The Tallinja card giving users discounted bus fares will debut today, but elderly people, children under 10 and disabled commuters who still don’t have it will not be charged the dearer rates until Sunday.

The announcement was made yesterday afternoon by Malta Public Transport in the wake of complaints that bus users who had applied for the card weeks ago have still not received it.

Others said that they had been unable to top it up using pre-paid vouchers or through Maltapost branches, due to various technical problems.

“We appreciate that this new ticketing system is a major change in the way people travel by bus,” the company said.

It is therefore offering users who are “perhaps more vulnerable” a little more time to get acquainted with the system by allowing those who have not yet received their Tallinja card to buy two-hour tickets at 30c, instead of €2, until Sunday.

From today, the adult fare is €2 for a two-hour ticket instead of €1.50 for a day ticket. But those in possession of the Tallinja card will only be charged €0.75 for a two-hour trip and there will be no further charge for the rest of the month after they spend €26. Special prices apply for the elderly, students, children and the disabled.

Times of Malta also received some complaints of people receiving a blank card with no photo or personal details. Several questioned whether such cards could give rise to abuse, as the cards are not supposed to be transferable.

In total, the bus company has received about 128,000 applications for the card since its launch on April 26. A spokesman had said those who applied for it by June 19 – more than 100,000 – would receive it by yesterday.

Arrangements were in fact made for Malta Post to make a second delivery yesterday afternoon and many of those who had earlier complained of not receiving the card it was delivered in the second batch.

There were others, though, who were left empty-handed. “I applied for my Tallinja card on Sunday, April 26, but I have not received it,” one commuter said after 6pm.

Many questioned why the delivery had not been made on a first-come-first-served basis.

Criticism was also levelled at the dedicated Tallinja helpline, as callers could not get through.

Malta Public Transport reiterated that anyone who had registered by yesterday, but had not received the card on time would get refunded through a simple form that can be submitted online. It said the rest of the cards will be distributed in the coming days.

What about tourists?

The bus company yesterday reiterated that off-the-shelf products would be available for tourists, who cannot apply for a bus card as it requires a Maltese address.

Tourists will be able to buy seven-day unlimited tickets or a batch of 12 single-journey tickets at €1.25 per trip, which would be cheaper than the standard two-hour tickets sold at €2.

However, no date was given for when these products would be on sale.