I will be travelling for up to two months in September on a minimal budget with an Interrail Global Pass, and would LOVE to visit Malta, but accommodation there looks far too expensive for me. Can someone please help with info about camping, hostels, homestay, or any other low(er)-cost ideas?
Also, are Virtu Ferries covered in the Interrail Pass? So far, I have not had an answer to this question from eurail.
Many thanks for any help you can give me, Brian.
Brian,
Hostels would be a good option if you're concerned about the budget. You might consider getting an inexpensive membership to HI Hostels as they have properties in many places around the world (including Malta). A membership provides slightly cheaper costs. As with any Hostel stays, don't forget to pack a towel, flip-flops for the shower and a small but robust padlock for the lockers. Here's a link to their website - https://www.hihostels.com/destinations/mt/hostels . There are probably independent hostels there also, but I didn't check.
I'm not sure whether your pass covers ferries in Malta? This information from their website.....
" An InterRail global pass also gives free travel on Superfast Ferries, Minoan Lines & Blue Star Ferries between Italy (Bari, Brindisi, Ancona or Trieste) and Greece (Corfu, Igoumenitsa or Patras for the train to Athens). A few euros for port taxes needs to be paid, and cabin berths are extra. Superfast and some other ferry operators charge a small summer supplement (about €10 or so), you pay at the port. An InterRail pass also gives a significant discount (usually in the region of 30%-50%) on normal fares for some other shipping operators - for example, Silja Line (Stockholm-Helsinki), Limadet Ferry (Malaga-Tangier), SNCM (France-Corsica). There is no longer any InterRail discount on Trasmediterranea (Barcelona to Ibiza, Majorca & Minorca and Algeciras to Tangier)."
This website may provide some answers for you - https://www.lonelyplanet.com/malta .
You may want to buy a copy of the Lonely Planet Malta & Gozo guidebook, as there's a lot of good information there. This is probably also available in Kindle E-book format, if you'll be travelling with an iPad or other electronic device.
Virtu ferries are not covered by Interrail. You can use your pass to get a 20% discount on Grimaldi Lines. See info and link at https://www.interrail.eu/en/interrail-passes/pass-benefits/benefits-italy.
Sorry for this late response. I am having trouble getting my head around the various sources of information.
Thank you, Ken. all very useful.
Your post, Laura, suggests that there is no free travel on Grimaldi Lines for Interrail Pass holders. The Grimaldi site https://www.grimaldi-lines.com/en/destinazioni/malta requests an Interrail Pass Cover Number, but I do not see an actual discount in the total quotes. in fact, the site gives rather confusing information in respect of discounts.
Apparently as a senior, I should get a further 20% on voyages up to the end of May. Is there any chance of getting it in September, when I will be travelling? But in practice the site does not permit more than one discount: "You can only select one partner or one discount code", i.e. not both Interrail and Senior.
I hope you can shed light on these points. Thank you.
I see what you mean about the discount not being immediately apparent during online booking. For troubleshooting, you may want to contact them through the links at https://www.grimaldi-lines.com/en/partner/interrail-pass. I would not be surprised if you can only get one discount or the other. Other mismatches in web info I would just attribute to issues of translation and many web sites not getting updated as often as you might expect.
Virtu Ferries are neither covered nor discounted per materials form Eurail and Interrail. Each ferry company has to make a separate contract, if they want to accept the passes.
