Gozo Channel Ferry: Fares, Timetable & the Only Car Ferry to Gozo
By Kerry Gaffney | Last Updated 14/10/2026
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As Gozo is only accessible by water, the Gozo Channel Ferry is the original way to get there, and for many visitors it remains the best. It runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week, carries cars and foot passengers, and costs €4.65 return for a foot passenger. That makes it the most affordable and flexible of the three ferry options currently serving the island.
The crossing from Ċirkewwa at Malta’s northern tip to Mġarr Harbour in Gozo takes about 25 minutes. It’s a proper ferry crossing: open decks, sea air, a view of Comino as you pass. For a first visit to Gozo, arriving by the Channel Ferry is hard to beat.
This guide covers everything you need to know: tickets, fares, schedule, what’s on board, and a few tips to make the crossing as smooth as possible. For more information on the individual options, visit our getting to and around Gozo guide.
Quick Answers FAQ
Fares & Tickets
Standard day fares (return):
Foot passenger: €4.65 Car and driver: €15.70 Motorcycle and rider: €8.15 Children aged 3 to 12: €1.15 Children aged 0 to 2: Free (ticket still required, see Travelling with Children below)
Night fares apply on departures from Mġarr between 20:00 and 06:00 from November to March:
Foot passenger: €4.05 Car and driver: €12.80 Motorcycle and rider: €6.95
Senior citizens aged 60 and over who are permanent residents, and EU Disability card holders, travel free with a free ticket from the booth. Visiting seniors pay the standard fare.
Where to Buy tickets
Foot passengers can buy return tickets at both the Ċirkewwa terminal and the Mġarr ticket booths. If the Ċirkewwa ticket office is closed when you arrive, you can still board. Just buy your return ticket at Mġarr on the way back. The price is the same either way.
Tickets can be purchased in advance online and are valid for six months, so there’s no pressure to use them on a specific day. That said, since no seat reservation is involved, there’s rarely a reason to book ahead as a foot passenger, as the ferry runs so frequently that waiting is seldom an issue.
Vehicle tickets must be purchased before boarding and cannot be bought on board.
Top Tip: The ticket office for foot passengers at Ċirkewwa is not always staffed. If it’s closed, proceed to the boarding area, you’ll pay at Mġarr on your return.
Timetable & Frequency
The Gozo Channel Ferry schedule means it runs approximately every 15 to 45 minutes, 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
The service does not close overnight, though the gap between sailings is at its longest between roughly 01:00 and 05:00.
For live departure information, the Gozo Channel website and their Facebook page post updates, particularly during disruptions. The live webcam feed at Ċirkewwa is also useful for checking queue length before you head to the terminal.
Is There a Last Ferry Back from Gozo?
No. The Gozo Channel Ferry runs 24 hours a day, every day of the year, so there is no last boat to catch.
Sailings run roughly every 45 minutes overnight and as often as every 15 minutes at peak times. The longest gaps fall between about 01:00 and 05:00.
That makes it the only Gozo crossing you can rely on for a late return, and the reason I always suggest it to anyone staying for a village feast or a long dinner. Both fast ferry services stop for the night. From April to October the Valletta Highspeed runs to 23:45, with a 00:45 on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. From November to March its last sailing is 22:15. From April to October the last Sliema and Buġibba sailing leaves Sliema at 00:45 and Mġarr at 00:15. In winter the last one leaves Mġarr at 21:15, or 23:15 on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights.
Top Tip: If you have driven over and you are coming back late, the queue at Mġarr is shortest between about 23:00 and 01:00. The Friday evening crush runs the other way.
Getting to Ċirkewwa Terminal
By bus: The X1 runs directly from Malta International Airport to Ċirkewwa. Journey time is approximately 45 to 60 minutes. Other routes serving Ċirkewwa include the 41 and 42 from Valletta (around 60 to 75 minutes). Check the Tallinja website or app for current timetables.
By taxi or private transfer: A taxi from Malta International Airport to Ċirkewwa takes around 45 to 60 minutes depending on traffic. From Valletta, allow around 40 to 50 minutes. Several private transfer companies offer door-to-door service that includes the crossing and onward travel to your Gozo accommodation, worth considering if you have a lot of luggage or are travelling as a family.
By car: If you are driving to the terminal, there is a car park at Ċirkewwa. During peak times, Friday evenings, summer weekends, and the days around public holidays, the queue for the car ferry can be substantial. The live webcam at Ċirkewwa is the best way to gauge how long the wait is likely to be before you set off.
Top Tip: Friday evening is consistently the busiest sailing of the week, as visitors and Maltese residents head over to Gozo for the weekend. If you can travel on a Thursday or early Saturday morning instead, the difference is significant.
What to Expect on Board
The Gozo Channel Fleet currently consists of four vessels: Ta’ Pinu, Malita, Nikolaos and Gaudos. They vary slightly in size and layout, but all offer broadly the same facilities.
Inside, there is a seating area with tables and chairs, an onboard café serving hot drinks, snacks and light meals (though the café may not be staffed on late-night crossings, but vending machines are available at all times), and clean toilets. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout.
The upper deck is open and one of the best spots on the crossing. If you are travelling from Ċirkewwa, position yourself on the starboard side (the right as you face Gozo) for views of Comino and Santa Marija Tower as you pass. It’s a 25-minute crossing, there is time to get a coffee and still catch the view.
Three of the four ferries are fitted with passenger lifts. The fourth has a chair lift. Priority boarding is available for passengers with reduced mobility, speak to staff at the terminal before boarding.
Vehicles are loaded on the lower car deck. Foot passengers board and disembark via a separate gangway. Dogs and other pets are permitted on the open deck but not in the indoor seating areas.
Travelling with Children
Children aged 2 and under travel free but still require a ticket. This cannot be collected at Ċirkewwa. Parents or guardians must request the free infant ticket from the ticket booths at Mġarr, Gozo. The ticket must be scanned at embarkation, so factor this into your timing on the return crossing.
Children aged 3 to 12 pay €1.15. Again, children’s tickets are only available at Mġarr, not at Ċirkewwa.
Top Tip: If you are travelling with young children and returning from Gozo, allow a few extra minutes to collect children’s tickets at Mġarr before heading to the boarding queue. The booths are clearly signposted at the terminal.
Taking a Car to Gozo: The Only Gozo Car Ferry
The Gozo Channel Ferry is the only service that takes cars, motorcycles, campervans and larger vehicles. Both fast ferry services (the Gozo Highspeed from Valletta and the Sliema and Buġibba ferry service) are foot passengers only.
A few things worth knowing if you are taking a vehicle:
- You cannot reserve a space on a specific sailing. Vehicles board on a first-come, first-served basis.
- During peak periods, Friday evenings, summer weekends, and around public holidays, wait times for vehicles can run to several hours. The live webcam feed at Ċirkewwa is the most reliable way to check current queue length.
- Oversized vehicles (campervans, motorhomes, vehicles over a certain height) should contact Gozo Channel in advance to confirm they can be accommodated.
- Once on board, you will be directed to park by the ferry crew. Leave your car and head upstairs, it is illegal to stay in your vehicle during the crossing.
- On arrival at Mġarr, vehicles disembark first. Follow the signs for the exit road, which takes you up through Għajnsielem and connects to the main road network across the island.
And if you’re a foot passenger, sometimes you might be asked to board and disembark via the car decks. Don’t worry, this is not out of the ordinary, just be careful and keep an eye on any young children in your party.
Bad Weather & Cancellations
The Gozo Channel Ferry is the most weather-resilient of the three Gozo ferry services. Full suspensions are rare, though there can be delays or reduced frequency in rough conditions.
During high winds or storms, check the Gozo Channel website or Facebook page for updates before travelling. The service occasionally suspends for short periods when conditions deteriorate significantly, particularly in winter.
Operations might also switch to the South Quay in Ċirkewwa, which slows the service down as I think there is only room for one ferry to berth at a time.
If the ferry is suspended and you need to cross urgently, for a medical appointment, for example, contact Gozo Channel directly. Emergency crossings can be authorised in exceptional circumstances.
Getting Around Once You Land
The ferry gets you to Mġarr. What happens next depends on how you’re travelling.
By bus. For most foot passengers this is the simplest way onward. The 301 runs between Mġarr Harbour and Victoria, up to every 15 minutes from just after 05:00 until 23:30. The 303 and 323 also reach Victoria, but they take longer routes, so the 301 is the one to look for. A single ticket is €2.50 in summer and €2.00 from mid-October to mid-June. You can pay by cash, contactless card or the Tallinja app, and tickets are valid for two hours, so changing in Victoria costs nothing extra. The 301 fills up quickly at peak times. Our bus routes and fares guide has the rest.
Top Tip: The Tallinja app shows real-time bus tracking, so you can check where the 301 is before you walk to the stop.
By taxi. Victoria is a short bus or taxi ride from the harbour. Our guide to taxis on Gozo explains how Bolt and Uber work here alongside the white taxis.
By car or scooter. If you’ve brought a car across, you’ll exit on to the Mġarr Road, which leads up to Victoria through Għajnsielem and Xewkija. If you haven’t, the car hire guide will help you decide whether you need one, and the scooter, quad and e-bike guide covers the other wheeled options.
On a tour. If you haven’t pre-arranged anything, there are usually reps from the two hop-on, hop-off tours at Mġarr. They’re a good way to see a lot of Gozo in a day.
If you’d like the full picture, including the places buses don’t reach, our guide to getting to and around Gozo covers it.
The Film Connection
If you have any interest in Gozo’s film history, the Channel Ferry crossing itself is worth paying attention to. As you pass Comino from Ċirkewwa, look to the right for Santa Marija Tower, a 17th-century watchtower that stood in for the Château d’If prison in the 2002 film adaptation of The Count of Monte Cristo. It is one of those moments where the island’s cinematic past surfaces unexpectedly, and it happens before you have even arrived.
Mġarr Harbour, where you disembark, has also featured in several productions, including The Madame Blanc Mysteries and Open Water 2: Adrift. Our guide to filming locations in Gozo has the full picture.
Useful Links
For a full comparison of all three Gozo ferry services, including the Gozo Highspeed from Valletta and the Sliema and Buġibba service. If you’re not sure which route is best for you, then take our Ferry Quiz, it takes less than a minute and tells you which service suits your needs best.
And one you’ve landed at Mġarr, we’ve got guides to help you to get around by bus, with a hire car, by taxi or by scooter, if you fancy a two-wheel adventure.