Vágar Airport

Vagar Airport sits on the western edge of the island of Vágar, 47 kilometres west of Tórshavn by road, and functions as the only civilian airport in the Faroe Islands that handles scheduled international flights. Cut into a plateau between two fjords – Sørvágsfjørður to the south and Vatnsdalsfjørður to the north – the single runway runs roughly east-west, with approach paths that pass low over steep cliffs and sheep pastures. The airport opened in 1943 as a British Royal Air Force base and was taken over by the Faroese government after the war. Today it handles around 120,000 passengers annually, most connecting through Copenhagen, with additional seasonal routes to destinations such as Reykjavík, Bergen, Edinburgh, and Barcelona. The terminal is compact and functional, not built for lingering – but the landscapes visible from the windows make standing around less of a burden.

Getting There

The only road to Vagar Airport crosses the Atlantic Ocean via the Vágatunnilin, an undersea tunnel that runs 4.9 kilometres beneath the strait between Streymoy and Vágar. The tunnel opened in 2002, reducing the journey from Tórshavn from roughly two hours (including a ferry crossing) to about 45 minutes by car or taxi. A single-lane road with passing places connects the tunnel exit to the airport, which lies another ten minutes north along the coast of Sørvágur village.

By public bus, route 300 runs from Tórshavn bus terminal to the airport, timed to match major flight arrivals and departures. The journey takes one hour and costs around 90 Danish kroner (approximately 12 euros). Tickets can be purchased on board with cash or card, but note that the bus does not run late at night – the last departure from the airport is usually shortly after the final arrival, which can be as early as 6 p.m. during winter. Taxis are available at the terminal and cost between 500 and 600 DKK for a one-way trip to Tórshavn. Pre-booking is recommended, especially for early morning flights.

For passengers driving, the airport has a pay car park with spaces for about 200 cars. Parking is free for the first 30 minutes, then 20 DKK per hour, with a daily cap of 100 DKK. There is also a long-stay lot for those leaving vehicles for a week or more, charged at 350 DKK per week. The car park is unstaffed – payment is by credit card at the exit barrier, so have a card with a chip ready.

Inside the Terminal

Vagar Airport's terminal is a single-storey building with a glass facade facing the apron. Passengers enter through a sliding door into a small check-in hall. On the left are the counters for Atlantic Airways and a self-service baggage drop. On the right is the security screening area, which has a single X-ray machine and metal detector. Wait times are rarely more than ten minutes, but during peak hours (Mondays and Thursdays around 1 p.m., as per the airport's busiest periods), be prepared for a short queue.

After security, the departures lounge is a rectangular room with floor-to-ceiling windows that give a full view of the runway and the mountains beyond. Seating consists of around 80 plastic chairs, with a few tables for laptops. There is a duty-free shop selling spirits, perfume, and Faroese knitwear – prices are comparable to mainland Danish shops, not inflated. A café, Café Vágar, serves coffee, sandwiches, cakes, and hot meals such as fish soup or lamb stew. Credit cards are accepted everywhere; cash is rarely needed.

For arrival, passengers walk from the aircraft across the apron to the terminal entrance. The baggage claim area has a single carousel, and luggage usually appears within fifteen minutes of docking. Customs is informal – most bags are not checked unless they appear suspicious. The airport provides full wheelchair accessibility throughout: ramps, wide doors, accessible toilets, and a dedicated changing table in the accessible restroom. A baggage storage room is available for a fee (50 DKK per day), located near the check-in desks. There is also a small play area with a few toys for children.

The airport does not have a hotel on site, nor a VIP lounge – the entire terminal is effectively the lounge. The atmosphere is calm, the noise level low, and the staff at the café and information desk are used to tourists asking about boat schedules to Mykines. The entire building is free of the frantic energy found in larger airports – partly because most passengers are either arriving for the first time or leaving after a memorable trip.

Vagar Airport and Sorvagur

Sorvagur, the village closest to the airport, sits on the south shore of Sørvágsfjørður and has a population of just over 1,100 people. The village was once a fishing and whaling centre, with a natural harbour that served as a staging point for transatlantic flights in the 1940s. Today, Sorvagur is best known for two things: the airport itself and the dramatic landscapes that surround it.

Just west of the village, along an unpaved track, lies Lake Sørvágsvatn – also called Leitisvatn – a 3.4-square-kilometre body of water that drains into the ocean at the edge of a 100-metre-high cliff at Trælanípa. The optical illusion created by photographs of this lake made it famous online as a "lake above the ocean," though in reality the water is only a few metres above sea level. A hiking trail leads from the airport road to the lake and the cliffs, a round trip of two to three hours. The path is well-marked but can be muddy; sturdy shoes are essential.

The main reason visitors come to Vágar, however, is the island of Mykines, which is accessible by ferry from Sørvágur harbour from April to September. Mykines is home to one of the largest breeding colonies of puffins and gannets in the North Atlantic, and the hike across the island to the lighthouse is a highlight of any Faroese trip. The ferry takes about 45 minutes and departs daily in summer, weather permitting. Tickets must be booked weeks in advance. There is also a helicopter service from Vagar Airport to Mykines, operated by Atlantic Airways, which can be booked as a regular seat or a sightseeing flight.

For those with more time, the village of Bøur on the north shore of Sørvágsfjørður, about a 15-minute drive from the airport, offers a perfectly preserved settlement of traditional Faroese turf-roofed houses overlooking the island of Tindholmur. The view from the village cemetery is one of the most photographed in the Faroe Islands. Further north, the road ends at Gásadalur, a village surrounded by waterfalls – the most famous of which is Múlafossur, cascading directly into the sea. Until 2004, Gásadalur was accessible only on foot or by helicopter; today there is a road, but the single-lane track has tight passing places. A hike from the airport car park to Gásadalur and back takes about three hours – a worthwhile half-day excursion for a layover.

The west coast of Vágar, including the dramatic cliffs of Vestfelli and the remote cove of Tjørnuvík, is best explored with a rental car, which can be arranged at desks inside the terminal. Keep in mind that the weather can change rapidly – rain, fog, and strong winds are common even in summer. The local saying "if you don't like the weather now, wait a minute" applies literally, and flights sometimes divert to Iceland due to crosswinds that exceed the runway limits.

Practical Information

Vagar Airport is open Monday through Friday from approximately 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., and on weekends from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., but these hours shift depending on flight schedules – check the official website https://www.fae.fo/ for exact times on your travel date. The busiest times are Monday at 1 p.m., Tuesday at 1 p.m., Wednesday at 12 p.m., and Thursday at 1 p.m., which correspond to departures to Copenhagen and Reykjavík. Arrive at least one hour before a Schengen flight and ninety minutes before flights to non-Schengen destinations (such as the UK).

Contact details: general enquiries +298 354400, lost property +298 354410, and email info@fae.fo. For taxi bookings, call Mørka Taxi at +298 340900 or hire a car from Avis or Hertz, both of which have desks in the arrivals hall. There is no ATM in the terminal – bring Danish kroner if you prefer cash, though cards are accepted everywhere across the Faroe Islands. Wi-Fi is free and reasonably fast, but the network may drop outside the terminal.

One concrete piece of advice: if you have a layover of more than three hours and the weather is fair, walk to the old military watchtower on the hill behind the terminal – the 20-minute uphill stroll offers a panorama of the entire island chain and a view of the runway from above. It is a better use of time than sitting in the café, and it costs nothing.