Worthy of a museum. Malta's ageing bus stock at the end of the line

Everyone in Malta has an opinion on the Maltese bus.  Including those who do not actually use a bus for transport.  In a crowded place, it’s difficult to go about your life ignoring the trundling yellow and orange (Malta) or grey and red (Gozo) machines.

The opinion camps tend to congregate along the following lines:

Buses are a necessary evil. They’re cheap, get you from point A to point B. And they’re particularly useful if you work in Valletta where parking on weekdays is a nightmare.

Buses need to be replaced. They are decrepit, smelly, dangerous, outdated, a menace to anyone on the road and driven by rude maniacs.

Buses are a remnant of a romantic past. Tourists buy models of them, photograph them and write about them. They need to be preserved as a core component of Malta’s cultural heritage.

We’ve sat on the fence on this one, merely highlighting passenger etiquette and the ecosystem.  But the wheels of progress are now in motion, spurred by public opinion that ’something needs to be done about the buses’ and it’s starting to look as if the days of the Maltese bus as we know it are indeed numbered.  Unless there’s some dramatic u-turn by the powers that be,  most of our current rolling stock will fail prescribed criteria for carbon emissions, wheel-chair accessibility and more.

If you’re alarmed by the threat of the scrap heap for the beloved Malta bus and its replacement by something equivalent to a 21st century machine, you can make some noise by signing an online petition here.

Photo: Gethin Thomas

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Eyes down, move your bag, don't speak: here comes the next punter.

Think of a perfect, ideal morning. Add a bus. Now it’s the opposite of that. Welcome to my mornings. I have been reading a lot of articles about the dismal state of Public Transport in Malta. As a student who has been using buses four times a day for the past four years, I have become somewhat an authority on the subject. I have stockpiled my fair share of interesting episodes: on a bus ride anything can happen, and believe me it does.  Then, just to spice things up, you meet one of the following people:

The One Who Can’t Keep A Queue

On early mornings, buses have a tendency of coming to your bus stop almost full. If there are twenty people on the bus stop, and only two spaces left, please let the people who were there first take them. Chances are they are even later than you are, and it is extremely frustrating to see your place being filled by someone who showed up five minutes ago when you have been waiting for thirty.

The One Who Pays With Notes

The bus fare is small change. Unless you want the driver to shout and swear at you for the next fifteen minutes, please produce coins. No one likes to hear a bus driver rant. Especially a Maltese bus driver.

The One Who Will Not Move His Stuff

I will be the first to admit that when I get on a bus and the seat next to me is empty, I use it to unload my bag. However, if you see people getting on, especially if the bus is full, please remove the bags. It is extremely uncomfortable to almost beg: ‘May I sit here?’ when the seat is obviously free. Not to mention, that you, the innocent party, come across as being antagonistic.

The One Who Stares

You pay, sit down, put your change in your pocket (if it’s graciously given to you at all), and take out a book. You feel Eyes on you. The person opposite you is gazing wide-eyed at your bag, at your book, at your clothes. You smile politely and get back to whatever you were doing. When you look again, the person is still staring. Admittedly the view isn’t much, but you could always look out the window. Or get your own book.

The One With The Loud Music

This might be the most annoying thing on the list. We get it: the music you’re listening to is God’s gift to humanity. But must you share so loudly with the rest of the unfortunate beings on the sardine tin-like bus? Some of us have headaches, are going home after a long day at work, or just simply don’t like your music. Please invest in some earphones or turn it off.

The One Who Will Not Move Back

We’ve all heard the infamous bus driver cry: “Move back please!” If the driver sees people standing up next to him he will assume that the bus is full up and not stop to let poor souls who have been waiting forever on the bus stop. Therefore, if you’re standing up, please go as far back as you can. It’s only right.

The One Who Is Chatty

After a long day on campus or after work, the last thing I feel like is making small talk with someone I haven’t seen for eight odd years. As an avoidance tactic, a book or an mp3 usually works. Yet, every so often despite these obvious barriers, I find myself making small talk on the bus. Also under this category, are people whom you don’t know from Adam, yet feel that it is perfectly acceptable to engage in deep conversation about excessive taxes or the weather. Please don’t: respect other people’s privacy.

The One On The Phone

If it’s early morning, the bus will be (thankfully) quiet. Then a particularly cringe worthy ringtone goes off and someone decides to share their conversation with the rest of the select population on the bus. Remember: if no-one is talking, everyone is listening. Keep your voice down and your conversations private.

The One Who Will Not Get Up For The Elderly

It’s rule number one for people with good manners – even Enid Blyton mentions it once or twice in her books. If you see elderly people standing up on the bus, give them your seat. It will make you feel really good inside and you’ll have done your good deed of the week.

The One Who Insists On Fresh Air

I understand that it is flu season and people are afraid of catching a cold from someone who might be sick on the bus. However, I fail to see the necessity of a wide open window in the middle of January. Just because it’s not raining doesn’t mean people aren’t freezing their toes off!

Related articles: Maltabuses & how to use them (routes, fares info etc)

Photo: Walter Lo Cascio

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Good job it's written, as it's rarely spoken

Malta’s buses are bound to feature hugely in anyone’s visit to the Islands. They are bright yellow and orange (in Malta) and grey and red (Gozo). Colour aside, you can’t miss them as they dominate the roads, in more ways than one. The bus fleet also sports some wonderful vintage models (usually Fords) dating back to ’50s and 60s’, if not earlier! Drivers tend to personalise their bus cabs, and it’s common to see interiors decorated with images of Elvis cheek-by-jowl with Madonnas, rosary crucifixes and tinsel left over from last Christmas. Our Flickr group photos show just how photogenic and popular Malta’s buses are. Here, one regular bus traveller, Rebecca Buttigieg, gives us her low-down on them.

The Bus System
The public bus system is licensed by the Government but run by a collective called the Public Transport Association or Assoċjazzjoni Transport Pubbliku (ATP), with each driver owning his bus.

Bus Termini and Routes
The main bus terminus is in Valletta, just outside the city gate, wrapped around the Triton fountain. You’ll know it when you see it – the dozens of bright yellow buses are difficult to miss. Almost all the bus routes in Malta start off here, and most of them end in a small terminus in one of the various villages, where the driver will wait a little while, and then make the next trip back to the city.

Catching a bus
Riding a bus is easy – stand at a bus stop and stick your hand out when a bus comes along. Get on, pay the driver, and then ring the bell just before the bus stop you want to get off at.

Which Bus Route?
Each particular bus route is assigned a two- or three-digit number, and so all you need to know is which numbers go to or through wherever you want to go. As a general rule of thumb, the routes with numbers lower than 40 serve the south of Malta, the numbers above 40 serve the north, and those between 80 and 95 serve the central area. Route numbers between 60 and 70 run to, through or from the Sliema terminus, which serves as a sort of auxiliary to the one in Valletta.

The details of the routes can be very complicated, with some routes even varying according to the time of day and season, but do not despair – when in doubt, just ask a driver, dispatcher or even fellow passengers which bus you ought to catch to get to your destination. Just be prepared for a lively discussion while the most suitable options are debated by those in the vicinity!

Tickets & fare structure
These are usually bought on a trip-by-trip basis from the driver when you board the bus, and the cost depends on whether you are travelling within or across the ‘zones’ that Malta is divided into, and whether you are using a ‘normal’ bus route (E0.47 to E0.58) or one of the special direct routes (up to E1.16 if you cross zones). There are concessions for children and senior citizens, just ask the driver.

Passes valid for one or more days are available, but the pricing means that you only save money if you take several bus rides each day, or if you use the more expensive routes. This makes them a great option for sightseeing expeditions, but not so much if you only need to get somewhere and back.

Frustrations of using Maltese buses
The system can be a frustrating experience due to its limitations – most routes only operate between 6am and 9 or 10pm (excepting the night service laid on for Paceville), and although there are scheduled times, sometimes a bus just doesn’t show up. Passengers often complain about unreliable service and drivers’ behaviour, especially with regard to manners, giving incorrect change, and smoking. Likewise, drivers complain about passengers who are rude and who leave litter, leftovers and even graffiti behind on the bus. For these reasons, there is generally little love lost between drivers and passengers.

On the positive side
Such as it is though, the system does function quite well for the most part, especially on weekday mornings, and it enables thousands of people who can’t or won’t use a car to get around the island. The sad thing is that many car-users who would otherwise love to leave their cars at home refuse to use the bus system because of its inefficiencies and reputation for unreliability. But buses are cheap, so you can’t have everything! Tourists meanwhile often find the buses quaint and for them, bus rides are all part of the Malta experience, if a somewhat hot one in peak summer.

A reform is pending, which should involve, among other things, a new system of bus routes designed to provide better coverage. It will be interesting to see if this reform succeeds, and what changes it will bring to the system.

A final word: I ride buses on a daily basis, and I have been left stranded innumerable times. I tried to be fair though in my comments.

Useful Stuff
The Official ATP website for its list of ‘Malta Bus Routes 2008′.
Malta by Bus: a site run by a British enthusiast of Malta buses. It’s a great source for all things quirky on Malta’s buses, including their history, book annuals of vintage buses, as well as route info.

Photo: Gethin Thomas
Author Rebecca Buttigieg runs a blog called maltagirl.

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Hire a car to get around Malta and come bumper to bumper with this gleaming relic!

It’s easy to assume that because Malta is small, you can rely on public transport and taxis to get around. We do in fact know of some instances of foreigners moving here and still relying on taxis two years down the line. But, they haven’t really got to see much of Malta in that time. OK, so they are not adding more cars to the road in a country which already ranks 5th worldwide for cars per 1,000 people (the UK ranks 24th). However, we do think that Malta can’t be experienced properly without having wheels of your own. So we’ve some quick tips on getting around:

1. Public transport is cheap, gets you to most towns and villages (via Valletta, in Malta and via Rabat, in Gozo) – but it’s slow, can get crowded and just fails to work after the witching hour or even before. By all means get on a bus for the experience – some people find the old bangers quaint. We think that your time here is too precious to waste on slow, smelly, hot bus journeys. Waiting on a hot bus-stop in scorching 35 degrees is no fun. And our bus drivers are a rule to themselves, despite various attempt at upgrading basic levels of customer care.

2. Taxis are expensive. And a few irresponsible individuals have given the whole trade a bit of a bad name on the island. You’ll find out from hearsay whether it’s best to use the ‘white’ or the ‘black’ cabs! But if you can avoid them, do so and save your pocket.

3. Hiring a car is still good value. Competition is fierce; all the major brands operate here as well as local companies that do go out of their way to provide you with the right car or motorcycle to give you the freedom to set out your own itineraries.

4. When hiring a car, do pay to get the extra full-cover for insurance. Malta is not blessed with brilliant drivers, and for many visitors, driving on the right side of the road can be bewildering. Do make sure that part of the deal is a full breakdown service.

5. Unless you have a large family, hire a small, economical car with air-conditioning. Parking bays in Malta are small, and you don’t want to get ruffled trying to park while a queue of irate drivers builds up behind you. Though, admittedly, you can get more street cred driving a Zodiac or a Zephyr (see photo above!).

6. Stay safe. If you’re uncertain about driving on the left-hand side of the road, just drive slowly. Do not be intimidated by aggressive drivers. Malta has its own share of local drivers who drive in the shade or crawl – join them until you have got your bearings. We’ve got some further tips in this feature.

7. Get out of your immediate ‘comfort’ zone. Sadly, a lot of visitors never get beyond the immediate environs of their hotels – that is, they get to see Paceville and Bugibba, which quite frankly, could be in any Med resort. Point your car towards the south of the island, and go in search of the traditional fishmarket at Marsaxlokk on Sunday, Birgu as the sun is setting, or Zurrieq for a late drink. Drive to places like Siggiewi, Mqabba and Qrendi. Go for pastizzi at the Crystal Palace, Rabat, in the early hours of the morning. Point your car north and go in search of an almost desertedbeach for an early morning swim, or go for a walk on Dingli Cliffs.

8. You will get lost, and that’s part of the experience. Signposting is still approximative in some more rural areas and even in towns. Roll down your window and ask a local. Nearly everyone speaks English and some Italian. Locals often stop mid road for a chat with a friend they’ve spotted so don’t be worried about holding up traffic!

9. Do watch out for speed cameras. They’re fairly well sign-posted, but can crop up in unexpected places and speed limits vary between 60 and 70 km per hour, sometimes in the same stretch of road. Maltese drivers have a terrible tendency to hit their brakes when approaching a speed camera – ‘front to rear’ collisions are frequent occurrences. So common are these shunts that we witnessed one the other day in which the driver causing the accident couldn’t even be bothered to get out to inspect the damage to his car, let alone worry about the one in front!

10. Speed humps can sometimes appear when you least expect them – in village cores usually. Over-enthusiastic councils, keen to make a buck rather than solely stem accidents, have placed them less than 50 metres apart from each other at times. Do as locals do and either crawl to a virtual halt or drive at speed over them and see how your car suspension takes the ride (at least it’s a hire car, not yours!).

11. If you get a ticket for a parking contravention, just let your car hire company know and pay up. The fines are not extortionate – but you don’t want nasty letters to arrive in your mailbox once you’re back home or find a lump sum off your credit card.

12. If you are involved in a traffic accident, call your car hire company immediately. It can avoid a lot of hassle. Just don’t get involved in any arguments with the other party – use common sense rules of courtesy. Traffic Accident Reporting: 2132 0202

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Malta as it once was: agricultural life writ large

Only around three per cent of Malta’s population is engaged in agriculture, but the fruits of its labour can be seen at any veggie cart or shop. Some traditional Maltese farming villages though, like Mgarr in the North and Siggiewi near the west coast have new-found fame for celebrating their long and much loved ties with the land: Mgarr holds its strawberry fair in May, and Siggiewi held an agricultural bonanza last weekend (13-14 June). Judging by the numbers of non locals at both events, it seems rural life is becoming more in vogue, even among the town dwellers.

Siggiewi’s now annual agricultural fare kicks off on the Saturday evening at dusk and is a mishmash of a livestock show, heritage event and farmers’ market – and an excuse for local folk to get some air; it’s also a prelude to the villlage festa, just two weeks on.

The pageantry was a reenactment of the Grand Master handing over a falcon to Holy Roman Emperor Charles V as rental payment for the Maltese Islands. It was a charming cameo that enthralled the kids, as did another slice of history – the ancient threshing machine that took pride of place in the square. It rattled and hummed into action, man atop loading straw, and was soon spewing out chaff all over the gathered crowd.

A small tent housed old agricultural implements and canteen items that farmers would use in the fields to brew up coffee. In fact, you could see the brewing in action as nearby sat an old lady, in typical floral dress/apron, turning a coffee bean roaster over an open fire (see photo below). A stall next to her was serving the clove-flavoured coffee for free to an appreciative, and curious crowd.

The livestock on display was there mainly for the children to pet – Falabella ponies, donkeys, prize sheep and goat breeds, some with their young, and a lama – so nothing that would pull a plowshare. The next morning saw the ‘blessing’ of the animals at 08.30 (before it gets too hot), and some heavy horses on display (ah, something that would pull a plowshare!).

Both evening and morning saw stallholders selling some genuine local produce, including thyme honey, certified organic olive oil (impressively with an EU accreditation on it) and lots of peaches and tomatoes, which grow well in the Siggiewi area. The olive oil producer, Ta’ Zeppi, said he offered agri-tourism tours; best in autumn though when the harvest is in and being pressed.

It’s heart-warming that Malta is beginning to relish its rural past, and to see skills, crafts and genuine Maltese produce appreciated by young and old, and locals and visitors alike.

To glimpse rural life, even if you miss the various fares, try an open-top bus ride on a London-type, double-decker bus with MaltaSightSeeing. They leave from Sliema ferries (the main front), and do a southern and northern tour visiting villages and less touristy localities. You can hop on and off, wander round a village and get the next bus onwards.

Roasting coffee beans, Maltese style

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