Road network

Malta drives on the left, following British convention, and this is the first thing to adjust to on arrival. The road network has no motorways. The fastest roads are dual carriageways with a maximum speed of 80 km/h. Urban speed limits are 50 km/h. There are no tolls and no vignette requirements. Headlights are required at night only. Winter tires are not required. The blood alcohol limit is 0.08 percent, the minimum driving age is 18, and the emergency number is 112. Road surfaces and signage are inconsistent, and lanes in older towns can be very narrow.

The main island can be crossed end to end in roughly 45 minutes without traffic, but congestion around Valletta, Sliema, and St. Julian's is heavy during peak hours. Parking inside Valletta is difficult; the park-and-ride outside the city walls is the practical choice. A car is useful for reaching the Dingli Cliffs, the hilltop city of Mdina, and the fishing village of Marsaxlokk. Gozo is reached by a short car ferry from Cirkewwa in the north; check current ferry fares before travel as prices change. Road markings and roundabout rules follow British standards rather than continental European ones, which surprises many visitors from mainland Europe.