Getting Around Iceland: Car, Bus & Tour Tips

I landed at Keflavik with a loose plan and a rain jacket, and quickly realized that getting around Iceland is half the adventure—and half the headache if you don't plan ahead. Between volcanic moonscapes, single-lane bridges, and weather that changes faster than a Reykjavik bar tab, you need to pick your transport strategy before you step off the plane. Here’s what actually worked for me.

Should I rent a car in Iceland or rely on tours?

Renting a car gives you freedom, but it’s not cheap. I booked a 4x4 from Blue Car Rental at Keflavik Airport for a week-long Ring Road loop. The price was steep (around $120/day with full insurance), but it let me pull over at random waterfalls and skip the rigid tour schedules. If you’re sticking to the south coast or Golden Circle, a standard 2WD is fine—I saw plenty of sedans at Gulfoss and Seljalandsfoss.

Tours work better for solo travelers or short stays. Reykjavik Excursions runs reliable day trips from Reykjavik to Þingvellir National Park and the Blue Lagoon, and their buses have Wi-Fi. The downside? You’re on someone else’s clock. At Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, my tour bus only gave us 45 minutes, which felt rushed.

Rent a car if you want to explore the Westfjords or Snaefellsnes Peninsula at your own pace.
Book tours if you’re in Iceland for fewer than 5 days and don’t want to deal with gravel roads.
Pro tip: Avoid renting from the airport counter without a reservation—walk-up rates at Keflavik are brutal.

How does the public bus system work in Reykjavik and beyond?

Reykjavik’s city buses (operated by Strætó) are fine for getting around the capital, but don’t expect them to take you to glaciers. I used the bus from my hotel near Laugavegur (the main shopping street) to Hallgrímskirkja church and it cost about $5 per ride. Download the Strætó app for tickets—no cash on board.

For longer routes, Strætó also runs buses to Akureyri (a 6-hour slog from Reykjavik) and Vik. I took the bus from Reykjavik to Hveragerði for a hot-spring hike and it was punctual, but the schedule is sparse—maybe one bus every two hours. If you’re heading to Akureyri, the bus drops you at the central station near Hafnarstræti, a short walk from the Akureyri Botanical Garden.

Strætó route 51 goes from Reykjavik to Akureyri via Blönduós.
Route 51 also stops at Vik—but check the timetable, as summer runs are more frequent.
Weekend buses in Reykjavik run reduced hours; I missed the last one to Kópavogur and had to grab a taxi ($30 for a 10-minute ride).

What are the best guided tours from Reykjavik, Akureyri, and Vik?

From Reykjavik, the Golden Circle tour (with Arctic Adventures) is the classic—Gullfoss, Geysir, and Þingvellir. I did it on my first day and it was worth it for the context, but the crowds at Geysir are thick by noon. For something different, the Snorkeling in Silfra tour is surreal—floating between tectonic plates in 2°C water.

In Akureyri, I booked a whale watching tour with North Sailing from the harbor. We saw humpbacks within 30 minutes, and the guides gave honest tips on spotting puffins at Húsavík (about an hour north). Avoid the “Northern Lights” tours from Akureyri in September—cloud cover killed two of my three attempts.

At Vik, the Reynisfjara black sand beach is free to visit, but a guided tour of the Katla Ice Cave (via Katlatrack) is the real highlight. The super jeep ride over glacial moraine was bumpy but safe, and the ice cave was a deep blue that photos don’t capture.

Reykjavik: Golden Circle day tour (8 hours, lunch at Friðheimar tomato greenhouse).
Akureyri: Whale watching (3 hours, morning departure best for calm seas).
Vik: Katla Ice Cave tour (4 hours, includes helmets and crampons).

How do I handle weather and road conditions when driving?

Iceland’s weather is a liar. I left Reykjavik in sunshine and hit a white-out blizzard near Vík í Mýrdal two hours later. Check road.is (the Icelandic Road Administration) every morning—I relied on it for conditions on the Ring Road (Route 1). The “F-roads” (mountain roads like F35 through the highlands) require a 4x4, and they close from October to June.

Gas stations are sparse between towns. I filled up at N1 stations in Selfoss and Höfn—they also sell snacks and have clean bathrooms. A full tank in a 4x4 costs about $100. If you get stuck, the 112 Iceland app sends your GPS coordinates to rescue services. I never needed it, but a British couple I met at Geysir did after their rental slid into a ditch.

Check road.is before any drive longer than 2 hours.
Avoid F-roads without a 4x4—I saw a sedan stuck on F210 near Landmannalaugar.
Winter tires are mandatory from November to April; my rental had studded ones that gripped ice fine.

What’s the best way to get from Keflavik Airport to Reykjavik?

The Flybus (from Reykjavik Excursions) is the most straightforward option. I took it from Keflavik to the BSÍ bus terminal in Reykjavik—45 minutes, $25 one-way, and they have free Wi-Fi. They also offer a transfer to hotels near Hlemmur Square for a small fee.

A taxi from the airport to my hotel on Laugavegur cost $150—fine if you’re splitting with friends, but not worth it solo. Strætó route 55 goes from the airport to Mjódd in Reykjavik for $5, but it takes 90 minutes and runs hourly. I tried it once and regretted it after a delayed flight.

Flybus is reliable and runs every 30 minutes.
Taxi is only worth it for groups of 3+ or late-night arrivals.
Rental car shuttles from Blue Car Rental are free and run every 15 minutes from the airport terminal.

FAQ

Is it safe to drive the Ring Road in winter? Yes, if you’re prepared. I drove the Ring Road in late November with studded tires and checked road.is daily. The stretch between Vik and Höfn had ice patches, and I kept speed under 80 km/h. Avoid driving after dark—sunset at 3:30 PM meant limited visibility. Skip the Ring Road entirely if a storm warning (orange or red) is posted.

Can I use public buses to see the Northern Lights? No. Buses stop running by 11 PM, and the Northern Lights are best seen between 10 PM and 2 AM in dark areas away from city lights. I booked a Northern Lights bus tour from Reykjavik with Gray Line Iceland—they drove to a dark spot near Þingvellir and provided blankets. It worked, but you’re at the mercy of cloud cover.

Do I need to book tours in advance for Akureyri and Vik? For popular tours like whale watching in Akureyri or ice caves in Vik, yes. I booked my Katla Ice Cave tour two weeks ahead in July—walk-ups were sold out. For smaller operators like Saga Tours in Akureyri, you can book a day before, but summer slots fill fast. Winter tours have more availability but fewer departures.

Conclusion

Rent a 4x4 from Blue Car Rental for the Ring Road; stick to tours for short stays.
Use Strætó buses in Reykjavik and Flybus from the airport to save money.
Book ice cave and whale watching tours in advance—especially in summer.
Check road.is daily and avoid F-roads without a 4x4.
Skip Northern Lights tours from Akureyri in early autumn; try Reykjavik instead.