A Rookie’s Guide to Driving Around Iceland
The car changed everything in Iceland. No trains, patchy bus routes, almost no cycling infrastructure — if you want to actually see this country rather than just the bits near Reykjavík, you need to drive.
I’ve been coming to Iceland for over 13 years, but without a driver’s license most of that time, I was always seeing it through a window — hitchhiked rides, bus seats, my own two feet, even the odd domestic flight over landscapes that made me wish I could stop and get out. This summer I finally got behind the wheel myself.
It was brilliant, occasionally terrifying, and involved an undeniable number of gas station hot dogs. Here’s what I picked up along the way.
Embrace the Journey
In Iceland, the road genuinely matters more than the destination. At some point on any road trip here, the waterfalls and volcanoes start to blur into one another — it’s the route connecting them that gives everything shape. Don’t rush it.
Say you’re in Laugarbakki in the northwest, desperate for a toilet, already fantasising about Akureyri’s famous hot dogs. Google Maps will show you the fastest line between those two points. Ignore it. Take the option that says ’26 minutes slower,’ or even ‘two days slower’ if you can manage it.
Those longer routes push you through fjords, over mountain passes, and into settlements so small they barely appear on maps. You’ll end up on gravel roads with nothing around you but wind and light. That’s the point. That’s when Iceland actually gets under your skin.
Respect the Rules of the Road
The speed limits here will feel punishing if you’re used to motorway driving. In built-up areas expect 30–50 km/h (31 mph). Gravel roads cap at 80 km/h (50 mph), paved roads at 90 km/h (56 mph). Coming from somewhere you’d cruise at 70 mph or above, it can feel like driving through treacle.
But the limits exist for a reason — tourists have a genuinely poor accident record in Iceland, and the fines for ignoring the rules are severe. Going 26 km/h over the limit in a 30–35 km zone will cost you up to 23,544 ISK. Exceed the limit by 41 km/h in an 80–90 km zone and you’re looking at 83,310 ISK. Those are not numbers you want to explain to your travel insurance provider.
Drink driving is treated with equal seriousness. Iceland’s legal limit is 0.049 percent BAC — compare that to the UK’s 0.8 percent and you’ll understand how little margin there is. Being pulled over the morning after a heavy night is not a theoretical risk; it happens, and the consequences include heavy fines and possible imprisonment.
Rural police officers often have quiet roads and plenty of time. Speed traps and breathalyzer checkpoints appear where you least expect them. Drive accordingly.
Stay Alert
Even if you follow every rule perfectly, Iceland’s roads will still find ways to test you. Traffic jams are rarely the problem — it’s everything else. Sheep appear from nowhere and have absolutely no road sense. When you see warning signs for them, slow down before you need to.
The roads themselves can turn hostile without much warning: single-lane bridges, sudden flooding, landslides, and the occasional stretch where the tarmac just seems to give up. On longer rural sections, a functioning bladder is also worth factoring into your planning.
The practical answer to all of this is to slow down and stay ready for the unexpected. Keep your headlights on at all times. Tune into RÚV radio — you might hear Dolly Parton back-to-back with Basement Jaxx, which is as good a way as any to stay calm and focused. Iceland rewards drivers who are patient with it. Be one of those drivers.
