Can I use contactless or card to pay for public transport in Faroe Islands?

I loved how simple transport was in the Faroe Islands. Tórshavn’s local buses were free, which saved me a ton. For inter-island routes, both cash and card were accepted - I used my Visa on the ferry to Sandoy, and it went through without a hitch. SSL buses felt modern and tourist-friendly. The only tip I’d give is to carry a little cash if you’re going into the tiny villages, as some rural drivers prefer coins. Otherwise, cards work just fine here.

Honestly, I expected the Faroe Islands to be fully cashless, but there were a couple of hiccups. On the bus from Vágar to Tórshavn, the card reader failed, and the driver asked for cash only. I didn’t have kroner on me, so I had to get off and use an ATM at the airport. Most of the time my card worked, but those rare moments made me wish I carried small bills.

I stayed in Tórshavn near Tinganes and used the free city buses almost daily. For longer rides, like to Gjógv or Klaksvík, I paid directly with my Mastercard on the SSL bus, no issues. On the ferry to Nolsoy, my card worked fine at the ticket counter. The only time I needed cash was buying a return ticket on a smaller village bus outside Vágar Airport. I withdrew Danish kroner at a BankNordik ATM downtown, which worked perfectly with my Revolut card.

Public transport in the Faroes is surprisingly well-organized. The national bus and ferry system (SSL) accepts both cash in DKK and card payments. You can buy tickets directly from the driver with cash or swipe your Visa/Mastercard. In Tórshavn, the city buses are actually free of charge, so no payment is needed. Ferries between islands, like Tórshavn-Nolsoy, take both cash and card. ATMs from BankNordik are all over Tórshavn if you want local currency. Still, carrying some cash helps in smaller villages, especially for rural routes.