Need the next Valletta–Sliema ferry, not a history lesson? Here are the published departure patterns for both directions. The crossing itself takes roughly five to ten minutes. The boat normally runs half-hourly through the day, but Sundays start later and evening departures have gaps. The operator can also suspend sailings in bad weather.
One portal, all Malta ferries: FreeMalta's ferry page brings the routes and planned departures together. For a last-minute wind cancellation, check the operator's current timetable and service information; our schedule display is not live vessel tracking.
First and last departures
The operator defines summer as 1 June–31 October and winter as 1 November–31 May. These are departures, not arrival times. Read the direction carefully: a late boat leaving Valletta is not the same as the last boat leaving Sliema.
| Period | From Sliema | From Valletta |
|---|---|---|
| Winter, Mon–Sat | 06:45 first · 19:15 last | 07:00 first · 19:30 last |
| Summer, Mon–Sat | 06:45 first · 01:00 last* | 07:00 first · 01:30 last* |
| Sunday & public holiday | Published service starts 08:45; ends 18:30 in winter. The operator describes summer service as ending at 00:00, but its posted late-night table continues beyond midnight: verify your precise direction and date. | |
*Important: The operator's summer table lists departures at 23:45, 00:30 and 01:00 from Sliema, and 23:30, 00:30 and 01:30 from Valletta. Its summary wording says summer service ends at midnight, which conflicts with those rows. Treat the listed after-midnight times as needing confirmation before a late trip. See the original timetable.
Daytime frequency and evening gaps
During the regular daytime pattern, Sliema departures are at :15 and :45; Valletta departures are at :00 and :30. In summer, the posted sequence changes after 20:30: there is no simple “every half-hour all night” rule. On Sundays and public holidays, the first departure is later. A windy day can change the timetable entirely.
Tickets and Tallinja cards
| Ticket | Single | Return |
|---|---|---|
| Valid personalised Tallinja card | Free | Free |
| Adult daytime | €3.00 | €5.00 |
| Adult night service | €3.50 | €5.20 |
| Child daytime | €1.00 | €1.50 |
The free-ferry benefit is for a personalised Tallinja card. A 7-day Explore tourist pass covers specified bus travel, not a free harbour ferry. Explore Flex users may load credit onto their cards to pay for a ferry trip. Check Malta Public Transport's current card terms and the operator's fares.
Where to board and what if the boat stops?
In Sliema, use the ferry landing on The Strand. In Valletta, the landing is below the city on the Marsamxett side; allow time for the climb to the centre. If wind stops sailings, check with the operator and take a bus or taxi around the harbour. For the walk, tourist-card distinction and a Sliema-to-Three-Cities plan, read our practical ferry guide.
Looking for another ferry? Valletta–Cospicua and the Gozo services are separate routes with different landings. FreeMalta's ferry portal gathers their planned schedules in one place, so you do not have to hunt through several operator pages.