Ferrying a Malta Hire Car to Gozo — or Renting on the Island
You have booked a week in Gozo, you are landing at Malta International Airport, and one question keeps circling: do you collect a hire car in Malta and drive it onto the ferry, or do you cross as a foot passenger and rent something once you are on the island? It sounds like a small logistical detail. It is actually the decision that shapes your first day, your budget, and how much of Gozo you actually see.
We host guests in Marsalforn every week and answer this by message more than any other question. Below is the honest version: what the ferry really costs with a vehicle, what your rental agreement does and does not cover, the step-by-step of the crossing itself, and a list of the car hire options available on Gozo — including the ones that will meet you at Mġarr harbour or deliver to your apartment door.
First: Do You Need a Car in Gozo at All?
Gozo is fourteen kilometres long. From Marsalforn you can reach Victoria, the hilltop capital, in about ten minutes on the 310 bus, and almost every other route fans out from there. If your stay is three or four nights and your plan is beach, food and rest, you genuinely do not need a car — the bay, the bakery, the supermarket, the pharmacy, the dive centres and a dozen restaurants are all a level walk from the promenade.
A car earns its keep when your list includes Dwejra, Ta' Pinu, the Ta' Ċenċ cliffs, Għarb and the terraced west — places the buses reach slowly and infrequently — or when you are travelling with small children, diving kit, or a week's shopping.
Option A: Bringing Your Malta Hire Car on the Ferry
Gozo is part of Malta, so a car hired at the airport is normally free to cross. The Gozo Channel ferry runs between Ċirkewwa in northern Malta and Mġarr in Gozo, the crossing takes about twenty-five minutes, and sailings are frequent throughout the day with a reduced overnight timetable.
What to confirm with your rental desk — in writing
- Ferry permission: Most Malta agreements permit the Gozo crossing. A minority of budget operators restrict it or exclude damage sustained on the vessel. Ask, and keep the reply on email.
- Insurance on board: Check whether your collision waiver still applies while the car is on the ship's deck, and whether the excess changes.
- Second driver: Add anyone who might drive Gozo's narrow village lanes before you leave the desk; adding a driver later is harder from another island.
- Roadside assistance in Gozo: Confirm the operator actually sends recovery to Gozo, and how long that typically takes.
Step-by-Step: Driving onto the Gozo Ferry
- 1Drive to Ċirkewwa. From the airport it is roughly 45–60 minutes north, longer in summer afternoon traffic. Follow signs for Ċirkewwa / Gozo Ferry rather than a pinned car park.
- 2Join the vehicle lanes, not the terminal. Foot passengers use the terminal building; with a car you stay in the marshalled lanes and follow the crew's directions.
- 3Board without paying. Malta to Gozo is free at the point of boarding. The fare is collected once, on the way back.
- 4Leave the vehicle deck. Handbrake on, gear engaged, doors locked. Passengers travel on the upper decks — take the outside deck on the approach, the cliffs of Comino and Gozo are the best twenty minutes of the journey.
- 5Disembark at Mġarr and climb. The road out of Mġarr harbour is steep and immediate. Marsalforn is about twenty minutes across the island via Victoria.
- 6Pay on the return leg. Leaving Gozo you pay for vehicle and passengers at Mġarr before boarding. Have a card ready and add a buffer in peak summer, when vehicle lanes back up.
Option B: Crossing as a Foot Passenger and Hiring in Gozo
The alternative is to reach Gozo without a car and rent locally. You can take the direct airport-to-Gozo coach or a transfer to Ċirkewwa, cross on foot, and pick up a car at Mġarr, in Victoria, or have it delivered to your apartment.
This suits the very common pattern of a seven-night stay where you actually want wheels for only two or three days. Renting locally for those days is usually cheaper than a week of Malta rental plus fuel plus the ferry — and you skip driving on your arrival day, which after a flight is not nothing.
| Factor | Malta rental on the ferry | Hiring in Gozo |
|---|---|---|
| Arrival day | Drive 60 min + ferry queue after your flight | Coach or transfer, then relax |
| Cost pattern | Full week of rental + fuel + vehicle ferry fare | Pay only for the days you actually drive |
| Vehicle size | Whatever the airport fleet gives you | Small cars, buggies, scooters suited to the lanes |
| Breakdown cover | Recovery may have to cross from Malta | Operator is on the island |
| Best for | Split Malta + Gozo trips, full-island touring | Gozo-only stays of 4 nights or more |
Car Hire Companies in Gozo: Where to Look
Gozo's rental market splits into three groups. Rates, opening hours and deposits change season to season, so treat the descriptions below as orientation and confirm the specifics directly with the operator before you book.
Gozo-based independent hire companies
Family-run operators headquartered on the island. Expect small fleets, flexible daily rates, delivery to Mġarr harbour or your apartment, and a phone number that a real person answers.
- Mayjo Car Rentals — XewkijaOne of Gozo's long-established independents, well known for airport-to-Gozo delivery and multi-day rates.
- Independent garages in Victoria & XewkijaSeveral small garages rent a handful of compacts each. Best rates in shoulder season, usually booked by phone or WhatsApp rather than online.
- Mġarr harbour desksPick up within a minute of stepping off the ferry — the simplest option if you cross as a foot passenger.
International brands that serve Gozo
The major networks operate primarily from Malta International Airport but will arrange delivery or a Gozo pickup point. Useful if you want a corporate account, a newer fleet, or a full insurance package.
- Hertz, Avis, Europcar, SixtBook Malta-wide, then request Gozo delivery or confirm the ferry clause and drive across yourself.
- Comparison marketplacesAggregators list both Malta and Gozo suppliers — filter by 'Gozo' as the pickup location rather than the airport to surface island-based fleets.
Scooters, buggies, jeeps and e-bikes
For an island this size, two wheels or an open buggy is often the better answer — and far easier to park in Marsalforn in August.
- Scooter & moped hire — Marsalforn, Xlendi, VictoriaIdeal for couples doing short hops between bays. Helmets included; a car licence usually covers the smallest engines.
- Buggy & quad hireHandles the rough tracks toward Għajn Barrani and the salt pans. Popular enough in summer to sell out — book ahead.
- E-bike hireGozo is hilly, and the electric assist makes the Victoria climbs pleasant rather than punishing.
We are not affiliated with any rental operator and receive no commission. Fleets, hours and prices change — always confirm terms, insurance excess and the ferry clause directly with the company before booking.
Driving in Gozo: Six Things Nobody Tells You
- Drive on the left: Malta and Gozo drive on the left, unlike most of Europe, and roundabouts run clockwise. Give yourself the first ten minutes on quiet roads.
- Smaller is better: Village cores were built for carts. A compact car turns a tense three-point turn into a non-event.
- Rural roads are patchy: Surfaces vary sharply outside the main routes. Photograph the car's wheels and underside at pickup.
- Parking is free but scarce: There are no paid zones of note, but Marsalforn's seafront fills by late morning in July and August. Park a street or two back and walk down.
- Fuel stations keep local hours: Several close on Sunday afternoons. Fill up in Victoria or Xewkija rather than gambling on a village pump.
- Distances deceive: Nowhere is more than half an hour away, so plan by stops, not kilometres — two or three per day is a full, unhurried itinerary.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I take my Malta hire car on the Gozo ferry?
Usually yes — Gozo is part of Malta and the Ċirkewwa–Mġarr crossing is treated as domestic travel. Confirm it in writing with your rental desk, because a few budget operators restrict the crossing or exclude damage sustained on board.
Do I pay for the ferry in both directions?
No. Vehicle and passenger fares are collected once, when you leave Gozo at Mġarr. Boarding at Ċirkewwa you simply drive on.
Is it cheaper to rent in Malta or in Gozo?
For a full week of driving, a Malta-wide rental is often marginally cheaper per day. For two or three days of exploring during a longer Gozo stay, hiring locally almost always wins once you add fuel and the ferry fare for the vehicle.
Do I need an international driving permit?
EU and UK licences are accepted directly. Licences from outside those areas are generally accepted alongside an international driving permit — check with your chosen operator, as their own policy governs.
What about scooters, buggies and e-bikes?
All three are widely available in Gozo and are a genuinely good fit for the island's short distances. A buggy handles the rough tracks toward Għajn Barrani and the salt pans that a low compact will not enjoy.
Our Recommendation
Cross as a foot passenger, spend your first two days learning Marsalforn on foot, then hire locally for the days you want the west of the island. You arrive relaxed, you pay for a car only when it is useful, and you avoid the one genuinely stressful hour of a Gozo holiday — a strange car, an unfamiliar side of the road, and a ferry queue after a flight.