Travel
This hub helps you choose how to reach Sliema: which mode usually fits your journey, where you arrive, and what practical constraints to expect. It covers arrival and departure planning. For buses, walking and parking once you are already in town, use the separate Sliema transport guide.
Transport details last checked: . Schedules and frequencies change — use the official links and live maps below before you travel.
From the airport
The direct bus is Airport Direct TD3. It leaves the airport every 30 minutes, every day, from 05:15 to 00:45, and costs €3 per passenger, cash or contactless card on board; no booking needed. Included in the 7-day unlimited Explore card. Board at the airport bus terminus, just outside the terminal entrance. From the airport TD3 runs via St Julian’s (Spinola, Balluta) before reaching Sliema, then continues to Gżira and Msida and back to the airport.
| Get off at | Area | Timetabled time from the airport |
|---|---|---|
| Torri | Tower Road, Sliema | 34–37 min |
| Chalet | Tower Road, Sliema | 36–39 min |
| Ferries 3 | Sliema Ferries / the Strand | 40–43 min |
Back to the airport: catch TD3 at Ferries 3 (first 05:58, last 01:25, every 30 minutes). The timetabled ride is 30–32 minutes. TD3 is a loop, so from Sliema Ferries it heads straight to the airport via Gżira, Msida and Floriana. From the Torri stop on Tower Road allow 36–38 minutes.
Tickets at the airport: Malta Public Transport sales office in the Welcomers’ Hall (08:00–19:30 daily) and 24-hour ticket machines outside the office and beside the bus stop.
Taxi: Malta International Airport names Malta Taxi as the official taxi service; its website and app work out the fare for your trip before you book. A taxi suits heavy luggage, reduced mobility or a flight that lands after the last bus.
Times are from the operator’s timetable, checked ; traffic can add to them. Sources: Malta Public Transport: route TD3 timetable · Malta Public Transport: Airport Direct fares and frequency · Malta International Airport: bus service and tickets · Malta International Airport: taxis and transport · Malta Taxi.
This page is about reaching and leaving Sliema. Every bus route from Sliema, its stops and the ferry timetable are on the buses and ferry page. Sliema buses and ferry timetable →
Compare journeys
Priority origins with meaningful visitor and resident demand. “Usual best option” is a starting point — traffic, weather and time of day can change the answer.
| From | Usual best option | Alternatives | Indicative time | Live directions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malta International Airport | Airport Direct TD3 bus (or taxi / ride-hailing with luggage) | Other Airport Direct / express buses with a change; driving | TD3: 34–43 minutes timetabled; taxi traffic-dependent | |
| Valletta | Harbour ferry to Sliema Ferries (The Strand) | Frequent buses; taxi / ride-hailing; walking only if you want a long urban walk | Ferry crossing is usually about 10–15 minutes; road options vary with traffic | |
| St Julian’s and Paceville | Walk the coastal road, or a short bus / taxi hop | Ride-hailing late at night from Paceville | Often 15–35 minutes on foot or by bus, depending on exact start point | |
| Gżira and Msida | Local bus along the Strand / marina road, or a short walk from Gżira | Taxi / ride-hailing; cycling where you are comfortable in traffic | Usually under 20 minutes for most trips into central Sliema | |
| Ċirkewwa / arrivals from Gozo | Bus south from Ċirkewwa, then continue toward Sliema; taxi if travelling late or with luggage | Drive the coastal / arterial route; overnight ride-hailing when buses thin out | Often around 60–90+ minutes door-to-door — traffic and ferry queue dependent | |
| Valletta Gozo fast-ferry terminal | Connect via Valletta waterfront, then harbour ferry or bus into Sliema | Taxi / ride-hailing from Lascaris Wharf; Airport Direct TD4 also serves the Valletta / Gozo Fast Ferry area from the airport | Allow 30–60 minutes after landing in Valletta, depending on connection and traffic | |
| Buġibba, Qawra and St Paul’s Bay | Direct or one-change bus toward Sliema / St Julian’s corridor | Gozo Highspeed fast ferry from Buġibba to Sliema (about 30 minutes, several sailings a day); taxi / ride-hailing | Often 45–75 minutes by bus — traffic-dependent; about 30 minutes by fast ferry | |
| Mdina and Rabat | Bus toward Valletta or the coastal corridor, then continue to Sliema | Taxi / ride-hailing for a direct transfer; driving if you already have a car | Often 45–80 minutes with at least one connection — traffic-dependent | |
| Three Cities | Harbour ferry via Valletta, then the Sliema–Valletta ferry | Bus via Valletta; taxi / ride-hailing for a direct road transfer | Often 40–70 minutes including the Valletta connection | |
| Malta Cruise Port | Taxi / ride-hailing with luggage, or bus via Valletta toward Sliema | Walk or shuttle into Valletta centre, then harbour ferry to Sliema Ferries | Often 25–50 minutes depending on luggage, queues and traffic |
Airport
TD3 is the Airport Direct service listed by Malta International Airport for Gżira, Sliema and St Julian’s. Board at the airport bus terminal outside Arrivals.
Capital
Valletta is the main interchange. For Sliema, the Marsamxett harbour ferry is usually simpler than driving into the seafront.
Neighbourhoods
These neighbouring entertainment and hotel areas share the same coastal corridor into Sliema.
Neighbourhoods
Gżira sits immediately next to Sliema; Msida is a short hop further inland along the same corridor.
Gozo links
Gozo Channel docks at Ċirkewwa. Continue by bus, car or on-demand transport toward the east coast.
Gozo links
Passenger fast ferries use the Grand Harbour / Lascaris area rather than Ċirkewwa. Check the operator timetable before you travel.
North coast
Northern resort towns feed into the same east-coast bus corridor that serves Sliema.
Inland
There is rarely a single one-seat ride; plan the interchange in Google Maps transit mode before you leave.
Grand Harbour
Using the water links keeps you out of Grand Harbour road congestion when services are running.
Cruise arrivals
Cruise berths sit on the Valletta Waterfront / Pinto Wharf side. Allow extra time at turnaround peaks.
Priority routes
Read these before you leave — you should understand the main options without opening another tab first.
Priority route
The most common visitor arrival is Malta International Airport (Luqa). There is a named Airport Direct bus for the Gżira–Sliema–St Julian’s corridor, plus taxis, ride-hailing and driving.
Airport Direct TD3 leaves the airport every 30 minutes, every day, from 05:15 to 00:45, and costs €3 (cash or contactless on board). It reaches the Torri and Chalet stops on Tower Road in about 34–39 minutes and Sliema Ferries in about 40–43, going via St Julian’s first. Check the tallinja app on the day.
Usually the simplest option with heavy luggage, children, late arrivals, or reduced mobility. Journey time is traffic-dependent and can stretch sharply at peak hours.
Useful if you need a car for the rest of your trip, but seafront parking in Sliema is limited. Factor drop-off and parking before choosing this over TD3 or a taxi.
Priority route
From Valletta, the Marsamxett harbour ferry is usually the most predictable way into Sliema when it is sailing. Buses and taxis remain useful when the ferry is busy, finished for the day, or disrupted by weather.
Valletta Ferry Services runs the Sliema–Valletta catamaran between Marsamxett (Valletta) and Sliema Ferries on The Strand. Crossing time is short; seasonal and Sunday schedules differ — use the official timetable rather than memorising times.
Frequent buses link Valletta with the Sliema / Gżira corridor. Useful with shopping bags when you prefer not to use stairs at ferry landings, or when the ferry is not operating.
Best for late evenings, mobility needs, or when you are connecting from another ferry and want a single road leg.
Possible, but Valletta access restrictions and Sliema parking make park-and-ride / ferry combinations more practical for many visits.
Priority route
Since May 2026 a passenger fast ferry has run directly between Mġarr (Gozo) and Sliema, stopping at Buġibba, so foot passengers no longer need to change. With a car you still use the Gozo Channel ferry to Ċirkewwa and drive the rest of the way.
Gozo Highspeed sails from Mġarr to Buġibba and on to Sliema Ferries on the Strand in about 1 hour 15 minutes, with sailings from early morning until late evening. It carries foot passengers only. See the Sliema ferry timetable and fares.
Gozo Channel links Mġarr (Gozo) with Ċirkewwa around the clock, subject to weather and operations. From Ċirkewwa, continue south by bus or taxi toward the Sliema / St Julian’s corridor.
Passenger fast ferries land in the Grand Harbour / Lascaris area. From there, connect into Valletta and onward by harbour ferry or bus to Sliema.
Practical if you bring a car on Gozo Channel. Expect congestion approaching the east coast at peak times and limited seafront parking on arrival.
The harbour ferry is the signature short hop between Sliema and Valletta. It skips road traffic across Marsamxett Harbour when the service is operating.
Sliema Ferries on The Strand — the main waterfront landing used by Valletta Ferry Services.
Marsamxett landing on the Valletta side of the harbour (not the Grand Harbour / Lascaris fast-ferry quays).
Crossing: Approximate crossing time is usually around 10–15 minutes once under way. Boarding, ticketing and waiting time sit on top of that.
Driving into Sliema is straightforward on a map and often slow in real life. Peak congestion, limited seafront parking and busy drop-off points matter more than the raw distance.
Expect slow approaches along the Msida–Gżira–Strand corridor at weekday peaks, summer evenings and major event nights. Live navigation is more reliable than any fixed ETA.
Use clearly signed hotel forecourts, car-park entrances, or legal waiting areas near The Strand and Tower Road. Do not stop on pedestrian crossings, bus stops, or double-park on the seafront — enforcement is active and it blocks buses.
Seafront and central on-street spaces fill quickly, especially weekends and summer. Treat finding a free kerbside space as unlikely at busy times.
Major publicly signed options that continue to operate for visitors include the Townsquare / Tigné Point area car parks serving the shopping and residential complex. Confirm opening status, height limits and tariffs on site or via the operator before you rely on a specific garage — details change.
Malta’s Blue Badge is administered via Aġenzija Sapport. Badge holders may use marked accessible bays when the badge is correctly displayed. Private car-park concessions still vary — check locally. See the official Sapport and Your Europe Malta pages linked in Sources.
Check live Google Maps or another navigation app for closures, diversions and parking restrictions on the day.
Taxis
Taxis and app-based ride-hailing are widely used for airport runs, late nights, and luggage-heavy trips into Sliema. Public transport is usually cheaper when services match your timing; taxis win on door-to-door convenience.
You are travelling in daytime, have manageable luggage, and a direct or simple bus / ferry option appears in live transit directions.
You arrive late, carry heavy bags, travel with young children, need step-free door-to-door help, or buses would need awkward changes.
Ride-hailing
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FAQ
Take Airport Direct TD3, which leaves the airport every 30 minutes from 05:15 to 00:45 and costs €3, or a taxi. The bus is timetabled at 34–43 minutes to the Sliema stops. Choose a taxi if you have heavy luggage, land after the last bus or want a door-to-door transfer; Malta Taxi, the airport’s official taxi service, quotes the fare when you book. For bus routes and the ferry timetable, see Sliema buses and ferry.
Yes. Airport Direct TD3 runs every day between the airport and Sliema via St Julian’s, stopping at Torri and Chalet on Tower Road and at Sliema Ferries. The fare is €3, paid in cash or by contactless card on board, and the 7-day Explore card covers it. Back to the airport, catch it at Ferries 3 (first 05:58, last 01:25). For bus routes and the ferry timetable, see Sliema buses and ferry.
Take the harbour ferry from Marsamxett to Sliema Ferries when it is sailing, or use the frequent buses along the same corridor. Taxis fill the gaps late at night or when the ferry schedule does not suit you. For bus routes and the ferry timetable, see Sliema buses and ferry.
At Sliema Ferries on The Strand. That landing is separate from the Grand Harbour fast-ferry quays in Valletta. For bus routes and the ferry timetable, see Sliema buses and ferry.
On foot, the simplest way is the direct Gozo Highspeed fast ferry from Mġarr, which stops at Buġibba and arrives at Sliema Ferries on the Strand in about 1 hour 15 minutes. With a car, take Gozo Channel to Ċirkewwa and drive. You can also take the Valletta fast ferry and continue by harbour ferry, bus or taxi. For bus routes and the ferry timetable, see Sliema buses and ferry.
Yes, but do not assume daytime ferry or Airport Direct frequencies still apply. Check the last useful bus or ferry sailing, and keep taxi / ride-hailing as the reliable fallback after midnight. For bus routes and the ferry timetable, see Sliema buses and ferry.
Not for getting around the town itself — see the buses and ferry page for routes, stops and the ferry timetable. A car helps more for day trips across Malta than for central Sliema errands, where parking is the constraint. For bus routes and the ferry timetable, see Sliema buses and ferry.
Airport Direct and many buses have luggage space, but boarding with large cases or reduced mobility is still harder than a taxi. Ferry landings can involve quayside access that is awkward with heavy bags — when in doubt, choose door-to-door transport. For bus routes and the ferry timetable, see Sliema buses and ferry.
For airport and Ċirkewwa road legs, build in a buffer beyond the optimistic map ETA — peak periods and cruise / event days regularly add 15–30 minutes or more into the Sliema corridor. For bus routes and the ferry timetable, see Sliema buses and ferry.
Treat seafront kerbside parking as unreliable at busy times. Use signed paid car parks such as the Townsquare / Tigné Point area facilities when they are open, and confirm tariffs and access on the day. Blue Badge holders should follow Aġenzija Sapport guidance for marked bays. For bus routes and the ferry timetable, see Sliema buses and ferry.
Volatile details (timetables, frequencies, fares) are summarised only. Official operator pages remain the authority. Last checked: .
