Photo: Unsplash
Practical info
Getting Around and Car Hire
No trains, few buses, long distances. Seeing the country in practice means hiring a car, and the small print in the rental agreement really matters here.
- Ring Road
- 1,322 km
- Speed limit
- 90 / 80 / 50
- Trains
- None
Iceland has never had a railway. Public transport is good in the capital area but sparse and seasonal across the rest of the country. The upshot: if you’re staying in Reykjavík for a day or two you don’t need a car; if you want to see the country, a car is almost essential.
The Ring Road (Route 1) circles the island in 1,322 kilometres and is paved all the way. A small car is enough for it. Things change when you turn off into the highlands, onto roads beginning with the letter F: there a high-clearance 4x4 is a legal requirement and river crossings aren’t covered by insurance.
Book early. In summer cars get hard to find and last-minute prices double.
The short answer
- Driving licence
- Most foreign licences in Latin script are valid
- Steering
- Left-hand drive, drive on the right
- Headlights
- On during the day too, by law
- Alcohol
- Effectively zero tolerance
Insurance: where the real money is
There are three kinds of damage that standard collision cover doesn’t include, and all three are particular to Iceland. Rental companies sell them separately.
-
01
Gravel protection (GP)
On gravel roads, oncoming cars throw up stones; the windscreen and paintwork are the most frequently claimed damage. If you’ll be on the road, this policy almost always makes sense.
-
02
Sand and ash protection (SAAP)
On the south coast the wind blasts volcanic sand like sandpaper and can strip a car’s paint within minutes. A single incident can produce a five-figure bill.
-
03
Doors caught by the wind
The most frequently claimed damage in the country, and no policy covers it. Open the door with both hands, holding it against the wind; when you park, leave the car facing into the wind.
On the road
Speed limits: 50 km/h in built-up areas, 80 on gravel and 90 on paved roads. Speed cameras are common and fines are high. Sheep roam freely by the roadside and cross suddenly, especially those with lambs.
Single-lane bridges (einbreið brú) are still common on the Ring Road. Whoever reaches the bridge first goes first; if you’re not sure, stop and wait.
Driving off-road is illegal and heavily fined. The reason: a single tyre track can stay on the moss for decades.
Check two sites every morning: road.is for road conditions and safetravel.is for weather and warnings. In winter this isn’t a suggestion, it’s routine.
Fuel
Stations are mostly self-service and card-operated; many ask for a PIN, so contactless cards without a PIN can cause trouble. Some pumps take a pre-authorisation. Fill the tank before heading east or into the highlands: the distance between stations can exceed a hundred kilometres.
If you won’t hire a car
Airport: Keflavík to Reykjavík is 45 minutes; Flybus and Airport Direct run regular services and tickets can be bought in advance.
In the city: Strætó buses cover the capital area well; tickets are bought in the app and drivers don’t give change.
Around the country: long-distance buses run in the summer season and most routes stop in winter. There are domestic flights to Akureyri, Egilsstaðir and Ísafjörður: flying north or east and hiring a car there is a good way to avoid the long drive.