Home / Valletta /Malta International Airport / Airport Direct TD4 to Valletta vs Airport Direct TD3 to St Julian's and Sliema

MLA → Valletta · head to head

Airport Direct TD4 to VallettaorAirport Direct TD3 to St Julian's and Sliema?

The short answer

These do not go to the same place, so price is not the comparison. The Airport Direct TD4 to Valletta reaches the Valletta bus terminus outside City Gate, by the Triton Fountain — bay B1, where the TD4 sets down, with the whole walled city on foot from there; the Airport Direct TD3 to St Julian's and Sliema does not. Runs to St Julian's and Sliema; it passes Floriana only on its way back to the airport, 52 to 55 minutes out. Take the TD4 for Valletta.

The Airport Direct TD4 to Valletta is quicker: 14 min against 42 min. The Airport Direct TD3 to St Julian's and Sliema varies between 28 and 43 minutes.

Airport Direct TD4 to Valletta: 05:20–00:50. Airport Direct TD3 to St Julian's and Sliema: 05:15–00:45.

Priced against each other

Whole-party totals · adult fares
What each costs for the whole party, in EUR. The cheaper of the two is marked on every row.
TravelersAirport Direct TD4 to VallettaAirport Direct TD3 to St Julian's and SliemaDifference
1€3€3same
2€6€6same
3€9€9same
4€12€12same
5€15€15same
6€18€18same
7€21€21same
8€24€24same

Side by side

Where each one leaves you
shuttle · Malta Public Transport (tallinja)Airport Direct TD4 to Valletta
From
The "Airport 1" stop at the bus terminal outside arrivals, signposted from the Welcomers' Hall; the 24-hour card machine is by the stop
To
Bay B1 of the Valletta bus terminus outside City Gate, by the Triton Fountain, in 11 to 17 minutes; then Lascaris Wharf for the Gozo fast ferry and the Barrakka lift, and Bombi in Floriana on the way back out
Luggage
Built for it: the operator says "ample luggage space", USB sockets and Wi-Fi on the Airport Direct fleet.
Runs
05:20–00:50
Journey
11–17 min

This is the bus that replaced the X4 on 20 April 2025. A guide that sends you to the X4 is sending you to a route whose page now says "Timetable not available!".

A personalised tallinja card, free on the rest of the network, pays EUR 1.50 here; the twelve-journey card costs two journeys (EUR 3.17). Otherwise pay cash or tap a bank card, unless you have a 4- or 7-day Explore Flex.

Every 30 minutes, not "frequent": land at 10:22 and the next bus is 10:50. The 88 from the Airport 2 stop leaves every 20 minutes on weekdays if the timing is better, for 50 cents less and half an hour more.

Last bus 00:50, first 05:20, every night. Between them nothing public leaves the airport; the taxi ticket is EUR 17.

It is a loop: Airport, Valletta terminus, Lascaris, Floriana, Airport. Get off at the terminus for the city; stay on one stop for the Gozo fast ferry at Lascaris Wharf.

The operator's Welcomers' Hall office is open to midnight by its own page and to 19:30 by the airport's; the machines are 24 hours, and the driver sells the ticket anyway.

Airport Direct TD4 to Valletta: price for every party size →

See Airport Direct fares from Malta Public Transport
shuttle · Malta Public Transport (tallinja)Airport Direct TD3 to St Julian's and Sliema
From
The "Airport 1A" stop at the bus terminal outside arrivals
To
St Julian's (San Ġiljan, Spinola, Balluta) in 28 to 32 minutes, then the Sliema seafront to the Ferries in 40 to 43, and on through Gżira and Msida
Luggage
An Airport Direct bus: "ample luggage space", by the operator.
Runs
05:15–00:45
Journey
28–43 min

Sliema is the far end: 40 to 43 minutes to the Ferries, after St Julian's. For Valletta it is the wrong bus — the TD4 does it in 11 to 17.

Last bus 00:45 from the airport, first 05:15, every day.

The taxi table is EUR 20 to Sliema and EUR 21 to St Julian's for up to five.

Airport Direct TD3 to St Julian's and Sliema: price for every party size →

See Airport Direct fares from Malta Public Transport

This compares two of 6 options. See all of them ranked for your party size →

The other comparisons at Malta International Airport