Ferry travel on the rise! Over 1.5 million passengers travel to Gozo in early 2025
Sea travel between Malta and Gozo is off to a strong start in 2025, with significant increases in trips, vehicles, and passenger numbers during the first quarter of the year.
Between January and March 2025, a total of 10,526 ferry trips were recorded across Malta’s main sea routes, carrying 1,529,105 passengers – a 5.4% increase compared to the same period last year. The number of vehicles transported also edged up by 1.7%, while trips increased by 9.6% overall.
As may be expected, due to the advent of springtime which brings out the explorer in us all, March emerged as the busiest month of the quarter, accounting for a whopping 3,856 trips!
The Gozo Channel ferries connecting Ċirkewwa and Mġarr remain the island's most heavily used sea route, with 1,314,294 passengers using the service in the first quarter alone.
Patterns show that Fridays and Saturdays were peak travel days for passengers and vehicles departing from Ċirkewwa, while Sundays and Mondays were busiest for those leaving Gozo from Mġarr. This weekly rhythm likely reflects both weekend getaways to Gozo and commuters returning to Malta after a short break.
Gozo Highspeed, the pedestrian-only fast ferry between Mġarr and Valletta, also saw a good flow of travellers. January saw the highest number of trips with 785, while March carried the highest passenger volume, with 80,885 crossings.
With Easter and the warmer months ahead, ferry operators will likely be preparing for an even busier season.
Will you be one of them?