Editing Transport in Malta

{{Short description|none}} <!-- "none" is preferred when the title is sufficiently descriptive; see [[WP:SDNONE]] -->
[[File:Hafenpromenade Sliema.jpg|thumb|300px|View of [[Gżira]] showing traffic on Triq ix-Xatt and boats in Marsamxett Harbour]]
The '''transport system in [[Malta]]''' is small but extensive, and the islands' domestic system of [[public transport]] is reliant on [[bus]]es and [[taxi]]s, although there was both a [[Malta Railway|railway]] and a [[Malta Tramways|tramway]] in the past. Public transport in Malta has been [[Free public transport|free of charge]] since October 2022 for all residents with a Tallinja Card (a personalised public transport card), for which any resident of Malta can register.<ref name="European Commission"/>

Malta's primary international connections are the [[Malta International Airport]] in [[Luqa]] and by sea the [[Valletta Ferry Terminal]]. Malta's primary commercial connection is the [[Malta Freeport]] (the 3rd largest [[transshipment]] [[port]] in the Mediterranean Sea) in [[Birżebbuġa]].

Created in 2010 the authority in charge of all Transport services in the country is [[Transport Malta]],<ref>{{cite web|title=Transport Malta|url=http://www.transport.gov.mt/|access-date=23 January 2017}}</ref> consumed the services of the Malta Maritime Authority, the Malta Transport Authority and the Director and Directorate of Civil Aviation.<ref>{{cite web|title=CHAPTER 499 AUTHORITY FOR TRANSPORT IN MALTA ACT|url=http://www.justiceservices.gov.mt/DownloadDocument.aspx?app=lom&itemid=8965|website=Malta Ministry of Justice|access-date=23 January 2017}}</ref>

The Ministry of Culture of Malta sanctioned Touring Club Malta to set up a Transport Museum.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Camilleri|first1=Joseph C.|title=Ix-xewqa ta' Philip Agius... Muzew tat-Transport|work=It-Torċa|date=12 August 2006}}</ref>

==Land transport==

===Roads===
{{main article|Roads in Malta}}
[[File:Malta - Hamrun - Triq l-Indipendenza 02 ies.jpg|thumb|Triq l-Indipendenza in [[Ħamrun]]]]
Traffic in Malta [[Driving on the left or right|drives on the left]], being one of only four countries in Europe to do so, along with the [[United Kingdom]], [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]] and [[Cyprus]]. Car ownership in Malta is exceedingly high given the very small size of the islands. The country has a car ownership rate of 766 motor vehicles per 1,000 people.<ref>{{Cite news|date=28 October 2020|title=Malta's Vehicle Population Reaches 400,000 With 73 New Cars On The Road Each Day|work=Lovin Malta|url=https://lovinmalta.com/news/maltas-vehicle-population-reaches-400000-with-73-new-cars-on-the-road-each-day/|access-date=8 August 2020}}</ref> As of October 2021, the number of registered cars amounted to 411,056,<ref>{{cite web|title=NSO Motor Vehicles: Q3/2021|url=https://nso.gov.mt/en/News_Releases/Documents/2021/10/News2021_192.pdf|publisher=[[National Statistics Office - Malta]]|access-date=24 January 2022}}</ref> giving an auto-mobile density of 1253.8 per km².

Malta has 3,096 kilometres of road, 2,704&nbsp;km (87.3%) of which are paved and 392&nbsp;km are unpaved as of 2008.<ref>{{cite web|title=CIA World Factbook - Malta|url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/malta/|publisher=[[Central Intelligence Agency]]|access-date=26 October 2014}}</ref> 114&nbsp;km of Malta's roads are on the [[Trans-European Transport Network]] but it has no motorways.<ref>{{cite web |title=CEDR TR 2020/01: Trans-European Road Network, TEN-T (Roads): 2019 Performance Report |url=https://www.cedr.eu/docs/view/6063289f6eb55-en |website=www.CEDR.eu |publisher=Conference of European Directors of Roads |access-date=4 December 2021 |language=english |date=2020}}</ref> Roads in Malta are maintained and operated by Infrastructure Malta.<ref>{{cite web |title=About Us - Infrastructure Malta |url=https://www.infrastructuremalta.com/about-us |website=Infrastructure Malta |date=30 July 2018 |access-date=4 December 2021}}</ref>

The official road user guide for Malta is ''[[The Highway Code (Malta)|The Highway Code]]''.<ref>{{cite web|title=Land Transport|url=https://www.gov.mt/en/Life%20Events/Owning%20a%20Vehicle/Pages/Land-Transport.aspx|publisher=Government of Malta|access-date=26 October 2014}}</ref>

===Buses===
[[File:Maltesisk buss 1.jpg|thumb|Traditional Maltese bus]]
[[File:Malta Buses (cropped).jpg|thumb|Modern buses at Valletta City Gate Bus Station]]
{{main article|Malta bus}}
[[Bus]]es are the primary method of public transport for the Maltese Islands and have been in operation there since 1905, offering a cheap and frequent service to many parts of Malta and [[Gozo]]. The vast majority of buses on Malta depart from a terminus in [[Valletta]]. Malta's buses carried over 40 million passengers in 2015.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20160724/local/bus-passengers-increase-by-20-per-cent.619740 |title=Bus passengers increase by 20 per cent since introduction of card system|date=24 July 2016 }}</ref>

The traditional classic Maltese buses, which were in operation until 2011 and still provide tourist-oriented services to this day, have become visitor 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. Prior to their reform there were approximately 500 buses in public transit service, most of them privately owned by the bus drivers themselves, and operated to a unified timetable set by the transport authority. 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 transport.

In July 2011 a new public transport network was installed by [[#Transport Malta|Transport Malta]] (the regulating authority) and on 3 July 2011 it started being operated by [[Arriva Malta]], which was owned by [[Arriva]] (67%) and [[Tumas Group]] (33%), operating as the sole operator on a 10-year contract and running a new 264-strong fleet of buses in a turquoise and cream livery. Unlike the system it replaced, the buses were owned and operated by a single company with the drivers working as employees of Arriva Malta.

When Arriva ceased operations on 1 January 2014 due to financial difficulties, the company was nationalised as Malta Public Transport by the Maltese government as an interim measure while a new bus operator could be found.<ref>{{cite news|title=Arriva Future Decided|url=http://www.di-ve.com/news/arriva-future-decided|access-date=26 October 2014|work=di-ve.com news|date=22 November 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Sansone|first1=Kurt|title=New Year in, Arriva out|url=http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20131223/local/New-Year-in-Arriva-out.500112#.UsNt0PRDvCt|access-date=26 October 2014|work=[[Times of Malta]]|date=23 December 2013}}</ref> As of October 2014 the government has chosen Autobuses Urbanos de León ([[Alsa (bus company)|Alsa]] subsidiary) as its preferred bus operator for the country, and although the agreement has yet to be fully determined and signed, it is planned that they will being operation in January 2015.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Dalli|first1=Kim|title=New bus operator to start in January|url=http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20141001/local/New-bus-operator-to-start-in-January.537947|access-date=26 October 2014|work=[[Times of Malta]]|date=1 October 2014}}</ref>

During the closing days of December 2014, the [[Times of Malta]] and other newspapers were reporting that the company had now signed contracts and purchased the existing operation for 8 million euros.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20141220/local/update-3-new-public-transport-provider-to-take-over-bus-service-on-january-8.548966|title=Update 3: New public transport provider to take over bus service on January 8|work=Times of Malta|date=20 December 2014 |access-date=12 June 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/47659/spanish_public_transport_operators_to_take_over_on_january_8_|title=Spanish public transport operators to take over on January 8|work=MaltaToday.com.mt|access-date=12 June 2015}}</ref> They duly took over the business on January 8, 2015 with their takeover being effected as a "soft launch". The existing name - Malta Public Transport - is to be retained instead of using Autobuses Urbanos de León and nothing will have changed from a passenger perspective initially. The buses are to be repainted into a new livery of light green and white and during a press announcement to mark the formal takeover of operations on the day, several repainted buses were lined up for a photo call to show off the new livery, these being two of the leased in 2014 [[Optare Solo]]s, one of the leased in 2014 Wright Volvos, one each of the new in 2011 [[King Long]] XMQ6900J and XMQ6127J buses. By February the sub contracted buses from UBS were replaced - temporarily - with 32 dual-door [[Mercedes-Benz Citaro]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20150131/local/update-2-malta-public-transport-says-there-will-be-no-disruptions-in-public-transport.554157|title=Update 2: Malta Public Transport says there will be no disruptions in public transport|work=Times of Malta|date=31 January 2015 |access-date=12 June 2015}}</ref> buses operated by ALESA (as opposed to the situation until then of sub contracting of both bus and driver from UBS) until new [[Otokar]] Vectio C dual-door single deck buses currently on order<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.otokar.com.tr/en-us/corporate/media/news/Pages/rhd-buses.aspx|title=First order of RHD buses to Otokar|access-date=12 June 2015}}</ref> have arrive later in 2015.  These new buses will number 142 in total and used to augment the existing fleet as the revised route network is incrementally rolled out during the course of 2015 with the full service planned not expected to be fully realized until 2016, at which time the 23 million euro subsidy for 2015 will rise to 29 million thereafter.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20150108/local/spanish-company-takes-over-bus-service.551080|title=Spanish company takes over bus service|work=Times of Malta|date=8 January 2015 |access-date=12 June 2015}}</ref>

In January 2019, the [[Government of Malta|Government]] has said that young people who are between 16 and 20-years old in 2018 can now travel by bus for free. People between 17 and 19-years old will travel for free between 1 January 2019 and 31 December 2019. The government also said that those who will turn 16 this year will start travelling for free on their birthday and will keep benefiting from the scheme until their 17th birthday. 20-year-olds will benefit until they reach 21.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20180110/community/aged-16-to-20-hop-on-the-free-public-transport-bus.667631|title=Aged 16 to 20? Hop on the free public transport bus|last=Ltd|first=Allied Newspapers|website=Times of Malta|date=10 January 2018 |language=en-GB|access-date=2019-01-14}}</ref>

Since October 2022 public transport (which includes buses) in Malta and Gozo has been free of charge for all residents with a Tallinja Card (a personalised public transport card), of which any Malta resident can register for.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/budget-2022-free-bus-service-for-all-by-next-year.907165 | title=Budget 2022: Free bus service for all by October 1 next year | date=11 October 2021}}</ref><ref name="European Commission">{{cite web |url= https://urban-mobility-observatory.transport.ec.europa.eu/news-events/news/malta-introduces-free-public-transport-2022-10-13_en?prefLang=nl |title= Malta introduces free public transport |date= 13 October 2022 |website= European Commission |access-date= 23 September 2024}}</ref>

===Railway===
[[File:Malta_Railway_Map.svg|thumb|Old Malta Railway tracks (1883–1931)]]
{{main article|Malta Railway}}

The [[Malta Railway]] was the only [[railway line]] ever on the island of [[Malta]], and it consisted of a single railway line from [[Valletta]] to [[Mdina]]. It was a [[Single track (rail)|single-track]] line in [[Metre gauge railway|metre gauge]], operating from 1883 to 1931 between the capital city of [[Valletta]] and the army barracks at [[Mtarfa]] / [[Mdina]]. The railway was known in [[Maltese language|Maltese]] as ''il-vapur tal-art'' (the land ship).

=== Tramways ===
{{main|Malta Tramways}}
[[File:Malta Trams Map EN.svg|thumb|Map of the Maltese tramways, 1905–1929]]
Electric [[tram]]ways operated in Malta from 23 February 1905 till 1929.<ref>Joseph Bonnici & Michael Cassar, ''The Malta railway''. Malta 1992. S. 82.</ref>

The tramway was connected with two lines,<ref name="Baedeker1907">Karl Baedeker: ''Italie Méridionale, Sicilie, Sardaigne, Malte, Tunis, Corfou.'' 14. Aufl. Leipzig 1907.</ref> considered to be a direct line:<ref name="Baedeker1929">Karl Baedeker: ''Unteritalien, Sizilien, Malta, Tripolis, Korfu. Handbuch für Reisende''. 16. Aufl. Leipzig 1929.</ref>
# [[Valletta]] – [[Marsa, Malta|Marsa]] – [[Paola, Malta|Paola]] – [[Cospicua]]
# Valletta – [[Hamrun|Ħamrun]] – [[Qormi]] – [[Żebbuġ]]
# Valletta – Ħamrun – [[Birkirkara]]
There was no immediate extension of the track to [[Mosta]].<ref name="Baedeker1907" /><ref name="Baedeker1929" />

The tracks ran on the road parallel to the [[Malta Railway|Valletta-Mdina railway line]], which also allowed the traffic system to be used by cars and buses. The road operation was terminated after the bankruptcy of the company on December 15, 1929 and the infrastructure was rebuilt.<ref>Joseph Bonnici & Michael Cassar, ''The Malta railway''. Malta 1992. S. 97.</ref>

In 2008, the Halcrow report<ref>[https://www.transport.gov.mt/Malta-LRT-Study-v1-0-October-2008-with-Annexes.pdf-f1689 Halcrow report], 2008</ref> suggested the government to reintroduce two tram lines in Malta: [[Valletta]] to [[Sliema]] along the coast road, and [[Valletta]] to [[Ta' Qali]]. The report was largely overlooked, as the government focused on reforming the bus transport. In 2016 the government announced a new study on reintroducing the tram.<ref>[https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/debate-on-tram-service-ignited-the-situation-so-far.626982 Times of Malta]</ref> The new study, which is expected by late 2020, should also look at metro and monorail options.<ref>[https://www.tvm.com.mt/en/news/study-on-metro-and-monorail-transport-project-expected-to-be-published-shortly/ TVM]</ref>

<gallery>
File:Straßenbahn-Eröffnungszeremonie in Malta im Jahr 1905 (retuschiert).jpg|Inauguration, 1905
File:20181022-Ansichtskarte-Straßenbahn auf Piazza St Anna-Floriana.jpg|Tramway in Floriana, Valletta in 1929
</gallery>

===Metro===
{{Main|Malta Metro}}

In 2021 the Maltese government unveiled a proposal for a €6.2 billion metro network,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/watch-live-government-announces-metro-study-results.905092|title=Government unveils 25-station, €6.2 billion underground Metro proposal|website=Times of Malta|date=October 2021|access-date=2 October 2022}}</ref> to consist of three lines and 25 stations, of which the majority would be underground. As of 2023, the project seems to have been shelved.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Diacono |first=Tim |date=2023-10-31 |title=Watch: Malta Metro Not An ‘Utmost Priority’ - But Not Off The Table Either, Robert Abela Says |url=https://lovinmalta.com/news/watch-malta-metro-not-an-utmost-priority-but-not-off-the-table-either-robert-abela-says/ |access-date=2025-03-05 |website=Lovin Malta |language=en-GB}}</ref>

==Maritime transport==
[[File:Gozo Channel Malita.jpg|right|thumb|The Gozo ferry MV ''Malita'' departs at Ċirkewwa]]
[[File:Malta - Floriana - Triq l-Ghassara tal-Gheneb - Jean de la Valette (MSTHC) 06 ies.jpg|thumb|The Malta-Sicily ferry MV ''Jean De La Valette'' at the [[Grand Harbour]]]]
Malta has three large natural harbours on its main island. There are also two man-made harbours that connect the islands of Malta and [[Gozo]].

*The [[Grand Harbour]], located at the eastern side of the capital city of [[Valletta]]. The Grand Harbour, which has been used as a harbour since [[Roman Empire|Roman]] times, has several extensive [[dock (maritime)|docks]] and [[Wharf|wharves]], as well as a cruise liner terminal.
*[[Marsamxett Harbour]], located on the western side of Valletta, accommodates a number of yacht marinas.
*[[Marsaxlokk Harbour]] is sited at [[Marsaxlokk]] on the southeastern side of Malta, and is the location of the [[Malta Freeport]], the islands' main cargo terminal.

===Ferry services===
{{main article|Gozo Channel Line|Virtu Ferries|Gozo Highspeed}}

A frequent daily passenger and car ferry service runs between the islands of Malta and Gozo between [[Ċirkewwa|Ċirkewwa Harbour]] and [[Mġarr (Gozo)|Mġarr Harbour]].

There are also regularly-scheduled local commuter ferries, including:

* From [[Marsamxett Harbour|Marsamxett]] (Valletta) to [[Sliema]],
* From Ta' Liesse (Valletta) to [[Three Cities (Malta)|Cottonera]],
* From Ta' Liesse (Valletta) to [[Mġarr, Gozo]] (Gozo Highspeed, formerly "Gozo Fast Ferry").

More ferries are planned to be introduced starting in Summer 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Balzan |first=Jurgen |date=2021-03-16 |title=New Bugibba breakwater to include passenger terminal |url=https://newsbook.com.mt/en/new-bugibba-breakwater-to-include-passenger-terminal/ |access-date=2025-03-05 |website=Newsbook}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2024-08-09 |title=Buġibba breakwater project is 70% complete |url=https://timesofmalta.com/article/bugibba-breakwater-project-70-complete.1096551 |access-date=2025-03-05 |website=Times of Malta |language=en-gb}}</ref>

There is also a ferry terminal at the Grand Harbour that connects Malta to [[Pozzallo]] and [[Catania]] in [[Sicily]].

===Merchant marine===
Malta is one of the ten largest ship registers in the world (6th in 2016) and the largest in the [[EU]], with 66.2 million [[Gross tonnage|gt]] registered. At the end of 2015, there were also 501 yachts on the register.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20160211/local/record-tonnage-registered-in-malta-shipping-register.602043 |title=Record tonnage registered in Malta shipping register|access-date=27 November 2018 |newspaper=Times of Malta |date=11 February 2016}}</ref>

==Air transport==
[[File:9H-AEP A320 Air Malta (14806272801).jpg|thumb|An [[Air Malta]] Airbus A320]]
[[Malta International Airport]] is the only airport serving the Maltese Islands. It is built on the land formerly occupied by the [[RAF Luqa]] air base. A heliport is also located there, but the scheduled service to Gozo ceased in 2006. From June 2007 to August 2012, a three-times daily floatplane service, operated by [[HarbourAir Malta]], linked the sea terminal in Grand Harbour to [[Mġarr (Gozo)|Mgarr harbour]] in Gozo.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Barry|first1=Duncan|title=Harbour Air halted seaplane service for the summer|url=http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/business/business_news/20340/harbour-air-halted-seaplane-service-for-the-summer-20120816#.VE0CC_nF8Xs|access-date=26 October 2014|work=Malta Today|date=16 August 2012}}</ref>

In the past there were two further airfields which were in operation during [[World War II]] and into the 1960s, located at [[Ta'Qali]] and [[Ħal Far]]. They have now since been closed, the land on the former has now been converted into a national park, [[Ta'Qali Stadium|stadium]] 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. Ħal Far has been converted into an industrial estate, a race track and an immigration reception centre.

The national airline is [[KM Malta Airlines]], which replaced [[Air Malta]] in March 2024.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Scicluna |first=Christopher |date=2023-10-02 |title=Air Malta to close in March, new airline to replace it, PM says |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/air-malta-close-march-new-airline-replace-it-pm-says-2023-10-02/ |access-date=2024-11-08 |work=Reuters |language=en}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Buses in Malta]]
* [[Plug-in electric vehicles in Malta]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Notes==
*{{cite journal|journal=L-Imnara|last=Bonnici Calì|first=Rafel|date=June 1978|title=Folklor fuq il-Karozzi tan-Nar|url=http://melitensiawth.com/incoming/Index/L-Imnara/L-Imnara.%2001(1978)1=1/06s.pdf|volume=1|issue=1|publisher=Rivista tal-Għaqda Maltija tal-Folklor|language=mt|pages=13–17}}
*{{cite journal|journal=Journal of the Malta Historical Society|last=Ganado|first=Albert|date=2005|title=Bibliographical notes on Melitensia - 3|url=http://mhs.eu.pn/mh3/20053.html#_ftnref308|publisher=Melita Historica|volume=14|issue=2|pages=173–174, see footnote 8|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140421163335/http://mhs.eu.pn/mh3/20053.html|archive-date=21 April 2014}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Transport in Malta}}
* [http://maltabuses.piwigo.com/ Images of Maltese buses]
* [https://www.skylinewebcams.com/en/webcam/malta/malta/traffic.html Live Traffic Cameras]
* [http://www.transport.gov.mt/ Transport Malta]

{{Malta topics}}
{{Transportation in Europe}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Transport In Malta}}
[[Category:Transport in Malta| ]]