Malta has a exceptional public transport, which among other things has recently lowered ticket prices to less than half of their cost. A turning point that for Malta has the flavor of a real conquest. Having said that, which we will postpone and explain better in the post on how to move around Malta, let's see now how to get from Malta Airport to the city center, whether Valletta or Slima or St. Julian's your final destination.
From the airport by bus
The bus is the means I recommend to use to get to and from the airport to the city center. It takes about an hour, it is true, but it is definitely the cheapest and most efficient way. The ticket for a ride comes as a normal ride, so 2014: 1,50€ (until just a year ago it was € 2,60, so its cost was almost halved). The lines that lead directly to the airport are all those preceded by the X, therefore the X1, X2, X3, X4, X5 and X7. Here are the specific routes of these seven lines, so that you can choose your bus well, in relation to your accommodation, in Slima, St, Julian, Valletta or in other places on the island.
X1: Cirkewwa - Marfa - Mellieha - Xemxija - San Pawl il-Bahar - Qawra - Bahar ic-Caghaq - Pembroke - Mater Dei - Msida - Marsa - Luqa - Airport
X2: San Giljan - Sliema - Gzira - Mater Dei - Msida - Paola - Luqa - Airport
X3: Bugibba - Qawra - Mosta - Mtarfa - Rabat - Ta 'Qali - Attard - Balzan - Birkirkara - Marsa - Paola - Luqa - Airport
X4: Valletta - Floriana - Hamrun - Marsa - Luqa - Airport - Hal Far - Birzebbuga
X5: Valletta - Floriana - Marsa - Luqa - Airport - Gudja - Ghaxaq - Bir Id-Deheb - Zejtun - Marsaskala
X7: Valletta - Floriana - Hamrun - Marsa - Luqa - Airport - Gudja - Ghaxaq - Bir Id-Deheb - Zejtun - Tarxien - Paola
From the airport with Terravision
Obviously Terravision it's a guarantee. If you have taken a Ryanair flight, you will have the coach waiting for you when you arrive, which is not bad. So you won't have to wait for buses, choose lines or, at worst, call a taxi and spend a lot of money.
Terravision currently has a price per ride of 8 € to person. The price is not bad if you want to get to your destination early and without worries, but certainly not if you want to make a low cost trip. The Terravision bus arrives in Buggiba, Sliema and St. Julian, but does not cover all the other areas and locations on the island.
From the airport by taxi
Obviously this choice is the most expensive. We talk about 25 € one way from the airport to Slima, which is not an exaggerated cost if you divide it into two or three people, but it can become expensive if you are alone or have to travel this stretch of road. The bad thing is that, while the buses run all day and all night, Terravision's buses only depart in connection with Ryanair flights.
If by chance you arrive in Malta with an evening / night flight with Air Malta, you must necessarily take a bus, following and waiting for the timetables, or a taxi.
