Tour Bus Stops & Pick-Up Locations in Reykjavik | All You Need to Know

Learn about the 14 bus stops for tour pick-ups in Reykjavik. Locate which specific bus stop is closest to your accommodation. Find out what to do if you miss the bus, the tour gets canceled, and how long you must wait for the pick-up.

Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland, is often the starting point for visitors exploring the land of fire and ice. The beautiful city’s vibrant culture and amenities provide an excellent introduction to what the rest of Iceland offers.

Countless guided tours offer pick-up and drop-off from Reykjavik, so you may take advantage of these services to make your trip as convenient as possible. Some excursions also start from other locations, such as Keflavik International Airport, but are part of a wider vacation package that includes transportation to Reykjavik.

However, if it’s your first time in the city, you might not know that bus tours cannot pick you up directly from your hotel. 

With the growing popularity of travel to Iceland, Reykjavik authorities decided to designate 16 bus stops for tour pick-ups in and out of the city center. Setting these tour bus stops allows the city to minimize traffic disruption while keeping travelers and locals safe. Currently, only 14 of the original 16 bus stops remain operational.

So to get started on your trip to Iceland, knowing about these numerous bus stops for tour pick-ups in Reykjavik is necessary. And to save you from the trouble of researching online, we made this guide detailing which bus stops are closest to your accommodation in Reykjavik, including their exact locations.

Designated Bus Stops for Tours in Reykjavik

Although not being picked up straight from hotels in Reykjavik may seem inconvenient, it’s not as bad as you think. The 14 bus stops for tour pick-ups and drop-offs in Reykjavik are strategically located near hotels, guesthouses, and accommodations in the city, so you don’t have to walk long to begin your trip.

In addition to these tour meeting points in Reykjavik, there are some hotels where you can be picked up outside the accommodation building. However, these are only accommodations outside the city center and away from the busy streets.

When booking a tour in Iceland, the tour provider will ask which bus stop you want to be picked up from. This location will largely depend on the hotel you are staying at.

Fortunately, the hotel name usually appears with the bus stop number in the pick-up location dropdown during the booking process. That way, you always know which bus stop is closest to your hotel. And if ever in doubt, you can also ask for assistance from the hotel reception, who can tell you where to find the closest bus stops.

For example, if you’re staying at Hotel Borg by Keahotels, you’ll find out that your meeting point is at Bus Stop 3 (Laekjargata) when booking your tour. The hotel is less than 200 yards from the bus stop.

Whichever bus stop for tour meeting points is closest to your accommodation, don’t forget to arrive at least 10 minutes before the pick-up schedule. In addition, expect to wait up to 30 minutes since the tour vehicle may take several stops in the city for other travelers joining the excursion.

Bus Stop 1 (City Hall - Radhusid)

The Radhusid bus stop is located on Vonarstraeti street, just beside Reykjavik City Hall. If you’re heading to this stop, the GPS coordinates are 64.14632, -21.94149. Some of the accommodations near this meeting point are

• 3 Sisters Guesthouse

• Centerhotel Plaza

• Chez Monique

• Embassy Luxury Apartments

• Gallery Central Guesthouse

• Guesthouse Alfholl

• Guesthouse Butterfly

• Hotel Hilda

• Hotel Metropolitan

• Hotel Reykjavik Centrum

• House Of Spirits

• Kvosin Hotel

• Lighthouse Apartments

• Ocean Comfort Apartments

• Planet Apartments

• Reykjavik Downtown Hostel

Bus Stop 2 (Tjornin - The Pond)

The Tjornin bus stop, known as The Pond, lies along Laekjargata street and near Maedragardur park. The nearest and most prominent landmark of this tour pick-up location is the beautiful Tjornin lake. You can use the 64.145763,-21.938547 coordinates to locate the area.

Some of the accommodations near Tjornin are:

• Ambassade Apartments

• Castle House Luxury Apartments

• Central Guesthouse

• Luna Hotel Apartments – Amtmannsstigur 5

• Luna Hotel Apartments – Spitalastigur 1

Bus Stop 3 (Laekjargata)

Bus Stop 3, locally known as Laekjargata, is located on the street of the same name. This meeting location, with GPS coordinates of 64.14678,-21.937296, is easily accessible because it’s in the central area. It’s also identifiable with the houses in the area, as they are some of the oldest in Reykjavik.

The nearest hotels and guesthouses in Laekjargata pick-up stop are:

• 1912 Guesthouse

• Apotek Hotel

• Black Pearl

• Centerhotel Thingholt

• Central Apartments

• Centric Guesthouse

• City Center Hotel

• Konsulate Hotel

• Hotel Borg

• Ocean Comfort Apartments

• Radisson Blu Hotel 1919

Bus Stop 4 (Midbakki Harbor)

The Midbakki tour bus stop is by the scenic Old Harbor of Reykjavik. Most puffin and whale-watching tours from Reykjavik meet and depart in this area. If you’re coming from Exeter Hotel, the tour shuttle will pick you up at this location.

The GPS coordinates of the Midbakki harbor meeting location are 64.150278,-21.9405. 

Bus Stop 5 (Harpa Concert Hall)

One of the most accessible pick-up locations in Reykjavik is Bus Stop 5. It lies beside the world-famous Harpa Concert Hall, a cultural center with award-winning architecture of 714 glass panels. 

You can head to the bus stop using 64.149766,-21.929865 as coordinates. A coastal path called Sculpture and Shore walk also leads to this area.

If you stay at the Centerhotel Arnarhvoll and The Reykjavik Edition, you can set this bus stop as your pick-up location.

Bus Stop 6 (Safnahusid - The Culture House)

Bus Stop 6 or Safnahusid pick-up area in Reykjavik is located along Ingolfsstraeti and Hverfisgata streets. This bus stop takes its name from the exhibition space nearby. You can pin this location in your online maps using 64.147454,-21.932894. 

The hotels and apartments near Safnahusid include:

• 101 Hotel

• 41 – A Townhouse Hotel

• Apartment K – Hverfisgata 14

• Apartment K – Ingolfsstraeti 1A

• Apartment K – Skolastraeti 1

• Apartment K – Thingholtsstraeti 2-4

• Canopy by Hilton Reykjavik City Center

• Centerhotel Skjaldbreid

• Centerhotel Thingholt

• Loft Hostel

• Hotel Fron

• ION City Hotel

• Island Apartments

• Old Charm Reykjavik Apartments

• Reykjavik Residence Hotel

• Room With A View Hotel

• Sand Hotel

• The Swan House Reykjavik Apartments

Bus Stop 7 (Tradarkot) *CLOSED*

Bus Stop 7 was another pick-up location in the downtown area of Reykjavik. However, it's no longer in use, so you can proceed to the nearest bus stop for tour pick-ups, Safnahusid or Bus Stop 6.

Bus Stop 8 (Hallgrimskirkja)

One of the busiest and easiest bus stops to locate in Reykjavik is Hallgrimskirkja, or Bus Stop 8. It’s hard to miss this pick-up location because it sits beside the iconic Hallgrimskirkja church of Iceland, towering 245 feet (74.5 meters). 

You can explore this beautiful landmark if you have an hour to spare before your pick-up time. The church features unique architecture inspired by the iconic landscapes of Iceland.

Some of the Icelandic accommodations near Hallgrimskirkja are:

• Eric The Red Guesthouse

• Forsaela Apartments

• Freyja Guesthouse

• Gest Inn

• Guesthouse Aurora

• Hostel B47

• Hotel Leifur Eiriksson

• Hotel Odinsve

• Inga’s New Guest Apartments

• Loki 101 Guesthouse

• Luna Hotel Apartments – Baldursgata 36

• Mengi Apartments

• Our House Guesthouse

• Sunna Guesthouse

• Villa Guesthouse

Bus Stop 9 (Snorrabraut)

Snorrabraut Bus Stop 9 nestles at the corner of Snorrabraut and Laugavegur streets in downtown Reykjavik. If you’re headed to this tour pick-up location, the GPS coordinates are 64.143497,-21.916289. 

The hotels, guesthouses, and apartments near Snorrabraut apart from Centerhotel Laugavegur and Skuggi Hotel are:

• 4th Floor Hotel

• 100 Iceland Hotel

• 101 Guesthouse

• Alda Hotel Reykjavik

• Alfred’s Apartments

• Apartment K – Laugavegur 74

• Apartment K – Laugavegur 85-86

• City Comfort Apartments

• Guesthouse Von

• OK Hotel

• Reykjavik4you Apartments

Bus Stop 10 (Hlemmur) *CLOSED*

Like Bus Stop 7, Bus Stop 10 or Hlemmur is no longer in use. Travelers staying in Hlemmur square, a renowned food plaza with a great selection of cuisines, can instead proceed to Bus Stop 9 for tour pick-ups. 

Bus Stop 11 (Austurbaer)

Bus Stop 11, also known as the Austurbaer tour pick-up area, lies on Snorrabraut street in Reykjavik and has GPS coordinates of 64.142364,-21.917228. This bus stop is opposite the Austurbaer event house and near Bus Stop 10 or Hlemmur.

The nearest hotels in Reykjavik to the Austurbaer pick-up location are the following:

• Grettisborg Apartments

• Guesthouse Reykjavik 101

• Guesthouse Snorri

• Reykjavik Hostel Village

• Stay Apartments Grettisgata

Bus Stop 12 (Hofdatorg)

Bus Stop 12 is the farthest designated tour bus stop location from the central area of Reykjavik. Locally known as the Hofdatorg bus stop, it lies along Thorunnartun street on the northeast side of the Icelandic capital.

Travelers at hotels like Fosshotel Reykjavik, Storm Hotel, Tower Suites, and other Airbnb apartments can use this bus stop as their pick-up location. You can find Hofdatorg using 64.144389,-21.910327.

Bus Stop 13 (Raudararstigur)

Bus Stop 13 sits on the street of Raudararstigur and near its crossing to another road called Laugavegur 120. This pick-up location is less than a mile from the center of downtown Reykjavik. You can use any GPS or online map to locate the bus stop.

• Centerhotel Midgardur

• Downtown Reykjavik Apartments

• Fosshotel Lind

• Fosshotel Raudara

• Guesthouse Pavi

• Heida’s Home

• Hlemmur Apartments

• Hlemmur Square

• Stay Apartments Einholt

Bus Stop 14 (Skulagata)

Another tour bus stop in Reykjavik with a direct view of the beautiful Faxafloi bay is Skulagata. This Bus Stop 14 is located along Skulagata street, just a mile from the iconic Sun Voyager sculpture in the harbor.

There are many small guesthouses and apartments near this Reykjavik bus stop, like the list below. You may consider setting this as your pick-up location and walk there using this online map.

• 101 Skuggi Guesthouse

• Alfred’s Studios

• Apartment 37

• Apartment K – Bergstadastraeti 12

• Apartment K – Bergstadastraeti 3

• Apartment K – Hverfisgata 37

• Apartment K – Laugavegur 46

• Apartment K – Lindargata 60

• Apartments Aurora

• Black Tower

• Centerhotel Klopp

• Domus Guesthouse

• Gray Tower

• Guesthouse Odinn

• Guesthouse Turninn

• Luna Hotel Apartments – Laugavegur 37

• Rey Apartments

• Reykjavik Residence Suites

• Reykjavik4you Apartments - Bergstadastraeti 12

Bus Stop 15 (Vesturbugt)

The westernmost tour pick-up location for tours in Reykjavik is Bus Stop 15, otherwise known as Versturbugt. You can find it through Myrargata street, just a few minutes walk from the Saga Museum of Iceland.

This tour bus stop, with coordinates of 64.148165, -21.927858, is ideal for travelers staying at the CenterHotel Grandi, Berjaya Reykjavik Marina Hotel, and other accommodations on the northwestern side of Reykjavik.

BSI Bus Terminal of Reykjavik

The BSI bus terminal is Iceland’s primary tour bus terminal for day tours. With its central location in the city, many tour operators set this terminal as a pick-up and drop-off place for excursions.

In addition, bus transfers between the Keflavik Airport and Reykjavik hotels depart from the BSI terminal. For example, this Flybus transfer from Reykjavik to Keflavik Airport departs from this bus stop and terminal.

Some of the accommodations near the BSI bus terminal are the following:

• 27 Soley

• Guesthouse Anna

• Guesthouse Baldursbra

• Guesthouse Galtafell

• Guesthouse Lena

• Hotel Holt

• Travel Inn

Are All Reykjavik Accommodations Listed in Tour Bus Stops?         

Over the recent years, Reykjavik has seen a surge of new hotels and guesthouses because of the boom in tourism. There are also conventional apartments in the city under marketplaces like Airbnb that you can find all over the city. These constant changes are why not all hotels, guesthouses, and short-term apartments are listed on the pick-up locations of tour bus stops.

If you don’t see your hotel on the pick-up list locations in Reykjavik, you can contact your tour operator via email or call. After receiving your booking confirmation email, you’ll also get the tour company’s contact information. You can use these details to clarify the status of your location and pick-up point to your tour operator.

You can also talk to the people at the front desk of your hotel for help.

Things to Know and Consider with Tour Pick-Ups in Reykjavik

Pick-up and drop-off services by tour companies in Iceland are primarily seamless and excellent. However, this shouldn't stop you from preparing to make the experience as convenient as possible. In addition,  there are rare instances when problems occur because of factors outside your or your tour operator’s control.

Is Tour Bus Stop Similar to Public Transportation Bus Stop in Reykjavik?

Some travelers confuse the tour bus stops with the public transportation bus stops, but they’re entirely different.

Photo from Flickr, Creative Commons, by Bill Ward. No edits made.

In 2017, Reykjavik city banned buses, big and small, in the city's central area. This policy then designated 16 authorized pick-up points where tour buses and operators can pick up and drop you off. Typically, these tour vehicles have flexible schedules depending on the specific itinerary offered in your sightseeing tour or activity.

Only buses, shuttles, and vehicles for Icelandic organized tours are allowed to stop and pick up passengers at the designated tour bus stops. Nearly a million travelers visit Iceland annually, so this legislation is necessary to avoid road and street congestion.

On the other hand, bus stops for public transportation are 27 designated areas where passengers can board and disembark from public buses. Unlike tour vehicles, public buses operate on fixed schedules and routes. You can also quickly identify these buses operated by Straeto company with their yellow color. 

What Time Are Tour Pick-Ups in Reykjavik?

After confirming with your tour operator that your excursion includes a pick-up, the next thing you need to know about is the schedule.

Day and multi-day trips in Iceland departing from Reykjavik have different pick-up times. When booking your tour, you can easily see your options on the “starting time” dropdown of the booking widget.

Many day tours start early in the morning, so you can maximize the entire day by visiting as many attractions on your itinerary as possible. For example, this 12-hour South Coast tour with glacier hiking has a pick-up schedule of 8:30 am.

On the other hand, tour pick-up happens late at night if you’re joining northern lights hunting in Iceland. On most tours like this northern lights minibus tour from Reykjavik, the pick-up time is 10:30 pm, but it also can be a bit earlier or later.

Sometimes, you can also get more flexibility and options on the pick-up times. Private tours like this guided private tour of the Golden Circle offer whichever time of the day you want.

What to Do if You Missed the Tour Pick-Up Service in Reykjavik? 

If you missed the bus due to being late or for other reasons from your end, the tour would not be refundable. In most cases, it also cannot be adjusted. 

If you booked with Guide to Iceland, special arrangements, such as rescheduling the tour for the next day, are possible. However, there’s no assurance that this will be accommodated, especially if you have chosen tours in a tightly-packed vacation schedule or the next day may have no vacancy. 

So try to be at the tour meeting location on time to avoid inconvenience.

Summer and Holiday Road Closures

With its vibrant culture, Reykjavik hosts various events, parades, protests, and festivals, especially during summer in Iceland. On some of these special events, some roads in the downtown area may temporarily be closed, causing tour buses, minibusses, and city buses to change their routes temporarily.

Your tour operator will keep you updated on changes like these before departure, so be sure to pay attention to any emails you may receive from the tour operators after you have confirmed your booking. 

If you need to walk to an alternate pick-up location near your accommodation to avoid a marching band blocking the road, remember that your hotel lobby should always be able to give directions. Some of the designated tour bus stops are also close to each other, so you only need to walk for a few minutes.

Cases of Extreme Weather

If your tour gets canceled because of extreme weather, it will be rescheduled, and the operator will notify you of the changes a day in advance. Severe weather may also cause delays in tours even if they are not canceled, such as slightly altering the planned route due to road availability.

Other weather-influenced incidents that may affect your excursion or the schedule of tour pick-up include road closures, temporary diversions, and road accidents. These are outside your control, so the tour operator will make adjustments or refund.

If you need additional clarification, contact your tour provider for consultation. 

We hope this guide helps locate your designated tour bus stop in Reykjavik. Let us know in the comments if you have additional questions on pick-up information and meeting points in Reykjavik.