Bus passenger trips surge by 18% since 2024

Bus passenger trips increased by 18% over the past two years as Malta Public Transport expanded its fleet by over 100 buses to keep pace with growing demand.

A Transport Ministry spokesperson told MaltaToday that passenger trips increased by 17.58% in May 2026, compared to May 2024. Over the same period, the percentage of buses in circulation rose by 22.65%.

Although no breakdown of the type of passengers was provided, sources close to the sector told MaltaToday there has been a modest but noticeable increase in Maltese-born commuters aged 20 to 50. Nonetheless, elderly passengers, foreign workers and tourists continue to make up a significant share of overall ridership.

A major growth factor has been the tourism. The volume of tourists using buses increased by 36.7%, from 889,827 in the first four months of 2024 to 1.2 million during the same period in 2026.

The figures come amid reports of overcrowding on several bus routes, particularly those serving major urban and tourist hubs. MaltaToday received accounts of packed stops and difficulty boarding during peak hours. Moreover, unlike previous years, people started reporting the increased over crowding typical of July and August as early as the first weeks of May.

“I live in Gżira and bus stops are already full of tourists arriving from Sliema and St Julian’s. I can still usually get on the next bus, but I’m not sure what will happen in peak summer,” one commuter said.

Another regular passenger, who interchanges at Msida’s Kulleġġ stop, described early evening boarding as chaotic.

“People rush to get on, and those who don’t push are left behind. Drivers still struggle with passengers who refuse to move back as people are asked to board from the exit door, and I can hardly remember the last time I got a seat at that time,” she said, while acknowledging service improvements and noting that the situation in the early morning has improved substantially over the past years.

“Sure, there are more buses and more frequent services, kudos for that... but is this enough to cater for future growth? It seems that the authorities are always catching up with increased demand,” another regular bus user told MaltaToday.

Despite the pressure, most commuters said they are rarely left stranded, with an alternative bus typically arriving within 10 minutes. Users of night buses, which although free are not subsidised by the government, reported episodes of being left stranded for longer periods even if the situation has improved in the past weeks due to more frequent buses.    

The Transport Ministry spokesperson acknowledged higher demand on routes linking tourist and popular destinations, particularly in summer.

“To address this, a number of network and frequency enhancements on high-demand routes have been introduced to cater for increased passenger volumes,” the spokesperson said.

Malta Public Transport has rolled out summer schedule adjustments in phases. The first took effect on 13 June 2026, with further changes due on 5 July.

Key routes have seen increased frequencies, including Route 212 between Sliema and Buġibba, now operating every 20 minutes on weekdays and set to rise to every 15 minutes from 5 July. Services linking Għajn Tuffieħa, Buġibba and Sliema have also been increased, while Route 53 between Valletta and Rabat now runs every 30 minutes on weekdays, effectively doubling its previous frequency.