Car hire
Hiring a car in Malta with kids
Almost every family visiting Malta rents a car, and almost every guide to it is written for people without children. Here is the version that accounts for child seats, buggies and a nap window.
Four things we wish we had known
Book the child seat when you book the car
Not on arrival. Desks run out, and being told to drive off without one at 11pm with a sleeping toddler is not a choice you want to be offered.
Automatics sell out first
Malta is mostly manual. If you need an automatic in summer, book weeks ahead rather than days.
Take the smallest car you can live with
Village streets in Gozo are genuinely narrow and parking is tight. A seven-seater sounds sensible until you meet a bus in Xagħra.
Photograph everything at pickup
Every panel, every wheel, before you leave the bay. Standard advice everywhere, but Malta hire cars have lived a life.
By island
Questions we get asked
- Do I need a car in Malta with kids?
- In Malta, almost certainly yes. Buses are cheap and go most places, but they are hot, crowded and unpredictable, and folding a buggy on a full bus with a toddler on your hip is a bad afternoon. In Gozo you can get by without one for a few days if you stay somewhere central, but you will miss most of the good beaches.
- Can I hire a car in Malta with a child seat?
- Yes — every major company offers them, but you must book the seat when you book the car, not on arrival. Expect roughly €5 to €8 per day per seat. Bringing your own is free on most airlines and means you know it is clean and you know how to fit it.
- Is car hire in Malta automatic or manual?
- Mostly manual, and automatics sell out first. If you need an automatic, book earlier than you think — in July and August they are gone weeks ahead.
- Are child seats a legal requirement in Malta?
- Yes. Children under 150cm must use an appropriate child restraint. Malta is an EU member and enforces this, so it is not a formality you can wave through.
- Should I hire the car at Malta airport or in town?
- Airport, with kids. Town pickup is often a little cheaper but means getting there with luggage and a buggy, which wipes out the saving in stress. Most airport desks are a short shuttle ride rather than in the terminal itself — factor twenty minutes.