Transport in Malta
Encyclopedia
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
is small but extensive, and the islands' domestic system of public transport is reliant on buses and taxis, although there were both a railway and a tramway in the past.
Malta's primary international connections are the airport
Malta International Airport
Malta International Airport is the only airport in Malta and it serves the whole Maltese Archipelago. It is located between Luqa and Gudja. It occupies the location of the former RAF Luqa and was completely re-furbished, becoming fully operational on 25 March 1992...
at Gudja
Gudja
Gudja is a village in Malta with a population of 2,901 . The village is located on a small hill south of the city of Valletta overlooking Malta International Airport....
and by sea mainly the Grand Harbour
Grand Harbour
Grand Harbour is a natural harbour on the island of Malta. It has been used as a harbour since at least Phoenician times...
, and the Malta Freeport
Malta Freeport
Malta Freeport, also called Marsaxlokk Port and Marsaxlokk Harbour, is an international port on the island of Malta. It is the 10th busiest container port in Europe and 43rd in the world with a trade volume of 2.3 million TEU's in 2008...
(3rd largest transshipment port in the Mediterranean Sea.
Highways
Traffic in Malta drives on the leftDriving on the left or right
The terms right-hand traffic and left-hand traffic refer to regulations requiring all bidirectional traffic to keep either to the right or the left side of the road, respectively. This is so fundamental to traffic flow that it is sometimes referred to as the rule of the road. This basic rule eases...
, as in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Car ownership in Malta is exceedingly high given the very small size of the islands. The country has the 5th highest number of vehicles per capita in the world as of 2009, with 607 motor vehicles per 1,000 people. The number of registered cars in 1990 amounted to 182,254, giving an automobile density of 582 per km².
Malta has 2,254 kilometres of road, 1,972 km (87.5%) of which are paved and 282 km are unpaved (December 2003).
Buses
Bus
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
es are the primary method of public transport for the islands, which offer a cheap and frequent service to many parts of Malta and Gozo. The vast majority of buses on Malta depart from a large circular terminus in Valetta.
Buses have been used on the island since 1905. These classic buses have become tourist attractions in their own right, due to their uniqueness, and are depicted on many Maltese advertisements to promote tourism as well as on gifts and merchandise for tourists. However, these old buses are slowly being replaced by a more modern fleet, albeit still customised in the tradition of the older buses.
Until 3 July 2011, when Arriva
Arriva
Arriva plc is a multinational public transport company owned by Deutsche Bahn and headquartered in Sunderland, United Kingdom. It has bus, coach, train, tram and waterbus operations in 12 countries across Europe, employs more than 47,500 people and services over 1.5 billion passenger journeys each...
took over bus operations, there were approximately 500 buses in public transit service in Malta, most of them privately owned by the bus drivers themselves, and operated to a unified timetable set by the transport authority. Malta buses carried approximately 31 million passengers per year. On any one day, half the bus fleet worked on the public transport network (called 'route buses'), while the other half were used for private tours and school transportation.
The buses used to be colour coded according to their routes, before being painted green. From 1995 buses in Malta were all painted dark yellow, with a band of orange, while those on the sister island of Gozo
Gozo
Gozo is a small island of the Maltese archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea. The island is part of the Southern European country of Malta; after the island of Malta itself, it is the second-largest island in the archipelago...
were grey with a red band. When Arriva commenced operations in July 2011, a new fleet of buses was introduced in a turquoise and cream livery.
Railway
Between 1883 and 1931 Malta had a railway line that connected the capital city of VallettaValletta
Valletta is the capital of Malta, colloquially known as Il-Belt in Maltese. It is located in the central-eastern portion of the island of Malta, and the historical city has a population of 6,098. The name "Valletta" is traditionally reserved for the historic walled citadel that serves as Malta's...
to the army barracks at Mtarfa
Mtarfa
Imtarfa, or Mtarfa is a small town close to Rabat and Mdina in the north of Malta, with a population of 2,430 people .-History:...
/ Mdina
Mdina
Mdina, Città Vecchia, or Città Notabile, is the old capital of Malta. Mdina is a medieval walled town situated on a hill in the centre of the island. Punic remains uncovered beyond the city’s walls suggest the importance of the general region to Malta’s Phoenician settlers. Mdina is commonly...
and a number of towns and villages.
New public transport network
A new public transport network started on 3 July 2011 and is operated by the German-owned Arriva group. Arriva Malta is 66% owned by Arriva and 33% owned by the Maltese Tumas group. Unlike the system it replaces, the buses are owned and operated by a single company with the drivers working for Arriva Malta. Arriva Malta is contracted as the sole operator of bus services on the Maltese Islands for 10 years. The 264 strong fleet consists of 174 brand new single deck buses, sourced from King LongKing Long
King Long United Automotive Industry Co., Ltd or commonly known as King Long is a bus manufacturing company in Xiamen, Fujian province, People's Republic of China. It was founded in December 1988. Mainly focused on developing, manufacturing and selling large-and-medium-sized luxury buses and...
, along with 46 second hand Mercedes-Benz Citaro articulated buses previously used in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, 10 new Optare Solo
Optare Solo
The Optare Solo is a low-floor midibus manufactured by Optare in Leeds, UK since 1997. The name "Solo" is a play on the low-floor status of the bus, the manufacturer believing its vehicle having an entrance that is "so low" from the floor, namely 200 mm with kneeling suspension.The innovative...
hybrid electric bus
Hybrid electric bus
A hybrid electric bus combines a conventional internal combustion engine propulsion system with an electric propulsion system. These type of buses normally use a diesel-electric powertrain and are also known as hybrid diesel-electric buses....
es, and a mixture of existing and new buses coming from elsewhere within the Arriva group and some modern buses acquired from the outgoing operation. All buses have air conditioning, CCTV and low floor entrances. The network includes a day bus service from 6am to 11pm and a night service from 11pm to 6am. It is divided into four types of services. The fast Crossline services operate at a frequency of 30 minutes. These connect with Mainline services which operate at a frequency of between 10 and 30 minutes. At regional and local levels the Feederlines serve villages and neighbouring areas at a frequency of 30 minutes. Four Airport Express routes travel from hubs to Malta International Airport
Malta International Airport
Malta International Airport is the only airport in Malta and it serves the whole Maltese Archipelago. It is located between Luqa and Gudja. It occupies the location of the former RAF Luqa and was completely re-furbished, becoming fully operational on 25 March 1992...
. Apart from the interchange at Valletta, which has been upgraded, there are other major interchanges in the network at Mater Dei Hospital
Mater Dei Hospital
Mater Dei Hospital is a state of the art public hospital in Msida, Malta. It opened its doors to the public for the first time on 29 June 2007. The 250,000 sqm complex includes 825 beds and 25 operating theaters. It was designed and built by the Swedish construction firm Skanska Malta JV...
, Luxol in Swieqi
Swieqi
Is-Swieqi is a municipality and town in northeastern Malta. It is a residential area just 15 minutes by bus from Tas-Sliema and within striking distance of Malta's nightlife and entertainment centres, Paceville and St. Julian's. As Is-Swieqi developed, its residential estates took over farmland...
, Paola
Paola, Malta
Paola, , is a town in the Grand Harbour area of Malta, with a population of 8,856 people . It is named after its founder, the Grandmaster Antoine de Paule, but is commonly known as Raħal Ġdid, which means new town in Maltese.Paola is renowned for its shopping centres, Good Friday procession, its...
, Marsa, the Airport and Msida
Msida
Msida or Imsida is a harbour town in Malta with a population of 7,623 . The town is located just west of Valletta on the northeast coast of Malta. The town enjoys a Mediterranean climate with hot, dry, sunny summers and short, cool winters.The neighbouring towns of Msida are Ta' Xbiex, Gzira, San...
. Public transport information is available in various media including real time information screens, mobile phone and online information and enhanced bus stop and interchange facilities.
Ports and harbours
Gozo
Gozo is a small island of the Maltese archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea. The island is part of the Southern European country of Malta; after the island of Malta itself, it is the second-largest island in the archipelago...
.
- The Grand HarbourGrand HarbourGrand Harbour is a natural harbour on the island of Malta. It has been used as a harbour since at least Phoenician times...
, located at the eastern side of the capital city of VallettaVallettaValletta is the capital of Malta, colloquially known as Il-Belt in Maltese. It is located in the central-eastern portion of the island of Malta, and the historical city has a population of 6,098. The name "Valletta" is traditionally reserved for the historic walled citadel that serves as Malta's...
. The Grand Harbour, which has been used as a harbour since RomanRoman EmpireThe Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
times, has several extensive docksDock (maritime)A dock is a human-made structure or group of structures involved in the handling of boats or ships, usually on or close to a shore.However, the exact meaning varies among different variants of the English language...
and wharvesWharfA wharf or quay is a structure on the shore of a harbor where ships may dock to load and unload cargo or passengers.Such a structure includes one or more berths , and may also include piers, warehouses, or other facilities necessary for handling the ships.A wharf commonly comprises a fixed...
, as well as a cruise liner terminal. - Marsamxett HarbourMarsamxett HarbourMarsamxett Harbour, also referred as Marsamuscetto in many ancient documents, is the northern of Valletta's two natural harbours on the island of Malta, separated from the southern one by the Valletta peninsula. To the north it is bounded by Gżira and Sliema as far as Dragut Point and extends...
, located on the western side of Valletta, accommodate a number of yacht marinas. - Marsaxlokk Harbour is sited at MarsaxlokkMarsaxlokkMarsaxlokk is a traditional fishing village located in the south-eastern part of Malta, with a population of 3,277 people . The village’s name comes from marsa, which means "port" and xlokk, which is the local name for south east...
on the south-eastern side of Malta, and is the location of the Malta FreeportMalta FreeportMalta Freeport, also called Marsaxlokk Port and Marsaxlokk Harbour, is an international port on the island of Malta. It is the 10th busiest container port in Europe and 43rd in the world with a trade volume of 2.3 million TEU's in 2008...
, the islands' main cargo terminal.
A seaplane service operated by HarbourAir Malta flies daily scheduled flights between the Grand Harbour in Valletta and Mġarr harbour in Gozo.
Ferry services
A frequent daily passenger and car ferry service runs between the islands of Malta and Gozo between Ċirkewwa HarbourCirkewwa
Ċirkewwa is a harbour situated on a point at the northernmost part of Malta.It is the site of the Ċirkewwa Ferry Terminal, where regular car ferries operate to the port of Mġarr on Gozo. In the summer, boat trips to Comino also operate, as well as organised diving excursions...
and Mġarr Harbour
Mġarr (Gozo)
Mġarr is town and harbour at the east end of Gozo, Malta.-History:The town of Mġarr grew up around the shallow harbour which shares its name. Ferry services to Malta were in operation by 1241, and fishing was already established...
.
There is also a ferry terminal at the Grand Harbour that connects Malta to Pozzallo
Pozzallo
Pozzallo is a town and comune in the province of Ragusa, Sicily, Italy. The beaches of Pozzallo have received the Blu Flag by FEE award. A prestigious award given to beaches which meet strict criteria dealing with water quality, environmental education and information, environmental management,...
and Catania
Catania
Catania is an Italian city on the east coast of Sicily facing the Ionian Sea, between Messina and Syracuse. It is the capital of the homonymous province, and with 298,957 inhabitants it is the second-largest city in Sicily and the tenth in Italy.Catania is known to have a seismic history and...
in Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
.
Airports and heliports
Malta International AirportMalta International Airport
Malta International Airport is the only airport in Malta and it serves the whole Maltese Archipelago. It is located between Luqa and Gudja. It occupies the location of the former RAF Luqa and was completely re-furbished, becoming fully operational on 25 March 1992...
is the only airport serving the Maltese Islands. It is built on the land formerly occupied by the RAF
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
Luqa
RAF Luqa
Royal Air Force Luqa was a flying station and location of RAF Mediterranean Command headquarters of the Royal Air Force on the island of Malta during World War II...
air base. A heliport is also located there, but the scheduled service to Gozo ceased in 2006. Since June 2007, a three-times daily floatplane service, operated by Harbour Air Malta, has linked the sea terminal in Grand Harbour to Mgarr harbour in Gozo.
In the past there were two further airfields which were in operation during World War II, and into the 1960s, located at Ta'Qali
Ta'Qali
Ta' Qali is a village in Malta, a wide open space in the middle of Malta containing the national stadium, Ta' Qali National Park and a national vegetable market which is locally known as the Pitkalija....
and Ħal Far. They have now since been closed, the land on the former has now been converted into a national park, stadium
Ta'Qali Stadium
Ta' Qali National Stadium is the national stadium of Malta, and is the home stadium of the Malta national football team. It stages most Maltese Premier League and cup matches, as well as international matches...
and the Crafts Village visitor attraction. The Malta Aviation museum is also situated here, preserving several aircraft including Hurricane and Spitfire fighters which defended the island in World War II.
The national airline is Air Malta
Air Malta
Air Malta plc is the national airline of Malta, headquartered in Luqa. It operates services to 36 destinations in Europe, Middle East and North Africa. The airline's hub and base is at Malta International Airport.- History :...
Merchant marine
Total:- 1,323 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totalling 27,208,819 GRT/
Ships by type:
- bulk 440, cargo 334, chemical tanker 54, combination bulk 10, combination ore/oil 12, container 75, liquefied gas 4, livestock carrier 3, multi-functional large-load carrier 1, passenger 6, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 270, refrigerated cargo 39, roll on/roll off 45, short-sea passenger 9, specialised tanker 3, vehicle carrier 17
This includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience
Flag of convenience
The term flag of convenience describes the business practice of registering a merchant ship in a sovereign state different from that of the ship's owners, and flying that state's civil ensign on the ship. Ships are registered under flags of convenience to reduce operating costs or avoid the...
: Australia 4, Austria 6, Bangladesh 1, Belgium 3, Bulgaria 19, Canada 2, China 16, Croatia 14, Cuba 1, Cyprus 7, Denmark 3, Estonia 5, Finland 1, Germany 54, Greece 627, Hong Kong 12, Iceland 3, India 10, Iran 2, Israel 26, Italy 36, Japan 2, Latvia 24, Lebanon 6, Monaco 29, Netherlands 10, Nigeria 2, Norway 43, Poland 29, Portugal 2, Romania 15, Russia 85, Saudi Arabia 1, Slovenia 2, South Korea 5, Spain 1, Switzerland 54, Syria 4, Turkey 84, Ukraine 25, United Arab Emirates 3, United Kingdom 4, United States 10 (2002 est.)