Discover the Faroe Islands by car, exploring villages, mountains, and coastal roads at your own pace with freedom and flexibility.
Many visitors quickly learn that buses and tours only show part of the Faroe Islands. They follow fixed routes and schedules, which can feel limiting in a place where conditions change quickly. Renting a car gives you freedom to explore slowly, take detours, and stop whenever something catches your eye.
Driving here is calm and safe, but it is different from many other countries. This guide explains what it is like to drive around the Faroe Islands and why having your own car makes the experience better.
Most travelers arrive at Vágar Airport, making Vágar Island the natural place to begin driving. Picking up your rental car at the airport saves time and allows you to start exploring right away.
Vágar is well suited for first-time drivers in the Faroe Islands. Roads are in good condition, traffic is light, and distances between villages are short. Places like Sørvágur, Miðvágur, and Sandavágur are easy to reach and offer beautiful views of the ocean and surrounding mountains.
One of the most well-known drives on Vágar goes to Gásadalur. The road passes through a mountain tunnel before opening into a small village surrounded by cliffs. Nearby, a waterfall flows toward the sea. Having a car allows you to stop, take your time, and enjoy the area without rushing.
Check out the official page for Gásadalur here
From Vágar, you can continue by car to Streymoy, the largest island in the Faroe Islands. Streymoy is home to Tórshavn, the capital, and connects many parts of the country.
Tórshavn is small and easy to navigate. With a car, you can park near the harbor, explore the old area of Tinganes, and then drive out of the city to quieter surroundings. This balance between town life and nature is one of Streymoy’s strengths.
A short drive south takes you to Kirkjubøur, an important historical place with old stone buildings and open sea views. Driving north leads to scenic roads and small villages, ending at Saksun, where a lagoon lies between steep mountains. This peaceful place is difficult to reach without a car and is a highlight for many visitors.
Driving onto Eysturoy brings even more dramatic scenery. The island is known for high mountains, deep fjords, and wide views over the ocean. Roads here are scenic and rewarding but encourage slow, careful driving.
One popular route leads to Eiði, a village near the coast where you can see the sea stacks Risin and Kellingin rising from the water. On clear days, the view is impressive and open. Another well-known drive goes to Gjógv, a small village with a natural rock harbor.
The road into Gjógv is narrow but well marked. Driving slowly allows you to enjoy the views and stop safely along the way. Eysturoy shows how driving itself becomes part of the experience, not just a way to reach a destination.
Beyond the main routes, the Faroe Islands are full of small villages that feel calm and untouched. Villages like Funningur, Oyndarfjørður, and Viðareiði offer a quieter view of Faroese life and are best reached by car.
Driving north to Viðareiði, the northernmost village in the country, feels peaceful and remote. The road is quiet, and the landscape opens wide toward the ocean. Traffic is minimal, and the sense of space is strong.
In these villages, life moves slowly. Sheep graze freely, boats rest by the shore, and houses blend into the land. Having a car allows you to visit respectfully, stay for a while, and leave when it feels right.
Driving gives you control over your time and choices. You are not limited by schedules or groups, and you can adjust plans when the weather changes. This flexibility is especially important in the Faroe Islands.
Many of the best moments happen by chance — a break in the clouds, a waterfall beside the road, or a quiet view over a fjord. With a car, you can stop and enjoy these moments fully.
In the Faroe Islands, driving is not just transport. It becomes part of the experience, helping you connect with the landscape in a calm and natural way.
Make the most of your trip by choosing the freedom and flexibility that only a rental car can provide. Start your journey the moment you land, explore hidden villages at your own pace, and never miss a view because of a timetable.
Book your rental car today and experience the Faroe Islands the right way.
The first big thing to know about renting a car here is that there is a relative scarcity of rental cars (around 1,400 rental cars only across all the islands!), which means that prices will get steep, especially during the peak of summer holidays. If you’re planning your visit to the Faroe Islands sometime within the year, do your best to always book in advance. Winter is a good time to snatch up deals—and if you’re smart about which car rental company you choose, you can do so without any worry about cancellation fees.
Google “car rentals in Faroe Islands” and you'll likely find listings for the big car rental companies (Sixt, Kayak, etc). But that’s not all there is. With some locals being too aware of how high car rental prices put off some travelers from visiting their homeland, they’ve set up shop to offer more affordable prices (i.e. our mission in a nutshell!). But it’s not just a matter of pricing. With a local, small team you can expect much more personal support and all the attention that small businesses are known for: ensuring you’re satisfied and sharing with you recommendations.
If you haven’t been lucky enough to nab a car rental winter deal, this is a must-do. Because for many car rental companies (especially the big ones), apart from the rental price of your vehicle, other costs can include cancellation fees and security deposits. The latter can be especially annoying when they charge your credit card immediately for a high deposit, before releasing it with the cost of your bank’s currency exchange fee. Our favorite alternative? Go with a car rental company that doesn’t charge you for cancellations & security deposits.
Thought the rocky Faroe Islands would require 4-wheel drives? Not all. Off-road driving is actually banned from the islands, and thanks to a fantastic road network, just a standard car type would do you well for your adventures (even in winter!)
If you haven’t been lucky enough to nab a car rental winter deal, this is a must-do. Because for many car rental companies (especially the big ones), apart from the rental price of your vehicle, other costs can include cancellation fees and security deposits. The latter can be especially annoying when they charge your credit card immediately for a high deposit, before releasing it with the cost of your bank’s currency exchange fee. Our favorite alternative? Go with a car rental company that doesn’t charge you for cancellations & security deposits.
One of the unique things you’ll quickly find out about the Faroe Islands is its many tunnels connecting you all across the archipelago. There are around 20 of them—and they can go either under the seabed itself (sub-sea tunnels) or right through a mighty mountain.
Whether it’s because of the sparsity of the population or the immensity of space around, the Faroe Islands have no parking fees whatsoever…with one exception. If you’re planning to park at the airport, you can expect to pay a fee there—otherwise, park as long as you want, free of charge.
Perhaps a little disappointing to the 4-wheeler adventurers: the Faroe Islands doesn’t permit any off-road driving (officially: it’s prohibited by law). This is to protect the pristine nature all around, much of which is actually private property. So do enjoy your road trips—but on the ample roads, bridges, and tunnels.
Quintessentially Faroese, when you’re driving around here you’ll very soon be greeted with our most common habitant: wooly sheep. You’ll see them across fields and by roadsides, but just be mindful that some can galavant across the roads (often when in a panic). So when sheep are around, do slow down.
For a quick runthrough of local driving rules: if you’re in town areas, the speed limit is 50 km/h (31 mph)—otherwise, it’s 80 km/h (50 mph). You drive on the right-hand side. It’s illegal to hold a mobile device (or drink alcohol) while driving. And while the legal driving age in the Faroe Islands is 18, most car rental companies will require you to be at least 20-21 years of age.
We’re keeping this part short—only because we’ll be breaking things down for you fully in a separate
blog. But the quick sum of it is: if you’re looking to rent a car for your adventures in the Faroe
Islands, you can either rent from the regular big companies or opt for a local car rental company.
Why we’re biased for the latter? Because, well, that’s what we do—but in our A2B Car Rent way. We make
reservations a breeze, never tie up your money in security deposits, don’t charge cancellation fees
(unless you cancel 72 hours before your pick-up time), and make sure your money goes the furthest for
you.
Our mission has always been to provide the best value car rentals that you can rely on for quality and
friendly, local service.
