Iceland
Getting there
BY AIR
Reykjavik (Keflavík) (KEF) is 51km (32 miles) south west of
Reykjavík (the travel time to the city is 45 minutes).
Airport facilities include bus services, departing after the
arrival of each flight; taxi services; a duty-free shop; banking
and exchange facilities, open on arrival of all scheduled services;
restaurants and bars and car hire.
The flight time to Reykjavik is 3 hours from London and 5 hours 30
minutes from New York.
From Europe
Icelandair has non-stop
flights to Reykjavik (Keflavík) from London Heathrow,
Manchester, Glasgow, Oslo, Paris, Copenhagen, Stockholm and
Frankfurt. You can often get good deals between London and the USA
with a stopover of up to 3 days in Iceland.
Iceland Express generally
has cheaper airfares, with flights to Reykjavik (Keflavik) from
London (Gatwick and Stansted), Copenhagen and other European
cities.
EasyJet has services from London
Luton to Reykjavik.
From North America
Icelandair has non-stop
flights to Reykjavik from major cities including Boston,
Minneapolis, New York, Orlando, Toronto and Vancouver.
Iceland Express has a
seasonal (summer) service between New York and Reykjavik.
From the airport
Taking a taxi into town is the easiest option but costs around
ISK7,500(£60/US$100). Alternatively, hire a car from the
airport as we did.
The only other option, and also the cheapest, is to take the
Flybus coach which connects to all
flights at Keflavik airport. It departs from directly in front of
the terminal building and shuttles you into the BSÍ Bus
Terminal in central Reykjavík. It takes 45 minutes, calling
at most of the city's main hotels on the way, and costs ISK 1150
(approx. £10/US$18) per person one way. For afternoon
arrivals, the Flybus also offers a stop off at the Blue Lagoon on
the way to Reykjavik, costing ISK3,900 (£30/US$55 per
person), which includes the entrance fee.
back to topGetting Around
Car Hire: Renting a car gives you a lot of freedom in
Iceland, where many of the breathtaking natural sights are outside
of the towns. Parking in central Reykjavík is difficult so
if you're staying in a hotel without parking, rent the car when
you're leaving town.
There are few cars on the roads, the landscape is stunning and the
main 900-mile Highway 1 encircling the country is mostly paved.
Many of the roads in the interior are single unpaved gravel tracks
that can become icey, flooded and impassable (check weather
conditions before setting out and take extra care in winter when
the weather can change dramatically in a short time).
Note that the speed limit on the main highways is 90km/hour (we got
stopped by the traffic police between the airport and Reykjavik),
driving is on the right hand side, you must have headlamps on at
all times (this is the law), and you have to use a headset with a
mobile.
The main hire car agencies are represented at the airport.
Holiday
Autos can be booked on the internet and offers competitive
rates. Daily rates for a 4-door compact (Ford Focus size) car start
at around £48/US$80 per day (in 2009) based on a 5-day
rental. Rates for an SUV (Toyota Land Cruiser size) start at around
£80/US$135 per day (in 2009) but in summer you can get to
most of the main sights without a 4x4 - you only really need a big
jeep if you plan to go off the beaten track.
When To Go
The long days mean the whole summer is a great time to visit - June has the longest day, but is also the busiest month for visitors. The Northern Lights during winter are a big draw and are said to be at their best between November and February. Various events throughout the year attract visitors - Puffin Season and Reykjavík Arts Festival in May, Summer Solstice in June, and the Film Festival in September.