Driving in Malta: A Practical Guide
Malta drives on the left with right-hand-drive cars. This guide covers narrow lanes, speed limits, parking colours and the Valletta congestion charge.
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Driving on the Left in Malta
Malta drives on the left, a legacy of its British colonial history, which means every hire vehicle is right-hand drive. For the first day, take junctions slowly and keep repeating the 'keep left' mantra until it becomes second nature.
Keep left: on roundabouts, traffic flows clockwise and you give way to vehicles already on the roundabout, coming from your right. Entry can be competitive, so be assertive but patient.
If you usually drive on the right, juggling a manual gearbox with your left hand adds to the load. We suggest you book an automatic at Malta Airport to keep your attention on the road and the traffic.
- Overtake strictly on the right-hand side of the road.
- Dipped headlights must be on inside all tunnels and during poor visibility.
- Give way to oncoming traffic on narrow, single-lane village roads.
Speed Limits, Alcohol & Fines
There are no motorways on the Maltese islands, so speed limits are lower than on the mainland but heavily enforced by automated cameras run by Transport Malta and LESA.
- Urban and built-up areas: 50 km/h.
- Open arterial roads: maximum 80 km/h.
- Village cores and school zones: 30 km/h to 35 km/h.
Seatbelts are mandatory in front and rear, children under 150 cm need a booster, and no child travels in the front unless the airbag is off. Using a hand-held phone costs €200, and the blood-alcohol limit is 0.05% (0.02% for novice drivers), with DUI fines starting at €1,200.
| Offence | Fine / penalty |
|---|---|
| Speeding up to 15 km/h over the limit | €34.94 |
| Speeding more than 15 km/h over | €69.88 to €100.00 |
| Running a red light | €200.00 |
| Using a hand-held mobile phone | €200.00 |
| Failing to wear a seatbelt | €23.29 |
Automated speed and red-light camera fines go to the registered keeper — for a hire car that is the rental firm, which passes the fine to your card with a €30 to €50 administration fee. LESA notices carry a 30-day deadline, after which a 50% surcharge applies.
Roads, Hazards & the Coast Road
The Coast Road (Triq il-Kosta) is a wide dual carriageway linking St Julian's directly to Qawra, Buġibba and St Paul's Bay, but the limit drops sharply to around 60 km/h on the bends, where fixed cameras catch drivers accelerating out of the curves.
Key Local Driving Hazards
- Limestone slick: polished local limestone in the asphalt turns dangerously slippery with the first rain after a dry spell — brake gently and extend your following distance.
- Narrow village lanes: solid limestone walls line tight streets, so wing-mirror and side scrapes are common; fold your mirrors when parking or squeezing past.
- Unlit rural roads: night drives toward Wardija, Dingli or the quieter beaches have no street lighting, so slow right down.
- Impatient traffic: locals signal late and change lanes abruptly, and food-delivery scooters weave through queues — stay alert.
Because the tight, walled lanes make side scrapes so easy, taking Super CDW (SCDW) to zero out your excess is well worth it before you set off on day trips from Qawra by car or runs to the best beaches near Qawra.
Parking, the Valletta CVA & Fuel
Street parking in Malta is colour-coded, and misreading the lines can mean a fine, a clamp or a tow with a release fee of €60 to €100.
| Line colour | Parking rule |
|---|---|
| White | Free parking, sometimes time-limited (display a cardboard dial showing your arrival time) |
| Blue | Paid or time-limited in the daytime (07:00 to 19:00), often residents-only at night |
| Yellow | No stopping or parking at any time — clamping or towing |
| Green | Reserved strictly for local residents |
If you want to visit the capital, factor in the Valletta Controlled Vehicular Access (CVA) system, which uses number-plate cameras to bill vehicles crossing into the city.
Valletta CVA: hire cars are not exempt. The charge is €0.82 per hour (first 30 minutes free, daily cap about €6.52) and runs Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 14:00. It is free after 14:00 on weekdays and all day at weekends and on public holidays. Trigger it and your firm adds roughly a €30 admin fee.
Smart Workarounds & Fuel Rules
- Floriana Park-and-Ride: skip the CVA by parking in Floriana for €0.40 per day, with a free shuttle into the capital.
- Fixed fuel prices: the government sets the price, so expect unleaded 95 at €1.34 per litre and diesel at €1.21.
- Evening fuel stations: many village stations close on Sundays and evenings, switching to automated pumps that take cards and cash notes (no change given).
Popular sandy beaches fill up fast in summer, so aim to park before 09:00 to secure a spot. It also pays to compare car hire deals before you travel to lock in the best rate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which side of the road does Malta drive on?
What are the speed limits in Malta?
What is the Valletta CVA charge and how do I avoid it?
What should I do after a minor accident in a hire car?
Is fuel expensive in Malta?
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