Maltatransfer.com – up to 15% additional discount with Maltapoints
Maltapoints has previously touched on the benefits of maltatransfer.com, the airport shuttle from MLA to your hotel of choice in Malta.
In short, maltatransfer operates in such a way that it almost always offers a lower price than a taxi from MLA (the only possible exception to this I have found is Valletta if 3 or 4 people are travelling, to where taxis seem to have a particularly low fixed rate tariff).
Maltapoints readers can also now use a code to obtain a substantial discount on Maltatransfer services. Simply enter “maltapoints” as your promo code in the relevant box when booking, and you will get a discount of up to 15% on the best available fare (I normally hate it when people talk about discounts of “up to X%”. After all, 0.0001% falls into that category. However I can assure you that all maltapoints discounts will be there or thereabouts, and should be at least 10%).
So how do the maltatransfer prices compare to a taxi?
Full details of taxi fares from Malta airport are available here. However, below is a summary comparison of prices (including the additional maltapoints.com discount) to some of the main tourist spots. Savings with maltatransfer go as high as €22.
Sliema/St Julians
Taxi: 1-4 persons €20
Malta transfer: 1 person €7/2 people €10/3 people €13/4 people €17
Valletta
Taxi: 1-4 persons €15
Malta transfer: 1 person €7/2 people €10/3 people €13/4 people €17
Mellieha
Taxi: 1-4 persons €29.50
Malta transfer: 1 person €10/2 people €15/3 people €21/4 people €26
Cirkewwa (for Gozo ferry)
Taxi: 1-4 persons €32
Malta transfer: 1 person €10/2 people €15/3 people €21/4 people €26
So as can be seen, where you’re travelling in numbers of 1-3, maltatransfer is consistently quite a substantial saving on a taxi.
In any event, please note that while we have stated that a taxi will carry up to 4 people, this is unlikely to be viable if you all have large suitcases (and hand luggage), in which case 2-3 people is more realistic.
Finally, the above prices are based on the adult maltatransfer fare – you get substantial additional discounts for children, which can be calculated via a test booking. Obviously, children take up one seat in a taxi.
In short, if you’re at all uncertain as to whether you’re better off going by taxi or maltatransfer, simply compare the taxi price here to the maltatransfer price here (in the latter case, don’t forget to include the “maltapoints” discount code).
It’s also well worth bearing in mind maltatransfer.com for your return journey to the airport. You will not benefit from any fixed taxi price when travelling back to the airport, and Maltapoints has heard a number of stories of tourists being ripped off on this route (€40 from Sliema to the airport is often quoted).
Is there a cheaper option than Maltatransfer?
Maltatransfer.com is not directly cheaper than the Arriva bus (€2.20 regardless of destination: €1.30 for Malta residents), but should be weighed up against the fact that the Arriva bus generally takes over an hour just to get to Sliema, can be extremely full, and will not drop you at your hotel (or necessarily anywhere near your hotel).
Please note that you can now book maltatransfer.com services directly via the booking box on the homepage of maltapoints.com. Maltapoints will receive a small commission for this which will go towards its running costs, but it will not add any cost to your journey (in fact, if you use the “maltapoints” promo code, it will be cheaper).
If you’re at all sceptical of the “maltapoints” promo code, feel free to do a test booking with and without it, to see the additional savings!