The tallinja card, and Malta's free bus travel

Malta Public Transport sets out the benefit plainly: "With a personalised tallinja Card, you can travel for free on Day Routes, Night Routes and select Special Services." It adds free travel on the ferry connecting Sliema, Valletta and The Three Cities, and on the Barrakka Lift.

There is one notable exception: the tallinja Direct (TD) routes are not included in the free scheme and carry a fare. For those, and for tallinja Bike, you can top up the card with credit — online, through the free tallinja app, or at a sales outlet — and the credit never expires.

For anyone settling in Malta, it makes getting around one of the simplest line items in the budget.

Source: Malta Public Transport — Personalised tallinja Card, read 7 October 2026.

Malta Public Transport issues several personalised cards:

• Adult — for customers aged 17 and over who don't fall into another category
• Student — ages 11 to 16, or 17 to 59 on an approved full-time course lasting more than three months
• Child — ages 4 to 10; children under 4 travel free without a card
• Gozo Resident — linked to a primary residence on Gozo
• Concession — for holders of the Kartanzjan or Maltese 60+ identity card residing in Malta, and for eligible people with disabilities

Registration is online with an email address, a mobile number and a photo. Holders of a Maltese e-ID can use the photo from the national identity database for faster processing; other applicants upload a photo and a copy of their identity document. Cards typically arrive within two weeks. You can also apply on a paper form at a MaltaPost office, which adds an admin fee.

Registration fees are €25 for Adult, Student and Gozo cards and €5 for Child and Concession cards, with postage on top. Eligibility is confirmed during registration, so check the conditions for your situation when you apply.

When you board, tap the card on the ticket machine near the driver. A green light and a chime mean it has been accepted; a red light means it hasn't, and you'll need to buy a ticket with cash, a contactless bank card or a phone.

It's worth getting right: Malta Public Transport states that failing to validate your card or hold a valid ticket results in a €50 penalty, with the card held until the fine is paid.

Until your personalised card arrives, you can pay on board with a contactless bank card or phone.