Getting around the city, and which apps to install
Uber and Lyft do not exist in Iceland. City buses are Straeto, ticketed through the Klapp app at 690 ISK a ride, and taxis are ordered by phone from Hreyfill or BSR. Outside the capital a rental car is effectively the only way to travel.
- There is no Uber in Iceland, and outside the capital there is barely any public transport at all.
- Reykjavik buses are Straeto at 690 ISK a ride, buying 75 minutes including transfers, ticketed through the Klapp app.
- Taxis are ordered by phone or app from Hreyfill or BSR, not hailed on the street, and are metered and expensive by any standard.
- The Ring Road means a car - Route 1 has no bus equivalent worth planning around, and mountain F-roads legally require a 4x4.
- Driving off marked tracks is a criminal offence, not a fine you shrug at. Check road and weather before every drive; conditions change within an hour.
There is no Uber in Iceland, and outside the capital there is barely any public transport at all.
- Reykjavik buses: the capital region is served by Straeto. A single adult fare is 690 ISK and buys 75 minutes including transfers. Buy it in the Klapp app - that is the official account-based ticketing system, and it is far easier than finding exact change.
- Taxis: ordered by phone or app from Hreyfill (+354 588 5522) and BSR (+354 561 0000), not hailed on the street. Fares are metered and expensive by any standard.
- Scooters and bikes: Hopp runs the e-scooters and e-bikes in central Reykjavik and also dispatches taxis.
- Between towns: Straeto regional buses plus coach operators Reykjavik Excursions, Gray Line and Sterna. Services are sparse and seasonal - check timetables before relying on one.
- The Ring Road means a car. Route 1 has no bus equivalent worth planning around. Mountain F-roads legally require a 4x4, and driving off marked tracks is a criminal offence, not a fine you shrug at.
- Ferries such as Herjolfur to the Westman Islands are booked directly with the operator.
Check the road and weather before every drive. Conditions change within an hour here, and closures are frequent from October to April.
Apps and platforms
Vedur for the weather that decides your day, SafeTravel and 112 Iceland for emergencies, Klapp for bus tickets and Hopp for scooters.
- Vedur is the official weather app from the Icelandic Meteorological Office, and wind speed is the number that decides whether you drive.
- road.is gives live road conditions and closures. Check it every morning between October and April.
- SafeTravel carries the search-and-rescue alerts and lets you lodge a travel plan before going into the highlands.
- The 112 Iceland app sends your GPS position with one button and logs check-ins for search and rescue.
- Download the offline Google map of Iceland before you fly - coverage has real gaps in the highlands.
- Vedur - https://en.vedur.is/ - The Icelandic Meteorological Office app. Wind speed is the number that decides whether you drive, and this is the official source.
- road.is - https://www.road.is/ - Live road conditions and closures from Vegagerdin. Check it every morning between October and April.
- SafeTravel - https://safetravel.is/ - ICE-SAR alerts, hazard warnings and the travel plan you can lodge before going into the highlands.
- 112 Iceland - https://www.112.is/ - Sends your GPS position to emergency services with one button, and logs check-ins for search and rescue.
- Klapp - https://www.klapp.is/ - Official Straeto bus ticketing for the capital region.
- Hopp - https://www.hopp.bike/ - E-scooters, e-bikes and taxi dispatch in Reykjavik.
- Google Maps - Download the offline map of Iceland before you fly; coverage has real gaps in the highlands.
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