In Iceland, the car is clearly the means of transport favoured by tourists. But you can also travel around the country by bus, by ferry or on a domestic flight. The website http://publictransport.is gathers the routes of all the companies on one interactive map. To plan your trip to Iceland well, find out which means of transport best suits your length of stay and your budget.
Getting around Iceland by car
The car is the favourite means of transport for travellers eager to explore Iceland. Whether you rent a vehicle or bring your own by boat, the car offers the advantage of total autonomy and freedom in your itinerary. Iceland has the particularity of having one main road that circles the whole island: Route 1 (“Hringvegur”) is paved along its entire length. However, be aware that 70% of the road network is made up of gravel roads and tracks of very variable quality. The tracks classified F (“Fjall”) may involve fording rivers (road sign: “Óbrúaðar ár”) and are therefore only accessible by 4×4. This is the case for some unmissable sights such as Landmannalaugar, Kerlingarfjöll, Askja or Laki, which can only be reached by 4×4.
Beyond the very uneven quality of the gravel roads and tracks, another potential danger awaits the driver in summer: the sheep and its unpredictable behaviour! Sheep graze freely in the wild and tend to wander wherever they please, particularly onto the roads. A small detail that may help you avoid an accident: most of the time, sheep move around in threes, so if you only see two of them, look for the third.
Weather conditions have a huge influence on driving conditions. Driving in torrential rain, in thick fog or in violent wind is not always easy. Also be careful when opening your car doors in strong gusts of wind! It is essential to check the state of the roads on https://umferdin.is/en, especially in winter, as this season is marked by many permanent or temporary closures. Finally, in Iceland you should think in driving time rather than in distance: you can cover 30 kilometres in 20 minutes on Route 1, but need up to 1 hour 15 minutes on an F-track…
Renting a vehicle is a significant budget item in Iceland, but it is clearly the most practical means of transport and the one that gives you the most freedom. If you opt for a van or a campervan, hoping to save on accommodation, do your sums carefully against the price of a regular car with the nights’ lodging added in.
Getting around Iceland by bus
Do you want to explore Iceland without a car? The bus is another option for discovering Iceland. Overall, the bus companies serve the country rather well, and the great majority of tourist sites are served by bus. Strætó is the public company with the largest network, and it operates all year round. Besides Strætó, public local bus networks serve specific regions such as the East and West fjords. There are also private bus companies offering regular routes, but only in the summer season.
Finally, if you fancy a trek in the Thórsmörk valley (Þórsmörk) or in Landmannalaugar, note that all summer long, 4×4 buses take you straight to the most popular hiking spots.
Getting around Iceland by ferry
Various ferry companies offer crossings to several islands: the island of Viðey, the island of Grímsey, the island of Hrísey and the Westman Islands. The ferry to the Westman Islands is the only way to reach this archipelago in the south of Iceland, known for watching Atlantic puffins. Ferries are also a good option for linking the fjords. One of the most popular ferry routes connects the Snæfellsnes peninsula with the Westfjords, and the other way round.
Getting around Iceland by plane
Do you want to save time and fly within Iceland? Regular flights, taking less than an hour, are operated from the capital Reykjavík to various regional airports by Norlandair or Icelandair. Travellers need to make a transfer between Keflavík international airport and Reykjavík airport, and from there reach the country’s domestic airports:
- Akureyri airport (AEY), in the north of Iceland
- Egilsstaðir airport (EGS), in the east of Iceland
- Ísafjörður airport (IFJ), in the north of the Westfjords
- Bíldudalur airport (BIU), in the south of the Westfjords
From Akureyri airport (AEY), the airline Norlandair takes you to the island of Grímsey (GRY), or to the more remote villages of Vopnafjörður (VPN) and Þórshöfn (THO).