Malta bus fares, Tallinja cards and airport routes
Compare Malta's current bus fares, journey cards, Explore products and Airport Direct routes before you tap or buy.
Malta's bus network can cover much of a short visitor stay, but the ticket names are easy to mix up. Start with the journeys you expect to make, then check whether the product covers the service on your route. Use the Malta Public Transport fare table for the current products and recheck it for a later trip.
Start with the ordinary ticket
The operator currently lists these main fares:
| Product | Published amount | What to remember |
|---|---|---|
| Day Routes single | €2.50 in summer; €2.00 in winter | Valid for two hours with transfers during that validity |
| Night Routes | €3.00 | A different service and fare category |
| Special Services | €3.00 | Check the route's service type |
| Tallinja Direct | €3.00 | Direct-service rules apply |
| TD1 | €3.50 | Airport Direct route with a separate price |
| 12 Single Day Journeys | €19 | Shareable; Night and Airport Direct services use two journeys |
| Explore Flex bus | €21 for four days; €27 for seven days | Includes the listed Day, Night, Airport Direct and Special services |
| Explore Adult | €25 for seven days | Individual; excludes Airport Direct and Tallinja Direct |
The fare table shows a higher summer Day Routes amount and a lower winter amount. Seasonal dates and amounts can change, so treat €2.50 as the summer figure shown by the current table rather than a promise for every future month.
Compare cards with your real days
The 12 Single Day Journeys card is shareable and the operator says transfers within two hours are free. The operator also says Night and Airport Direct services consume two journeys. This can suit a couple or a small group making separate trips, but read the conditions before using it on a late or airport ride. A personalised Tallinja card is a separate product and has different benefits, including free harbour-ferry travel when tapped under the current scheme.
The €25 Explore Adult card and the €27 seven-day Explore Flex bus bundle are different products. MPT’s product terms exclude both Airport Direct and Tallinja Direct from Explore Adult; it covers ordinary day and night buses, with only selected Special Services included. The seven-day Explore Flex bus bundle includes Day, Night, Airport Direct and Special services listed on the fare page. The four-day €21 Flex bus bundle has the same listed service categories. These are individual products, so each traveller needs their own.
For example, a visitor taking TD4 from the airport and back would pay those €3 journeys separately with Explore Adult: €25 + €6 = €31. The €27 seven-day Flex bus bundle covers those Airport Direct rides within its validity. If you only need a few ordinary buses, single tickets may still cost less than either pass.
A short itinerary with a few ordinary rides can work with single tickets. A busy sightseeing plan across several days may make an Explore product simpler, even when the arithmetic is close. Keep ferry fares, Gozo crossings and attraction admission outside this bus comparison unless the product page explicitly includes them.
Use the current Airport Direct routes
Older guides often call airport buses X2 or X4. Malta Public Transport's April 2025 service notice says those old airport groupings were replaced or reorganised. The current Airport Direct page lists:
- TD1 towards Rabat, Bugibba, Mellieha and Cirkewwa, about hourly, at €3.50 without an included unlimited product.
- TD2 towards St Julian's and Pembroke, about every 30 minutes, at €3.00.
- TD3 towards St Julian's, Sliema, Gzira and Msida, about every 30 minutes, at €3.00. TD3 is the airport service that names Sliema.
- TD4 towards Valletta and the Gozo Fast Ferry, about every 30 minutes, at €3.00.
- TD5 towards Rabat and Bugibba, about hourly, at €3.00.
Airport Direct buses leave the Malta International Airport bus terminal. The operator says they have luggage space and do not require prebooking, but the route page directs passengers to the Tallinja app for current times. Leave room for baggage collection, the walk to the bus terminal and the onward walk from the stop.
Tap, validate and check the return
A cash, contactless or smartphone ticket must be valid when you board. The operator says a normal bus ticket lasts two hours, but that does not make every special or direct service interchangeable. Keep the card or receipt available during inspections. Malta Public Transport's terms list a €50 penalty for travel without a valid ticket or failed validation.
Before a late dinner or an airport flight, use the date-specific journey planner. Enter the actual stop near your accommodation and the time you need to arrive. Traffic, waiting and the final walk matter more than a route number printed in an old itinerary.
For a day in Valletta, Sliema or St Julian's, a few ordinary tickets may be enough. For Mdina and Gozo, add the extra legs separately and check whether a ferry or a Gozo bus has its own fare. The useful ticket is the one that matches the services you will actually board.