Malta Airport Guide: Transfers to Sliema, Valletta & St Julian’s

Landing at Malta International Airport is the easy part. The real question every arriving traveller asks is the same one: what is the smartest, cheapest and least stressful way to get from the terminal to your accommodation in Sliema, Valletta or St Julian’s? The good news is that Malta is small, the airport is central, and you are spoilt for choice.

This guide breaks down every realistic option, from the €2.50 express bus to a private driver holding a name board, with approximate prices in €, journey times and honest advice on which one suits your group, your luggage and your budget. We run Aster House, a luxury Art-Deco villa in central Sliema, so we have walked guests through this exact decision hundreds of times.

By the end you will know precisely what to do the moment you step out of Arrivals, what it should cost, and how to avoid the handful of traps that catch first-time visitors. Let us start with the airport itself.

Malta International Airport (Luqa): The Basics

Malta has just one commercial airport, Malta International Airport (code MLA), in the town of Luqa near the centre of the island. Because Malta is only about 27 km long, no destination is far away. Sliema, Valletta and St Julian’s are all roughly 12 km from the terminal, which translates to a 20 to 30 minute drive depending on traffic.

The terminal is compact and easy to navigate. After passport control and baggage reclaim you walk straight into a single Arrivals hall. Here you will find the official taxi kiosk, the car hire desks, ATMs, a currency exchange, a pharmacy and a small shop. There is free airport Wi-Fi, which is handy for opening a ride-hailing app or checking your transfer details.

Step outside and the layout is simple. The public bus stops sit to your left as you exit, the white airport taxis queue directly in front, and the pick-up area for pre-booked transfers and ride-hailing cars is clearly signed nearby. Malta uses the euro and drives on the left, which is worth remembering if you plan to hire a car.

All The Ways To Get From Malta Airport To Sliema, Valletta & St Julian’s

There are six realistic ways to make the journey, and each suits a different kind of traveller. Below is a quick comparison so you can see the trade-offs at a glance, then we explain each option in detail. All prices are approximate and the fares quoted are one-way to Sliema, with Valletta and St Julian’s costing within a euro or two of the same.

Notice there is no single “best” answer. A solo traveller with a backpack will happily jump on the X2 bus for €2.50, while a family of six landing at midnight will want a driver and a people-carrier waiting outside. Work out which of those two pictures looks most like your arrival, and the choice makes itself.

Pre-Booked Private Transfer: The Stress-Free Choice

A pre-booked private transfer is what we recommend to most of our guests, and it is the option that lands you outside your accommodation with the least fuss. You book online before you fly, give your flight number, and a driver tracks your landing and waits in Arrivals with a name board. No queue, no haggling, no working out bus connections at midnight.

Expect to pay around €25 to €40 one-way to Sliema, Valletta or St Julian’s for a standard car carrying up to three or four passengers. Larger people-carriers for groups of six to eight cost a little more but split far cheaper per head than two taxis. Companies like Welcome Pickups, Suntransfers and eCabs all run reliable airport transfers, and many offer free cancellation up to 24 hours before.

The real value is certainty. The price is fixed before you travel, the car is sized to your group, and the driver is already paid through the app so there is nothing to settle on arrival. For families landing late, this is the gold standard, and it pairs perfectly with self check-in accommodation where you let yourself in whenever you arrive.

White Airport Taxis & Fixed Fares

If you would rather not book in advance, Malta’s official white airport taxis run on a government-set fixed-fare system, which removes the usual worry about meters and detours. You pay before you travel at the clearly signed taxi kiosk inside the Arrivals hall, the staff hand you a ticket showing your destination and price, and you give that to the driver outside.

The fixed fare to Sliema is around €27, with Valletta priced at roughly €27 to €30 and St Julian’s at around €25 to €34 depending on exactly where you are headed. These prices cover the whole car, not per person, so for two to four people sharing they are very reasonable. Paying at the kiosk first is the key move, since it locks in the official rate.

White airport taxis are a solid walk-up choice when you have not pre-booked and do not want to fiddle with an app. They are comfortable, the drivers know every corner of the island, and the journey to central Sliema takes about 20 to 30 minutes. The only real downside is that for a single traveller they cost considerably more than the bus or a shared shuttle.

Bolt & eCabs: Ride-Hailing In Malta

Yes, ride-hailing works in Malta and it is genuinely popular. Bolt operates across the island, and the homegrown eCabs app is excellent and often cheaper than a white taxi. Uber-style operators are all here, so if you already have Bolt on your phone you can use it the moment you connect to the airport Wi-Fi.

A Bolt or eCabs ride from the airport to Sliema, Valletta or St Julian’s typically costs somewhere between €20 and €35, with the exact figure shown in the app before you confirm. Prices climb at peak times and on busy summer evenings, so the fare you see at 8pm in August may be higher than a quiet weekday morning. The car collects you from the signed ride-hailing pick-up area just outside Arrivals.

For couples and solo travellers who want door-to-door convenience without pre-booking, ride-hailing hits a sweet spot. You see the price upfront, you pay through the app, and you avoid any cash or kiosk steps. Just keep in mind that on the busiest nights you may wait a few minutes for a car, whereas a pre-booked transfer is guaranteed.

The Public Bus: Cheapest By Far

Malta’s public buses are run by Tallinja and they reach almost everywhere, including a direct express service from the airport. The X-routes are the ones to know because they are designed for the airport run and come with extra luggage racks. They leave from the stops just outside the terminal, to your left as you exit Arrivals.

• X2 is the route most visitors want, running airport to Sliema and Valletta in roughly 40 to 55 minutes.
• X3 heads up the coast towards St Julian’s, St Paul’s Bay and Buġibba, useful if you are staying further north.
• X1 runs to the Ċirkewwa ferry for Gozo, and X4 serves the southern fishing villages of Marsaxlokk and Birżebbuġa.
• All routes accept contactless Visa and Mastercard on board, plus cash if you have small coins.

A single ticket costs €2.00 in winter and €2.50 in summer, valid for two hours including free transfers, which is remarkable value. If you plan to use buses a lot during your stay, the Explore Card gives unlimited travel on day and night routes for seven days at around €25. Download the free Tallinja app to plan routes, check live times and buy tickets straight from your phone.

The honest trade-off is time and comfort. The bus is by far the cheapest way in, but with luggage, a group, or a late arrival it can feel like a slog, and you still face a short walk from the bus stop to your door. For backpackers and budget travellers travelling light, though, it is hard to beat €2.50.

Airport Shuttles & Car Hire

Shared airport shuttles sit between the bus and a private transfer on both price and convenience. You book a seat online, the minibus collects several parties heading the same way, and you pay around €9 to €12 per person. The catch is time: because the shuttle drops other passengers at their hotels first, the trip to Sliema can stretch to 40 to 60 minutes even though the drive itself is short.

Car hire is the other big decision, and Malta is a genuine case where it can pay off. The rental desks are right in Arrivals, daily rates start from around €15 to €35 for a small car outside peak season, and having your own wheels makes day trips to Mdina, the south coast and the Gozo ferry effortless. Remember that Malta drives on the left and parking in central Sliema is tight.

So is it worth hiring a car? If you intend to explore the wider island and venture beyond your base, yes. If you are staying put in central Sliema, where Valletta is a short ferry ride away and almost everything is walkable, a car can be more hassle than help. Many of our guests skip the car entirely and use buses, ferries and the odd taxi instead. For a fuller picture of getting around, see our guide to where to stay in Malta.

Which Option Should You Pick?

The right choice comes down to three things: your group size, how much luggage you are hauling, and what you are willing to spend. Here is the quick decision guide we give our own guests when they ask.

• Family or group with luggage: pre-book a private transfer or a people-carrier so a driver is waiting and the price is fixed in advance.
• Couple wanting convenience: a Bolt or eCabs ride, or a walk-up white taxi at the fixed €27 fare, gets you door to door.
• Solo or two travellers watching the budget: the X2 bus at €2.50 or a shared shuttle at around €10 each is plenty comfortable.
• Planning to explore the whole island: hire a car from the Arrivals desks and enjoy the freedom of Gozo day trips and inland villages.
• Late-night arrival: always pre-book a transfer so you are not waiting for a car or a bus with tired children.

Whichever you choose, a few arrivals tips smooth the whole thing. Connect to the free airport Wi-Fi before you leave the terminal so your apps work. Have a contactless card ready for the bus or a ride-hailing app. Agree or pre-pay your fare before you set off in any taxi. And screenshot your accommodation address and check-in instructions in case you lose signal on the way.

If you are heading to our part of the island, Aster House sits in central Sliema, 150m from the sea, and offers self check-in via a door code. That means a late flight is no problem at all: your driver drops you outside, you tap in the code, and you are home. Once you have settled in, our guide to things to do in Sliema will get you straight into the good stuff.

Frequently Asked Questions