Thinking Of Hiring A Car And Driving In Malta?
We don’t own a car and love the freedom of not having to drive in Malta. No worries about insurance, fuel, car maintenance, parking and we are doing our little bit for the environment, plus it leaves us with more money for the more pleasurable things in life. Fortunately for us, practically everything we need is within walking distance or a short ferry ride away across the Grand Harbour.
But venturing further afield, hiring a car can be useful. Recently, we have been taking a few trips across to Gozo to protect a turtle nesting site, (but that’s a story for another day), so we decided to rent a car.
Is It Difficult Driving In Malta?
Well, there are a few challenges:
• In Malta, they drive on the left-hand side of the road. So, if you’re not from the UK or other left hand sided nations, it does take a while to get used to. Plus most cars are manual, although if you ask nicely, it is possible to hire an automatic if you so desire. There were a few times I had to subtly tell Jonathan he was on the wrong side of the road. Yes, I know I’m a Brit and should have driven, but have you seen the way they drive over here?!
• Many of the roads here are incredibly narrow with semi-blind corners so be prepared; you might clip your side mirrors on occasion.
• Parking can be a complete nightmare, especially in the busier resort areas.
• For a small island, there’s a surprising amount of traffic. Sadly, the car is king in Malta. And there always seems to be significant roadworks causing chaos somewhere.
• When you drive in Malta, you’ll come across some very hot-headed drivers on the road who will do anything to cut off one to two minutes of their journey time. They will know you’re a tourist, and that seems to make them less patient.
• Road rules and signs are sometimes seen as just suggestions.
• Don’t follow Google Maps too closely; quite often, it will lead you to dead ends or the wrong way into a one-way system.
“Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?” ― George Carlin
Hopefully, our words of warning haven’t put you off but merely prepared you.
Why You SHOULD Rent A Car When You Are In Malta
• Although it’s relatively easy and extremely cheap to get around on public buses, they aren’t always as reliable as you hope, especially if you need to change buses anywhere. They can be very overcrowded, hot when the a/c breaks down and take twice the time of a car journey.
• You have a lot more flexibility when you drive your own car.
• Driving a car in Malta is a great way to see the real parts of the island and very useful if you go over to Gozo.
Still A Bit Nervous Driving In Malta?
If you’re a confident driver with a few years driving experience, you should have no problem with a car in Malta. Probably the scariest place we have ever driven was around Naples, Italy.
If you are a nervous driver and get stressed behind the wheel, then maybe driving here is not such a good idea. However, it’s a lot calmer on the roads in Gozo.
What You Need To Know When Driving In Malta
• Rental cars in Malta are easily recognised. Number plates usually contain the letters K or Z, so people will know you’re probably new to Maltese roads.
• There are no real highways or motorways or in Malta. Main roads are usually a dual carriageway.
• The quality of the main roads is usually quite good but can be a bit bumpy on some of the backroads.
• Speed Limits: The national speed limit is 80 km/h (50 mph), and 50 km/h (31 mph) in built-up areas and sometimes 35 km/h (22 mph) within village centres.
• There are a few speed cameras on the island, but they are quite easy to spot.
• There are loads of roundabouts here, and nearly everyone (yes, that includes us too) always seem to be in the wrong lane, so take care.
• For a more relaxing journey, it may take a little longer but not that much, choose the back roads. And avoid driving during the rush hour.
• An unwritten rule that (sometimes) the bigger vehicle tends to have the right of way. Oh, and like most countries around the world, taxis have their own rules. Watch out for the white cabs.
• The minimum age for driving in Malta is 18 years, although most local car hire companies will require a driver to be at least 23 or 25 years old to be able to hire a car.
Parking In Malta
Finding a place to park in towns can be rather tricky. However, parking bays are clearly marked. When in doubt, look for the white parking bays.
• White paint: Anyone can park.
• Yellow paint: Do not park.
• Green paint: Reserved all day for residents (mostly applies to Valletta)
• Blue paint: Reserved for residents between 7 pm and 7 am (again mainly applies to Valletta)
You could get a parking fine or be clamped if illegally parked.
What Documents Do I Need To Rent A Car And Drive In Malta?
• A valid driving licence
• Passport or EU ID card
• A credit card (VISA and MasterCard are the most widely accepted cards in Malta)
• If you’ve booked your car hire online, bring along a copy of your reservation.
Where To Rent A Car In Malta?
It’s a good idea to book your car in advance, especially in high season.. Cars are available at the airport or can be delivered to main resorts.
Before you start to drive in Malta it is always a good idea, especially with the cheaper car hire companies is to take photos or a quick phone video of the condition of the car when you collect it. As some of the more unscrupulous car companies will try and charge you for scratches that may not have been yours.
Do you rent a car when you travel? Where’s the best / worst place you have ever driven? Tell us in the comments below.
For me renting a car on a trip is better than joining a group tour. You can explore and enjoy any city better because you can manage your time and have your own itinerary. Hope to visit Malta one day.
We often don’t rent a car when we travel. Until we want to wander for day trips. Driving on the “other” side of the road just makes it a bit less enjoyable for us since we have to concentrate more on driving. I must admit I laughed at your comment about signs being “suggestions”. Hard for my rule following hubby to understand! Misunderstanding the parking rules has resulted in more than one trip to the local police station to pay the fine. Never want the added charge the car rental company puts on any tickets unpaid! I will definitely keep this post for when we finally get to Malta.
I have been to Malta many years ago, and remember it as a busy city with narrow roads and a bit of chaotic traffic. I think it is sensible not to rent a car in such a city and enjoy the tours using buses or taxis. Thanks for a very informative blog. 🙂
I’d definitely be too nervous to drive in Malta, especially not being used to driving on the left. I think it would unfortunately have to be buses and taxis for me! Just curious, what’s up with the white taxis you mentioned?
Super interesting to read as I had no clue people drove on the left in Malta! Renting a car can involve so many different rules in different places so it’s great to see a comprehensive post like this. Will be super helpful if I ever need to rent a car there 🙂
I love that the registration numbers are different so locals can give you a bit more space! For me, renting a car is always the best way to freely explore a new destination 🙂
To be honest, that sounds a lot like driving in Stockholm 😀 Its crazy to park and we have a lot of hot-heads too 😀
Renting a car is always a great way to explore a country at one’s leisure. Haven’t considered doing so in Malta but this guide has certainly made it seem possible. Thank you so much.
We don’t usually hire a car if we are staying in town areas as the parking is always fraught with confusion however your colour coding guide is a great help to understand where you can and can’t park. Nothing worse than thinking you are in a safe spot and returning to a ticket or a towed car!
Since I’m not driving, I depend on public transport when travelling. The only place where that was a minor problem was the US. Especially as a solo traveller, I actually enjoy travelling by buses and trains since I really get a feel for the local ‘folklore’ – and I get to meet all those incredible people.
So – drop the car keys 😉
This is an interesting read! We live in a place where cars are the primary form of transportation and driving is very easy! I think I would be scared to rent a car and drive in a foreign country though!
Thank you for sharing these tips. I always get so nervous about renting cars and driving in a foreign country. I am use to driving in the US, so driving on the opposite side of the road would be tricky for me. Another problem I’ve had in the past is knowing how to read street signs, so this is something I make sure I research before driving anywhere new. Driving is one of the best ways to explore a destination in my opinion, so I always try to when I can.
I was super hopeful of getting to Malta for my first time this year or early next year but it may not happen as an Aussie with our borders closed for a long time but I am going to store this article in my travel ideas bank to come back to when I can than. Thanks for the info.
Driving in Malta sounds like driving in Turkey .. where road rules and signs are just suggestions, and not always adhered too. Like driving the wrong way up a oneway street, or not giving way at a roundabout! You have to have your wits about your when you drive. Coming from years in Los Angeles where the car is king, to Turkey where we don’t have a car, it is so freeing. But occasionally we rent one to give us a bit of flexibility to travel out of our usual radius.
Your guide to rent a car in Malta is very useful. As I come from India, I am used to left hand drive and also with manual cars. So it would be easy for me or my husband to drive here. Sometimes parking is very confusing in foreign lands and it is very good, you have given all tips on various parking and therefore saving your post. I am planning for Malta in near future.
We don’t have a car in Turkey either, and I love the freedom on not having insurance and maintenance payments. Any time we want wheels we just rent a car for a short period, and the flexibility of this approach mean we can up sticks and leave, without having to worry about what to do with a car we no longer need.