Visitmalta tour on a Maltese bus

A new public transport service is being offered to make important sites more easily accessible to the tourist.

The Visitmalta bus service is an initiative of the Malta Tourism Authority and the Malta Transport Authority (ADT) and is being provided by the Public Transport Association.

Visitors may board a Visitmalta bus at Sliema, St Julian's, Qawra or Bugibba and within a few short minutes they will be admiring the temples of Hagar Qim or exploring the historic streets of Cottonera.

The trips will be operated by the Malta bus, a mode of transport which has become an attraction in its own right.

The service has been operating for a month and has been well received, the chairman of the MTA's product planning and development directorate, Frank Salt, said.

MTA also hopes that the service may become popular with the Maltese, who could leave their car at home and use this service for their weekend outing.

Two services are being offered: the north and south routes.

The more important stops along the south route are: Sliema Ferries, Paceville, San Anton Gardens, Siggiewi, Hagar Qim and Mnajdra, Wied Iz-Zurrieq, Marsaxlokk, Kalkara and Cottonera, while along the north route one finds Sliema Ferries, Paceville, Qawra, Bugibba, St Paul's Bay, Mosta, Mdina, Rabat, Buskett, Dingli Cliffs and Naxxar.

The MTA has issued a leaflet with brief information on each visitor attraction along the route.

A ticket costing Lm2 entitles the holder to use both the south and the north routes and entitles ticket holders to use also any other scheduled bus service (except in Gozo).

Visitors may board and disembark at any bus stop along the route, subject to schedule. Tickets may be bought from the bus driver when boarding the Visitmalta bus.