How Long Does It Take to Drive Around the Faroe Islands?



By Poul / 09 May, 2024 / Share This Post

How many hours or days does it take to drive around the Faroe Islands? Can you do it in one day, or will you need a week? Discover the answers here!

540 square miles - That’s the total land size of the Faroe Islands.

Among it is approximately 373 miles of road across the 18 islands. Plus, with a population of over 53,000 people, it’s highly unlikely you’re going to end up in a traffic jam at any point. The only reasons you might slow down is when you spot a landmark you want to take a closer look at or a herd of sleep is crossing the road.

So, how long will it take you to drive around the Faroe Islands and enjoy its wonders?

Let’s find out...

How Long Does It Take to Drive a Rental Car Around the Faroe Islands?

Thanks to the well-maintained roads and excellent signage providing clear directions, you can easily drive around the Faroe Islands in less than a day. Getting to the northern islands from the southern islands will take you around two hours.

But while driving around the island in a rental car will take you past some of the popular landmarks, like the village in Saksun and Lake Sørvágsvatn, it’s worth putting your vehicle into park and stepping outside every now and then to get a closer look at these wonders.

How Much Time Do I Need in the Faroe Islands?

At PHD Car Rent, we’ve rented cars to daytrippers and visitors staying for weeks at a time. The ones that hand in their keys with the biggest smiles on their face spend an average of five to seven days. Some of the reasons why are:

  • You get more time to explore the popular islands, making for a more relaxing visit.
  • Spending entire days on specific islands and dedicating others to traveling between them is easier.
  • You can deviate from your travel plans and spend extra time in places that pique your interest.
  • You’ll have time for hiking adventures, such as trekking to Kallur Lighthouse or snapping some shots of Mulafossur Waterfall.
  • You won’t miss out on the opportunity to stay at some of the best accommodations in the Faroe Islands, like Hotel Brandon or Gjaargardur Guesthouse.
  • We also recommend that you plan your trek around the Faroe Islands. Map out the landmarks you want to visit and the path you want to take to get there. Just make sure to leave yourself some spare time in case you drive past something that takes your breath away. You’ll be surprised how often it happens.

How to Get Around the Faroe Islands

No matter how long you’re stopping by the Faroe Islands, you’ll want four wheels to help you get around to all the best landmarks we have to offer.

The team at PHD Car Rent won’t waste a minute of your time. We keep paperwork to a minimum and have eradicated wasteful costs like security deposits so you get on the road faster.

 

Book now to get your preferred vehicle so you can enjoy the glorious Faroe Islands in style.


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What to know about car rentals in the Faroe Islands

1: Book Early

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.

2: Not just from big companies

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.

3: Find out *all* fees

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.

4: Confirm *all* logistics

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!)

5: No need for a special car type

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.

What to know about car rentals in the Faroe Islands

1. Sea Tunnels

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.

2. Parking fees

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.

3. No off-road driving

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.

5. Sheep on the road

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.

Speed limits (and other rules)

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.

What Car Rental options do you have?

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 PHD Car Rent way. We make reservations a breeze, never tie up your money in security deposits, don’t charge cancellation fees (unless you cancel 24 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. But don’t take our word for it—check out our 134, 5-star Google reviews!