Compare cheap 7 seater car hire at Malta Airport. Gozo ferry fares with a car, the Valletta CVA charge, child seats, fines and the Park East hire desks.
Taking the car to Gozo? You pay the ferry fare only on the way back, and cars over 5.3 metres pay more. Read the Gozo section below.
The UK was Malta International Airport’s biggest market in 2025, with 20% of all 10.06 million passenger movements (Business Now, MIA). Malta’s statistics office counted 841,397 UK tourists that year (NSO).
Malta is small, but it is not a place where seven people get around easily by bus. A 7 seater keeps the family together for beach days in the north and a crossing to Gozo.
Left-hand traffic, tight streets
“In Malta and Gozo, driving is on the left” (Visit Malta). Hire cars are right-hand drive, so UK drivers start on familiar terms.
The roads are the challenge. GOV.UK says some are in poor condition and local driving standards are poor (GOV.UK). Village streets are narrow and parking is tight.
That changes the choice of car. On Malta, a compact 7 seater MPV is often easier than a large SUV, unless you need the boot space.
Your licence and the EES
GOV.UK says you can drive in Malta on a UK photocard licence without an International Driving Permit (GOV.UK). Paper licence holders may need to update to a photocard or get an IDP.
Malta is in the Schengen area, so the EU Entry/Exit System applies. You may need to register fingerprints and a photo on arrival at Luqa (GOV.UK). Allow extra time at passport control before you head to the hire office.
Malta 7 Seaters, side by side
See the 7 seaters at Malta Airport in one list, with the excess and the Gozo ferry terms in view.
Taking the car to Gozo
The Gozo Channel ferry runs from Ċirkewwa, in the far north of Malta, to Mġarr on Gozo. The crossing takes about 25 minutes, with sailings as often as every 30 minutes in the daytime (Visit Gozo). Allow about an hour from the airport to Ċirkewwa.
You do not buy a ticket on the way out. You pay on the return trip when you leave Gozo (Visit Gozo).
The fares, from Gozo Channel (car fares, passenger fares):
- Car and driver: €15.70, about £13.35, for vehicles up to 5.3 metres
- Car over 5.3 m and up to 5.5 m: €20.70, about £17.60
- Each adult passenger: €4.65, about £3.95
- Children aged 3 to 12: €1.15, about £1, with under-3s free
Most 7 seater SUVs and MPVs are shorter than 5.3 metres, but a long-wheelbase people carrier may not be. Check the length on your rental papers.
Gozo Channel takes no vehicle bookings, so boarding is first come, first served (Gozo Channel). On summer weekends, arrive early. Check your rental terms too, because some hire agreements set conditions on ferry crossings.
The fast ferry from Valletta to Gozo carries foot passengers only.
Valletta and the CVA charge
Valletta has a Controlled Vehicular Access zone. Cameras read your number plate and charge by the time you spend inside, Monday to Friday from 08:00 to 18:00 (CVA).
The first 30 minutes are free, then €0.82, about £0.70, per hour, capped at €6.52, about £5.54 a day. Entry after 14:00 on weekdays is free, and so are weekends and public holidays (CVA).
The bill goes to the registered owner, which for you is the hire firm. Expect it to be passed on, possibly with an admin fee.
There is an easier way in. The Floriana Park and Ride has more than 750 spaces at €0.40 a day, about £0.34, including a shuttle into the city (Transport Malta). The shuttle does not run on Sundays or public holidays.
Child seats
Transport Malta says children under three must use a child restraint suited to their weight, and that no adult seat belt can be used for a young child (Transport Malta).
Babies must face backwards until 15 months. If a rear-facing seat goes in the front, the airbag must be switched off.
Children aged 3 to 12 who are between 135 cm and 150 cm tall must use a child restraint if they sit in the front. In a 7 seater, the simple answer is to keep them in the back.
Speed limits and fines
The limits are 80 km/h, about 50 mph, on the open road and 50 km/h, about 31 mph, in built-up areas, unless signs say otherwise (Visit Malta).
Speed cameras logged 33,510 offences in 2025 (NSO). Going more than 15 km/h over the limit costs €100, about £85, and a red light costs €200, about £170 (Government of Malta).
Hand-held phones are expensive too. The fine is €200 and six penalty points (MaltaToday).
The drink-drive limit is 0.5 g of alcohol per litre of blood, falling to 0.2 g for novice drivers (ETSC). In England and Wales the limit is 0.8 g.
Seven people, seven cases
A large suitcase holds 80 to 110 litres. With all seven seats in use, the roomiest common 7 seaters manage about 340 to 350 litres of boot.
For a full family with a big case each, look for the ACRISS FV class, meaning seven or more seats plus more space. On Malta’s narrow streets, weigh that against the stress of parking a big car in Sliema or Mellieħa.
Picking up at Malta Airport
The car hire offices are not in the arrivals hall. They are on Level 1 of Park East, a separate building about three minutes’ walk from the terminal. Follow the “Rental Cars” signs (Malta International Airport).
Keys go back in the drop box on the same level when you return. With children and cases, use a trolley for the short walk across.
Combining Malta with Sicily? Our Catania Airport guide covers Etna and the east coast.
Spending less on a 7 Seater in Malta
- Compare the total, not the daily rate. Fuel policy, deposit, insurance excess and ferry conditions all sit outside the headline price.
- Pick the right size. A compact 7 seater MPV is cheaper to run and far easier to park than a large SUV.
- Use the Park and Ride for Valletta. It costs well under £1 a day and avoids CVA charges passed on by the hire firm.
- Book early with free cancellation. 7 seaters are scarce on a small island in summer. Lock in a cancellable rate, then search again nearer the date and rebook if prices fall.
Check Malta 7 Seater rates for your dates
Enter your flight times to compare cheap rates from the desks at Park East and nearby.
Questions people ask
Do they drive on the left in Malta?
Yes. Malta and Gozo both drive on the left, and hire cars are right-hand drive.
How much is the Gozo ferry with a car?
€15.70 for a car and driver up to 5.3 metres, plus €4.65 per adult passenger. You pay only on the return trip from Gozo.
Where are the car hire desks at Malta Airport?
In the Park East building, a three-minute walk from the terminal, on Level 1.
Do I need an International Driving Permit in Malta?
Not with a UK photocard licence, according to GOV.UK.
How do I find a cheap 7 Seater at Malta Airport?
Compare several hire firms at once. Our search shows the 7 seaters available at the airport, with the total price for each. Stock is limited on an island this size, so the earlier you search, the more choice you get.
