How to Get from Malta to Gozo: Ferry Fares and Car Queues

Compare the Cirkewwa car ferry and Valletta fast ferry to Gozo, with live car queue tips, pay-on-return rules and how to reach each terminal.

Ekin Yalgın

May 30, 2026·6 min read

How to Get from Malta to Gozo: Ferry Fares and Car Queues

The biggest mistake first-time visitors make at the Cirkewwa ferry terminal is hunting for a ticket booth, completely unaware that the crossing to Gozo is free in that direction. You pay only on the return leg from Gozo, at the Mgarr terminal. Mastering these small logistics, from checking the live car queues to choosing between the fast ferry and the car ferry, saves you hours of unnecessary waiting.

There are two ways to cross. The Gozo Channel car ferry runs from Cirkewwa in northern Malta to Mgarr in Gozo and carries both vehicles and foot passengers. The Gozo Highspeed fast ferry runs from Valletta to Mgarr and takes foot passengers only. This guide covers fares, schedules, queues and how to reach each terminal.

Cirkewwa Gozo Channel Ferry: Car and Passenger

The Gozo Channel operates four large ferries connecting the northern tip of Malta to Gozo. This is the traditional route and remains your only option if you plan to bring a rental car or motorcycle across the channel. If you are picking up a Rental car in Malta to explore Gozo on your own, this is the crossing you will use.

Ticket Prices and the Pay-on-Return Rule

Boarding the ferry at Cirkewwa requires no ticket. You simply walk onto the passenger deck or drive straight into the holding lanes. The ticket purchase happens entirely on the Gozo side at the Mgarr terminal when you decide to head back.

Standard foot passenger: EUR 4.65 return
Car and driver: EUR 15.70 return
Motorcycle and rider: EUR 8.15 return
Children aged 4 to 12: EUR 1.15
Children under 3: free, but require a zero-value ticket from the Mgarr booth

Night travel is slightly cheaper. From November to March, taking a ferry back to Malta between 8:00 PM and the first morning trip drops the car fare to EUR 12.80 and the foot passenger fare to EUR 3.50.

Timetables and Crossing Duration

The crossing takes about 25 minutes. The Gozo Channel service runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week, making it reliable for early flights or late-night arrivals.

During the winter months, departures happen roughly every 45 minutes. In the peak summer season the turnaround is much faster, with ferries constantly shuttling back and forth to clear the docks.

Taking a Rental Car: Boarding and Live Queues

You cannot pre-book a spot for your vehicle on the Gozo Channel ferry. Loading runs strictly on a first-come, first-served basis. You drive into the designated lanes, switch off your engine, and wait for the port marshals to wave you onto the lower car deck.

During peak times this system creates bottlenecks. Friday evenings and summer weekend mornings are notorious for massive tailbacks, and car queues can exceed an hour in August. Before starting your drive north, always check the official Cirkewwa live webcams online. If the holding area is full and the side cameras show cars backed up the main road, you will likely miss the first arriving ferry and wait well over an hour.

Car ferry crossing the blue Mediterranean channel with vehicles on deck and passengers at the rail — A car ferry glides across the deep blue channel as passengers watch the rocky coastline draw slowly closer ahead.

How to Reach Cirkewwa Terminal by Bus or Taxi

Malta Public Transport links the terminal directly to major hubs.

Traveler with a suitcase waiting at a sunlit coastal bus stop as a bright bus approaches — A traveler waits with a suitcase at a sunny coastal stop as a bright public bus rolls in.

From the airport: the express X1 bus takes about 45 to 60 minutes and brings you to the departure lounge doors.
From Valletta: bus routes **41 and 42** handle the cross-country run, usually around 60 to 75 minutes depending on traffic.
By taxi: ride-hailing apps such as Bolt, Uber and eCabs operate nationwide, and a trip from Valletta to Cirkewwa takes about 40 minutes.

Valletta to Gozo Fast Ferry: Foot Passengers Only

If you are staying in the capital or the central region and do not have a car, the Gozo Highspeed service changes the transit dynamic entirely. This catamaran bypasses the long bus ride to the north.

Fares, Schedules and Online Booking

Unlike the Gozo Channel, the fast ferry lets you secure your seat in advance. Booking online often gives a slight discount, with a return ticket around EUR 9.50.

A standard one-way ticket at the terminal costs EUR 7.50. Seniors, children and disability cardholders pay a reduced rate of EUR 3.00. Bringing a bicycle or an e-scooter on board is free, though declaring it during your online booking is recommended.

Departures from the Grand Harbour

The catamaran departs from the Grand Harbour in Valletta and docks directly at Mgarr in Gozo. The journey takes about 45 minutes, with roughly 15 to 20 sailings spread across the day.

The boats offer free Wi-Fi and designated pet areas. However, these smaller, high-speed vessels feel the waves much more than the massive car ferries. If the wind exceeds Force 4 the ride gets bumpy, and in severe weather the fast ferry suspends operations entirely, leaving the Cirkewwa car ferry as the only reliable fallback.

White passenger catamaran speeding across turquoise sea with spray and passengers on the open upper deck — A sleek catamaran races across the turquoise water, spray flying, as seated passengers feel the open sea breeze on deck.

Arriving at Mgarr Harbour in Gozo

Whichever route you choose, you will disembark at Mgarr Harbour. The port area is compact, well organised, and backed by the towering Fort Chambray. From here the whole island opens up, including the prehistoric [internal:ggantija-temples-gozo] that sit among the oldest free-standing structures on earth. If you would rather not drive at all, plenty of Guided day tours from Malta handle the ferry and the sightseeing for you.

Panoramic view of Mgarr Harbour in Gozo with moored fishing boats, the marina and Our Lady of Lourdes church on the hillside, Malta — Mgarr Harbour is Gozo's main gateway, its marina of fishing boats sitting below the neo-Gothic Our Lady of Lourdes church on the hill.

Connecting Buses and Taxis to Victoria

Public transport in Gozo revolves around the central hub of Victoria. Right outside the Mgarr ferry terminal you will find a line of buses timed to the ferry arrivals.

Bus routes 301 and 323 take you straight up the hill to Victoria in about 12 minutes. From there you can connect to any beach or village on the island. If you prefer a private transfer, the white taxi rank sits right next to the bus bays, alongside independent operators offering Jeep and Tuk-Tuk day trips.

Compact stone harbor with moored boats, arriving passengers and waiting buses beneath a hilltop fortress — Arriving passengers walk along the compact stone quay toward waiting buses and taxis below a towering honey-colored hilltop fortress.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

On the Cirkewwa to Mgarr car ferry you pay only on the return leg from Gozo. The crossing from Malta to Gozo is free to board, and you buy your ticket at the Mgarr terminal in Gozo before heading back to Malta.

The Gozo Channel car ferry from Cirkewwa to Mgarr takes about 25 minutes. The Gozo Highspeed fast ferry from Valletta to Mgarr takes about 45 minutes because it covers a longer route along the coast.

A foot passenger return on the Cirkewwa car ferry is EUR 4.65, and a car with driver is EUR 15.70 return. On the Valletta fast ferry a one-way foot passenger ticket is EUR 7.50 and a return is around EUR 9.50.

In peak summer, especially Friday evenings and weekend mornings, arrive well ahead of time because car queues can exceed an hour in August. Check the official Cirkewwa live webcams before you set off so you know how full the holding lanes already are.

The Cirkewwa car ferry carries both vehicles and foot passengers and runs 24 hours a day. The Valletta fast ferry is a catamaran for foot passengers only, with no cars, and it connects the capital directly to Gozo without the drive north.

Yes. The Gozo Channel ferry from Cirkewwa carries cars, and you simply drive into the holding lanes on a first-come, first-served basis. You cannot pre-book a vehicle slot, so allow extra time during busy periods.

The official Gozo Channel website publishes the current Cirkewwa to Mgarr timetable, and Gozo Highspeed publishes the Valletta sailing schedule. The car ferry runs roughly every 45 minutes in winter and far more often in summer.

You cannot reserve a vehicle space on the Cirkewwa car ferry, so it is always first come, first served. The Valletta fast ferry does let you book a seat online in advance, which often comes with a small discount.

Bus routes 301 and 323 leave from right outside the Mgarr ferry terminal and reach Victoria in about 12 minutes. A white taxi rank and private transfer operators are also stationed next to the bus bays.

The large Gozo Channel car ferry handles rough seas well and rarely stops. The smaller Valletta fast ferry feels the waves more and can suspend service in severe weather, which leaves the Cirkewwa car ferry as the reliable fallback.

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Malta