October 2022 brought along a revolutionary change in the Maltese public transport system – one that benefits local travellers far and wide.

The ‘Get Malta Moving’ campaign, championed by Transport Malta, is all about making public transport more accessible than ever, and what better way to do so than by making it completely free?

That’s right! This incredible initiative has made every single Tallinja route – yes, even overnight routes and special services – free-of-charge.

All you have to do to take advantage of this super scheme is get your hands on a personalised Tallinja Card; and doing so only involves a handful of straightforward steps.

First and foremost, head to publictransport.com.mt and click on ‘Register for Tallinja Card’. There, you’ll be required to fill in some basic information: think name, surname, ID number, and e-mail address, among other things.

After that, you’ll need to submit an identification document – such as an ID card or passport – pay a €15 registration fee, and simply wait to receive your brand spanking new Tallinja Card in your letterbox. This generally only takes a couple of days.

Once you’ve got a valid Tallinja Card in hand, you can benefit from free bus travel all over Malta and Gozo – just make sure to tap your card before boarding the bus!

Now, free bus travel is more than enough to write home about – but what if there was a way you could further optimise your bus journey?

That’s where the Tallinja App comes in.

Available on both iPhone and Android smartphones, this free application offers users real-time information, sure to make any bus journey as straightforward as can be.

For starters, the Tallinja App allows users to locate their nearest bus stops, whilst also checking which bus routes operate from said stops.

Once you’ve settled on a stop, however, the app goes a step further by giving you your bus’s (and every other bus on the same stop’s) ETA. That way, you can leave your house at just the right time.

This all comes together thanks to some nifty GPS technology, wherein each and every bus transmits its present location to a central system.

The system goes on to compare buses’ locations to the spots where they’re scheduled to arrive, thus providing users with accurate arrival times. Useful, right?

With a handful of routes stopping at or close to the country’s educational institutions, there really is no good reason for the students among us to not catch the bus.

Apart from that, opting for public transport in place of a personal vehicle will help lessen congestion on Malta’s roads and, of course, contribute to a greener environment.

In short, catching the bus in Malta at this day and age is a no brainer.

Tallinja / Facebook, Transport Malta / Facebook