Practical Information about Iceland

Passport and visa to Iceland

Most Western nationals don’t need a tourist visa for stays of less than 3 months int the Nordic countries. Among those nationalities who need a Schengen visa are Chinese and Indians.

Opening hours in Iceland

Laugavegur is the main shopping street in Reykjavik and runs through the city centre.

Weather in Iceland

In Iceland, the climate is dominated by two phenomena. The Gulf Stream creates normally refreshing summers and fairly mild winters

Tax free Shopping

In Reykjavik you will find more places to claim tax refund. In Keflavik Airport and shopping malls like Kringlan and Smáralind offices offers this service.

Internet & Wi-Fi in Iceland

Iceland is a very tech-savvy country with one of the highest rates of Internet usage in the world.

Bank & Currency in Iceland

The Banks in Iceland are generally open from Monday to Friday from 09.00-16.00. Currency exchange is available at all banks around the country.

In Airport Keflavik you will find exchange services outside regular banking hours at Landsbankinn during the hours of 05:30-17:00 and 21:00-02:00 (1st floor) or 05:30-17:30 and 22:00-01:00 (2nd floor- departure hall).

In Iceland the monetary unit are called Krona(ISK). The coins in circulation are 1, 5, 10, 50 and 100 Krónas. The notes are 500, 1000, 2000 and 5000 Krónas.

Credit cards in Iceland

Iceland has a very developed system regarding Credit and debit cards. In fact, credit card is useful for payment almost everywhere.
ATM ATM is easy to find in Iceland and please remember requirement of a PIN number for use. Iceland uses cards with the chip-and-pin system, which requires a 4-digit PIN for purchases.

If you only have the "swipe and sign" cards, you may wish to inquire about getting a chip-card from your bank or a major credit card issuer before travelling
Cash advance services Cash advance services for cardholders is available as follows:

To and from Reykjavik Int. Airport

Reykjavik Int. Airport at Keflavik is located 48 km from Reykjavik main centre.

What to Pack - Iceland

The weather in Iceland changes all the time but when the sun shines the is remarkably clear, so don`t forget sun protection.

Why go to Iceland

Many people might think it would be strange traveling to Iceland concerning its geographical location in the world. The image for Iceland is volcanoes, but Iceland including many other options.

Truly Iceland is a nature lover`s paradise including hot springs, glaciers, lave fields and waterfalls, which make the land surreal unspoiled landscape. Photographer’s artists are very much inspired by Iceland amazing nature.

On top the Icelandic people is a very friendly, helpsome and welcoming .Travellers seeking an adventure won‘t be disappointed, with miles of scenic...

Languages

In Icelandic the languages can quit a challenge. The official language is a North Germanic language similar to Old Norse that has changed little since Iceland’s settlement period. In fact, the most Icelanders know English and some Danish since these languages are mandatory subjects in primary schools.

Many Icelanders are also proficient in one of the other Nordic languages or in German, French, Spanish or Italian.

You generally don’t need a phrasebook to get around, but it doesn’t hurt to know a few simple Iceland words and phrases:

Já = Yes
N...

Phones

In Iceland you will find one of the highest rates of mobile phone usage in the world. Mobile phones works in all towns and virtually in all main travel routes. Vodafone offers 98% national coverage of GMS services.

Prepaid Sim Cards When you visiting Iceland you will feel more flexible, if you can use your mobile phone for local calls during your stay. Vodafone and Siminn purchase pre-paid SIM card. You can also purchase credit refill cards at most gas stations or convenience stores in Iceland (usually in denominations of 500, 1000, or 2000 ISK). With pre-paid Icelandi...

Electricity in Iceland

Iceland has Northern European electrical standards (50 Hz/240 volts) so some customers may need adapters for plugs or converters for electrical devices brought from home. These are available in many major hotels and guesthouses, electronic stores and some souvenir shops and bookstores.

Food and Restaurants

The food is just as varied as you would find in any capital city.

In Iceland meats are organic and locally produced, the lamb is especially popular.

Related to the surroundings Iceland serves some of the world’s freshest fish and seafood.

American fast food can be found almost everywhere and there are numerous restaurants with international cuisine from Thai to Indian. Vegetarians will also have no problem finding delicious, and often organic, meals.

Public Transport

Transport in Iceland In Iceland you will not find any trains. When visiting Iceland in general the tourist prefer take on a guided tour, rental a car or by bus.

The “Ring Road” Route 1, is the main highway that circles the island and connects most communities.

You will find offers for domestic flights by Air Iceland and Eagle Air also from the Reykjavik Airport to many towns around the country.

Tipping

You`ll in general not have any problems, because tipping in Iceland is just not common.

All service and VAT are invariably included in prices in Iceland.

Climate & Daylight in Iceland

In Iceland the Climate is dominate by two phenomenons.

The Gulf Stream creates normally refreshing summers and fairly mild winters. Anyway the weather can also be affected by the East Greenland polar curving south-eastwards round the north and east coasts.

It means sometimes the weather can change very sudden, and you have as tourist should be prepare by that. For weather info in English call: +354-902-0600 or visit the Met Office website.

Pharmacy

In Iceland you can find a apótek or lyfjaverslun name for pharmacy in most towns around Iceland.

Hours of operation are normally 10:00–18:00 Monday to Friday and 10:00–16:00 on Saturdays.

Emergency in Iceland

Emergency call If you need to call emergency in Iceland you have to dial 112. There is a medical centre or a hospital in all major cities and towns in Iceland.

If you contact The Icelandic Association for Search and Rescue (ICE-SAR) provide a GPS smartphone app called “112 Iceland” for reporting emergencies, like accidents or getting lost while driving or hiking in the highlands.

Post

In the most major communities in Iceland you will find Post offices.

The offices are normally open in the Reykjavik area 09:00 – 18:00 Monday – Friday, but post offices in smaller communities may open between 10:00-12:00 and close at 16:00.

It is also possible to buy stamps by many hotels, grocery stores, bookstores or tourist centres. Call 580-1200 or see http://www.postur.is for more information.

Drinking Water

In Iceland it is totally safe to drink cold water from the tap.

When travelling in Iceland you may notice a “rotten egg” smells when running hot water in a sink or shower—that is simply a naturally occurring smell from the geothermal water source, and it poses no health risks.