Good to know

When travelling by car in Iceland one must familiarize themselves with traffic rules and regularly check the road conditions.

To check the road conditions and closures on this interactive map at umferdin.is. Alternatively, you can also call the Icelandic Road Administration (phone: 1777) during weekdays.

Drivers must pay attention when encountering:

Sheep on the road: If drivers encounter sheep on the road, they must slow down and gently honk the horn as this will alert the sheep to run to the side of the road. If they notice that a sheep is on one side of the road and a lamb on the other side, they should expect that the sheep or the lamb will run to the other side. If a driver hits a sheep, they must call 112. Drivers can be held liable for hitting sheep.

Single-lane bridges: Single-lane bridges must be approached slowly and with caution. The general rule is that the car closer to the bridge has the right of way. After that, vehicles on each side take turns crossing. Have a look at this video to familiarize yourself with single-lane bridge safety.

Tunnels: There are currently 14 open road tunnels in Iceland. Tunnels are usually build under mountains to prevent winter isolation of remote communities which would otherwise have to depend on high roads that are often closed due to snow, to shorten distances between communities, and to increase road safety by bypassing dangerous stretches of road. Hvalfjörður Tunnel, is a tunnel under a fjord, and is among the longest underwater roads in the world. Learn more about tunnels and road safety in tunnels by clicking here.

Single-lane tunnels: Single-lane tunnels in Iceland have frequent passing places, where vehicles pull over to allow oncoming traffic to pass. Passing places are usually spaced around every 100-150 meters, allowing drivers to pull to the side when they encounter an approaching vehicle. In single-lane tunnels, right-of-way rules are very specific. The vehicle closest to a passing place , on your side (right side of the road), is required to stop to let the oncoming vehicle pass. In many cases, signage or lights at the tunnel’s entrance will indicate right-of-way and give instructions for drivers.

Due to the narrow space and possible oncoming traffic, speed limits are strictly enforced, and drivers must go slowly. Some of these tunnels are equipped with good lighting, but visibility can still be challenging. Drivers should enter slowly, keep their headlights on, and be prepared to yield.

Roads in the Central Highlands are called F-roads (i. fjallvegir). F-roads are mountain and gravel roads only accessible for 4×4 (AWD) vehicles. F-roads are difficult to drive as the terrain is rough, and the roads often have potholes meaning it takes a long time to drive them.

It is important to plan a route in advance and know how long it will take. Keep in mind the average speed for cars on F-roads is rarely over 40km/hr.

Before driving on F-roads, tourists must always check the conditions of their rental car agreement to see whether they are allowed to drive on F-roads or not.

During winter, the Icelandic Highlands are impassable. Most of the roads open between late May and late June (depending on the weather).

Once the roads are open in summer, driving in the Highland requires experience in addition to a proper vehicle (AWD vehicle with good ground clearance).

Many roads in the Central Highlands have river crossings. If the driver does not know how to cross a river, they should turn around and not attempt to cross the river. No insurance covers the damaged caused by river crossings.

If an emergency occurs while driving on an F-road, call 112 for Iceland’s emergency services. Off-road driving is forbidden in Iceland due to safety and nature preservation factors. Always follow marked roads and pay attention to any posted warnings or road signs. Keep a charged phone in the car at all times in order to call for help if needed.

Make sure to check out the Highland Driving information from safetravel

Popular F-roads (road number)	Opening date earliest	Opening date latest
Kjölur (35)	May 24th	June 15th
Sprengisandur (F26)	June 20th	July 9th
Landmannaleið via Dómadalur (F225)	May 28th	July 14th
Sigalda towards Landmannalaugar (F208)	May 24th	June 20th
Other F-roads	see here

Weather warnings

The weather in Iceland can change rapidly meaning it is very important to be alert and check the weather forecast before and while travelling. Wind and more specifically, wind gusts can be particularly dangerous. Read more about weather in Iceland here. For easily accessible information about wind gusts check out the wet.is website.

Staying warm

Health care is available throughout the country at health care centres (i. heilsugæsla) and hospitals (i. spítala) . People are encouraged only to got to a hospital in emergency situations. Health care centre’s have scheduled opening hours for same-day appointments. Click here for an interactive map where you can access information about locations of health care canters, opening hours, and emergency services across all Iceland.

The Medical watch office (i. Læknavaktin) is located in Reykjavik. They offer medical consultations via phone daily and on site services outside working hours on week days in addition to weekends and all public holidays. Phone: 1700 and 1770.

Health insurance: The Icelandic healthcare system uses a co-payment system which reduces costs for people who frequently need to access healthcare. Citizens from EU and EEA/EFTA countries must have their European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) to avoid being charged in full. Travel insurance is advised for all non-EEA/EFTA visitors if medical attention is needed. Note that without insurance papers travellers will pay full cost for services.

Medicine is obtained at pharmacies (i. apótek) which are widely accessible during normal business hours.

Click here for more information about health care in Iceland.

Sneaker waves: are a natural phenomenon which happen at the Reynisfjara beach due to strong currents and the underground cliff just offshore, which adds to the pulling effect of the wave. which can result in sneaker waves. The waves are so powerful that they can sweep people into the ocean when coming too close. There is a warning sign with flashing light indicators that indicate hazard levels from low (green) to high or extreme hazard (red). Check out more about safety and sneaker waves here.

Geothermal areas: The heat levels at geothermal active areas is often around 100°C (212 Fahrenheit) meaning it is important for tourists to avoid contact with the hot water or the sulphurous mud pools, a person could suffer serious burns. Meaning it is hazardous to leave the path in these areas.

Slippery trails: Walking paths and trails can be slippery when wet so walk with caution when trails are wet. And during winter, trails are often icy, in particular near waterfalls. Therefore, it is recommended to use ice cleats or ice grips.

Volcanic activity: Generally speaking volcanic activity is limited to specific areas and are rarely any threat to the general public. Iceland’s authorities are dedicated to researching and constantly monitoring volcanoes making it one of the safest countries when it comes to volcanoes. It is however very important to monitor and mind any and all alerts and instructions from the Icelandic Meteorological Office. The best way to ensure safety is to recommend a local licensed guide.

Travellers must follow the instructions on warning signs and respect rails and fences , they are there for a reason.