BYGDALEIÐIR The Faroese country bus network  (the blue buses)

Working in close co-ordination with the inter-island ferries to provide an integrated public transport network, the blue buses of Bygdaleiðir connect the towns and villages of this island nation.  Bygdaleiðir is the generic fleet name for the interurban bus operations and simply means "Village Routes".   This network of buses and ferries is operated on behalf of the Faroese government by Strandfaraskip Landsins (SL).  Amongst the principal routes are the 100 and 300 linking the capital Tórshavn with Vestmanna and across the ferry to Vagar and the Airport and the 400 from Tórshavn to Leirvik and the ferry to the second largest town in the Faroe Islands, Klaksvik.  On its route the 400 interconnects with nine other routes to various parts of Eysturoy island.  The buses are provided both by private contractors (mainly small operators often with only one bus) and directly by the SL Bussar part of the Bygdaleiðir fleet owned by SL.  This direct operation is a relatively recent development of the past few years, following the withdrawal from bus operation of the largest fleet operator (p/f Bil) based in the capital Tórshavn.   The town buses in Tórshavn are operated by Bussleiðin.

This picture was taken in Tórshavn in 1992 and shows two typical Bygdaleiðir Volvo buses operated by the former principal contractor p/f Bil  (who now only operate taxis).		Single ticket 50 krone (1998)

A change to the route network for services 100 and 300 took place on 10th December 2002 with the opening of the new under sea road tunnel linking the islands of Streymoy and Vagar.  Buses now run through between the airport and the capital Tórshavn and the ferry service between Vestmanna and Oyrargjójv (route 30 on the map below) was withdrawn on the same date.  Whilst you save the ferry fare on the journey you now have to pay a passenger toll to pass through the tunnel - this is the first toll tunnel in the Faroes.

The first fares increase on the SL network for ten years was announced at the end of January 2003.  The network is subsidised by the government by 60 million kronur a year as the income from selling tickets does not cover the cost of running the service.  Fares will rise by about ten per cent, and currently the average price of most bus and ferry tickets is around 40 kronur each.

On 30th April 2006 the new road tunnel from Leirvik to Klaksvik was opened and route 400 extended to operate through from Tórshavn to Klaksvik,with Fuglafjørður served by new route 410 from thence to Klaksvik.  The ferry from Leirvik to Klaksvik ceased operation on 7th May.

This map shows the SL network of Bygdaleiðir bus and ferry routes in 2000.

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The Faroe Islands revisited - the 2004 update

Explore some more Faroese transport history with me