In January, Justin and I visited Malta with our 8-month-old and 2.5-year-old and since we didn’t take carseats, needed to take public transit from the international airport to our lodging in Valletta. We quickly discovered that there was an express airport bus route to and from the airport and Valletta, but couldn’t find any details about doing it with a stroller and little kids. It didn’t seem like an issue though so we went for it and wanted to share out experience here.

Good to know: There are no trams, metros, or trains from the airport so taking a bus or taxi is the only available forms of public transport

*We caught the bus from the stop in front of the main terminal labeled “Airport 1” on this map*

Fortunately, catching the bus from the airport is pretty easy! There are three bus stops right in front of the main terminal. We saw a line forming at the stop labeled “Airport 1” on the above map so got in line there. There was a sign there clearly indicating that it was a bus stop with the routes serviced from that stop listed below. If you’re going to Valletta like us, the route you’ll want is the X4, which is the express route between the airport and Valletta. If you’re headed somewhere else, note that there are seven different airport bus routes that can probably get you where you need to go. You can check them out (and the timetables for all the routes) here. We got off at the very last stop, called Il-Belt Valletta, that was conveniently located right next to the old city center of Valletta and just 5 minutes from our hotel.

Good to know: Our bus was orange with clear signage on the front showing it was the X4 route bus. However, some of the buses are also white and lime green and we aren’t sure if they service the X4 route as well, so make sure whatever bus you get on says it’s servicing the route you want.

*Clear signage for the bus stop including that this stop services the X4 route*

*What one of the other airport buses looks like*

We weren’t sure how well a stroller would fit on the bus, but fortunately there was a signed area specifically for parking strollers (labeled “pushchairs”). It did, however, state that a maximum of two strollers could be parked there subject to availability and that the driver could request that the stroller be folded or removed if a passenger in a wheelchair boards. Very nice to have specific stroller parking at all though! There was space in the stroller area when we boarded so we stowed the stroller there even though we’d already partially folded it since we weren’t sure what the situation was. We then ended up standing next to it as the bus was pretty packed. There was a grab bar along the window though that our toddler was able to hang onto and I wore the baby in a baby carrier during the ride. Presumably you could also leave your child buckled into the stroller (brakes on!) as long as the driver doesn’t ask you to fold it.

Good to know: You don’t have to buy a bus ticket in advance or have cash. We were able to purchase tickets from the driver with a tap and pay credit card reader as we climbed onto the bus. The cost of a one way ticket was just 2.5 euros and children under age 4 ride for free.

*Our tickets purchased from the driver for the X4 route. No cash needed - credit cards accepted!*

*Our toddler and stroller stowed in the designated stroller area on the bus*

Despite being an express bus, our bus did make a number of stops before reaching the end of the route at Il-Belt Valletta. Not a big deal though and it’s a very easy few minutes walk, even with little kids, into the heart of old town Valletta from the Il-Belt Valletta stop.

Good to know: It takes about 30 minutes to ride the bus from the airport to the Il-Belt Valletta stop.