Sliema Ferry, Sliema

By boat, Valletta is a short, scenic crossing from Sliema's harbour front, and it beats the bus into the heart of the capital.

Waterfront, Sliema. Meridian Dispatch.

Time needed

A few minutesDirect, no stops

Cost

Free with tallinjaPersonalised card holders

Access

The Strand quayLands at Marsamxett

Where it leaves

Where does the Sliema to Valletta ferry leave from?

From the harbour front on The Strand in Sliema, known as Sliema Ferries or Sliema Strand. The boat crosses the harbour to the ferry terminal on the north side of Valletta.

Last ferry

What time is the last ferry from Sliema to Valletta?

It depends on the season. Valletta Ferry Services runs a winter timetable from 1 November to 31 May and a summer one from 1 June to 31 October, with sailings till late night in summer. The day's departures from Sliema are listed on the Schedule page of the operator's website.

tallinja card

Can you use a tallinja card on the Sliema ferry?

Yes. A valid personalised tallinja card covers the fare on the Sliema crossing in either direction, so card holders need no cash on board and do not have to buy a ticket.

Harbour cruises

Do harbour cruise boats leave from the same place as the ferry?

Yes. Several other operators sell harbour cruises on The Strand, where the ferry leaves, so travellers heading for Valletta should check they are boarding the ferry and not a cruise boat.

How often

How often does the Sliema to Valletta ferry run?

Every 30 minutes through the day. On the winter timetable, boats leave Sliema at quarter past and quarter to each hour from 06:45 to 19:15, and Valletta departures fall on the hour and half hour until 19:30. Summer evenings add later crossings past midnight.

First ferry

What time is the first ferry from Sliema to Valletta?

The first boat leaves Sliema at 06:45, on the winter and the summer timetable alike. On Sundays and public holidays the service starts later, at 08:45 in summer as well as in winter, so an early Sunday crossing is not possible.

What makes it special

The service, sometimes known as the Marsamxetto Ferry, runs directly between the harbour fronts of Sliema and Valletta. It is part of Malta's public transport network, which runs it as a fast, scenic route into the capital.

The boat cuts straight across the harbour and lands below Valletta's western walls, near the dome of the Carmelite church. By car or bus, the same trip around the harbour takes 30 minutes to an hour, so the boat is the quick way between the two.

The same service also runs a second route, between Valletta and Cospicua in the Three Cities. Passengers arriving from Cospicua get a ticket for the Upper Barrakka lift, which takes them up into the centre of Valletta.

Visiting

In Sliema, signs lead to the ferry landing on The Strand from the Tower Road promenade. On the far side the boat ties up at the Marsamxetto terminal, just off Boat Street on Valletta's north side.

From that Valletta landing, a free shuttle runs up to Lascaris, timed to the ferry arrivals and departures. Bus route 133, the Valletta circular, links the ferry quays with the city centre.

Boats back leave from the same Valletta landing, and the walk down to it is signposted from Republic Street. Back in Sliema, a pedestrian belvedere leads from the ferries along the south side of Tigné Point, looking across Marsamxett Harbour to Valletta.

Tips

With heavy luggage, take a taxi: it drops you at the door. A taxi is also the way back late at night, once the boats have stopped.

Sundays and public holidays run shorter hours. In winter the operator gives the service on those days as starting at 08:45 and ending at 18:30, so plan the return crossing around that.