Car hire in the Faroe Islands: companies, rules and tips
Where to hire a car in the Faroe Islands, which companies operate at Vágar airport, the traffic rules you need to know and how the tolls work.
Driving around the Faroe Islands is the easiest way to see them. The roads are in very good condition, tunnels (some under the sea) link almost all the islands, and you can stop wherever you like… within the rules.
Where to hire
You can book on each company’s website, through a travel agency or directly when you arrive at Vágar airport. There is everything from small cars to 4x4s.
Companies operating from Vágar airport (according to Visit Faroe Islands): 62N Car Rental, ARCTIC, Make Travel, Unicar.fo, Come North, Enterprise, Carrent.fo, Budget and Justdrive.fo.
With an office in Tórshavn: Rent Your Car, FaroeGuide, Rent.fo, Bilrøkt and AVIS. Some deliver the car wherever you ask.
On other islands: ReRent and Go South Car Rental (Suðuroy) and Freelance.fo (Eysturoy).
Traffic rules
- Speed limit: 50 km/h in built-up areas and 80 km/h outside them, on both tarmac and gravel.
- Headlights on at all times, day and night. It is mandatory.
- Seat belts are mandatory in the front and back.
- Driving under the influence of alcohol and using your phone at the wheel are forbidden.
- Off-road driving is forbidden.
What you will find on the road
- Single-lane tunnels: there are several. In them and on narrow roads to the villages, you sometimes have to reverse a fair distance to let others pass.
- Passing places: they are for letting others pass, not for parking or taking photos.
- If someone behind you flashes their lights twice, they want to overtake. Pulling over is appreciated.
- Sheep on the road: they cross without looking. If you hit one, call the police (+298 351448).
- Petrol stations: there are some on almost every island, but distances vary. Do not let the tank get too low.
- Gravel roads in some small villages: drive calmly.
Parking
- In Tórshavn, Klaksvík, Runavík and at Vágar airport parking is regulated: you have to place a parking disc in the bottom right-hand corner of the windscreen with your arrival time. Discs are free at banks and tourist offices.
- The fine for illegal parking is 200 DKK.
Motorhomes
Some villages with narrow roads, such as Tjørnuvík and Múli, do not allow motorhomes, and you can only spend the night in one at campsites.
In case of an accident
Call the Faroese police on +298 351448. In an emergency, call 112.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need a car to visit the Faroe Islands?
It is not essential, but it is the easiest way: many villages and trails have few buses a day. Without a car you can travel by bus and ferry, but it takes more planning.
Can you pick up the car at the airport?
Yes. Several companies have an office at or next to Vágar airport, and others deliver the car there. Check when you book, because not all of them do.
What happens if I hit a sheep?
Report it to the Faroese police on +298 351448. You will not have to compensate the farmer, but if it is not reported, the farmer cannot claim on the insurance.