Exploring Iceland without renting a car is not only possible but often a more relaxing and practical way to travel — especially if you’re unfamiliar with rugged landscapes or winter driving conditions.
Many travelers worry they’ll miss out on Iceland’s incredible natural wonders without a car. Whether it’s the famous Golden Circle, the untouched beauty of the Westfjords, or hiking trails in the dramatic Highlands, Iceland’s tourism infrastructure ensures you won’t miss a thing.
Traveling from Keflavik Airport does not require having a car. In fact, booking efficient airport transfers is the easiest option!. You can then use reliable public buses to explore Reykjavik and guided day tours or multi-day tours to experience the country’s most stunning sights stress-free — no driving required!
But how exactly is Iceland non-driver-friendly? Do you need to rent a car in Iceland? Can you explore the country’s best attractions without blowing your budget? Do you need a car in Iceland at all?
This guide will provide you with everything you need to confidently explore Iceland without a car. From solo travelers and families to those seeking a laid-back escape, you’ll find stress-free options that let you fully immerse yourself in the beauty of Iceland.
Read on and discover how to get around Iceland without a car and how easy it is to plan your adventure. No car, no worries!
Key Takeaways About Getting Around Iceland Without a Car
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There are numerous vacation packages visitors can sign up for that accommodate all budgets and interests, allowing you to travel with a guide or on a bus.
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With the countless guided tours available that utilize buses and shuttles, you can reach many remote locations without needing to rent a vehicle of your own.
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Although the main entryway to the country, Keflavik International Airport, isn't in the capital, it is easy to access thanks to the airport transfer buses.
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While you can go to different towns by bus, only Reykjavik and Akureyri actually have their own transport networks, so you usually aren't able to explore other areas much unless you're traveling with a bike or planning to walk a lot.
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Hitchhiking is one possible method of travel, and in Iceland, it's much safer than in other countries — however, it should only be done during the summer months.
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Visitors will find that there are numerous advantages of not driving in Iceland and choosing alternative methods of transportation.
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Learn more about how to travel Iceland without a car and prepare for your trip with our helpful FAQ section.
Iceland Vacation Packages
Those planning a vacation in Iceland who do not wish to or cannot drive have an excellent opportunity in vacation packages. By booking one of these packages, everything about your trip will be arranged for you prior to arrival, such as your accommodation, airport transfers, and tours. In many of these packages, you will also have a driver or guide escorting you from location to location each day.
As such, vacation packages allow you to fully unwind on your vacation! You can have confidence that your journey ahead has been thoroughly planned, and you'll have nothing to worry about other than enjoying yourself.
Packages come in a wide variety of forms to suit groups of all budgets, sizes, and interests.
Those looking to enjoy the trip on a shoestring can opt for affordable accommodation and focus on sightseeing. At the same time, those with more to spend could choose comfort or quality hotels and add on additional excursions such as horse riding, snorkeling, snowmobiling, and whale-watching.
For your trip, these are some of the best-rated guided vacation packages for a memorable adventure:
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Guided 12-Day Summer Package of the Ring Road and Snaefellsnes Peninsula: This highly rated package will take you all around the Ring Road and Snaefellsnes Peninsula, with loads of time at some incredible locations such as the Eastfjords and Lake Myvatn.
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5-Day Summer Vacation Package with Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon & Golden Circle: This package is ideal for travelers who want to see Iceland’s most iconic sights in under a week. Explore the Golden Circle, South Coast, and reach as far as the magical Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon. Optional activities like glacier hiking and boat tours add even more adventure!
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5-Day Northern Lights Winter Vacation Package with Ice Caving & the Blue Lagoon: Designed for winter explorers, this package combines Iceland’s top natural wonders with once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Chase the northern lights, explore an ice cave, visit the Golden Circle and South Coast, and relax in the Blue Lagoon before your journey ends.
Many vacation packages also tailor themselves to niche interests. Fans of Game of Thrones, for example, will love this eight-day summer package, designed to bring you to the locations where many of the most dramatic scenes of the series were filmed.
Photography lovers, meanwhile, will find a range of photo tours designed to help build their portfolio, whether they want to focus on the midnight sun, winter landscapes, or the Highlands.
Guided Day Tours and Multi-Day Tours in Iceland
Guided Day Tours from Reykjavik
Reykjavik is the perfect base for exploring Iceland's most iconic sights through day tours. Many of these tours include pick-up and drop-off near your accommodation, making them incredibly convenient and stress-free.
One of the most popular day tours is the Golden Circle, a route that takes you to some of Iceland’s most famous natural wonders. This includes Thingvellir National Park, where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates meet, and the Geysir Geothermal Area, home to the active Strokkur Geyser and the majestic Gullfoss Waterfall.
Top-Rated Golden Circle
If you're interested in traveling the Golden Circle, there are numerous tours to choose from. Some tours will even take you to additional locations that aren't typically a part of the Golden Circle route.
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The Golden Circle Minibus Tour from Reykjavik — On this exciting minibus tour, you'll join a small group and travel along the classic Golden Circle.
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Small-Group Golden Circle Minibus Tour from Reykjavik with Bruarfoss Waterfall & Kerid Crater — This Golden Circle tour includes two extra stops, letting you marvel at the beauty of the Kerid Crater and Bruarfoss Waterfall along with other iconic sites.
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Golden Circle Tour from Reykjavik with Fridheimar Greenhouse — In addition to traveling along the memorable Golden Circle, you'll also get a chance to see the Fredheimar tomato.
For those in search of dramatic landscapes, the South Coast day tour provides unforgettable views of the Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss waterfalls, the Diamond Beach, and views of glaciers and volcanoes. This journey captures the raw beauty of Iceland's southern shores.
Top South Coast Tours
There's no shortage of experiences to have on Iceland's South Coast. If you're planning to stay in the region during your trip, check out these exciting South Coast tours.
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The South Coast of Iceland Day Tour from Reykjavik — Discover beautiful beaches, volcanoes, waterfalls, and other sites near Vik on this South Coast day tour.
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South Coast Waterfalls & Glacier Lagoon Day Trip from Reykjavik — This exciting South Coast tour will take you as far as Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon and you'll see plenty of unique locations along the way.
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South Coast Minibus Tour with Glacier Hike & Transfer from Reykjavik — If you've always wanted to go on a glacier hike, this South Coast tour will be a good fit for your Iceland vacation!
Adventure enthusiasts will find plenty to enjoy with day trips like snorkeling in Silfra Fissure, horse riding, glacier hiking, snowmobiling, and lava caving. These activities run year-round and cater to both beginners and experienced participants.
In the winter months, northern lights tours departing from Reykjavik are a top choice. These evening excursions are led by expert guides who know the best locations to find the auroras and often help capture them on camera.
Even in summer, Reykjavik offers unique experiences like the Inside the Volcano tour, where you can descend into a dormant magma chamber for an extraordinary perspective of Iceland's volcanic geology.
For those who prefer to stay within the city, Reykjavik itself offers great experiences. Whale and puffin-watching tours depart directly from the harbor, while bike tours or renting an electronic scooter provide a fun and eco-friendly way to explore the city’s highlights.
Multi-Day Tours
For travelers looking to venture further into Iceland’s stunning landscapes, multi-day tours provide the perfect opportunity to explore beyond what day trips can offer. These tours allow you to immerse yourself in the country’s remote beauty and see some of its most awe-inspiring locations.
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2-Day South Coast Winter Trip to Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon Crystal Ice Cave — This two-day ice cave tour will allow you to see far more sites of the South Coast than those who head out in a day. This region is somewhat of a microcosm of Iceland, with volcanoes, glaciers, black sand beaches, and diverse waterfalls, culminating in the iconic Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon.
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8-Day Guided Tour of the Complete Ring Road of Iceland With Top Activities — One of the most popular options is the eight-day guided tour of the Ring Road, which takes you around Iceland’s entire Ring Road. This tour includes visits to incredible natural wonders such as glaciers, waterfalls, black sand beaches, and volcanic landscapes. In winter, it also offers the chance to witness the northern lights, making it an unforgettable adventure for those seeking to experience Iceland’s unique winter charm.
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Magical 3-Day South Coast and Golden Circle Winter Tour with Blue Ice Caving from Reykjavik — For those with less time, this adventure is a fantastic choice. This tour takes you to the South Coast, a region that showcases a microcosm of Iceland’s diverse landscapes. Highlights include the Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon, with its floating icebergs, and the spectacular ice caves, a seasonal marvel available only in winter.
Multi-day tours like these are ideal for travelers who want to cover more ground and enjoy Iceland’s remote regions without needing to rent a car. They offer a deeper connection to the land and a chance to see sites that might be out of reach on a single-day trip.
For hiking enthusiasts, the Laugavegur Hiking Trail is a popular multi-day trekking route. Starting in the geothermal wonderland of Landmannalaugar and ending in the lush valley of Thorsmork, this hike provides an unmatched experience of Iceland’s wilderness. One of the best ways to see these wonderful locations up close is on this scenic 5-day hiking tour from Landmannalaugar to Thorsmork.
Additionally, flights from Reykjavik to Akureyri or Isafjordur open up even more possibilities. From these locations, you can explore the untouched beauty of regions like the Hornstrandir Nature Reserve, known for its arctic fox population and dramatic cliffs. You can see the Arctic fox up close on this three-day tour.
Multi-day tours are an excellent way to delve deeper into Iceland’s wonders, offering both adventure and convenience for travelers eager to experience the full scope of the country’s beauty.
Airport Transfers Without Rental Car in Iceland
Keflavik International Airport, the main point of arrival for the vast majority of travelers to Iceland, is not located in the capital city. It's, in fact, about 31 miles (50 kilometers) away. Getting between the two, however, does not require a rental car.
Airport transfer buses run between the destinations every half-hour or hour, depending on flights, and many of these have additional services that will drop you off as close to your hotel as possible.
While these buses are comfortable, affordable, regular, and efficient, they can involve a little bit of queuing and waiting. Additionally, you will likely have to change buses once in Reykjavik if you want to be taken straight to your hotel. Those who wish to travel more directly can instead elect to book a private driver.
This option also provides you with the chance to speak with a local at the very beginning of your trip, who can offer you some tips and tricks on how to make the most of your time in Iceland. They may also be able to point out some sites en route that tell you about the local nature and history.
Those on a very tight budget could alternatively elect to take city buses between the two locations, although this will likely take at least two hours from door to door and is not preferable for travelers with heavy luggage.
Transfers to the Blue Lagoon
While it's possible to get a direct bus to Reykjavik and back to the airport, those seeking to maximize every opportunity in Iceland should consider stopping at the Blue Lagoon along the way.
Available on your outward and return journeys, these buses will allow you to spend as long as you like at one of Iceland’s most famous sites.
The Blue Lagoon, after all, is a spectacular place due to the unique color of its water, its healing qualities, and its abundance of therapies. Not to mention its incredible location amongst the lava landscapes of the Reykjanes Peninsula.
Please note, however, that many of these transfers do not include entry into the lagoon, which must be booked well in advance due to its ever-increasing popularity.
- See also: The Ultimate Guide to the Blue Lagoon
The Public Bus System in Iceland
The bus system in Iceland is a reliable and cost-effective way to travel, particularly for those who don’t plan to rent a car. Operated by Straeto, the national bus company, the network primarily connects Reykjavik to other towns and regions across the country. It also provides a robust public transport system within the capital.
Within Reykjavik and its suburbs, Straeto operates a fleet of modern, yellow buses that run on a regular schedule that covers the city center, suburbs, and key locations like shopping malls, schools, and cultural sites.
Buses run frequently during the day, though services are less frequent in the evenings and on weekends.
These buses are an affordable and convenient way to get around the city. Tickets can be purchased through the Straeto app (Klappid), with contactless card payments, or using prepaid bus cards.
The Reykjavik City Card is an affordable way to explore the city, offering free unlimited bus travel within the Capital Area (excluding airport bus #55) and free entry to Reykjavik’s museums, galleries, and swimming pools.
For travelers looking to explore outside Reykjavik, regional Straeto buses connect the capital to towns and villages throughout Iceland. These routes are less frequent and usually require careful planning.
Popular routes include connections to Akureyri, Selfoss, Hveragerdi, and Borgarnes. Please note that some routes, particularly those in remote areas, operate only in the summer months. Tickets for longer journeys should be booked in advance through the Straeto website or app.
While the bus system in Iceland is reliable, it has its limitations. Many of the country’s top attractions, like the Golden Circle, are not directly accessible by bus. Regional routes often run only once or twice a day, and remote areas like the Highlands are not served at all.
To make the most of public buses, download the Klappid app for schedules and tickets, plan ahead for infrequent regional routes, and dress warmly for Iceland’s unpredictable weather. While buses are a budget-friendly option in Reykjavik, exploring remote areas may require combining public transport with tours or rental cars.
Hitchhiking in Iceland
The most affordable way in which you can travel to and from the major sites in Iceland is by hitchhiking along the main roads. The country has a culture where hitchhiking is very common and considered safe, although it should only be done in summer.
Not only will waiting an indeterminate amount of time in freezing conditions in winter pose a significant risk to your safety, but you also endanger drivers who should not be pulling up on the snowy banks of an icy road. Considering the long, dark nights of Iceland in this season, you also have only a few hours in which you’ll be visible to be picked up. Moreover, you could get into serious problems if you're stuck out in the evening.
While hitchhiking in Iceland is generally considered safe, it is best limited to daylight hours in rural areas. Even in a country with low crime rates, urban environments such as Reykjavik at night can still carry some risk, as is the case with most cities.
- See also: A Hitchhiker’s Guide to Iceland
The Advantages of Traveling in Iceland Without a Car
There are many reasons travelers choose not to rent a car in Iceland. Some may not have a driver’s license, while others feel uneasy about driving on unfamiliar roads or navigating Iceland’s right-hand traffic.
For many, the thought of tackling winter conditions — icy roads, strong winds, and limited daylight — can be daunting. And for others, it’s simply about enjoying a stress-free vacation without the pressures of driving, navigating, or worrying about fuel stops.
Surprisingly, exploring Iceland without a rental car has several advantages that can make your trip more enjoyable, relaxed, and budget-friendly. From stress-free sightseeing to cost savings and guided experiences, here’s why skipping the car rental can actually enhance your Iceland adventure:
1. Stress-Free Exploration
Driving in a foreign country, especially one with unpredictable weather and challenging roads, can be overwhelming. Opting for guided tours or public transport allows you to sit back, relax, and fully enjoy the breathtaking scenery. There's no need to worry about navigating unfamiliar routes or fuel stops — just focus on the experience.
2. Access to Local Expertise
When you join day tours or multi-day packages, you gain the benefit of expert guides who share fascinating stories, hidden gems, and insider tips you might otherwise miss. Guides also know the best spots for photography, the safest routes, and the ideal times to visit attractions, making your experience richer and more rewarding.
3. Cost Savings
Renting a car, especially a four-wheel drive suitable for Iceland’s rugged terrain, can be expensive when you factor in fuel, insurance, and parking fees. By using organized tours, public buses, or shared airport transfers, you can often save money, especially if you’re traveling solo or on a budget.
4. Flexibility and Accessibility
Iceland’s well-developed tourism infrastructure caters to all types of travelers. Public buses connect major regions, while domestic flights can take you to far-flung destinations like the Westfjords or Akureyri. You can customize your trip with excursions, making it as flexible as you need.
5. Environmentally Friendly Options
Car-free travel helps minimize your carbon footprint. Shared buses are more eco-conscious alternatives to driving solo, allowing you to explore Iceland responsibly.
6. A More Enjoyable Journey
Without the pressures of navigation, weather concerns, and long hours behind the wheel, you can immerse yourself in Iceland’s beauty. Whether spotting the Northern Lights, hiking in the Highlands, or soaking in geothermal pools, car-free travel lets you focus on what truly matters on your Icelandic journey.
FAQs About Traveling Iceland Without a Car
Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about traveling in Iceland without a car.
Are There Ubers in Iceland?
Currently, there is no Uber or Lyft in Iceland. However, there are other methods of getting a ride without needing to rent a car.
Are There Taxis in Iceland?
Yes, there are a few taxi companies in Iceland you can utilize throughout your trip. However, while they're great for traveling short distances, they're not suited for reaching the more remote areas of the country.
Hreyfill and Taxi Reykjavik BSR are the two major taxi companies in Iceland. For Hreyfill, call (354) 588-5522, and for Taxi Reykjavik BSR, call (354) 561-0000.
Does Iceland Have Boats and Ferries?
There are several ferry transfers available across Iceland, though availability can vary. For example, this Baldur ferry transfer from Snafellsnes Peninsula to the Westfjords via Flatey Island is a great way to explore the Breidafjordur Fjord by boat.
Does Iceland Have Trains?
No, Iceland does not have any public railways. Of course, that doesn't mean public transit is nonexistent. As discussed previously, there are numerous buses traveling throughout the country, making it easy for Icelanders and visitors alike to get from one town to another.
Is Iceland Cyclist Friendly?
While there are many paved roads across Iceland for cyclists to enjoy, cycling must be done with caution and preparation. Some roads can be narrow and busy with traffic, while others can potentially be dangerous during wintertime due to the snow and ice. To learn more, check out our guide to cycling in Iceland.
If You Wish for a Car-Free Vacation, Visit Iceland
Not driving in Iceland doesn’t mean missing out. With day tours, vacation packages, bus passes, and other convenient options, it's entirely possible to experience the country’s incredible nature without renting a car. Iceland’s well-developed tourism infrastructure makes it easy to explore comfortably and confidently—no keys required.
Have you traveled to Iceland without a car? How did you get around Iceland? Do you have any recommendations for non-drivers? Let us know about your car-free Iceland vacation in the comments below!
