Low on fuel? Visit one of the petrol stations around Malta and Gozo for any car need you may have. It's easy to find the nearest petrol station using Yellow and it's easy to find one in Malta because you can spot at least one in nearly every town or village.

In contrast to other countries around the world where gas stations are closing down, the number of local fuel stations keeps on growing. Petrol service stations are referred to in various ways around the world: fuel stations, service stations, gas stations, filling stations, gasoline stations, oil stations and as most commonly referred to in Malta - petrol stations.

Most fuel stations are open 24/7. A fuel pump attendant would be present during the day for pump assistance, but the pumps remain available for self-service at night, on Sundays and on public holidays. They are easy to use and you would usually find instructions on how to operate the pumps since they may vary from one station to the other. A small tip: do keep the receipt in case of pump malfunction.

But in case this happens, do not worry - fuel stations pay you back immediately on presentation of a valid receipt.

Most of the service stations accept only cash payments, especially when it comes to fuel filling. If you don't have any cash on you, make sure you visit a fuel station which has an ATM facility. Although petrol stations are privately owned, prices around the Maltese Islands are all uniform so there is no need to go around and compare prices, unlike foreign countries, where there's serious competition between fuel companies.

Health and safety tip: make sure you switch off your vehicle engine, lights and any electronic devices while in a fuel station. This also applies to mobile phones; although they emit little energy and the possibility of explosion or fire is very minimal, all it takes for combustion is a defective battery and gas emissions from the fuel hose.

Fuel Types

Up until a few years ago, the only fuel options available in service stations were petrol (also called gasoline in some countries), diesel and unleaded petrol. Now there is a wider range of fuels making its way to local service stations, namely biofuel, LPG (liquid gas), CNG fuel (natural gas) and high-performance fuel such as Boost diesel. E-power and E-diesel are newly emerged fuels which are considered to be more efficient when compared to the traditional fuel types. Service stations also offer racing and marine fuel.

Petrol Station Services

Other than fuel dispensing pumps, petrol stations, especially the larger ones, offer other useful services to anyone who's passing through for a refill. Most of these stations have an air compressor which only charges a few cents for tyre inflation, or in some cases, it may even be free of charge. Employees are also available for quick maintenance, such as oil top-ups and wiper blade replacement. Certain stations around the Maltese islands offer ATM facilities and cigarette vending machines, whereas some even have small snack outlets. Some also collect used oil for proper disposal. Delivering fuels or lubricants to households and commercial and industrial outlets using road tankers is also a service petrol stations may offer.

Other services which fuel stations near you may provide are car wash, car valeting, sale of tyres, tyre puncture repair, car maintenance, wheel balancing, car service, greasing service, car air conditioning service and VRT testing. These are mainly associated with the larger companies which would employ properly trained people to administer these services.

Products Sold in Petrol Stations

A number of petrol stations are also equipped with basic products. These range from filters and spark plugs to car batteries, wiper blades and car bulbs. But if you're searching for more specific vehicle parts, it's best to visit one of the shops in the Auto Parts & Accessories section on Yellow.

Lubricants and additives are common in petrol station outlets, like brake fluid, hydraulic fluid, coolant or engine oil. Maintaining your car means cleaning it regularly, so for car shampoo, polish, wax, sponges or cleaning gift sets, you can always pop to a fuel station near you. And if you want to equip your car with some extras, hit the nearest fuel station for sun shades, window shades and dashboard protectors. It would be useful to invest in a car jack, jump leads and even a warning triangle in case you encounter a problem along the road.