Malta: Rent a car or taxi around

[irenez]

Hello, everyone. We are a family of 5 stopping in Malta on Aug13th. We have been there once before and ended up hiring a taxi for the day. Since there are 5 of us, it’s a challenge to find a big enough taxi so I am considering renting a car. I would like to drive around the island, visit the glass factory, visit Mdina, find a nice beach for a swim and lunch and go back to check out Valletta ( I don’t think we saw it last time we were there). What are your thoughts/advice please?

Thank you, Irene

[Langoustine]

Rental cars on Malta are pretty cheap, and there's a pickup point at the port. But remember that you will be driving on the left and shifting with your left hand unless you can find an automatic.

[Hlitner]

We have driven rental cars on both Malta and nearby Gozo. When it comes to Malta one needs to consider that Valletta is a very old city with lots of narrow one way streets. Even with a GPS we found ourselves getting lost in parts of Valletta and parking can become a nightmare. But once out of Valletta a car is a wonderful way to see the island. We rented a car from a small local company who ask us to telephone them when we were getting off the ship. They drove our car to the port, did the paperwork at the car, and we drove off with our vehicle. Later that evening we returned the car to the Port, and the gate security folks allowed us into the port and told us to park at a spot near the gates. We then left the keys with the port security folks (in the gate house). The name of the small company we used was called "Active Car Rental." There are some other local rental car companies that make similar arrangements. We paid a total of 62€ for that small car which included the delivery and drop right at the port.

 

Hank

[irenez]

Thank you, I will look into the car rental option then. We wont use it in Valletta. I am thinking we will get out, see the island, come back, drop the car and then see Valletta.

[cc cruiser]

We have driven rental cars on both Malta and nearby Gozo. When it comes to Malta one needs to consider that Valletta is a very old city with lots of narrow one way streets. Even with a GPS we found ourselves getting lost in parts of Valletta and parking can become a nightmare. But once out of Valletta a car is a wonderful way to see the island. We rented a car from a small local company who ask us to telephone them when we were getting off the ship. They drove our car to the port, did the paperwork at the car, and we drove off with our vehicle. Later that evening we returned the car to the Port, and the gate security folks allowed us into the port and told us to park at a spot near the gates. We then left the keys with the port security folks (in the gate house). The name of the small company we used was called "Active Car Rental." There are some other local rental car companies that make similar arrangements. We paid a total of 62€ for that small car which included the delivery and drop right at the port.

 

Hank

 

Hi Hank,

 

When you made your reservation with Active Car Rental in Malta, what did you put down as pick up location? I have tried twice to email them & I get notices that the email was undeliverable. I want to make a reservation....but I don't want to have to pick it up at the airport.

 

Thanks!

[bigeck]

Hi Hank,

 

When you made your reservation with Active Car Rental in Malta, what did you put down as pick up location? I have tried twice to email them & I get notices that the email was undeliverable. I want to make a reservation....but I don't want to have to pick it up at the airport.

 

Thanks!

 

Good question.

I'm trying to hire a car on a Sunday but they all close at lunch time. Hank's idea would work for us. I hope he comes back to reply

[iancal]

Our first visit was on a cruise. We took the hop on hop off which included a harbour cruise.

 

We liked it so much we returned for 10 days on a land trip.

[Hlitner]

Yes, we always lurk on these boards :). But we live in Mexico (Puerto Vallarta) during the winter and do not have total access to all or our previous cruise records. As I recall, when we booked with Active we simply told them we wanted pick-up/drop at the port and gave us a phone number to call when we were at the port. We called them, and they had us wait at a specific area of the curb (just outside the port) where a driver soon arrived with our car. And as I said, to drop the car they told us to actually drive inside the port security gates where we could park the car.

 

All that being said, we do not know whether they will do this service on a Sunday or whether the procedures have since changed (the last time we rented a car on Malta was about 3 years ago). So what would we do? Simply contact the Active folks directly either via e-mail or by a telephone call (most on Malta are fluent in English). As always, we recommend having a GPS (whether its your own or you arrange a rental) since it takes away some of the stress of driving in any strange place.

 

Hank

[bigeck]

Hank

Thanks for the help.

Active emailed me back and I have managed to hire a car for the Sunday we are in port.

Anyone else looking to book, you can email them at

office@activegroup.com.mt