Iceland
Getting around Iceland: trains, buses, driving and domestic flights
There are no trains in Iceland, so the choice is a hire car, a guided tour, a Strætó bus or a domestic flight. Rent a car if you have 4+ days and want the south coast or Ring Road; take tours in winter or on short trips; fly or bus Reykjavík–Akureyri. Weather, not distance, decides your day.
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GuideIceland
Key facts
- Trains
- None in Iceland; no rail network exists
- Best for most first trips
- Hire car from Keflavík, 4+ days, south coast base
- Hire car cost
- ISK 10,000–30,000 a day; 4x4 and campervans cost more
- Ring Road length
- Route 1 is 1,322 km; 8–10 summer days minimum
- Reykjavík – Akureyri
- About 6 h 30 by Strætó bus; 45 min by domestic flight
- Keflavík – Reykjavík
- 45–50 min by Flybus or Airport Direct, ISK 4,000–6,000
- Winter driving
- Studded tyres, road closures and storm days are normal; check road.is and vedur.is daily
- F-roads
- Highland roads need a 4x4 and are open only in summer; many rental contracts ban them
- New road feecheck
- A per-kilometre road fee introduced in 2026 may apply — check
- Ferries
- Landeyjahöfn–Vestmannaeyjar 35 min; Stykkishólmur–Westfjords about 2 h 30
Summary by trip length, season and cost
Match the mode to how many days you have and when you are travelling. In summer, a car unlocks the country; in winter, tours and flights do the work and a car is a bonus, not a plan.
| Situation | Best mode | Time | Cost (2026 estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2–3 days, Reykjavík only | Airport bus plus city buses and walking | 45–50 min from KEF | ISK 4,000–6,000 airport bus; city bus about ISK 600 |
| 4–7 days, summer | Hire car, south coast to Höfn or the Snæfellsnes peninsula | 2 h 30 Reykjavík–Vík | ISK 10,000–30,000 a day plus fuel |
| 7–10 days, summer | Hire car, full Ring Road | 1,322 km on Route 1 | ISK 10,000–30,000 a day plus fuel and ferries |
| Winter, no driving | Day tours from Reykjavík, domestic flight north | Golden Circle 8 h; south coast 10–12 h | ISK 12,000–25,000 a tour; ISK 15,000–35,000 a flight |
| Budget, summer only | Strætó long-distance bus along Route 1 | Reykjavík–Akureyri about 6 h 30 | ISK 5,000–15,000 a leg |
| North or Westfjords in winter | Domestic flight from Reykjavík city airport (RKV) | 45 min to Akureyri | ISK 15,000–35,000 |
Prices are 2026 estimates and vary by season, operator and how early you book.
Step by step: choosing and using each mode
Decide in this order: how many days, what season, whether you will drive, then book the pieces that sell out first — a 4x4 in July, a campervan, and any guided ice cave or glacier walk.
- Count your days. Under four days, stay in the southwest and use tours; four to seven days, hire a car and pick one region; eight to ten summer days, consider the full Ring Road.
- Check the season. Winter means short daylight, studded tyres, road closures and cancelled tours; build a buffer day before any flight home.
- Book the car early if you need one, and read the insurance exclusions for gravel, sand and ash, and wind damage to doors.
- Book long-distance buses and domestic flights once your dates are fixed; both are thin in winter.
- Download road.is and vedur.is before you drive, and check them every morning.
- Keep a paper or offline map; mobile coverage has gaps in the highlands and the Westfjords.
Driving: the default for most trips
A hire car is the only practical way to see most of the country. Roads are good on Route 1 and slow everywhere else: single-lane bridges, gravel stretches and sheep are routine. Distances look short on the map and take longer than you expect, so plan two to three hours of driving a day, not six.
Fuel is expensive and stations thin out east of Vík and in the Westfjords; fill up when you can. Speed limits are low by US and UK standards and cameras are common. Headlights are required at all times. In winter, studded tyres and a 4x4 help, but no car beats a closed road: respect barriers and closures.
Insurance is the trap. Basic cover often excludes gravel damage, sand and ash damage, and wind damage to doors, and the excess can be high. A per-kilometre road fee introduced in 2026 may be added to rentals — check with the operator. Highland F-roads need a 4x4, are open only in summer, and many contracts forbid them; river crossings are for guided tours.
| Route | Distance | Driving time | Watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keflavík – Reykjavík | About 50 km | 45–50 min | Airport bus if you collect the car later |
| Reykjavík – Vík | About 190 km | 2 h 30 | Golden Circle detour adds half a day |
| Vík – Höfn | About 270 km | 3 h 30–4 h | Glacier lagoons, gravel pull-offs, fuel gaps |
| Reykjavík – Akureyri | About 390 km | 4 h 30–5 h | Long tunnels; consider the bus or a flight |
| Ring Road, full loop | 1,322 km | 8–10 days | Add buffer days for weather |
Buses and guided tours
Strætó runs the long-distance buses along Route 1 and is the budget option in summer, with reduced service in winter. It is reliable but stops in towns, not at waterfalls and beaches, so you need tours or long walks to reach the sights. City buses in Reykjavík are cheap and easy; pay in the app or with exact change.
Day tours cover the Golden Circle and the south coast from Reykjavík and are the sensible winter choice when you do not want to drive on ice. Glacier hikes, ice caves and volcano sites need guides anyway. Smaller minibuses cost more and move faster; coaches are cheaper and slower. Book ahead in July and August.
| Mode | Typical time | Cost (2026 estimate) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strætó long-distance bus | Reykjavík–Akureyri about 6 h 30 | ISK 5,000–15,000 | Summer budget travel along Route 1 |
| Golden Circle tour | 8 h | ISK 12,000–25,000 | Short trips and winter |
| South coast tour | 10–12 h | ISK 12,000–25,000 | Waterfalls and black-sand beaches without driving |
| Reykjavík city bus | Varies | About ISK 600 a single | Getting around the capital |
Domestic flights and ferries
Domestic flights leave from Reykjavík city airport (RKV), not Keflavík, and reach Akureyri in about 45 minutes and Ísafjörður in the Westfjords in under an hour. They are the fastest way north or west in winter, when roads are unreliable, but weather cancellations are common, so never book a domestic flight as a same-day connection to an international departure.
Ferries cover two useful gaps. Herjólfur crosses to the Westman Islands from Landeyjahöfn in about 35 minutes, switching to a longer route from Þorlákshöfn in rough seas. The Stykkishólmur–Westfjords ferry takes about 2 h 30 and shortens the drive north. Both carry cars and bicycles; book in summer.
Practical notes
Airport transfers: Flybus and Airport Direct run between Keflavík and Reykjavík in 45–50 minutes for ISK 4,000–6,000. Hotel drop-offs cost extra and take longer than the central bus terminal.
Fuel and payments: cards work almost everywhere, including pumps; a few rural stations need a PIN. Keep a card with a PIN for unmanned pumps.
Toilets and food: facilities are few on long drives. Petrol stations and paid site toilets (ISK 200–500) are the reliable stops, and rural kitchens close early, so carry snacks.
Closures: many rural guesthouses and cafés shut from October to April, and highland huts open only in summer. Check opening dates before you commit to a route.
Water: cold tap water is excellent; hot tap water is geothermal and smells of sulphur — do not drink it.
- Check road.is and vedur.is every morning before driving.
- Build one spare day into any winter itinerary.
- Never stop on the road for photos; use marked pull-offs.
- Carry a charged phone, a power bank and warm layers in the car.
Questions people ask
What is the best way to get around Iceland?
For most first trips, a hire car from Keflavík is best: it reaches the south coast and the Ring Road on your own schedule. Without a car, use day tours from Reykjavík and domestic flights to Akureyri. In winter, tours and flights beat driving.
Do I need a car in Iceland?
No if you stay in Reykjavík and take tours, or fly between regions. Yes if you want waterfalls, beaches and the Ring Road at your own pace. A car costs ISK 10,000–30,000 a day plus fuel, and insurance exclusions matter.
Are there rail or bus passes for Iceland?
There are no trains in Iceland. Strætó sells single long-distance tickets rather than a national pass; a Reykjavík city card covers local buses. For multi-day touring, a car or a tour package is usually better value than separate bus legs.
How long does the Ring Road take?
Route 1 is 1,322 km. Allow 8–10 days in summer to drive it without rushing, and more if you add the Westfjords or the highlands. In winter, most travellers skip the full loop and stay in the southwest.
Can I drive in Iceland in winter?
Yes, with studded tyres and care, but expect closures, storms and short daylight. Check road.is and vedur.is daily, avoid F-roads, and keep a buffer day. Many travellers use tours instead.
How do I get from Keflavík airport to Reykjavík?
Flybus and Airport Direct take 45–50 minutes for ISK 4,000–6,000. Hotel drop-offs cost extra and take longer. If you collect a hire car at the airport, drive the same route.
Is it cheaper to fly or take the bus to Akureyri?
The Strætó bus costs ISK 5,000–15,000 and takes about 6 h 30; the flight costs ISK 15,000–35,000 and takes 45 minutes from Reykjavík city airport. The bus is cheaper, the flight saves a day.
Deep dive
Every source; changeable facts are marked check
Sources
- officialVisit Iceland
- officialIcelandic Road and Coastal Administration – road conditions
- officialIcelandic Met Office
- officialStrætó
- officialIsavia – Keflavík Airport
- secondaryWikivoyage – Iceland