Malta International Airport (MLA) is located in Luqa, 8 kilometres from Valletta and 13 kilometres from Mdina.
When you arrive at Malta airport, you have a number of different ways to transfer from the airport to your hotel.
As the island is small, you won’t waste much time getting to your destination. Here are the options.
Taxi
Taxis are available to any destination on the island, 24 hours a day. You’ll find a counter in the Welcomers Hall where you can buy a prepaid ticket.
For example, expect to pay around €15 for a ride between the airport and Valletta, taking 15 minutes (no traffic). The 20-minute ride between the airport and Mdina costs about €18 . Overall, a taxi ride on the island should be at most €32, which is the reference fare to get the northern tip where you take the ferry to Gozo.
Bus
Malta’s bus service covers most tourist areas, and offers an efficient and inexpensive way of getting around as well as to your hotel. At the airport, there are four express lines designated X1, X2, X3 and X4.
To get to Valletta from the airport, use line X4, which runs every 30 minutes between 5am and 11pm approximately. The journey takes about 20 minutes.
Tickets can be bought from the driver and have different prices depending on the season: €1.5 in winter and €2 in summer (mid-June to mid-October). The night fare is €3 all year. The ticket is valid for 2 hours, and can be used to get to any destination on the island, including interchanging.
If you’re planning to stay several days, there are tourist cards that may interest you, namely the Explore card that for €21 offers unlimited travel for 7 days, and the 12 Single Day Journey card that for €15 can be used by all the family. Both cards can be purchased from a counter in the arrivals area, as well as from post offices and some stationery shops across Malta and Gozo.
To plan your journeys on the island, check out the Malta public transport map.
Renting a Car
All the major car rental companies are represented in Malta and you can rent a car upon arrival at the airport. Check out the websites and compare quotes from some of the following companies: Avis, Budget, Dollar Thrifty, Europcar, First Rental Car, Goldcar, Green Motion and Hertz
Renting a car is actually a great option if you want to uncover Malta’s secret places. Road signs are in English, and driving is on the left, British-style.
