Malta’s Wheelchair Accessibility Rating

(♿ = 1 point, max 10 per category)

1. Public Transportation Accessibility

Score: ♿♿♿♿♿ (5/10)

• Strengths:
  • Buses in Malta have ramps and priority seating.
  • Ferry routes operated by Valetta Ferry, Gozo Ferry and Fast Ferry are fully wheelchair accessible (ramps, accessible terminals, restrooms and crew assistance).
• Weaknesses:
  • Sudden stops and sharp turns on Malta’s winding roads can make wheelchair securement challenging. 
  • During peak hours, buses often skip stops when full, leaving wheelchair users stranded.
  • Buses very often are crowded. Priority spaces are blocked by standing passengers or strollers.
  • There are no accessible boats to Comino.

Maltese bus during rush hours

Priority space

Maltese bus

Ferry to Gozo

2. Hotel & Accommodation Accessibility

Score: ♿♿♿♿♿♿ (6/10)

• Strengths:
  • 4–5 star hotels (e.g., Hilton Malta, InterContinental) offer accessible rooms roll-in showers and widened doors.
  • Newer hotels legally require barrier-free designs, offering roll-in showers and wide doorways.
• Weaknesses:
  • Older hotels don’t have accessible rooms.
  • Budget guesthouses and historic buildings often have steps.

3. Restaurant & Dining Accessibility

Score: ♿♿♿♿♿♿ (6/10)

• Strengths:
  • Modern establishments (malls, chains) are typically wheelchair-friendly.
  • Waterfront restaurants have usually step-free terraces.
  • Since Malta enjoys warm weather for most of the year, many restaurants provide accessible outdoor seating.
• Weaknesses:
  • 70% of restaurants and cafés have narrow entrances, tight spaces or steps.
  • Very rarely restaurants have accessible restrooms.

Often the needs of disabled people are neglected

Some ramps don’t look up to standards

4. Tourist Attractions & Cultural Sites

Score: ♿♿♿♿♿♿♿ (8/10)

• Strengths:
  • Major sites have ramps, elevators, and tactile paths.
  • Disabled visitors can often receive discounted admission when presenting proof of disability, though policies vary by attraction.
• Weaknesses:
  • Wheelchair rental is not widely available.
  • Some historic sites require accessibility upgrades, featuring deteriorated pathways and outdated accessible toilets that often don’t meet modern standards.

Ramp at the entrance to fully accessible Maritime Museum

Step-free entrance to fully accessible Malta National Aquarium

Ramp to La Guardiola Garden

Assistance at Fort St Angelo

Toilet not meeting modern standards

Detoriorated paths and old ramp in Il-Ġnien ta’ Sant’Anton Garden

5. Urban Infrastructure & Sidewalk Accessibility

Score: ♿♿♿♿ (4/10)

• Strengths:
  • Coastal promenades (e.g. in Sliema, Marsaskala, Bugibba) provide 2+ km of flat, widened pathways ideal for wheelchair strolls.
  • Many dedicated disabled parking spots.
• Weaknesses:
  • Many streets of Malta lack sidewalks or have steep cuts.
  • Many areas have steep inclines where manual wheelchair users may need assistance or a powered chair.
  • Cobblestones dominate historic sites, challenging for wheelchairs.
  • Some “accessible” beaches rely on outdated solutions.

No sidewalk, steep cut, not enough space in the tunnel

Sidewalk with curb cuts and tactile paving

Cut curb however narrow pavement

Underground passage at Bombi missing hand rail

Disabled parking places in Marsaxlokk

Parking bay for persons with disability by Għadira Bay beach

Food truck occupying a disabled parking spot (without displaying a badge)

Not respecting the sign

Some disabled parking spots are assigned to a specific user

Accessible entrance to the sea at Ta’ Fajtata beach

Ramp to access Buġibba Perched Beach but no beach mats/paved path on the beach

Old wooden path on the Għadira Bay beach

6. Accessible Toilets & Changing Facilities

Score: ♿♿♿♿♿♿♿ (7/10)

• Strengths:
  • Malls (The Point, Bay Street) and airports have spacious ADA-style toilets.
  • 90% of public toilets have designated accessible restrooms.
• Weaknesses:
  • Poor maintenance: broken locks, empty soap dispensers, and wet floors.
  • Lack of automatic doors.
  • Lackof adult changing tables.

Modern toilet in Kalkara

Ramp to disabled restroom

Toilet not meeting modern standards

Key from Tourist Information required to access the disabled toilet in Marsaxlokk (even when standard toilets were open)

Toilet paper too far away to reach

Beautiful disabled logo at La Guardiola, however, toilet permanently locked

7. Airport & Travel Hub Accessibility

Score: ♿♿♿♿♿♿♿♿ (8/10)

• Strengths:
  • Malta International Airport (MLA) offers PRM assistance, wheelchair loans, and step-free pathways
• Weaknesses:
  • Airport shuttle buses (TD) have stairs.

8. Digital & Information Accessibility

Score: ♿♿♿♿ (4/10)

• Strengths:
  • Google Maps correctly marks accessible places.
• Weaknesses:
  • The only official resource does not provide a lot of information.
  • No official Maltese accessibility app.

9. Local Policies & Societal Attitudes

Score: ♿♿♿♿♿♿♿♿ (8/10)

• Strengths:
  • Maltese people often offer to assist.
  • Malta is one of seven EU-countries that uses the European Disability Card.
  • Discounts offered to disabled tourists (disability proof required).

10. Emergency & Healthcare Accessibility

Score: ♿♿♿♿♿♿♿ (7/10)

• Strengths:
  • Hospitals are generally accessible.
• Weaknesses:
  • Some facilities are outdated.

Overall Average Score: ♿♿♿♿♿♿ (6.3/10)

Why? While Malta has made progress in basic accessibility, significant gaps remain across all categories. Many solutions rely on outdated infrastructure or half-measures that fail to meet modern inclusive standards.

Conclusion: Malta is moderately accessible—ideal for resort-based travelers or city explorers but challenging for solo wheelchair adventurers.