Getting There By Air:Keflavik International Airport (KEF)
Tel: 425 6000/0680.
Website:
www.airport.isKeflavik International Airport is 40km (34 miles) from Reykjavik, on the Reykjanes Peninsula.
Approximate flight times to Reykjavik: From London is 3 hours; from New York is 5 hours 30 minutes; from Los Angeles is 11 hours 30 minutes (via New York); and from Toronto is 7 hours 30 minutes (via New York).
Airport facilities: These include a 24-hour bureau de change,
ATMs, travel agent, car hire, tourist information, duty-free and other shops, cafes, restaurants and bars. Wi-Fi is also available throughout the terminal, and there is a new play area for those traveling with young children.
Transport to the city: Taxis operate from the airport (journey time - 30 minutes). The fare is about Ikr8,000.
The Flybus (tel: 562 1011; website:
www.flybus.is) runs in connection with all incoming and outgoing flights and travels from Keflavik to the Hotel Loftleidir, by the domestic airport 2km (1.24 miles) from Reykjavik city center (journey time - 45 minutes). Free pick up is available from some hotels and guest houses in downtown Reykjavik. Book this with your hotel reception desk the night before departure.
Getting There By Water:Gamla Höfnin
(Old Harbour) and Sundahöfn are the two main harbors. They are known collectively as the Reykjavik Harbour and governed by the Port of Reykjavik
. There are no passenger facilities available, as the harbor caters exclusively for cargo ships.
Ferry services: Direct sea journeys to Reykjavik can be made with the cargo shipping company
Eimskip (tel: 525 7000; website:
www.eimskip.is). Ships sail weekly between the harbor in Reykjavik and Eskifjordur (Iceland), Torshavn (Faroe Islands), Rotterdam and Hamburg (Germany), Aarhus (Denmark) and Fredrikstad (Norway).
Transport to the city: Reykjavik Harbour is situated in northeast Reykjavik, within walking distance of the city center.
Getting There By Road:There is only one main motorway, Highway 1, in Iceland - which was only completed in 1984 and traces the country's coastline. Traffic drives on the right. The use of headlights at all times of the day and night and fastening seat belts (both in the front and the back seat) are obligatory legal requirements. Streets in towns are generally asphalt and have excellent surfaces. However, outside towns, the roads are often gravelled, so care must be taken. Drink-driving laws are strict and are also strictly enforced - the maximum legal alcohol to blood ratio for driving is 0.05%. The speed limit is 50kph (31mph) in urban areas, while outside urban areas it is 80kph (50mph) on unpaved roads and 90kph (56mph) on paved roads.
Drivers must carry the vehicle's registration, proof of international insurance (i.e. a Green Card), plus a valid driving license (foreign licenses are valid for visitors to Iceland). The legal driving age in Iceland is 18 years.
Information on road conditions is available from the
Public Roads Administration (tel: 522 1000
or 1777 for road conditions; website:
www.vegagerdin.is). Any foreign national involved in a traffic accident in Reykjavik must contact the police without delay (tel: 112). The
Icelandic Automobile Association (
FÍB) can be contacted (tel: 414 9999; website:
www.fib.is) for information.
Emergency breakdown service: FÍB (tel: 511 2112).
Routes to the city: A 1,351km (840 mile) ring road (Highway 1) traces Iceland's entire coastline (the interior is largely inhospitable). The main routes to the city are along this road from the east or the west.
Driving times to Reykjavik: From Akureyri - 6 hours; Höfn - 9 hours; Isafjördur - 10 hours.
Coach services: The central bus station is located at Vatnsmýrarvegi 10, near Reykjavik City Airport. It is run by
BSÍ Travel (tel: 562 1011; website:
www.bsi.is), which is a consortium of the bus lines offering an extensive bus service to most parts of the country, as well as a large number of organized bus tours. Reservations are not usually necessary and tickets can be purchased at the bus station or from the driver.
Getting There By Rail:There is no rail system in Iceland.
Getting Around:Public TransportThe main provider of
bus services is the
Reykjavik Bus Service (
Strætó) (tel: 540 2700; website:
www.straeto.is). The two main bus stations in Reykjavik are located at Hlemmur and Laekjartorg. Buses on the 27 routes operate Monday to Saturday 0700-2400 and Sunday 1000-2400. At the weekend,
night buses run 0230-0400. The fare is paid to the driver (the driver is not permitted to give change). If transferring bus routes, the bus driver can provide a
skiptimidi (a transfer ticket), which is valid for 45-60 minutes from the time of issue, otherwise tickets are not usually issued.
A number of
passes are available, valid for one or three days, two weeks, a month, or for the whole summer. You can also purchase a book of 10 tickets. All are available at the bus terminals. The
Reykjavik Card (see
Tourist Information in
Sightseeing) offers unlimited transport on buses in Reykjavik.
TaxisAll taxis in Reykjavik are metered and charge standard fares. Tipping is not expected. Taxis can be hailed in the street or telephoned - operators include
Borgarbíll (tel: 552 2440),
BSR (tel: 561 0000),
BSH (tel: 555 0888) and
Hréyfill (tel: 588 5522). Taxis are expensive and taking a taxi on a short trip around town costs from IKr1,200. Most taxi stations also offer day tours to the main sights around the city.
Driving in the CityWith a small city center and a very efficient bus service, it is not really necessary to use a car to get around Reykjavik. Furthermore, the cost of car hire is enough to put most people off. Those that do drive, however, will find it a pleasurable experience. Traffic is not heavy, there is little congestion (the heaviest build-up of traffic is around 2300 in the center of the city, when the locals head out for a night on the town) and Icelandic drivers are considerate towards other road users.
Parking in the city is easy, with metered spaces. Alternatively, there are six multi-story car parks and plenty of larger car parks.
Car HireHiring a car in Reykjavik is prohibitively expensive. In addition to the hire price, VAT is charged at 24.5% and there are compulsory charges for insurance and petrol. Most car hire companies have a minimum age limit of 23 years and a foreign driver's license is accepted.
Car hire companies include
Avis, Knarrarvogur 2 (tel: 591 4000; website:
www.avis.is),
Budget, Vatnsmyravegur 10 (tel: 562 6060; website:
www.budget.is),
Europcar, Hjallahraun 9 (tel: 565 3800; website:
www.europcar.is),
Herz, Flugvallarvegi (tel: 522 4420; website:
www.hertz.is) and
Sixt, Suðurlandsbraut 2 (Hotel Hilton Nordica) (tel: 540 2222; website:
www.sixt.is). The above companies also have desks at the domestic and international airports.
Bicycle HireReykjavik's flat topography makes cycling one of the best ways of getting around. The
Icelandic Mountain Bike Club (tel: 562 0099; website:
www.fjallahjolaklubburinn.is), based in Reykjavik, offers advice on cycling around the country, which is a tough and grueling experience. Bikes can be hired from
Borgarhjol Bike Rental, Hverfisgata 50 (tel: 551 5653; website:
http://borgarhjol.net).
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Word Travels is a comprehensive travel guide covering hundreds of cities and holiday resorts in more than 125 countries.
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