Gozo car hire: ferry a car across, or rent locally?
Bring a Malta rental car over the Cirkewwa–Mġarr ferry, or book straight from a Gozo family garage. The ferry mechanics, who permits it, and an honest way to decide.
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Gozo does not require its own car. A Malta rental can cross the Cirkewwa–Mġarr ferry with you. Or you can leave the Malta car behind and book directly from a Gozo family garage. Both are normal. The right one depends on how your trip is shaped, not on which option is "better."
This guide covers the ferry mechanics, what our own operator data does and doesn't confirm about who permits the crossing, every Gozo-based garage in our roster, and a decision framework by trip type.
How the Cirkewwa–Mġarr ferry works
The crossing runs between Ċirkewwa on Malta's northern tip and Mġarr on Gozo, and takes about 25 minutes. The car fare is normally paid only on the return leg, from Gozo back to Malta — not on the way out. There is no booking system for vehicles: you drive up, join the queue, and board on a first-come basis.
The Mġarr terminal itself was rebuilt between 2001 and 2008, with capacity for roughly 600 passengers and 200 cars per crossing.
The car fare is paid once, on the way back to Malta — not on the crossing out to Gozo.
Schematic — drawn to show the route and its order, not to scale.
- Malta InternationalPick up at the airport.
- ĊirkewwaDrive north-west to the ferry terminal.
- Mġarr, GozoAbout a 25-minute crossing. No booking — drive up and queue.
The car fare is typically paid on the return leg only. Most Malta operators allow their cars on the crossing, but it is set per operator — confirm yours before you book, or hire from a Gozo garage instead.
Which operators let you take their car across
Most Malta-based rental companies permit their cars to cross to Gozo, but the policy is set by each company individually and our own data does not carry a per-operator "ferry allowed: yes/no" field — we would be guessing if we published a checklist here. The one thing every source agrees on: confirm it directly with your rental company before you book, not at the ferry queue.
If ferry permission matters to your plan, ask two questions when you book: does the policy allow a Gozo crossing at all, and does your insurance/excess cover still apply once you're on the island.
Renting straight from a Gozo family garage
The alternative sidesteps the ferry-permission question entirely: book with a garage already based on Gozo. Every long-established Gozo name in our roster is below — "Since" is only shown where a company publicly states its founding year; everywhere else we show "Not published" rather than guess.
| Garage | Since | What we know about delivery |
|---|---|---|
| Mayjo Car Rentals | 1964 | Free delivery and collection anywhere on Gozo; airport transfers offered |
| Gozo Garage | Not published (50+ years, per its own site) | Meets renters at Mġarr Ferry Terminal; free delivery anywhere in Gozo |
| Princess Garage | 1945 | Island-wide (family garage) |
| Dolmen Car Rental | Not published | Free delivery island-wide |
| Imperial Car Rental | Not published | Serves Gozo and Malta; delivery model not published |
None of these garages currently publish a deposit figure, excess range, or fuel policy we could verify, so their profiles show "Not published" for those fields too — that means undocumented, not that the term is unfavorable.
An honest way to decide
There is no universal answer, but the shape of your trip points at one option more than the other.
A short Gozo day trip, and you already have a Malta rental. Crossing the ferry is usually the simpler choice — one car for the whole holiday, one fuel tank, one contract. Confirm the crossing is permitted before you drive to Ċirkewwa, and budget queue time at the terminal since there's no boarding reservation.
Most of your trip is on Gozo, or you're flying in without a Malta leg. Renting directly from a Gozo garage removes the ferry question altogether. Several deliver free anywhere on the island, including to the ferry terminal itself, so you're not without a car for the crossing.
Your Malta rental company's ferry policy is unclear or restrictive. Don't gamble on being turned away at the queue with a full car of luggage. A second, Gozo-based rental costs planning time, not necessarily more money, and it supports a business that's been on the island for decades in some cases.
Before you cross
- Confirm your rental company permits a Gozo crossing, in writing if possible — not just a verbal yes at pickup.
- Ask whether your excess or collision cover still applies on Gozo, or whether it's Malta-only.
- Budget for the return-leg car fare — it isn't charged on the way out.
- If you're renting on Gozo instead, ask your garage whether it meets renters at the Mġarr terminal, since several do.
Sources: princesscarhire.com — hire car to Gozo ferry; Mġarr, Gozo — Wikipedia.
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