06 February 2020

Driving in Iceland

Travelling Iceland by car is the best way to get around if you plan to get around at all. If you want to explore at your leisure in this hostile landscape, it's important to do it safely.

While bus companies serve the country quite well, the whole point of visiting Iceland is to explore nature.

Driving in Iceland is not that much more complicated than anywhere else, you need to use common sense and follow the rules.

General information and advice for driving in Iceland
Types of roads and trails
Road signs
The choice of rental vehicle

General information and advice for driving in Iceland

Conduire en Islande

The F208 track near Landmannalaugar

Iceland only has as many roads as its small population needs, and aside from the ring road (number 1) that goes around the country, most are unpaved. Most unpaved roads can still be handled by a conventional vehicle, but this is a variable so plan ahead when leaving road number 1.

Speed limits

The maximum speed limit is 90 km/h on road number 1. Generally, the speed limit rules are as follows:

In urban areas: 50 km/h
On unpaved roads: 80 km/h
Outside urban areas: 90 km/h

While unpaved roads are limited to 80 km/h, don't expect to be driving at this speed. On some Icelandic off-road trails you can barely go faster than 30 km/h without risking damage to the vehicle.

Gasoline in Iceland

If you plan to break off from the main road, you must not forget to check the vehicle fuel level, as unlike in most of Europe the distances between villages (where gas stations are usually located) are sometimes huge, inland towards the center of the island in particular.

Also, you'll need to refuel much more frequently than your usual city car since a 4x4 vehicle navigating off-road trails will guzzle a vast amount of fuel.

The most cautious travelers even bring a full jerrycan of gas just in case.

As for payment, most stations are self-service and unmanned, and the pumps need a card with a four-digit PIN. If your card does not work, you can buy a prepaid fuel card inside a staffed station (N1 or Olis, for example). Also check whether your vehicle takes petrol or diesel before filling up.

More information on our gas station map

Driving in Iceland: An Overview

Paved highway stretching toward a cloud-capped mountain under heavy grey skies in Iceland

Road number 1, the ring road that follows the Iceland coastline

A few things to keep in mind about driving in Iceland:

All drivers, day and night, must keep their headlights on for better visibility.
The minimum age to rent a car in Iceland is 20, and 23 for off-road vehicles.
People drive on the right side of the road in Iceland.
Seat belts are mandatory in both front and back.
The use of a cell phone while driving is prohibited.
For children: a child's car seat must be rear-facing (facing away from the road) until at least 15 months old and 76 cm tall, and ideally up to 3 years old. Any child under 135 cm tall must be secured in a car seat (or booster) suited to their height and weight. Children under 150 cm must not sit in the front seat if the passenger airbag is active (the fine for inadequate equipment is 30,000 ISK).
Driving on unofficial trails, hors piste so to speak, is strictly prohibited.
A European driving license is of course valid in Iceland.
The legal blood alcohol limit is 0.2‰: in practice, even one drink can put you over the limit. The safest approach is not to drink at all before driving.
Speed cameras are common, and some are not signposted. The fine is sent to your rental company, which charges it to your card, often with a handling fee.
Never stop on the road or the shoulder to take a photo: use the marked pullouts and parking areas. Sudden stops are a common cause of accidents involving visitors.
Lights must be on all year round: the car's "auto" setting is not always enough, so check that both headlights and taillights are on.

Also, keep in mind that in Iceland, drivers never think in terms of distance but rather in terms of travel time: It takes 20 minutes to drive 30 km on road number 1, but over an hour and 15 minutes to cover the same distance on the F910 trail that leads to Askja.

Toll roads

Iceland has only two toll roads, both without barriers:

The Vaðlaheiði tunnel near Akureyri: 2,216 ISK per trip, paid online at tunnel.is within 24 hours of driving through.
The new Ring Road section at Hornafjörður near Höfn, opened in June 2026 and tolled since 1 September 2026: 1,500 ISK per trip for a vehicle under 3.5 tonnes. Cameras read the number plate and the bill is sent to the vehicle's owner; single trips can be paid on spolur.is.

The Hvalfjörður tunnel north of Reykjavik is free. With a rental car, ask your rental company how these tolls are billed.

Last but not least, here are the essential contacts you need to keep handy:

In Iceland, the emergency number is 112, to be called in the event of a problem on a trail for example.
1777 is the information number for live road conditions.
Road conditions info online is provided by Vegargerdin: http://www.road.is
Safety tips are available on the SafeTravel road safety site https://safetravel.is/

Types of roads and tracks

Vegagerðin road conditions map of southern Iceland with warning triangles, road numbers, Selfoss and Hella.

Generally speaking, it's hard to get lost in Iceland as there are simply not that many roads. A good road map or GPS is nevertheless essential to get around without having to read Icelandic road signs, as you have likely noticed the language is rather impenetrable to foreigners.

Overall, the roads are narrow, sometimes very narrow, and you often have to give way to vehicles coming from the opposite direction.

There are three main types of roads in Iceland:

Asphalt roads
Dirt, sand, or gravel roads
Trails for 4x4 vehicles

Of course, there are paved and fairly well-maintained roads near any city, and on the main thoroughfares such as the famous number 1 road. But off the beaten track, the conditions are variable.

Indeed, some roads are sandy and it is strongly recommended to drive slowly, under 50 km/h, as traction is greatly reduced and braking distances can become dangerous.

Other than sand and dirt, some tracks are ribbed, like driving on interminable panels of corrugated tin, which will shake everyone up in the cabin and once again reduce traction.

And last but not least are the off-road trails, infamously represented on maps by an “F”. These are reserved for 4x4 vehicles for obvious reasons: very rough road conditions and deep ford crossings that would drown a city car.

And beware the other most common road hazard in Iceland: sheep! There are plenty and this is their territory and sometimes you'll just have to wait for them to vacate the roads, so be nice...

If you see a lamb on one side of the road and a ewe on the other, slow right down: one is likely to cross to reach the other. If you hit livestock, you are legally responsible: you must report it and contact the nearest farm to find the owner, who will be compensated.

Single-lane bridges and roundabouts

There are many single-lane bridges, on and off the Ring Road. The speed limit across them is 50 km/h, so slow down in good time. The car closer to the bridge has the right of way, but watch what the other driver intends to do before you cross, and let them go first if they will clearly get there before you. Some tunnels, mainly in the Westfjords and North Iceland, are also single-lane with passing places.

In two-lane roundabouts, the inner lane has the right of way when exiting, so a car in the inner lane may cut in front of you to leave the roundabout.

Road signs

Conduire en Islande

One of the most common signs you will come across in your travels is “Malbik Endar”, which marks the end of smooth asphalt and the start of a dirt road. If you see one, slow down as the transition is often sudden and at high speeds with reduced traction you can lose control of the car in a split-second.
If your sign reads “Obruadar Ar”, look down and there should be water, as these indicate a ford crossing. There are a lot of fords, especially further inland, and while some are easily crossed with a 4x4, others are simply the end of the line for your party, so keep your wits about you. Similarly, depending on the weather and especially the rain, a ford that you crossed one day will not necessarily be crossable the day after.

Do not hesitate to ask your hosts or gas station staff for advice to find out if the fords you plan to cross are too deep for your vehicle. Many drivers will wait before a ford for another vehicle to come by so they can cross together in the event of a problem, while some even get out and walk into the water barefoot to feel out the optimal route.

Conduire en Islande

When it comes to the actual crossing process, 4-wheel drive transmission is simple to use. Shift to 4WD and slowly enter the water (slow enough to avoid building inertia). Describe a slight arc by first moving upstream before curving downstream to the exit point.

Keep a constant pace and adjust the acceleration as you go. You want to avoid going so fast that water rushes over the hood into the windscreen, but not so slow as to flood the engine. Ideally, learn by example and watch a few vehicles navigate a ford before you try it yourself.

The “Seinfarinn Vegur” sign indicates a dirt road that can be taken by a conventional vehicle but slowly and carefully.
“Illfaer Vegur” is the infamous sign indicating that the trail is strictly forbidden to conventional vehicles. Without a 4x4, do not risk it as you shall not pass.
Finally, the much rarer sign “Torleidi” indicates that the trail is among the most difficult and reserved to only the most hardy 4x4s.

Rain will of course make any road conditions considerably worse, so if the weather turns against you be sure to consult the road.is website to find out if a trail is clear at any given moment. This site also gives up-to-date information to find out if a trail is open or not.

Opening of inland trails

In fact, many trails are closed in winter and reopen from mid-May to mid-July. The table above lists the average opening date for a given trail.

Most inland trails are completely closed until mid-June or even early July. These are in fact considered dead-ends due to mud flow in the summer period that freezes over in winter, and require road maintenance before the trail is officially open.

When reopened, these remain reserved for 4x4 vehicles. As open/close dates change from year to year, check the www.road.is website regularly.

Wind, weather and winter driving

Wind is the hazard visitors underestimate most: a gust can slam a car door hard enough to bend the hinges or push a moving car across the road. Always hold the door firmly when you open it and park with the front of the car facing into the wind. Gusts above roughly 15 to 20 m/s are a reason to slow down or wait. In a sandstorm or ash storm, find a safe place to stop, keep doors and windows shut and let it pass. Damage from wind or blown sand is often excluded from basic rental insurance.

Check the weather and road conditions in the morning and a few times during the day, especially in winter when conditions change very quickly. Respect road closures ("Lokað" means closed), and do not rely on Google Maps alone, as it does not always show closed or impassable roads.

In winter, make sure your car has winter tires (studded tires are permitted from early November to mid-April). In December you may get only four to five hours of daylight, so keep your driving to daytime and do not overestimate how far you can go. Black ice forms mostly on bridges and in shaded dips: brake gently and leave plenty of space. If a storm closes in, stay with your car: it is shelter and easier for rescuers to find than a person on foot.

How to pick the right rental vehicle

Conduire en Islande

The F910 track leading to Askja

This is often the central question that visitors puzzle over before going to Iceland. In many ways, your vehicle type will determine where you can go and what you can see. Obviously, the most versatile rental will be the 4x4 to get around in winter or in summer if you're going off-road and off the beaten track.

There's no way to predict road conditions but if it snows at all (and this is Iceland), a 4x4 will get you out of tricky situations that would cripple a conventional vehicle.

In summer, it all depends on what you plan to see. If you want to drive around road number 1 and a few adjacent roads, a conventional vehicle will be just fine. For the most part, dirt roads are easily handled by conventional vehicles.

But as soon as you move away from these roads you will inevitably find yourself on an “F” trail and if you are not in a 4x4, you're in trouble. So 4WD cars are the best bet to stay safe, with a flexible itinerary, and traveling in total comfort.

Some “unmissable” tourist sites such as Landmannalaugar, Laki, Askja or Kerlingarfjoll, to name but a few, are only accessible by 4x4.

Just be sure to check with your rental company that the vehicle is sufficiently insured in the event of a problem on an off-road trail, as this is not the case for all rental companies. From time to time on these types of tracks you'll have to cross fords. Needless to say that attempting this with a traditional non-4x4 vehicle will leave you stranded or floating downstream.

Of course, 4x4 rentals are more expensive than standard cars, but the investment really makes sense in Iceland when you improvise your itinerary even a little bit. Access to 4x4 trails is indicated by signs, which are explained in the following article.

More information on our article about renting a vehicle in Iceland

Which rental agency?

Olive-green 4x4 SUV crossing a shallow ford near Landmannalaugar in the Icelandic Highlands

The ford of Landmannalaugar

There are many rental companies in Iceland, especially local ones. Some like Blue Car Rental have a very good reputation and better value for money than others. You have to do the math and consider all expenses: insurance (some do not include them), the condition of the car (some rental companies offer fairly old vehicles), and making sure there is a vehicle pick-up point at the airport.

Blue Car Rental offers the advantage of including all insurance packages (excluding SAAP), vehicles in good condition, and a fair price compared to others.

A great option for researching offers is aggregator platforms to compare prices from one company to the next. The Guide To Iceland booking site offers this exact comparison service, and their database covers all local rental companies.

Insurances

In addition to standard Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) insurance, which is often included in the rental price, there are optional insurances. Not all of them are essential but protection against sand/ash winds may be worth the investment in some regions such as the south near Vik.