Sightseeing Routes

Sightseeing Passenger Transport Routes can be operated by holders of a valid Carriage of Passengers Operator’s Licence issued by Transport Malta.

A sightseeing passenger transport route means a route established and published by the Authority and which may be used by operators for the purpose of taking passengers to and from sites and attractions in Malta and Gozo and which have a number of pre-determined pick-up and drop-off points.There are currently three routes that have been published by Transport Malta,which are: the North Route, the South Route and the Island of Gozo Route. These routes are normally serviced by open top buses and vintage buses.

Application and fees to operate on sightseeing transport routes:

Once the operator obtains an operator’s licence and wishes to operate on sightseeing transport routes, he/she will also be required to fill application form SRT to indicate which route he/she is interested in operating. There is also an annual fee of €37,000 for each route payable to Transport Malta; however, if the total number of passenger seats on the passenger transport vehicles to be operated on a sightseeing transport route does not exceed 175 passenger seats, the annual fee payable for that sightseeing transport route will be of €210 for each passenger seat of each passenger transport vehicle.

Moreover, operators who intend to provide passenger transport services on sightseeing routes by means of Vintage Buses will only be required to pay an annual fee of €500 for all sightseeing transport routes. Vintage buses are defined as passenger transport vehicles which have their engine compartment situated in front of the windscreen, and were :-

Manufactured and registered in Malta as motor route buses prior to the 1stJanuary, 1960, and were registered in Malta for at least 5 years prior to the 19thMay, 2009,and
Manufactured prior to the 1st of January, 1960 and registered in Malta as motor vehicles for the carriage of passengers prior to the 1st of January , 1992, and were registered in Malta for at least 5 consecutive years prior to the 19th of May, 2009 and may carry not more than 30 passengers.

Tracking devices to be fitted on all passenger transport vehicles operating on sightseeing transport routes:

Transport Malta has set minimum specifications and reporting obligations concerning tracking devices, which must be fitted on all passenger transport vehicles that are authorized to service sightseeing passenger transport routes. The tracking devices should be capable of recording the following data and transmitting it to the service provider at the minimum rate of 1 update per minute:

Device ID
Vehicle Registration Number
Position of Vehicle, including street location
Ignition status
Speed (in km/h)

These tracking devices will be inspected by the Authority for conformity.

Minimum service standards for operators and drivers of sightseeing transport routes:

Operators of sightseeing transport routes are required to make available to the public all information pertaining to fares, schedules, routes, pick up and drop off points, and any specific restrictions that would restrict any passenger or passenger category from using the service. Such information must also be available on each passenger transport vehicle operating on such route. Operators and drivers must comply with all the information made publicly available. Drivers must not, while carrying out regular passenger services, pick up and, or drop off passengers on any location other than the pick up and drop off points approved by the Authority.

The driver operating the service shall need to be in possession of a Driver Permit Tag. For more information please click here

Page last updated: 04/08/2022