Fast ferry between Sliema, Buġibba and Gozo to start on May 5
Project aims to expand sea transport and reduce traffic congestion
The fast ferry service linking Sliema and Buġibba to Gozo will launch its first voyage on May 5, the transport minister announced on Wednesday.
Chris Bonett said on social media that the launch marked the next step in the Malta in Motion strategy.
He described the project as particularly significant.
"To be honest, this is the one ( project) that means the most to me. As long as I have been minister, we have wanted to get it done, particularly because I believe in maritime transport," he said.
The minister said the new fast ferry system would “double” connectivity to Gozo.
“We no longer have just Ċirkewwa and Valletta alone. As of next week, we also have Sliema and Buġibba as well.”
The service between Sliema and Buġibba will be free for tallinja card holders, while passengers travelling to Gozo will be charged. Each leg of the journey is expected to take around 30 minutes.
A one-way trip between Sliema and Gozo will cost €8.50 for passengers who are not residents and do not hold a tallinja card.
Gozo residents will pay €2.25 for the Sliema route, with additional discounts for students, senior citizens, children and those with special needs. Passengers travelling for hospital appointments will be able to use the service free of charge.
The one-way fare between Buġibba and Gozo will cost €6.50 for standard passengers and €2 for Gozo residents.
The ferry will operate year-round.
Under both schedules, the first ferry of the day will depart from Mġarr, Gozo, at 5.15am, and from Sliema going in the other direction at 5.45am.
The last departure from Gozo will be 9.15pm in summer and 4.15pm in winter, whereas the last ferry from Sliema will be at 10pm in summer and 3.45pm in winter.
The Sliema-Buġibba ferry was originally expected to begin operations last August, but was delayed following a challenge to the tendering process.
Last month, the minister told Times of Malta that if the process returned to schedule, the service could begin by April or May.
The initiative is part of a broader plan to link more ports and encourage sea-based commuting as an alternative to road travel.
Last year, the government said a coordinated bus system would be introduced to align with ferry schedules and improve intermodal transport.
Bonett previously said that there are also plans to introduce a ferry service between Valletta and Marsascala.