Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Capital Projects Ian Borg launched a new bus service which connects the ferry landing place in the Grand Harbour at the Lascaris Wharf with that of the other ferry departure site in Triq id-Dgħajsa in Marsamxett towards Sliema.
Minister Ian Borg said, “We felt we had to offer this service on the basis of firstly to incentivise people to use alternate modes of transport and not only their private car to travel from one place to another. For the first time, you will be able to travel from the 3 cities to Sliema in less time than usual and with an alternative and cleaner means of transport. This particular route was chosen in order to raise appreciation towards these historical places in Malta. As a government, we believe that this will be an incentive that will attract a number of tourists who visit our island and experience these places from a different point of view and further serve as beneficial to the Maltese who can also appreciate these historical places.”
It is planned that the service will be provided using an electric bus which will be brought to Malta specifically for this service. However, until it arrives in Malta, a normal public bus will be used instead. The service will be aimed to achieve several objectives such as ensuring a reliable maritime transport, a fixed-time schedule, being offered at a regulated price and a with a level of service aimed at stimulating further use and increasing popularity.
The bus service will be every 30 minutes in synchronisation with the arrival of the ferry. The ferry will be operating between 06:45 and 19:00 from Monday to Saturday and between 08:55 to 18:10 on Sundays and holidays.
The free bus service will be open to all users of the ferry service and will also be free of charge.
Regarding the route, the bus will be passing through St. Mark Street, Old Bakery Street, St. Bastian Street, St. Elmo Place, Mediterranean Road, Quarry Wharf and Lascaris Wharf. The journey from Lascaris to Marsamxett will be from Crucifix Hill, the War Memorial and down Great Siege Road.
According to surveys, the total number of passengers who travelled by ferry during 2019 amounted to 1,484,173.
