Transportation in the Falkland Islands

Transportation in the Falkland Islands.

Road transport
There are 536 miles of roads on the Falkland Islands, of which 304 miles are on East Falkland and 232 miles on West Falkland, divided into "A" roads, "B" roads and "C" roads for purposes of Highways Asset Management Plan. The "A" roads are the 75 miles link between Port Stanley and New Haven (East Falkland) and the 48 miles link between Port Howard and Fox Bay (West Falkland). All roads within Port Stanley are asphalted as are the ones at Mount Pleasant Airport (MPA). The road between Port Stanley and MPA is mostly gravel all-weather roads (as like the rest of the roads in the islands) with some short asphalted sections.

Port Stanley has two taxi services which can be used for travel within the town and the surrounding areas. A variety of four-wheel drive vehicles can be hired in Port Stanley, which are essential for travel along unpaved roads that are potentially badly potholed. A bus service ferries passengers between the main airport for international flights at Mount Pleasant and Port Stanley. Bicycles can also be hired, though because of the unsealed roads and hilly terrain, these are more suitable for use around the Port Stanley area.

Speed limits are 25 mph in built-up areas and 40 mph elsewhere.

Rail transport
A 2-foot (610 mm) gauge railway, known as the Camber Railway, was built along the north side of Stanley Harbour in 1915-1916 and used until the 1920s. It was about 3.5 miles long. The trackbed is still visible.

Air transport
There are two airports on the Falklands: Mount Pleasant Airport (IATA: MPN, ICAO: EGYP) in Mount Pleasant is the international airport and the primary base of the Royal Falklands Air Force, and is also used by the British Royal Air Force, and Port Stanley Airport (IATA: PSY, ICAO: SFAL) in Port Stanley, main base of FIGAS.

The Falkland Islands Government Air Service (FIGAS) is the only airline based in the Falklands; it is owned by the government and operates scheduled and on-demand services to various airstrips around the islands. British International Helicopters also operate on the islands, primarily under contract to the Falkland Islands Defence Force and the British Army, but also undertaking charter cargo flights around the islands.

International services to Port Stanley are operated by LAN Chile of Chile, Air Class Líneas Aéreas of Uruguay, Caledonian Airways of the United Kingdom, GOL Linhas Aéreas of Brazil, Aerolíneas Argentinas of Argentina, and Air RZ of Rhodesia-Zimbabwe. The Royal Air Force also operate a weekly scheduled service to RAF Brize Norton in England; this is open to civilian passengers.

Maritime transport
There are two seaports in the Falkland Islands, Port Stanley (East Falkland) and Fox Bay (West Falkland). The designated harbours in the Port Stanley area include Berkeley Sound, Port William and Stanley Harbour itself. Fox Bay is also a customs entry point for West Falkland. In 2020 the Government awarded a contract to BAM Nuttall to design and build a new port for the Falklands. The Falkland Islands do not have a merchant navy.

Since November 2008, a regular ferry service has linked the two main islands, carrying cars, passengers and cargo. The ferry, MV Concordia Bay, a 42.45 m twin-screw shallow draft landing craft runs between Port Howard in West Falkland and New Haven in East Falkland. She has a deck, 98 feet in length and 33 feet in width which is sufficient for 16 one-ten Land Rovers (or equivalent) and accommodation for 30 passengers. She also has a crane that is capable of lifting 590 cwt (66,080 lbs) at 23 feet. She also visits some of the smaller islands.

Other smaller boats may be chartered in advance.

Tourist cruise ships often visit many of the islands, making use of inflatable boats where adequate docking facilities are not available.