Driving in the Faroe Islands: A Complete Road Trip Guide for Travelers
Discover essential tips for driving in the Faroe Islands, from road rules to scenic routes. Plan your trip and explore with A2B Car Rent.
Discover essential tips for driving in the Faroe Islands, from road rules to scenic routes. Plan your trip and explore with A2B Car Rent.
Planning a trip to the Faroe Islands? One of the best ways to experience these breathtaking islands is by car. From winding coastal roads and dramatic mountain landscapes to peaceful villages and hidden waterfalls, driving in the Faroe Islands gives you the freedom to explore at your own pace.
The Faroe Islands are known for their spectacular scenery, where green mountains rise above the Atlantic Ocean and beautiful roads connect charming villages across the islands. Every journey offers something different, making a Faroe Islands road trip an unforgettable experience.
Renting a car in the Faroe Islands allows you to discover beautiful locations without depending on bus timetables or organised tours. With your own vehicle, you can stop at scenic viewpoints, explore remote villages, and adjust your travel plans whenever the weather changes.
Whether you're visiting for a weekend or planning a longer holiday, having your own Faroe Islands car rental makes travelling between destinations easier and more flexible.
In this guide, we'll explore some of the most scenic driving routes in the Faroe Islands, including Vágar, Tórshavn, Gjógv, and Viðareiði, along with practical driving tips to help you enjoy your adventure.
Most international visitors arrive at Vágar Airport, located on Vágar Island. This makes it an ideal starting point for a Faroe Islands road trip.
Choosing a Vágar Airport car rental allows you to begin exploring shortly after arriving.
A2B Car Rent is a locally owned car rental company based in Sørvágur, close to Vágar Airport, offering convenient vehicle collection arrangements and friendly local customer service.
One of the most memorable drives on Vágar Island is the coastal route towards Bøur and Gásadalur.
As you travel along the winding roads, you'll discover breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean, dramatic cliffs, and the impressive peaks of Tindhólmur.
The village of Bøur offers beautiful coastal scenery and traditional Faroese houses, while Gásadalur is home to the famous Múlafossur Waterfall, where water flows over a steep cliff towards the ocean.
Driving around the Faroe Islands gives you the freedom to stop whenever you discover an interesting viewpoint or a beautiful landscape worth photographing.
From Vágar, the underwater Vágatunnilin tunnel connects you to Streymoy, allowing you to continue your journey towards Tórshavn and other popular destinations.
Starting your road trip near Vágar Airport makes it convenient to explore several spectacular attractions before travelling further across the islands.
One of the most popular destinations when driving in the Faroe Islands is Tórshavn, the country's charming capital.
Located on Streymoy Island, Tórshavn combines traditional Faroese culture with colourful buildings, historic streets, restaurants, and a beautiful harbour.
The drive from Vágar Airport to Tórshavn takes you through the underwater Vágatunnilin tunnel and across scenic landscapes surrounded by mountains and ocean views.
Once you arrive in Tórshavn, you can explore Tinganes, the historic old town famous for its traditional wooden houses with grass-covered roofs.
The harbour area is another wonderful place to visit, with colourful buildings, fishing boats, and waterfront restaurants offering opportunities to experience local Faroese culture.
Tórshavn is also a convenient starting point for exploring other destinations on Streymoy.
Visitors can drive to Kirkjubøur, a historic village known for its medieval heritage, or continue north towards Saksun and Tjørnuvík, two of the most scenic villages in the Faroe Islands.
Having your own rental car makes it easier to combine sightseeing in Tórshavn with visits to beautiful coastal villages and mountain landscapes.
Whether you're interested in history, photography, local food, or scenic drives, Tórshavn is an essential stop on any Faroe Islands road trip.
Eysturoy is one of the most beautiful islands to explore during a Faroe Islands road trip.
The island is known for its dramatic mountains, peaceful villages, winding roads, and breathtaking coastal landscapes.
One of its most popular destinations is Gjógv, a picturesque village located on the northeastern coast of Eysturoy.
Gjógv is famous for its natural rock gorge, which forms a small harbour surrounded by steep cliffs and powerful Atlantic waves.
The village is also known for its colourful traditional houses and beautiful mountain scenery.
Driving to Gjógv is an experience in itself, with winding roads passing through green valleys and offering spectacular views of the surrounding mountains.
Along the way, visitors can explore other scenic destinations, including Funningur and Eiði.
Funningur is a peaceful village surrounded by steep mountains and a beautiful fjord, while Eiði offers views of the famous Risin and Kellingin sea stacks.
For travellers interested in scenic drives in the Faroe Islands, Eysturoy provides unforgettable landscapes and excellent photography opportunities.
Having your own rental car allows you to explore these destinations at your own pace, stop at viewpoints, and discover charming villages along the way.
For travellers looking to explore beyond the most popular tourist destinations, the northern islands offer some of the most spectacular scenery in the Faroe Islands.
One of the most beautiful places to visit is Viðareiði, a peaceful village located on Viðoy, one of the northernmost islands.
Viðareiði is famous for its dramatic mountain surroundings, traditional Faroese houses, and beautiful white church overlooking the sea.
The village offers breathtaking views across the surrounding ocean and mountains, making it a popular destination for photographers and nature lovers.
Reaching Viðareiði by car takes you through several scenic landscapes and island connections, allowing you to experience a different side of the Faroe Islands.
The northern islands are known for their peaceful atmosphere, dramatic cliffs, and beautiful coastal roads.
Visitors can also explore Klaksvík, the second-largest town in the Faroe Islands, which serves as an important centre for the northern islands.
Driving through this region provides opportunities to discover traditional villages, mountain landscapes, and spectacular ocean viewpoints.
For visitors planning a longer Faroe Islands road trip, exploring Viðareiði and the northern islands is a wonderful way to experience the quieter and more remote parts of the country.
Driving in the Faroe Islands is generally straightforward, but visitors should be prepared for narrow roads, mountain routes, underwater tunnels, and rapidly changing weather.
The general speed limit is 50 km/h in populated areas and 80 km/h outside populated areas, unless road signs indicate otherwise.
Always adjust your speed to the road conditions, particularly when travelling through mountainous areas or along narrow coastal roads.
Sheep are common throughout the Faroe Islands and may occasionally wander onto roads, especially in rural areas. Drivers should remain alert and slow down when approaching animals.
The Faroese weather can change quickly, with sunshine, rain, fog, and strong winds sometimes occurring within the same day.
Checking local weather forecasts and road conditions before travelling is strongly recommended, particularly during autumn and winter.
The Faroe Islands also have several underwater tunnels connecting major islands. Some tunnels require toll payments, so visitors should check the applicable charges when arranging their rental car.
Off-road driving is prohibited in the Faroe Islands to protect the fragile natural environment. Always remain on designated roads and use official parking areas.
Another important driving tip is to take extra care on narrow rural roads, where passing places may be provided to allow vehicles travelling in opposite directions to pass safely.
For most visitors, a standard rental car is suitable because the main roads connecting popular destinations are paved and maintained.
During winter, however, drivers should pay additional attention to snow, ice, strong winds, and changing road conditions.
Following these simple Faroe Islands driving tips will help you enjoy a safer, more comfortable, and more memorable journey.
Ready to discover the breathtaking beauty of driving in the Faroe Islands?
From the spectacular coastal roads of Vágar to the colourful streets of Tórshavn, the dramatic landscapes of Gjógv, and the peaceful village of Viðareiði, the Faroe Islands offer unforgettable experiences around every corner.
With A2B Car Rent, you can explore the islands at your own pace while enjoying no security deposit, unlimited mileage, and free cancellation when cancelling at least 72 hours before your scheduled pickup.
Start planning your adventure and book your rental car with A2B Car Rent today.
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.
