Driving in Iceland: Tips for Your Road Trip
If you are going to explore all the beautiful unworldly nature Iceland has to offer, you are going to need to rent a car. It’s the pretty much the only way to get around unless you opt in to do group tours that provide transportation. Don’t worry though, they drive on the right side of the road just like us! Fun fact: majority of Europe drives on the right side with the exception of 4 countries: the UK (England and Scotland), Ireland, Malta, and Cyprus.
RENTING A CAR
Renting a car is the best way to get around Iceland and allows for flexibility for your own self-driving tour. The easiest is to pick up and drop off at the airport. Cars do book up quicker in the summer so I would book in advance. I rented a regular compact car during the tail-end of summer and it worked perfectly. If you plan to visit during the winter months and/or go on F-roads, you will need a four-wheel drive (we talk more about the roads later). You can also book a camper van and road-trip around the country using the van as your accommodation. I will probably choose this option for my next trip to Iceland since I met a ton of people who did this and raved about how awesome it was!
WHERE TO RENT A CAR
There are a ton of car rental companies to rent from - there are the usual options like Avis, Budget, and Hertz. Or you can go on DiscoverCars and search the cars available for comparison. The local companies I’ve seen used a lot are Blue, Lotus, and HappyCampers. My biggest tip is to pay close attention to the cancellation policy, the deposit required upon arrival, and the insurance covered. One rental car company was going to charge me a $3,000 deposit at pick-up so I ended up cancelling my reservation and booked a new one. So be sure to read the fine print!
DOCUMENTATION TO DRIVE
A valid US driver’s license is required to drive in Iceland. I thought I needed an international driver’s license but I did not as long as you have an English printed valid license, you’re all set!
SPEEDING
Speed cameras are posted all around the roads throughout Iceland. You will notice there are hardly any police monitoring the roads while driving so if you speed, you won’t get pulled over but you will get a nice little ticket in the mail.
ROAD CONDITIONS
There are 3 types of roads in Iceland.
Most of the main roads, including the Ring Road (highway no. 1) are well-maintained and paved making it easy to drive on.
Roads that aren’t considered the main roads are usually gravel so drive slowly and cautiously.
Exploring the Highlands will be more challenging with river crossings and rough terrains. F-roads are roads that require a high-clearance, 4x4 vehicle and sometimes a river-crossing certificate. They are only open for a short time in the summer. My recommendation is to only take these roads if you have the experience and confidence as they are pretty rough and dangerous.
Adjust your car according to what sights you want to see and how comfortable you are driving. I personally stuck to the main roads and had to take some gravel roads in my compact car and was just fine!
WEATHER
The weather in Iceland is so unpredictable - check the radar and just be prepared for it to change on a dime. Honestly, the drive was breathtaking but my driving anxiety did get the best of me sometimes. Some of the drive will take you through cliffs with narrow roads and they don’t always have guardrails. To add onto that, it rains a lot and can be extremely windy (I’m talking 35 MPH winds). In a brief moment of panic, my mom had to remind me that the car is heavier than I thought and it won’t blow me off the road! If you get anxious like me - drive slow, take your time, pay attention and if people pass you, let them.
To check real time weather updates and road conditions, you can check this site out: https://safetravel.is/
GETTING GAS
The gas stations are basically your one-stop shop for all your road-tripping essentials: gas, restaurants, snacks, bathroom, etc. Since the country is so rural, they are few and far between so I would stop anytime you think you might need gas. All of the gas stations are automated self-service, so tap your phone or credit card and pump the green handle and be on your way.
RULES OF THE ROAD
Here are some basic rules that you should know that aren’t as common in the U.S.
Don’t stop in the middle or the side of the road for photos. And trust me, you’ll want to. There will be designated parking lots to pull over and park your car at.
Lights on your car are required to be ON at all times.
It is illegal to drive off road, it’s considered a crime and you could face large fines. So just stay on the designated roads and you’ll be fine!
There are a TON of roundabouts. There will be two lanes within the roundabout: the outside lane is used if you are exiting the roundabout at the first exit and the inside lane is for all exits after that. Easy enough!
Their road signs also differ so it might be helpful to brush up on them before you go or bookmark this site: https://safetravel.is/driving/road-signs/
Driving in Iceland is similar to driving in the mountains in the U.S. It might seem scary at first but you’ll get the hang of it and you’ll never be bored with the constant change of scenery and unpredictable weather!
