Various bus routes have been operated in Malta since the 20th century. The system has evolved significantly over the years, with changes in routes, services, and operational management to better meet the needs of passengers.
The bus network in Malta serves as the primary form of public transport, operating on the islands of Malta and Gozo. Managed by Malta Public Transport (MPT), the system includes over 110 routes that connect major towns, villages, tourist attractions, and key infrastructure such as Malta International Airport and ferry terminals.
No routes operate on Comino or any other of the minor islands of Malta.
The public bus system in Malta, commonly known as (stylized as ), serves all majorly inhabited areas across the country and is the primary mode of public transportation. Passengers can access the bus service using either a card or paper tickets.
Since 1 October 2022, travel on public buses, including night services and special routes, is free for card holders. However, this exemption does not apply to Direct, Airport Direct, and on Demand services. The introduction of the free travel initiative has led to a significant increase in bus ridership, with over 75.8 million bus trips recorded in 2024.
All scheduled public transport routes are operated by Malta Public Transport. This excludes sightseeing buses and vintage/heritage buses, which are independently operated and separate from the national bus network.
The operations of Malta Public Transport were taken over by Autobuses Urbanos de León (a subsidiary of ALSA) in January 2015. The pattern of routes was substantially changed when the new network took effect. As of August 2025, there are around 500 diesel-run buses servicing these routes, as well as 32 electric buses as of 2024. Frequencies are typically every 10âÂÂ30 minutes during peak hours.
The bus fleet comprises modern low-emission vehicles, many of which are air-conditioned and wheelchair-accessible. MPT has continued efforts to reduce environmental impact, with investments in hybrid and electric buses. The main bus terminals are located in Valletta, Mater Dei Hospital, the airport, and Victoria.
Despite improvements, the bus system has faced criticism related to reliability, overcrowding during peak tourist seasons, and insufficient coverage in rural areas. Efforts are ongoing to improve punctuality, expand coverage, and enhance digital tracking through apps and live information displays.
The following routes are operated by MPT in Gozo.
Night bus services in Malta are operated by MPT and provide late-night public transportation across key urban and tourist areas. Initially introduced to cater to nightlife hotspots and workers with overnight shifts, these routes are especially popular among locals and tourists in areas such as Valletta, St Julian's, Sliema, and Buáibba.
Night routes are typically denoted with an "N" prefix (e.g. N11, N212, etc.). Services usually run from around 11:00 PM until 3:30 AM, depending on the route and demand. These buses offer a limited-stop service and follow slightly modified versions of their daytime counterparts to ensure faster journey times and improved coverage during off-peak hours.
As of early 2025, the night bus network includes several routes connecting major nightlife zones with residential areas and key transport interchanges.
Airport bus routes in Malta are operated by Malta Public Transport and connect Malta International Airport with various localities across the island. Following the 2015 takeover by Autobuses Urbanos de León, a subsidiary of ALSA, dedicated airport services were restructured and branded as "X" routes (e.g. X1, X2, X3, X4), offering limited-stop connections to major hubs including Valletta, Sliema, St Julian's, and Gozo via the ÃÂirkewwa ferry terminal. In April 2025, most of the X routes were discontinued or rebranded, and the newly introduced TD ( Direct) routes now facilitate connections to the airport instead. A number of the regular routes (particularly those going towards the southern part of the island) also stop at or near the airport. All airport routes operate seven days a week, with increased frequency during peak hours and the summer season to accommodate higher passenger volumes.
The following routes currently serve Malta International Airport: X1A, TD1, TD2, TD3, TD4, 71, 72, 73, 117, 119, 135, 201, 208, 214, 218.
In October 2024, Malta Public Transport acquired 25 King Long interurban buses that were formerly used by Cyprus Public Transport and entered service in December 2024 for Airport Direct Routes on Routes TD2 and TD3. On 24 February 2025, Malta Public Transport added two new Airport Direct routes to its schedule, TD1 and TD4. TD2 and TD3 were formerly summer-only routes before demand became too high to have them only run in the summer. A new route TD5 was introduced on 27 July 2025, particularly in response to higher-than-expected demand on route TD1.
The On Demand service uses minivans and acts as an on-demand service which can be booked via the official Malta Public Transport mobile application. Users can request a pick-up and drop-off at designated bus stops. It was introduced as TD Plus in 2019 and later renamed sometime in 2022. Initially, the service was available in the north eastern area of Malta (including St Julian's, Sliema, Gà ¼ira, Swieqi, San àwann, Valletta, and part of Birkirkara) and this was later extended to include Mrieçel as well. However, in February 2025, it was announced that the service will be limited to only the St Julian's and Sliema areas and will be available only on Friday and Saturday nights.
Special (one-off) services are often organised by Malta Public Transport following major events such as festivals and concerts. The exact routes and times are often announced a few days before the event, and depend on the event itself and user demand, but the routes are generally similar to the regularly-serviced routes, or multiple bus routes would be grouped into one longer route. Additionally, extra trips of the 'usual' bus routes are regularly organised. Examples of routes organised include as follows:
These are organised following major events/concerts in or nearby Floriana. The list below is indicative, since routes are announced depending on demand for the specific event. Usually, additional services on the regularly-serviced bus routes are also organised.
These are organised for events (e.g. Earth Garden Festival) occurring in Ta' Qali.
In February 2025, special services were organised for the first time following the Nadur Carnival. The following routes were organised:
In February 2026, a similar set of routes was organised during the carnival weekend. These were re-branded as routes 801-806.
Special services other than the ones mentioned above were organised for other events, for example during Festa Frawli in Máarr and for the San Girgor feast in Marsaxlokk.
The following routes were operated or proposed by MPT but are currently not in use.
These routes operated prior to the introduction of the Arriva network on 3 July 2011 and are therefore no longer current.
In 2005, the Halcrow Group had been commissioned to assess the Malta bus system. Released in November 2005, the report criticised the existing bus service and routes, which had produced a very low utilization of buses. In fact, a decline of 50% in the number of bus passengers was registered between 1979 and 2009.
On 3 July 2011, the Arriva group took over operation of scheduled bus services on Malta and Gozo, only to relinquish it in December 2013. A new government-owned company called Malta Public Transport took over fleet and operations, while a call for new operators to submit their bids was issued. These routes were in place from July 2011 until January 2014. These routes are no longer current, and it is not suggested that information regarding current services is taken from the following list.
These routes were proposed by the Maltese government in January 2014 after Arriva withdrew from the operation of bus services. They are similar to the current routes, with some minor changes having been made since and new routes having been introduced.
The following is the list of stops for the Southern Route operated by City Sightseeing Malta.
The following is the list of stops for the Northern Route operated by City Sightseeing Malta.