warning - Malta buses

we are currently in Malta and the bus system is worse than disgusting. Trouble is the car hire companies are equally as bad. Example today we were at a bus stop and hailed the bus the driver saw we had luggage and drove straight past. Next bus 1 hour later.

later got to our destination to change buses was there before 1 pm bus due 1.42 didn't come then 2.42 came and drove right past. Next bus due 3.42. We ended up taking another bus to Valletta in order to get a taxi to our destination.

There are no taxis to hail off the street nor in areas other than the main tourist areas.

I am writing this to warn cruisers as you could be stuck several hours with no bus nor means of getting a taxi back to the ship.

we will be on a MSc cruise coming back to Malta for a port stop and after our experience this week we will not be venturing beyond Valletta.

we always DIY port stops but would strongly recommend taking a cruise ship excursion.

another option is a taxi tour which is offers at set hourly rates but I am still reluctant to recommend.

We did the hop on hop off bus

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

we have done the hop on hop off also on other visits to Malta.

time between bus can be anything from 20 mins to 2 hours. Too risky when on a cruise ship.

today I checked out the taxi tours for anyone interested. I'm techno challenged so cant post photos however got the info.

taxi for 4 people

2 hour tour 55 euro per cab

3 hours 70 euro

4 hours 80 euro.

4 hours for 4 people would give you a decent look for only 20 euro pp.

I have friends joining us on the cruise and its their first visit to Malta so will suggest they take the taxi tour with a very early start and be back in Valletta 4 hours before sail away.

We were on Malta for 10 days. We only rented a car for a few days when we wanted to go outside the the city. We used buses and taxis. We never had an issue. We took the bus all over the islands.

On our first trip to Malta several years ago we did the hop on hop off. Also had time to do the boat tour that was included in our ticket. The traffic and the parking in Malta can be a challenge.

If we were to stop on a cruise we would either do hop on hop off again or hire a driver or taxi for the day.

We have been to Malta, numerous times, rented cars, used buses, and have always been happy as clams :). As I recall, it is not appropriate to drag luggage on to the island bus network, which might explain a driver deciding to bypass folks standing with luggage. As to taxis they have both white and black taxis. The white are more common and can pick up just about anywhere....but tend to hang out at designated taxi zones such as at the port or major hotels. Black taxis have to be called. If you are in a non-tourist area you would generally be wise to telephone for a taxi....just like in many other cities around the world. For example, it is not much different in Paris. When we rented an apartment in a residential area we needed to walk to public transportation (and you cannot take luggage onto city buses) or telephone (or use e-mail) to summon a taxi.

Not sure about the warning to cruisers. The Malta buses do run on a published schedule so one should certainly check the schedule if going (or coming) from outside of Valletta. The bus station is quite convenient to the cruise port (you have to get to the top of the hill...but there is an elevator). The schedules for all the bus lines are posted at the bus station and most bus stops.

Hank

While my experience isn't extensive, I had no problem utilizing Malta's bus system on two separate cruise stops. Not sure I'd recommend trying to use them with luggage; they do get very crowded. As in nearly all cities, buses that are full will not always stop at a designated stop unless someone indicates inside that they are getting off.

This exactly mirrors our experience.

As someone who has ridden the buses in Valletta numerous times, I think the OP's post is ridiculous. Luggage? Really? Anyone trying to board a NYC bus with luggage wouldn't have a good time, either.

The buses we were trying to get are airport buses. Surely you are not thinking its acceptable not being able to take luggage on the airport bus routes.

anyway my post was a warning to other cruisers. As a person who much prefers to DIY we won't be taking any chances when we are back here in a few weeks.

The buses we were trying to get are airport buses. Surely you are not thinking its acceptable not being able to take luggage on the airport bus routes.

anyway my post was a warning to other cruisers. As a person who much prefers to DIY we won't be taking any chances when we are back here in a few weeks.

I'm a little confused. If you were going to/from airport and had problems, then how does that translate to not being able to recommend for normal cruise passengers (who won't be traveling with luggage nor are too likely to get far off the beaten track)?

I still think the buses are fine for what the average cruiser wants/plans to do on a day visit.

We stayed in Gozo, Valetta, and Marsaxlokk. Two-four days each. Never really had a problem with the buses or the bus schedules. Mind you, the busses were crowded when we boarded at the terminus in Valetta. Although we did rent a car for a time, we also used buses extensively from each of these areas where we stayed. I seem to recall that on our last day we actually took a bus to the airport from Marsaxlokk (but we only have carry on) complete with a transfer.

Never had a problem with the buses on Malta. However Valletta is a busy place and at some times the traffic can be heavy and the buses busy.