How to Get to Gozo from Malta: Ferry Guide, Prices & Tips

Getting to Gozo is actually very simple, but there are a couple of options depending on whether you’re travelling with a car or not.

We’ve done it ourselves, and once you understand how it works, it’s pretty straightforward.

Option 1: Ferry from Ċirkewwa

This is the main way to get to Gozo.

The ferry runs from Ċirkewwa, which is at the very north of Malta, and takes you to Mgarr Harbour in Gozo.

These are large ferries that carry:

cars
passengers
buses

How It Works

One important thing to know and this confuses people, we were confused twice, as we forgot about it:

you don’t pay when going to Gozo
you only pay on the way back to Malta

Since Gozo is only connected to Malta, they charge you when you return.

Ferries run very frequently, every 30-45 minutes in winter and even more often in summer. The crossing takes about 25 minutes, and you will pass Comino island on the way to Gozo.

The ferries has everything covered, toilets, coffee, tea, snacks you can purchase and huge decks to enjoy the view. They even cross during the night, but less frequent.

Prices

passenger: around €5–€6 return
car + driver: around €15–€20 return

Prices can change depending on season, but this will give you a good idea if you plan to go to Gozo.

Important Tips

If you’re bringing a car, go early.

Lines can get very long, especially in peak season. We’ve seen queues stretching quite far down the road, and you can end up waiting for multiple ferries. And that was in winter! So take this tip seriously.

If you go early in the morning, it’s much easier and stress-free.

The good thing about getting to Gozo is that ferries run very frequently all year round, 24/7, so you don’t really need to stress about planning it too much. Here is the ferry schedule and even in winter it’s pretty regular, maybe a bit less frequent compared to summer.

Option 2: Fast Ferry from Valletta

If you’re not renting a car, this is actually the best option. There is a fast ferry from Valletta directly to Mgarr Harbour in Gozo. It’s much more convenient if your staying in Sliema or Valletta.

How it works

You can buy your ticket online or at the terminal. Unlike the car ferry, you pay both ways.

It takes around 45 minutes to get there. The fast ferry is not 24/7 like the car ferry, but it still runs frequently enough for easy day trips. The trips start around 6am and until 11pm in the summer, every 1-2 hours. In the winter it’s much less frequent, every 2-3 hours and the last departure is around 8pm, so keep that in mind, check the schedule, so you don’t get stuck on Gozo.
You can also book it in advance, depending on what you want: