Getting Around Gozo by Bus: Routes, Fares and the Tallinja App

The Bus Terminal

Almost all bus routes on Gozo start and end at the Victoria Bus Terminal, which you’ll find in the heart of the island’s capital. It is a straightforward place to navigate, there are 5 numbered bays and each has a display showing the departure details of the next two buses.

Don’t worry if the bus that approaches your stop isn’t displaying the correct number, the driver will usually change it before letting passengers on. You can always ask the driver, or fellow travellers if you’re still unsure you’re on the correct bus.

The Routes

There are 15 day routes on Gozo, plus one night route (more on that below). With the exception of route 322, which runs directly between Marsalforn, Xagħra, Nadur and Mġarr Harbour, they all radiate out from Victoria to Gozo’s villages.

This is handy, as if you get lost, if you can get on a bus, you’ll end up in Victoria eventually.

The routes most visitors find themselves using regularly:

Route 301 — The best ferry connection. This runs between Victoria and Mġarr Harbour, where the Gozo Channel and Highspeed ferries dock, both the one from vaValletta to Gozo Ferry: Complete Guide to the Gozo Highspeed Service, and the Sliema-Buġibba highspeed ferry. It is the shortest and most frequent route on the island, running up to every 15 minutes throughout the day, from just after 05:00 to 23:30. If you are arriving by ferry and heading straight into Victoria, this is your bus. It does fill up quickly at peak times, so board promptly.

Route 302 — This routes to Ramla Bay, Gozo’s largest sandy beach., so its understandably popular, especially in summer.

Route 310 — The route to Marsalforn, Gozo’s most popular seaside resort on the north coast.

Route 311 — Takes you to Dwejra in San Lawrenz, home of the Inland Sea, the Blue Hole and the site of the former Azure Window. If you are visiting Gozo to check out some of its many filming locations, this is the bus that gets you to one of Gozo’s most filmed spots and a key location for productions like The Madame Blanc Mysteries, Two Weeks in August and Clash of the Titans.

Most village routes run approximately every hour. Timetables are available on the Malta Public Transport website, make sure to click the Gozo tab at the top, and through the Tallinja app.

Top Tip: Always check the Tallinja app for real-time tracking before heading to a stop. Bus timetables on Gozo should be considered more of a guideline and checking the app will help you avoid missing your bus.

Fares and How to Pay

Single journey fares are straightforward. Day routes cost €2.00 in winter (mid October to mid-June) and €2.50 in summer (mid-June to mid-October, check the Tallinja site for exact dates). You can pay by cash (exact change is preferred, though not always enforced), contactless bank card, or via the Tallinja app. All tickets are valid for two hours, meaning free transfers within that window.

If you are planning to use buses regularly during your stay, the travel card options offer better value:

The 12 Single Day Journeys card costs €19 and can be shared between a group — useful for families or couples making several shorter trips. It is valid for six months from first use.

The Explore Adult 7-Day card offers unlimited travel on all day and night routes for €25. This is the one to go for if you are staying a week and plan to rely on buses.

The Explore Child 7-Day card covers children aged 4 to 10 for €7. Children under 4 travel free.

There are also Explore Flex bundles that combine bus travel with the Gozo Highspeed ferry, hop-on hop-off sightseeing buses, and harbour cruises — worth looking at if you are combining Gozo with time in Malta.Travel cards can be bought at Malta Public Transport sales offices (including the Victoria Bus Terminal), ticket machines, Agenda Bookshops, WH Smith and 8TillLate shops. You can also manage and top up cards through the Tallinja app. Full details at publictransport.com.mt.

The Night Bus: Route N301

The N301 runs between Victoria and Mġarr Harbour after the regular daytime service ends, providing a late option for those catching evening ferries or returning from a night out in Victoria. The fare is €3.00 per journey.

It is worth noting that it really is the night bus as currently it leaves Victoria at 00:15 and makes the return trip from the harbour at 01:20.

The bus network occasionally expands beyond its standard routes for specific events and seasons. For the Nadur Carnival, for example, additional services are put on to cope with the crowds that descend on the village each February, keep an eye on the news section of the Tallinja website. It is worth checking for similar arrangements around major village festas and other large events.

In previous years, a direct summer service running between Mġarr and Xlendi has also been introduced seasonally, though this has not operated since 2023. It may return in future summers, worth keeping an eye on if an easy coastal connection between the two areas would suit your plans.

The Tallinja App

Download the Tallinja app before you arrive, it is the single most useful tool for navigating Gozo’s bus network. It shows real-time bus positions, allows you to plan journeys, check timetables from specific stops, and manage travel cards. It will usually flag if a stop is temporarily out of action and why.

That said, it is not flawless. Buses can occasionally disappear from the live tracker mid-route, and the service update search tends to surface historical disruptions more reliably than current ones. For planned service changes, the Malta Public Transport website is a more reliable source, though it is not searchable, and updates tend to be ordered in the date they were posted, not by when they will happen, so you will need to scroll.

What to Expect: The Honest Version

Gozo’s bus network works well if you understand what it is and what it is not. A few things worth knowing before you board:

Timetables are a guide, not a guarantee. Buses mostly depart Victoria on schedule, but the journey time from then on in depends on traffic, the number of stops, and — I say this with some affection — what appears to be a deeply ingrained competitive spirit among drivers to complete their route as quickly as the road allows. On a quiet morning, your bus may arrive several minutes ahead of the posted time. On a busy afternoon, it may be late.

Diversions happen. Unexpected road closures are common on an island with narrow lanes, ongoing construction and frequent festivals, any of these can send buses on routes that do not appear in the app or on official signage. It is occasionally an adventure.

A couple of summers back, I was on a bus to Santa Luċija from Victoria. There had been a diversion in place for a few weeks, so I wasn’t surprised when the bus didn’t take the usual route. I was surprised when the bus headed up to Żebbuġ and then through Ghasri before getting back to the advertised route.

The 301 fills up. At peak times, particularly ferry arrival times and weekend evenings, the Victoria to Mġarr route gets busy fast. If you are catching a specific ferry, arrive at the stop with time to spare. The 303 and 323 also go to the harbour, they just take a longer route, but they are viable alternatives if you don’t want to be on a packed bus and can factor in the time.

Wi-Fi is available on all buses, which is a genuine bonus. As is the icy air conditioning. In the height of summer, I have been tempted several times to stay on the bus after my stop to keep enjoying the cold air, when stepping off the bus can feel like stepping into an oven.

What’s Coming: Tallinja On Demand for Gozo

As part of the Labour Party’s 2026 general election campaign, a proposal has been made to extend the Tallinja On Demand service to Gozo. Currently available in Malta, On Demand allows passengers to book flexible point-to-point journeys through the app rather than following fixed routes. If introduced, it would significantly improve connectivity for those staying in villages not well served by the current network. This remains a campaign proposal rather than a confirmed service at this time.

Want to See the Island Without Planning Every Journey?

If you are only on Gozo for a day or two, or simply want to cover a lot of ground without working out bus connections, a guided tour or hop-on hop-off experience can be a genuinely good option. You get the context, the commentary, and someone else handles the logistics.

For more on getting around Gozo, including taxis, car hire and e-bikes, take a look at our full guide to getting around Gozo.

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