Arriva’s articulated buses would be used on the Airport Express route, a new service connecting the airport with four strategic locations, making travelling easier, the new public transport service provider said yesterday.
The Airport Express is one of the new services that will be introduced from July 3.
Arriva Malta managing director Keith Bastow said: “The air-conditioned articulated buses we are using for these express routes have designated areas for luggage and can carry 133 passengers.”
There will be four express routes, X1, X2, X3 and X4, linking the airport with different parts of the island. These services enabled passengers to get to their chosen locality much faster, he said.
The X1 goes to Ċirkewwa, stopping at the Marsa Park & Ride, the Pembroke Park & Ride, the Salini interchange and straight to Ċirkewwa. This leaves every hour from 5.35 a.m. to 10.45 p.m. Monday to Friday and from 5.35 a.m. to 10.35 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
The X2 goes directly to St Julians every 30 minutes from 5.32 a.m. to 11.02 p.m. and to Mater Dei Hospital, stopping at Paola and the Marsa Park & Ride, every 30 minutes from 5.50 a.m. to 10.50 p.m.
The X3 goes directly to Buġibba every 30 minutes from 5.50 a.m. to 10.20 p.m. and stops at Paola, the Marsa Park & Ride, Birkirkara, Attard, Rabat and Mosta every 30 minutes from 5.35 a.m. to 12.05 a.m.
The X4 goes to Valletta, stopping at the Marsa Park & Ride, every 15 minutes from Monday to Saturday from 5.30 a.m. to 11 p.m. and every 30 minutes on Sundays from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Another X4 route links Valletta with Birżebbuġa via the Marsa Park & Ride and the airport every 30 minutes from Monday to Saturday from 5.30 a.m. to 11 p.m. and every hour on Sundays from 5.30 a.m. to 10 p.m.
“We are anticipating that the express routes will revolutionise travel on public transport around Malta because anyone going to the major interchanges where these express routes stop can also use the service to travel between the main stopping points on the routes more quickly,” Mr Bastow said.
Arriva continues with its roadshow this weekend, heading to Sliema Ferries today between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. and Mosta, next to the parish church, between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. tomorrow. People can see the new buses that will be used when Arriva takes over the public transport service.