Ferry services to operate on extended hours until end of October

Ferry services to Valletta and the new fast ferry linking Sliema to Gozo via Buġibba will run for longer hours, operating late into the evening until the end of October.

The new timetable is intended to give passengers more flexibility to use the ferry later in the day and further promote public transport as a viable and convenient alternative to private cars.

The extended summer timetable will remain in place until 31 October 2026, when the winter schedule comes into effect.

The new winter timetable will also include additional trips, with the government saying this will allow the service to better respond to passenger demand and changing travel needs.

Transport Minister Chris Bonett said the measure would strengthen connectivity between localities and the Maltese islands.

He pointed to the Sliema-Buġibba-Gozo route, introduced in May, which he said had proved particularly popular.

“Within three months of introducing this route at the beginning of May, around 250,000 passengers used it as part of their journey… This clearly shows the demand that exists for transport services that are reliable, efficient and give people an alternative to the private car,” the minister said.

Bonett said government would continue investing in and supporting services designed to make it easier for people to choose alternative modes of transport and reduce their reliance on private vehicles.

Transport Malta CEO Leonid McKay said the increase in passenger demand required Government to respond with greater frequency and choice.

“When demand grows, Government must respond with more service and more choice… The passenger figures using the fast ferry clearly show that people want alternatives to the private car,” McKay said. 

He said the additional trips and longer operating hours would strengthen connectivity between Malta and Gozo, as well as between communities and the island’s harbours.

“This is not simply a timetable change but an investment in a more modern, efficient and reliable transport system,” McKay said. “More trips, more flexibility, more choice, because public transport should work for the people.”

Under the extension, each harbour ferry service will operate three additional trips, while the Fast Ferry service will add two trips to each route departing from Valletta and from Sliema and Buġibba.