Everything You Need to Know About Road Signs in Iceland

 Preparing to Drive in Iceland

Are you ready to take the next steps toward driving in Iceland? Here are some practical things to know when preparing for your Iceland road trip.

Booking a Rental Car in Iceland

When preparing to drive in Iceland, booking the right rental car is essential for a smooth journey. You can book a rental car from Reykjavik, in Akureyri, or at Keflavik International Airport before arriving in the country, with a wide range of options available.

Whether you need a 4x4 rental vehicle for exploring rugged terrain, a cheap rental car for city driving, a rental camper for extended road trips, or even a luxury vehicle, there’s a rental to suit your needs.

We highly recommend choosing your rental car with good notice for the best price, especially if you're planning a summer visit. Prices go up, and options quickly become limited as high season approaches, so don't leave it until the last minute to book!

• Check out the Top 10 Car Rental Companies in Iceland
• See also: Best Advice For Renting a Car in Iceland

Plan Your Road Trip Itinerary

You'll want to keep your Iceland itinerary a bit flexible because of the ever-changing weather conditions and all those spontaneous stops you won't want to miss out on. Thankfully there are great resources to help map out an epic adventure!

You can check out these top ideas for itineraries in Iceland that cover many major sights or explore the vast selection of vacation packages that cover all you need for different itinerary lengths.

Alternatively, a self-drive tour is a perfect option if you want to maintain flexibility but let someone else handle the details of organizing everything. These tours provide a detailed and customizable itinerary, along with a rental car and accommodations, offering the best of both worlds.

For example, this 10-day self-drive tour of the Ring Road covers Iceland's top attractions, while those with more time can embark on an incredible 19-day self-drive expedition around the entire country, ensuring no sight is missed.

• See more: How Many Days to Spend in Iceland

Prepare for the Unexpected

Photo from Wikimedia, Creative Commons, by Drumstick21. N1 has service centers around Iceland, such as the iconic Stadarskali rest stop.

Road trips through Iceland are an adventure, but the island’s unpredictable weather and remote roads mean you must be prepared for anything, especially if you're planning winter self-drive trips! Packing a few essentials can make all the difference, as your rental car agency might not provide some items.

Start with a first-aid kit, a blanket, and things like a car charger for your phone or a fully charged power bank. Having a physical map on hand is also a good idea, especially in areas with poor mobile coverage, along with some snacks and water in case you get delayed.

If you need to pick up essentials while on the road, N1 gas stations are one of the most convenient spots across the country. There are service stations all around the country where you can find everything from warm meals, snacks, drinks, and light groceries to windshield fluid, motor oil, gas containers, and ice scrapers.

If the weather is acting up and you're concerned about the roads ahead, the N1 gas stations usually have a screen displaying live feed from the Road Administration of Iceland, showcasing conditions on nearby roads. This makes them a reliable resource to help you stay safe and comfortable throughout your journey!

• Learn more: Gas Stations in Iceland: The Ultimate Guide

How to Read Icelandic Road Signs

Road signs are not supposed to be cryptic but rather as blunt as possible. Even though you're in a foreign country, they're meant to be easy to understand. Most Icelandic road signs use symbols and pictures to indicate their meaning.

This is especially so for warning, prohibitory, and mandatory signs.

Many Icelandic road signs look like those used in other parts of the world, making them easy to identify. For example, stop signs look similar, if not identical, to stop signs in your country, with English writing on them.

Some information signs include Icelandic words or place names spelled in Icelandic. These usually have an image that clarifies the sign's meaning.

Travelers to Iceland must be aware that the country uses the metric system. Therefore, speed limits are in kilometers per hour. 

Common and Important Road Signs in Iceland

In Iceland, there are various types of common road signs. They are usually on roadsides, highways, and near intersections, making them easy to spot. As well as being common, they're vitally important.

The sign's colors and shape indicate its type. Keep reading to learn about Iceland's different types of signs, including traffic, informative, warning, mandatory, and advisory signs.

Prohibitory Road Signs

Prohibitory road signs are used on all road types to inform drivers about what vehicles are allowed to use the road and what rules apply to different types of vehicles. These include restrictions on turning around, driving too fast, and parking in prohibited areas.

These signs are easily visible on the roadside, often near intersections and crossroads, and sometimes on bridges. Prohibitory signs are usually circular, with red borders, yellow backgrounds, and black text.

Speed limit Signs

Speed limit signs have a black number in the middle, indicating the maximum speed allowed in that area, measured in kilometers per hour.

Prohibited Entry Signs

The sign prohibiting entry to all vehicles is a red circle with a yellow line through the middle. Or, you might see a yellow circular sign with a red border. This design indicates that the road is closed to all vehicles.

Often, a road prohibits entry to a specific type of vehicle. These signs are circular, with a yellow background, a red border, and a red line through the middle. In the center, you'll see a picture of the prohibited vehicle type, for example, a bicycle, motorbike, truck, tractor, or snowmobile. 

Prohibited Stopping or Parking

These are blue circular signs with a red border. The prohibited parking sign has a single diagonal red line through the middle, whereas the prohibited stopping sign has a red cross.

End of Zone Signs

If you see a sign with four black diagonal lines through the middle, it highlights the end of a zone. For example, a speed sign with four black lines through it shows the end of a maximal or special speed zone, as applicable. You may also see a sign indicating the end of an overtaking prohibition zone.

Stop Signs

Stop signs are plain and straightforward eight-sided road signs with a red background, white border, and the word STOP written in white text.

Other Examples of Prohibitory Signs

You may come across other prohibition signs that should be easy to identify. Numbers with arrows highlight weight, height, and width limits. Direction signs with a red diagonal line through the middle indicate that type of turn is illegal. 

Warning Road Signs

Icelandic road signs come in different colors to warn drivers about potential hazards along the way. These include signs indicating road curves, priority signs, dangerous road surfaces, and reminders to watch for pedestrians or animals in the area.

Warning signs are triangular signs with red borders, yellow backgrounds, and black text.

Signs Indicating Changes to the Road's Direction

Black shapes in the middle of these signs let drivers know the road ahead is changing. This type of sign could show a bend to the left or right or a double curve coming up. A black cross in the middle of a triangular sign warns the driver about a dangerous intersection ahead.

Give Way Sign

The Give Way sign in Iceland is an upside-down triangle with a yellow background and red border.

Junction Signs

These indicate an upcoming junction or crossroad. You'll be able to see from the symbol in the middle which side the intersection is on and what angle the road is coming from.

Warning Signs With Animals or People

If you see a sign with an image of an animal or person, this warns you to watch out for them, as there's a decent likelihood they will be in the area. Slow down and keep an eye out for horses, reindeer, people, or whatever the sign indicates.

Road Conditions

Some warning signs help prepare drivers for dangerous road conditions ahead. A snowflake picture suggests there's a risk of ice on the road, whereas other signs should clearly show where there are hazardous verges or the roads may be slippery.

Other Warning Signs

When it comes to warning signs, use your common sense and remember that a picture says a thousand words. Pictures may indicate loose gravel, risk of avalanche or rock fall, bumps in the road, or a riverbank ahead. A sign with a black exclamation mark warns drivers to be careful.

Mandatory Road Signs

In Iceland, mandatory road signs are used where you are legally required to do something. They are not suggestions or information signs - you must follow them. As such, they are some of the most critical road signs in Iceland that you should know about.

You must understand how to correctly read and follow these road signs when driving in Iceland. Examples include direction signs and signs indicating paths dedicated to bikes or pedestrians.

Mandatory road signs are circular with a white border, blue background, and white text.

Some symbols and pictures are the same as on the warning signs. For example, the roundabout sign has three arrows in a circle, showing the direction of traffic flow. You might see this on a mandatory sign (the blue circle signs) or a warning sign.

Direction Signs

These are easy to understand. Direction signs have an arrow telling you which way to turn - right, left, or straight. When there are two arrows, you can choose one of those two directions to turn.

A downward diagonal arrow tells you to keep to that side. Two small downward diagonal arrows show that you can pass on either side.

Paths for Specific Traffic Types

An image of a horse and rider, pedestrians, or bikes, indicates the path is for that type of traffic. If there is a line between two pictures, that shows there are separate lanes for each type of traffic.

Information Road Signs

Information signs inform road users about parking spots, one-way traffic areas, crosswalks, bus stops, and more.

The signs are typically rectangular or square, with a white border, blue background, and white text. Some of the main types of informative signs are detailed below.

Parking Signs

Parking signs are relatively universal. Just look for a blue sign with a "P." Images on these signs tell you what type of vehicles can park there. There could be a picture of a bus, truck, bicycle, car, ambulance, or disability vehicle, for example.

Common Traffic Signs

Signs with an arrow pointing up or to the right indicate one-way traffic.

If you see a sign with a white symbol that looks like a large letter "M," it tells drivers there is a place for allowing oncoming traffic to pass.

A blue sign with a red and white symbol similar to a capital "T" means there is a dead end ahead.

Signs in Icelandic

Some informative road signs may include one or more Icelandic words, so learning these meanings is helpful to avoid confusion and frustration. These signs often have a symbol or supporting image.

A blue sign with an image of a camera may have the word "Löggæslumyndavél" underneath, which means "traffic enforcement camera" in English.

The word "stans" means stop in Icelandic, and you may see signs with this word at places like toll booths or busy junctions.

If you see the word "Snúningsrými," it translates to "rotational space." You might notice this word accompanied by an image of a truck and white around it. This sign shows that large vehicles may turn around in this area, with the white shape indicating whether the turning space is on the left or right.

The word "Út" means "out," and "Inn" means "in." Informative signs with one of these words will have an arrow showing the direction in or out.

Service Signs

Service road signs inform road users of valuable amenities in the area. Look for square signs with a white background and a thick blue border. These signs have a picture or symbol (usually in black) in the middle, indicating the service type.

Emergency services, such as a first aid station, emergency phone, shelter, pharmacy, or fire extinguisher, have a red symbol rather than a black one.

The police office sign has a yellow and black badge in the middle, making it easy to distinguish.

You might observe a range of general service signs on Icelandic roads. Examples include accommodation signs for hotels, campsites, caravan parks, or rental cabins. 

Signs for recreational facilities include swimming pools, horse tracks, sports fields, ski lifts, river rafting, and more.

You'll also find signs for useful everyday amenities, such as supermarkets, food kiosks, banks, and ATMs. If you're after a bakery, look for a blue and white sign with a black pretzel in the middle!

Traffic Lights

Traffic lights are relatively universal, although there are sometimes slight variations. Any driver will know the red light means stop, and the green means go.

An amber traffic light (yellow light) means the light is about to turn red, so you should stop if you can safely do so. Yellow and red show the light is about to turn green, so you can get ready to go.

Photo by Doug Kerr

Other Iceland Road Signs

Here are some more fun and interesting signs from Iceland. Some were a long-time standard, but others are still around, and you may even spot them during your road trip!

Outdated Road Signs in Iceland

Some Icelandic road signs have changed over time. The stop sign underwent two significant changes before the current 8-sided red sign. From 1945-1956 it was a blue sign with an upside-down triangular shape. It had a red border and the word "STANZ" in white.

Between 1956 and 1975, it was a yellow circle-shaped sign with a red border and a red triangle in the middle. The word "STANZ" was in black inside the triangle.

The old "be careful" sign was similar to the modern one because the colors and shapes are the same. However, previously it had a black vertical line in the middle rather than the exclamation mark you see today.

Quirky Road Signs in Iceland

You may see some unusual road signs during your time in Iceland. Some might be official signs, such as the orange rectangular sign with three runners. This sign has the word "götuhlaup" on it, which means "street running."

Iceland is well known for its folklore, including legends of trolls, elves, and sea monsters. Keep your eyes open for unofficial warning signs of creatures lurking in the midst!

Photo from Wikimedia, Creative Commons, by Rob Oo. No edits made.

Icelanders take personal and environmental cleanliness very seriously. One of the things they can't stand is finding evidence of human waste tainting the pristine landscapes. Iceland's countryside lacks toilet facilities in some places, and, as a result, some people have made inappropriate toileting choices.

An unofficial sign began popping up around the country to curb this problem. It certainly looks official with its yellow background, red border, and black image of a person squatting with a poo on the ground. Of course, a red diagonal line through the middle indicates this is not ok!

Finally, keep an eye out for cute signs like the duck signs you'll see around Tjornin lake in Reykjavik.

Road Signs in Iceland | In Conclusion

Road signs help drivers navigate their way around Iceland and keep everyone safe. They also provide information about where you are going and where to find services and amenities. so learning about them is an integral part of preparing for driving around Iceland.

Whether planning a day trip from Reykjavik to see specific locations or preparing for a multi-day self-drive adventure, understanding Icelandic road signs will help you tackle the Icelandic roads confidently, letting you focus on the most important aspect: enjoying the adventure!

Did this article help prepare you for driving in Iceland? Is there something we missed that should be included? Have you driven in Iceland before? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!