Can You Leave Velana Airport on a Layover? Visa, Timing and Getting into Malé
by Ibrahim Faarih
Getting Around Malé City: Taxis, Buses and Ferries
The Short Answer
There is no Uber or Grab in Malé. Taxis charge flat government fares, MVR 30 within Malé, and you can book them through the Avas app or Quick Mv, which both run 24 hours (fares checked in November 2026). MTCC runs the RTL buses and the public ferries to Hulhumalé and Vilimalé. You pay for a bus with a contactless Visa or Mastercard or a QR ticket from the RTL Travel app, and the airport ferry costs MVR 15.
You get around Malé City by taxi, bus, ferry or on foot, and there is no Uber or Grab. Public transport is the RTL buses and the public ferries; taxis charge flat fares set by the government.
This guide covers Malé, Hulhumalé, Vilimalé and the airport island, Hulhulé. The Sinamalé Bridge, which opened to the public in September 2018, joins Malé to Hulhulé and Hulhumalé. There is no road bridge open to Vilimalé yet. The Thilamalé Bridge joined Malé and Vilimalé on 22 August 2026 but is not open to traffic. The Vilimalé ferry is covered below. For visa, SIM cards, cash and Friday hours, read Practical Information for Visiting Malé City.
At a Glance
| # | Name | Location | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Taxis and Taxi Apps | Malé, Hulhumalé and the airport | MVR 30 |
| 02 | Buses | Malé, Hulhumalé and the airport | Airport routes MVR 10 to 15 |
| 03 | Ferries | Malé waterfront, the airport and Vilimalé | Airport ferry MVR 15 |
| 04 | Getting Around Hulhumalé | Hulhumalé | MVR 30 by taxi |
| 05 | Walking in Malé | Malé | Free |
01
Taxis and Taxi Apps
Best for: Door to door trips with luggage
How much is a taxi in Malé?
The government sets taxi fares by route, and drivers may not charge more than the published amount. Fares checked in November 2026:
- Within Malé: MVR 30
- Within Hulhumalé Phase 1 or within Phase 2: MVR 30
- Hulhumalé Phase 1 to Phase 2: MVR 40
- Malé to Velana International Airport: MVR 70
- Malé to Hulhumalé: MVR 85 to Phase 1, MVR 100 to Phase 2
- Airport to Hulhumalé: MVR 80 to Phase 1, MVR 85 to Phase 2
Some drivers ask for more than the official fare, so know the fare for your route before you get in. In March 2026 some taxi centres told drivers to charge MVR 95 instead of MVR 85 from Malé to Hulhumalé Phase 1, and those prices were not authorised by the ministry.
How to call a taxi in Malé
The Avas app is the successor to Avas Ride and the most widely used taxi app. Taxis can be booked in the Avas app or Quick Mv, both of which run 24 hours, or flagged down on the street in Malé. Avas says it is live in Malé and Hulhumalé, that its fares are fixed and regulated by the government, and that the app shows the exact fare before you confirm the ride. On Avas rides you can pay the driver in cash, by bank transfer or by debit or credit card. Quick Mv is the backup app.
For the other apps worth installing, read Install These Apps If You Are in Malé.
02
Buses
Best for: Airport and Hulhumalé runs
Buses are run by RTL, the bus network of MTCC. Fares checked in November 2026:
- R3, airport to West Park in Malé: MVR 10, once an hour
- R4, airport to Hulhumalé Phase 1: MVR 10, every 30 minutes
- R9, airport to Hulhumalé Phase 2: MVR 15, every 30 minutes
Routes R1, R2 and R7 are among the buses between Malé and Hulhumalé. Their first buses leave at 5 AM and their last at 12:30 AM, every day, so there is no bus between Malé and Hulhumalé through the night. RTL also runs minibus routes R10, R11 and R12 inside Malé; R12 runs from MTCC Sawmill past Jumhooree Maidhaan and Majeedhiyya School to Henveiru Stadium.
On R4 and R9, from Saturday to Thursday, buses leave Hulhumalé from 5:30 AM to 11:30 PM and leave the airport from 6:05 AM to 12:05 AM. At the airport, RTL lists three stops for R3, R4 and R9: VIA Domestic Terminal, MACL Office and the stop opposite the domestic terminal. RTL's stop list for these routes has no stop at the international terminal.
How do you pay for a bus?
Tap a contactless Visa or Mastercard on the reader inside the bus, or buy a QR ticket in the RTL Travel app, which MTCC publishes. The RTL Travel app is hit or miss and goes unmaintained for stretches, so a contactless card is the safer way to pay.
Can you take luggage on an RTL bus?
On the airport routes each passenger can take one larger bag of up to 20 kg. On city buses and minibuses only handbags, shopping bags and backpacks are allowed, not cabin bags or boxes. Children under 3 ride free but do not get their own seat.
Do buses run on Fridays?
Buses run a reduced timetable on Fridays, with a break around midday prayers. On R4 and R9 the last departures before the break are 11:30 AM from Hulhumalé and 11:05 AM from the airport. Service restarts at 1:30 PM from Hulhumalé and 2:05 PM from the airport. The MTCC hotline for bus questions is 1650.
03
Ferries
Best for: The airport crossing and Vilimalé
The airport ferry
The airport operator MACL lists the public ferry between Velana International Airport and Malé with these details, checked in November 2026:
- Fare: MVR 15, paid in cash or by card
- Times: every 15 minutes from 5:30 AM to midnight
- Tickets: at the ferry ticketing counter near Terminal 2
- Arrives at: the terminal MACL calls the Hulhumalé Ferry Terminal, on Malé's north waterfront
The crossing takes about 10 minutes. The airport ferry runs on Fridays. If you are on a layover and want to go into Malé, read Can You Leave Velana Airport on a Layover?.
The ferry to Vilimalé
The ferry to Vilimalé leaves from the Maafannu (Villingili) Ferry Terminal at the south-west end of Malé and runs 24 hours a day. The crossing takes about five minutes. On the island, Vilimalé Public Beach is a free public beach. Read more on the Vilimalé island page.
The ferry to Hulhumalé
A public MTCC ferry still runs between Malé and Hulhumalé alongside the Sinamalé Bridge. The MTCC hotline, 1650, gives information on MTCC ferry schedules.
Ferries to other islands
On 23 March 2026, MTCC moved the atoll ferries that used the Henveiru Ferry Terminal in Malé to the Maafannu (Villingili) Ferry Terminal and the Hulhumalé Ferry Terminal. Public atoll ferries from Malé do not run on Fridays. Odiapp books speedboats to other islands; it is covered in Install These Apps If You Are in Malé.
04
Getting Around Hulhumalé
Best for: Moving between Phase 1, Phase 2 and the airport
Fares checked in November 2026. A taxi trip within Hulhumalé Phase 1 or within Phase 2 costs MVR 30, and a trip from Phase 1 to Phase 2 costs MVR 40. Bus R6 runs between Phase 2 and Phase 1, and its first bus leaves at 5 AM every day.
By road, Malé to Hulhumalé Phase 1 is about 8 km and about 13 minutes without traffic. The airport to Phase 1 is about 6.5 km and about 13 minutes without traffic. Walking across the Sinamalé Bridge to Hulhulé and Hulhumalé is illegal, and police have put up signs where walking is prohibited.
More on the island is on the Hulhumalé page. If you are choosing where to sleep, read Malé or Hulhumalé: Which Island to Stay On.
05
Walking in Malé
Best for: The sights in the centre of the city
Inside Malé the main sights can be linked on one walking route of about two hours at an easy pace. It starts at Majeedhiyya School, passes Hukuru Miskiy and the Munnaaru, Sultan Park, the Islamic Centre and Kalhuvakaru Miskiy, and ends at the Fish Market and Local Market. The full route is in What to Do with 3 Hours in Malé.
Malé is crowded and busy. Heavy congestion and road accidents are common in Malé and Hulhumalé, and pedestrians are at high risk, so cross carefully.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there Uber or Grab in Malé? +
No. The local taxi app is the Avas app, and Quick Mv is the backup. Both run 24 hours. Food delivery has its own apps.
Do taxis in Malé use meters? +
No. You pay a flat fare set by the government for each route, not a metered fare, such as MVR 30 within Malé and MVR 70 between Malé and the airport (fares checked in November 2026). Know the fare for your route before you get in, because some drivers ask for more.
Can you hail a taxi on the street in Malé? +
Yes. Taxis in Malé can be flagged down on the street. Avas says its app shows the exact fare before you confirm a ride, which is the alternative if you want the fare settled before the car arrives.
How do I pay for the bus? +
A contactless Visa or Mastercard tapped on the reader inside the bus works on RTL buses. The RTL Travel app sells QR tickets for bus and ferry travel but is hit or miss, so the card is the safer choice. For bus questions call the MTCC hotline 1650. Airport route fares are on the bus list above (fares checked in November 2026).
Do buses and ferries run on Friday? +
The airport ferry runs on Fridays, and public atoll ferries from Malé do not. Buses run a reduced timetable with a break around midday prayers.
