How to get to the Faroe Islands

How do you get to 18 wild volcanic islands planted in the North Atlantic? Easily, as it turns out, thanks to an increasing number of direct flights in the May to August summer vacation season. The Faroe Islands’ international airport, Vagar, welcomes planes from London, Edinburgh, Reykjavik, Oslo and Copenhagen. From there, it’s about a 40-minute drive or bus ride to the Faroese capital of Torshavn.

Ferries from Iceland and Denmark, meanwhile, cruise right into the old harbour of Torshavn, which comes with the promise of a high-design ferry terminal in 2026, inspired by the hulls of Faroese fishing boats.

Below, we round up the best ways to get to the Faroe Islands from the UK, Ireland and USA – including flight free options.

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How to get to the Faroe Islands from the UK

By plane

England, rejoice! Direct flights between London Gatwick and the Faroe Islands are restored, so you can now zoom to Vagar Airport in a mere 2 hours 15 minutes. In Scotland – the closest mainland to the Faroe Islands – Edinburgh continues to offer a couple of direct flights to the Faroe Islands a week taking 1 hour 25 minutes. It’s worth noting that direct flights are seasonal, running for the May to August summer vacation season. For more choice, try indirect flights via cities like Paris and Copenhagen.

By train & ferry

The easiest – and most epic – way to get from the UK to the Faroe Islands by boat is to join our North Atlantic cruise from Aberdeen to Longyearbyen, which includes two days in the Faroe Islands. If you’d rather go your own way, catch a ferry or train to France or Denmark, then a train to Hirtshals ferry terminal, and finally an overnight ferry to Torshavn. You’ll need to give yourself around three days.

How to get to the Faroe Islands from Ireland

By plane

Direct flights go from Dublin Airport to the Faroe Islands, with journey times of around 1 hour 40 minutes. If that doesn’t quite suit your schedule then try an indirect flight via Iceland.

By ferry & train

It’s tricky, but technically doable if you’ve got the time and a healthy sense of adventure. First, you’ll need to get to Wales or France: by catching the ferry from Rosslare to Fishguard (4 hours; pack your sea sickness tablets) or Cherbourg (an overnighter of 18.5 hours). From there, you can catch a train to Paris (3 hours), then make your way to Hirtshals ferry terminal via that day’s most convenient route: likely via Germany. Finally, it’s an overnight ferry to Torshavn. All in all, it’ll take 3-4 days.

How to get to the Faroe Islands from the USA

By plane

The bad news is that there aren’t direct flights from the USA to the Faroe Islands (yet). The good news is that the recommended stopover city is Reykjavik, giving you the chance to experience the geological joys of Iceland before catching a flight or ferry to the Faroes. Direct flights to Iceland depart from cities like Washington DC, New York, Boston, Miami and Seattle with journeys taking between 5 hours 10 minutes and 7 hours 40 minutes. From Iceland, it’s just a 1.5-hour flight or overnight ferry ride to the Faroes. Another good option is flying via Copenhagen, the cool capital of Denmark.

Flight free

There’s no way to get from the USA to the Faroe Islands without flying – unless you’re up for an expedition by cargo ship, transatlantic cruise or private yacht that is… before finishing it off with a three-day train and ferry journey. Phew.

Faroe Islands map

Faroe Islands map: Ferry routes, Roads and Islands

Our travelers also ask…

Where are the Faroe Islands?

The Faroe Islands lie almost equidistant between the east coast of Iceland, west coast of Norway and north coast of Scotland. Scotland is technically the nearest mainland, but even that is about 300km away across the North Sea. Meanwhile, its governing country, Denmark, is even further away – over 1,000km to the south-east.

How do you get around the Faroe Islands?

The Faroe Islands have 18 islands linked together by road and sea routes. The roads are paved and smooth the way for our small group tours and self drive trips. Oversea bridges and undersea tunnels connect the main island, Streymoy, to three neighbouring islands: Sandoy, Eysturoy and Vagar. There’s also a road between Eysturoy and the northern islands. You’ll have to pay a toll to go through the undersea routes – worth it for a spin on the only undersea roundabout in the world.

Public transport is great too, with buses running from Torshavn to tourist favorites and through rural areas. Meanwhile, local ferries nip between islands, although services taper off or disappear completely in the choppy winter months.
Photo credits: [Page banner: Ulrich Latzenhofer] [Intro: Polina Kuzovkova / Unsplash+] [Our travelers also ask: Colin + Meg / Unsplash+]