average ride is between 20 and 30 minutes.
Taxis can be identified by their red number plates, and are all fitted with meters. Should you wish to know in advance how much a trip will cost, it is best to check with the driver beforehand.
A traditional horse drawn cab.
Became popular again since the introduction of all terrain cycles (ATBs), which are ideally situated to Malta and Gozo. ATBs and bicycles (as well as motors) may be hired from various cycle shops throughout the islands. Cyclists should remember to always follow the highway code and clearly hand signal their intentions.
The Gozo Channel Company telephone: Malta Office - 243964/5/6 telefax: 248007 Gozo Office -556114, 561622, telefax: 556743
The Gozo Channel Company operates a scheduled and frequent car-passenger ferry service between Cirkewwa in Malta and Mgarr in Gozo.
From November till May some nineteen scheduled trips are run daily each way with the starting time from Gozo at 06.00 hours, ending at 22.30 hours (corresponding times at the Malta end are 06.45 hours and 23.00 hours) with crossings roughly every 45 minutes. The actual crossing-time is about 20 minutes.
In summer (from around end of May till October) the service is much more frequent with some 30 crossings each way including three night services (each way). The cost of a return journey is Lm 1.50 (passenger only) and Lm 5.00 (car and driver); bicycles and motorcycles are 30 cents and 70 cents respectively (plus passenger fare).
Between the 26th June and 24th September 1995, the Gozo Channel Company is running also a hydrofoil service linking Mgarr (Gozo), Comino Island, Sliema and Sa Maison (in Malta).
Malta and Gozo are also linked by a daily scheduled helicopter service run by Air Malta all the year round. Flying time is 10 minutes from Malta's International Airport to Xewkija heliport in Gozo. Stops at Comino on request.
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