For those who have never visited the bus enthusiasts' haven of Malta, it's time to pack your suitcase for what may now be the last chance
to experience this unique public transport system. Forthcoming reforms which are due to be finalised in the months ahead are to mean a single
operator replacing the current system with a revised network and new vehicles to meet EU emission standards.
The current system is still largely operated by elderly vehicles, many of which date from the 1960’s and 1970’s. The oldest survivors are now
over seventy years old with some chassis’s believed to date back to the 1930’s, 1940’s and 1950’s! Along with some newer low floor buses which
were delivered from the mid 1990’s onwards, some 500 vehicle licences are issued to operate local bus services and these are known in Malta
as “Route Buses”.
Route Buses are operated by the ATP, the Public Transport Association (Assocjazzjoni Trasport Pubbliku). The ATP is the association of
bus owners on the island and they are responsible for the operation of all local bus services in conjunction with the ADT, the Public
Transport Authority (Awtroita’ dwar it-Trasport ta’ Malta).
Most members of the ATP own just one vehicle and generally work on a one day on and one day off basis on rotas with the other vehicle owners.
However some owners may have several buses and these are often seen on a daily basis whilst working on the same rota’s.
Bus routes are frequent and generally operate from approximately 6am until 10pm with the exception of those services operating to the Sliema,
St. Julians, Paceville and St. Andrews area which operate later into the evening and through the night at the weekends. Most routes
operate to/from the capital of Valletta but these are some “direct” routes which link areas of interest with the main holiday resorts.
As well as the “Route Buses” on the island, there are many private hire coaches and minibuses, open top tour buses and vintage bus tours using
vehicles with chassis’s from the 1930’s with replica traditional maltese bus bodies.
If you are looking for accommodation, Sliema is ideal, next to the sea and just a ten minute bus ride from the capital of Valletta throughout
the day. If you wish to explore as much of the island as possible then the North and South “Hop on – Hop off” Tours operated by Cancu Supreme’s
open toppers are highly recommended.
To wet your appetite further I have provided some photographs taken in November 2009 highlighting some of the vehicles which are currently
on the island top enjoy.