Travel tips & info for Iceland, 2024

Travel Tips for Iceland

Entry Requirements

A passport valid at least three months beyond intended stay, is required for visitors to Iceland.

Travel between countries participating in the Schengen cooperation is allowed without formal passport control including Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Germany.

For additional information on passport and visa requirements see Icelandic Directorate of Immigration website www.utl.is.

Weather

The Icelandic climate is warmer than the name suggests, thanks to the Gulf Stream.

Summers in Iceland are rather cool, while the winters are relatively warm. The average monthly summer temperature ranges from 10 to 13 °C. Winters in Iceland usually have temperatures about 0°C.

Iceland’s most influencing weather element is the wind. The Icelandic language describes at least eight different degrees of wind, from logn (calm breeze) to rok (strong gale).

Iceland’s northern latitude means it experiences big differences between winter and summer daylight hours. From May to August, you won’t see much darkness and in the month of June the sun never fully sets in the north. Conversely, in peak winter expect only about four to six hours of daylight but the possibility of seeing the Northern Lights on a clear night. Spring and fall daylight hours are normal.

Clothing

The key to dressing for Iceland’s climate is layering, regardless of season. Lightweight woolens, rain- and windproof jacket & trousers, and good walking/hiking shoes are essential if you plan to do any touring in nature.

When traveling to Iceland in winter you should bring along a warm overcoat, hat, scarf, gloves, and socks (preferably made of wool) as well a sweater and/ or cardigan, and weatherproof shoes. Long thermal underwear (a shirt and pants), a layer of fleece on top.

In summer, carry a light, and preferably water-resistant, jacket.

As trails are not common, sturdy walking shoes for trekking & hiking are needed. Else comfortable sneakers are convenient. Sometimes even rubber boots can be of use.

Good to bring casual clothes for going out. Always bring a bathing suit! Icelanders’ favorite pastime year-round is outdoor swimming in the countless geothermally-heated pools and lagoons.

Currency

The Icelandic monetary unit is the krona (plural kronur), which is abbreviated Kr or ISK.

Denominations of notes are 500, 1000, 2000, 5000, 10.000 kronur, and coins are minted in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 50, 100 kronur.

Money can be easily exchanged at the airport, bank and currency exchanges. All major credit cards are accepted and can be used to pay for virtually anything – except the public buses. Electron, Maestro and edc debit cards are increasingly being accepted by merchants.

ATM/Bank machines are found in most banks and many other locations throughout the country. Look for the Hradbanki sign.

Please note that you must have your pin code when payingbydebitorcreditcards.

Business, Banking, Shopping hours & Medical Attention

Banks are open Monday through Friday from 09:00am to 04:00pm. As general rule offices are open from 09:00 to 17:00, in some cases during the summer these hours are from 08:00 to 16:00.

Shopping in Reykjavik can be done in Kringlan or Smaralind Shopping mall or Laugavegur shopping street. Laugavegur is located downtown while Kringlan is about 10 minutes away and Smaralind 20 minutes away, driving distance.

Some food stores are open to 23:00 seven days a week or even 24 hours in the larger towns. Shopping malls, souvenir and bookshops in the city center are open on weekends. There are medical centers or hospital in all major cities and towns in Iceland. The 24-hour emergency phone number in Iceland is 112. Pharmacies are called ‘Apotek’ and are open durinWg normal business hours. See also www.safetravel.is.

Tax-free shopping & Tipping

A refund of the local Value Added Tax is available to visitors to Iceland. The refund will result in a reduction of up to 15% of the retail price, provided departure from Iceland is within 30 days after the purchase is made. The purchased amount must be no less than ISK 6.000,(VAT included) per sales receipt, and all goods (except woolens) must be packed in sealed bags or containers.

In Iceland gratuity is always included in the bill, therefore tipping is not required. This applies to everything: restaurants, taxis, cafés, room service and more. However if you do feel that you have received excellent service and would like to tip, Icelanders are generally not offended if they are offered a tip and will appreciate a tip & gladly accept it.

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Practical Information

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Iceland is on Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) throughout the year, and does not adjust to daylight saving time

Icelandic is the national language of Iceland although English and Scandinavian languages are widely spoken

The tap water in Iceland is safe to drink

Electricity in Iceland runs on 220 volts; 50 Hz AC. Icelandic electrical plugs are of the rounded, European two-pin type

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All taxis accept credit cards and must be reserved in advance. In some major cities and towns there are also taxi stations where you can line up to get a car

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Wine, beer and spirits are sold in government stores called “Vinbudin”. The age limit for buying alcohol is 20 years. Smoking is not permitted in public buildings or other places open to the public. The age limit for buying tobacco is 18 years.