Things You Should Know Before Getting a Snake
UPDATE on COVID travel restrictions: February 25 2022.
Bang-up news, guys! Iceland does not take ANY covid restrictions to enter the country now. There are no tests, no limits for gathering, no hourly restrictions and fifty-fifty no masks required!
If you feel whatever symptoms while in Iceland, you lot tin social club a free antigen-test. Y'all can read more than data on the official site hither.
Going to Iceland? Great option, the beauty of this country volition leave you speechless, I can hope yous that!
What transportation option should y'all cull? Let's come across: Republic of iceland has no trains, buses are nigh non-existent, hitchhiking, although possible, can be frustrating as there are non that many empty vehicles passing past. Thus, there is no better mode to explore this 100,000 foursquare km island (40,000 foursquare miles) than past rental car! After you decided to rent a automobile in Iceland, read on!
Out of all the countries I visited, I loved traveling by rental motorcar in Republic of iceland in particular because it gives yous the freedom to choose your ain road and the flexibility of doing things at your own step. Not to mention that Icelandic roads take you to some out-of-this-globe landscapes, and so finding the right car rental for your journey will actually make your entire experience better!
By the way, if you lot have decided to hire a machine in Iceland for an epic vacation, I as well accept some pretty detailed posts that will help you programme your Icelandic vacation twenty-four hours by day with distances prices, accommodation suggestions and more and so if yous demand help with that, start here!
Here in this post, I take put together a guide on how to rent a motorcar in Iceland, which rental car company to pick and which type of automobile to cull depending on your trip and activities.
Outset of all, I recommend checking out RentalCars – it is a price aggregator that offers price comparisons of all all-time motorcar rental companies available for your dates. You tin also filter out car types, price limits, location, etc.
NOTE:You lot must exist at least 21 years former in order to rent a automobile in Republic of iceland! (If you are from Europe/Northward America or basically if your driving license are in Latin letters, International license are not required. If your allow is in Chinese/Japanese or other script, you need to obtain the International i get-go).
Check out this video delight, even though information technology is ix min, information technology is FUN and it covers pretty much everything:
ane. Think Alee When You Plan on Renting a Automobile in Iceland!
Each twelvemonth more and more than tourists come up to the "Land of Ice". Even though there are many automobile rental companies in Iceland (mostly in Reykjavik or most Reykjavik Airport), the most efficient cost-performance options will exist sold out rapidly.
And you want to be among the ones to get the best bargain, correct?
If yous know for sure y'all are going, booking in advance (even a yr in accelerate!) is the best choice, especially if y'all are visiting in the high flavour!
Call back, if you rent with RentalCars, virtually of the fourth dimension you will be able to cancel your booking with no charges, but concluding minute choice will non become you a good deal.
The before you manage to book it, the cheaper your car rental will be. In that location is no such affair equally a last minute deal in Iceland, trust me!
It does not matter how far in advance yous are planning, you can already check the rates for your dates now:
Notation:Bank check out BONUS ii below to choose the most convenient Republic of iceland car rental type for you and for the type of excursion you are going to take.
This might exist obvious, but if you want to further reduce the cost of your auto rental, invite your friends to join the journey! You will do good twice by sharing this amazing journey with the people you honey, and by reducing the cost of transportation per person! In my case, we went in a group of 4 and it was pretty crawly!
PRO TIP: Most rental car companies are located direct in Keflavik International Airport (which is the name of the Reykjavik International Aerodrome). Renting a car as before long as you land makes sense because getting to Reykjavik city is about 25€ per person with the motorcoach/minibus and around 140€ for a private transfer.
And then, you lot have already chosen your all-time car rental and yous are ready to become exploring?
Great! Now, don't argue, merely get the gravel road insurance (also considerash and ice insurance if you are going in the winter, sand and ash insurance in the summer or in an areas with a lot of volcanic ash). Beneath is a hack on how to significantly lower the insurance toll for your machine rental, so read on.
Gravel roads are roads that are adept plenty to drive on (and commonly lead to a spectacular natural wonder!), but they are full of little rocks. Information technology but takes one little stone thrown on the trunk of your rental car, or worse – on your windshield, to open a crack that will make you need to pay for a new windshield/paint job. The aforementioned goes for the ash and ice in high winds. Those act exactly like rocks and tin can damage your motorcar in no time.
Most Icelandic car rental agencies give you the pick to buy insurance in their online class, Simply I recommend doing the post-obit:
- Check if your personal vehicle insurance covers machine rentals. Some practise and that would save you lot a lot of money;
- Cheque if your credit carte covers overseas car insurance (yous tin can call the bank directly if you are not sure). Brand sure to read the fine print likewise!;
- If yous do need to purchase the insurance, here is my expert tip for you lot – use Bonzah or Allianz. These ii are 3rd-party insurance providers with MUCH amend rates than buying it at the car rental desk – it starts from 3 USD per twenty-four hours instead of 27€ that we paid. NOTE: Make sure the insured person is the one in the rental contract and you demand to buy the insurance Earlier you start driving, and y'all are good to go!
Here are a few simple tips for safe driving on gravel roads in Iceland:
- Endeavor to keep your speed low enough not to throw rocks into the sides of your own auto;
- When driving in behind another car, keep a big enough distance from the car in front of yous so that the rocks thrown with their rear tires don't attain your hood or windshield.
You can also opt for theft insurance for your car in Iceland, but to be honest, Republic of iceland is a very prophylactic land, and almost of the cars have GPS trackers. Thefts are rare, if any. It's up to yous if you want to get the theft insurance, that's fine, I only laid out the facts for you.
PRO TIP: This holds true for whatever country you decide to rent a car in, but I highly recommend and I ALWAYS exercise it myself – accept pictures of your machine before you lot are handed the key. Any small scratch that was not protocoled tin be used against you after. Trust me, I've been there, done that! Ameliorate nevertheless, take pictures and a video!
3. Sentry Out For Sheep, Horses And Birds On The Road
Did you think it was that like shooting fish in a barrel?! Like in a Super Mario game, y'all will encounter all kinds of fauna that desire to delay y'all!
Republic of iceland has many sheep roaming gratis in the warm season. In fact, once you get out of the Golden Circle, you lot will probably meet more than sheep than people! They are complimentary to graze wherever they please, and that ways they will cross the roads sometimes (read: many times!).
Whenever y'all run across sheep nearby, I strongly suggest you slow down and pay actress attention. An angry ram can damage your Iceland car, or, every bit stories go, people accept flipped cars with their wheels up trying to avert sheep.
Same goes for horses (who are sometimes moved around pastures on the roads) and fifty-fifty birds which fly low.
Watch out in the evening; we were one time surprised past 2 owls that flew over the road at low altitude at sundown. Luckily we had enough time to slow down and let them pass! They got to go back to their nest and we got to give our rental car back without a scratch. 🙂
4. Avoid Speed Traps
Iceland has a number of fixed speed traps and police cars which patrol the Ring Road and they're virtually always equipped with mobile detectors.
At present I will share with you the ultimate style of fugitive stock-still and mobile cameras. Are you set?
The best way to avert getting a speeding fine is staying within the speed limit (which is xc km/h (56 ml/h) on highways. Hah, bet you didn't encounter that i coming! 😉
If you do become a fine, yous volition non know information technology right away, but your automobile rentals visitor will charge your menu a few weeks afterwards your trip. Quite an unpleasant surprise and we do not want that to happen, right??
As the fines are big, you lot should really consider this betoken. Here is your "cost menu" for all the fines. Driving at a reddish light? 50K ISK. Not using seatbelts? 20K ISK etc.
NOTE: The fixed cameras are always signaled a few hundred meters earlier you meet them. In that location is a specific sign letting you lot know there will be a detector well in advance, so keep your optics open up!
The best style to avoid a ticket is of course, to follow the rules – do not speed up, use your cruise control (I highly recommend choosing a car that is equipped with information technology past the fashion!), it will make your life then much easier!
5. Fuel Up in Accelerate!
Depending on which route you are taking, specially if going through the mountains, check ahead where the next gas station volition exist, don't exit it to chance!
I remember quite well that there are parts of near 250 km, somewhere on the Ring Route, where we didn't run across any gas stations at all!
The good thing was that my auto'southward GPS had an choice to show me where the closest gas station was; it was really convenient! Please practise non forget to go on an eye on the fuel meter, – even if it volition be a funny story for your friends, it won't be funny if yous can't move your machine in the middle of nowhere on a deserted road.
If you lot practice not have a GPS in your car, that is OK! Merely install maps.me app on your smart telephone (it works offline) or download your Google map and then that it is available for offline usage, here is a comprehensive video how to do it.
There are self-service gas stations (most of them are like this) that work 24 hours and you just need to pay with a credit menu. There are too larger gas stations where yous can buy some snacks and hot-dogs and maybe even connect to costless Wi-Fi – in this case, you have to make full your car first and so become to the cash annals to pay. By the way, you can check the electric current gas price here (it is well-nigh 1,7 USD per liter or vi,5 USD per gallon, so, quite expensive).
PRO TIP: Talking about gas stations – equally a bonus, y'all should know that about gas stations have a free self-carwash in Republic of iceland! It'south quite well organized and it pays off to clean your car every few days. The roads and the atmospheric condition in Iceland take their toll on the cars' exteriors.
6. Before Yous Rent a Machine in Iceland – Check if You Have Any Mileage Limits
This is verrry important!
Think that some automobile rentals impose mileage limits. This might be really inconvenient if you are going to cover a lot of basis each twenty-four hour period, and information technology can bring your rental price much college. Remember to ask and bank check ahead if you take chosen such a visitor to hire from.
PRO TIP:Many car rentals offer 2 types of rentals: limited mileage or unlimited mileage. Unremarkably, the difference in rates between the 2 is small and information technology represents the deviation you lot would pay if you traveled an extra 10 km. Thus, I would say to become for the unlimited pick, unless the limit is somewhere at 250-300 km per day or if you know exactly how many km (miles) you are going to drive.
seven. Don't Stop In The Middle Of The Road To Take Pictures
The island-country is full of beautiful spots who but beg you to terminate and take a film. We are all tempted by this, I as well wanted to stop and take a picture literally every 100 meters.
When you do terminate, please cease in a place where you know you won't cake traffic. There are plenty of side roads and parking lots. I have seen many tourists stopping more or less in the center of the road and casually opening their doors to take pictures. Information technology is quite unsafe, particularly equally sometimes the roads are narrow.
8. Be Prepared For Rapid Atmospheric condition Changes
Allow'southward confront it – Iceland has very specific atmospheric condition conditions. It can be sunny 1 minute, and heavily raining the next, making everything slippery. Not to mention that you lot tin can bulldoze your machine in Iceland in clear weather and just wake up in a thick layer of fog after a few curves!
Keep in listen that the safest style to tackle the weather weather condition in Republic of iceland is to match your speed to the electric current weather. Sometimes, maybe yous will fifty-fifty have to stop for a few minutes, until the visibility returns or the wind speeds slow downwardly.
The best website to bank check the conditions conditions that is used by all the locals is road.is – it non only gives y'all weather info past region, but also upwardly-to-date information virtually route conditions (especially important later October, when roads can easily close in no time).
BONUS 1: Choosing the Correct Type of Car for Your Iceland Trip
What is the ideal motorcar rental company in Republic of iceland, which is the cheapest car hire? Which blazon of car to cull? There are and then many options!
The kickoff question you should ask yourself is "Which type of activities am I probable to do in Republic of iceland?"
If you merely plan one thing most your Iceland vacation, and so program the car!
As I experienced, there arefour types of journeys and four types of cars suited for them.
Let'due south see – which ane are y'all?
1. You are an off-route warrior. An adventurer
TYPE OF ACTIVITY: Practice yous like going on hard roads and climbing steep mountain slopes, hiking and using your tent to sleep overnight?
Do yous want to have the ultimate Iceland experience by going outside of Reykjavik and through the middle of the country, and set up upwards camp in the mountains instead of sleeping in hotels?
RECOMMENDED Car: You accept a choice and one choice only: you demand a car that tin can attain the Icelandic F-roads (a type of road I will describe later). Please note that you really CANNOT use a 2WD on a F-road because your normal car might not make it, and most chiefly, if something happens to your 2WD NO insurance will cover the cost, it clearly states in all contracts that 2-wheelers are not allowed there.
Thus, your choice should be aiv×4 (an all-cycle drive).There are a broad variety of SUV rentals in Iceland that offer 4w4 cars. It is not allowed to drive any other type of car on these F-roads, and for good reason. Of course, the bigger the automobile, the more than interesting and fun it will be, but it also depends on your budget.
PRICE PER DAY: 65-130€ per day for the cheaper models, or up to 150-250€ per day for the loftier stop options, depending on the flavor.
As I mentioned above, there are two sites where you tin compare all the deals and choose the all-time prices according to your needs and dates
The closer yous get to the peak season (July – August), the more expensive cars can get!
2. You're looking for a comfortable trip, along Republic of iceland'south Ring Road
TYPE OF Action: Yous are doing the classic Ring Road outside of Reykjavik and you are going to accept alternative routes, or gravel roads to meet fjords, waterfalls or other natural wonders only occasionally?
RECOMMENDED Auto:a2WD would suffice. You lot can choose any of the "normal" cars depending on your budget and the comfort level you are looking for. That was the one that I took. Automatic or manual? It is absolutely upward to your preference – transmission tend to be nearly 10% cheaper though.
PRICE PER Twenty-four hour period: fifty to 100€ per mean solar day, again, depending on the model and the flavor.
3. You are on a quick trip only around Reykjavik
TYPE OF ACTIVITY: You lot don't take much time and will non wander more the Aureate Circle? Are y'all searching for the cheapest automobile rental in Iceland and you're only planning to bulldoze in Reykjavik or very close to Reykjavik?
RECOMMENDED Auto: You are almost surely going to exist fine with thecheapest tiniest car. Unless, of form, you need more comfort (and possibly more room for your baggage)
Cost PER Twenty-four hour period:Expect to pay anywhere between 50 to 180€ depending on the model and the season (This is the cheapest car rental price in Republic of iceland, unless you lot find some super limited promotion)
4. You honey traveling by campervans
Type OF ACTIVITY: If you don't mind spending a dark in your car, renting a campervan might be but what you need! A huge part of our Iceland budget went to accommodation and you tin hands save up on that! Camping sites in Iceland are actually clean and well taken care of (and costs about 7-9 euros per person).
RECOMMENDED Auto: How about renting a van in this example?
Again, RVs can be hire at both the International Airport and in Reykjavik centre, whichever you lot adopt
Price PER DAY:from 90€ per day for a minor one (two people), most 200€ a solar day for a bigger i (up to 5 people). From 300€ for a motorhome (toilet, hot shower, sink and stove all included). Campervans are not inexpensive and of course they're more expensive than normal cars and they consume more than gas, but overall it should be cheaper considering you lot will not pay for lodging, especially considering you lot are a grouping of 4 or more.
Cheque Guide To Iceland and Outdoorsy – both offer the nigh amazing variety of campervan, cost comparing characteristic and great reviews!
| 🚗 Economic system car: | €fifty-100 |
| 🚜 4×4 toll: | €65-130 |
| 🚐 Campervan toll: | from €200 |
| 👶 Driving historic period: | xx |
| ⛽ Gas price: | ane,8 € per l. or half dozen.3€ per gl. |
| ✈️Cost of traveling: | Loftier |
| 👍 Nearly popular car: | Hyundai Accent or like |
BONUS two: Iceland Car Rental During the Winter Time
Even if I did non personally visit Iceland in the common cold flavor (yet!), I take asked around most the tiptop practices of driving in Iceland in the winter. The scenarios will be very different than in the summertime, and information technology'southward very probable you will run into the Aurora Borealis (!!).
UPDATE: We have just published a full post on driving in Iceland in the winter, check it out, it has quite some wisdom into information technology! 😉
You just need to be smart and careful then here is what you need to know:
- Go for a 4×4 car. Call up that the weather can change and yous are far up north, then the possibility of heavy snow is big;
- Always check the road.is website or Veður App. Information technology provides the best report on the road weather of your road;
- If you are given the choice rent a vehicle with studded tires. That volition assistance a lot on the icy roads;
- Speaking of icy roads, don't get fast. You are in a new state, you don't know the roads and where ice could be so go on it rubber;
- Fuel up all the time. Better safe than sorry!
- Daylight is limited. Brand the most of it by driving in the hours with light;
- Watch out for animals in the nighttime;
- Brand a stash of snacks, water and even blankets. Iceland is a very adult country, but even there, in case you are stuck, information technology can take some fourth dimension until someone reaches you.
Please don't cede your safety for fiscal reasons. In that location are some great rates for 4×four cars that y'all tin can easily compare for all Iceland car rental agencies in one click here.
By post-obit those prophylactic guidelines you are in for a great experience, it volition feel like time stopped, along with the frozen waterfalls! I tin't look to get back myself in the common cold season, so I can come across the Aurora Borealis!
Essential packing list for visiting Iceland!
If yous are going to travel in the wintertime, there are a few items that you need to take with you. And since in Republic of iceland these volition be quite expensive (an Icelandic wool sweater will rarely get nether 180€), I suggest getting them from home. Call back that it'due south going to be very (very!) cold and windy, so you'll need to dress in layers and be able to maintain a comfortable warmth at all times.
P.S. I actually have a super detailed post on what to pack for your Republic of iceland trip (it is all seasons and gender specific too!) – check it out hither.
Here you go, your packing list for winter time in Republic of iceland:
- A proper warm jacket. Information technology has to be waterproof, windproof, well insulated, and it has to wait proficient besides 🙂
- Fleece
- Body thermal shirts
- Snow boots – they have to be comfortable, let your feet breath and also practical both on snow and on dry surfaces
- Proper winter socks – you don't want to get sweaty and then cold in the winter
- Thermal Leggings
- Hiking pants – also demand to be waterproof and windproof
Where to rent a car in Iceland?
Every bit I mentioned above, I propose using price aggregators because this mode you lot tin can compare all the prices in one click. What'due south cool about them is that they offering a best-toll guarantee and usually some better customer service in example something goes incorrect (they are basically a middleman- in the chain betwixt yous and the machine rental company, and they protect the customer, thus, yous). So if you take any questions or something'south non as you wanted it to be, you lot tin always contact their customer service!
The cheapest manner to hire a car in Iceland is, as I said, booking every bit much in advance as possible and the most user-friendly identify to rent a auto would exist either Keflavik International Airdrome or Reykjavik city. You lot can besides find some automobile rental companies in Akureyri, simply it will be much more expensive there.
Staying connected while on the route
Do you really need internet while on the route in Iceland?
I recommend turning this trip intro a proper holiday and NOT getting a special sim-carte/roaming – but savour the views from your window, yous are in for a treat, seriously! Merely make certain y'all have a GPS in your car or you have offline maps downloaded in your phone (maps.me is simply awesome for this!) and yous are skillful to go!
If, however, y'all prefer to take cyberspace to listen to your favorite music/podcasts or but post those stunning pictures on Instagram while on the route (Iceland has a pretty proficient coverage everywhere)? No problem, there are a couple of options:
- Go a local sim card with net connection. Toll – around 17 USD for 2 GB internet in Siminn. Disadvantage – you would need to go 1 for each passenger in the car. Yous could share wi-fi to other devices just it will drain your battery really fast.
- Become a portable wi-fi hotspot. We had that and information technology was shared to iv people (well, actually, three, because the commuter didn't utilize the cyberspace, duh). Yous can either hire it from your car rent company (check add-ons) or buy the device at home and use information technology for your hereafter travels also (you lot but demand to insert the sim card)!
As well, bank check if you tin can accuse your devices in the automobile (most of the cars are equipped with it), if not, you lot might consider gettin a portable power bank with you as well!
What is the best time to go to Iceland?
I went in August and I institute it to be the most pleasant time to visit – y'all can savour a never-catastrophe day, the weather is mild and all the roads (and the attractions) are open.
True,July and August is the most pop and touristy season, only it is touristy for a reason – it is pretty much the merely month when information technology is non freezing there! 🙂 Plus, touristy means a different affair in Republic of iceland – you can even so drive for hours and not run across some other car despite beingness in the high season. CONS: Car hire prices are likewise the highest and the chances of seeing the Aurora Borealis are most non-real in August. Merely hey, at least it is relatively warm and there is sun!
If you want to avoid higher prices and adaptation, I would suggest visiting in the shoulder flavorJune or September,when the weather should however be fine.
Fast facts
- Driving historic period in Iceland – 20 years old to rent a car, 25 to rent a 4WD (note that you might be charged a "immature driver fee" if you lot are 21 to 25 years onetime, check with your visitor please)
- In Republic of iceland they are drivingon the right
- Amount of alcohol allowed to drive –0.05% (small glass of wine. But I would not effort information technology at all as the fine is about 500 USD)
- Emergency number in case of an accident – 112
- Gas prices –1,seven USD per liter (6,5 USD per gallon)
- Any child betweenthirteen kg (29 lb) should be secured in a frontward-facing child seat
- Driving limits –90 km/h (55 ml/h) on highways, eighty (49 ml/h) on gravel roads
- Most gas stations are open up from to 8 am to8 pm (self-service is open 24h, only the only payment would exist with a Pin banking company menu)
- The Ring Road is1300 km (800 ml)
FAQs about car rental in Iceland
🚐 Can you rent an RV in Republic of iceland?
Yeah! You can rent RV'south in Iceland only if yous want to venture off of the ring road, it is recommended to rent something smaller like a campervan. You tin can hire both of them here.
📅 What is the best month to go to Iceland?
Mid-July, August and early on September is the best fourth dimension to visit Iceland equally it has the all-time weather for sightseeing outdoors (and you lot'll be doing a lot of that).
👍 Which auto rental company is best?
The list of all automobile rentals in Iceland is impossibly long, and so what I commonly do is I check an aggregator like RentalCars to see what has the best price for my dates AND has great reviews at the same fourth dimension.
💰 What coin exercise you use in Iceland?
Iceland's official currency is the Icelandic Krona (ISK). Some big tourist establishments may accept other currencies such equally GBP, Euro or USD just it is better only to pay on card if you don't accept the local currency. Check the electric current rate hither.
🛑 Is it legal to slumber in a campervan on the road?
No. Since 2015 in that location has been a law prohibiting sleeping anywhere other than designated campgrounds in Republic of iceland. Regardless of whether you're camping in a tent, car, van, caravan or RV.
Thanks for reading my monster of a post! To wrap upwardly, I have created this short video for you lot:
Determination
Iceland is an amazingly beautiful state which is nigh conveniently discovered by driving around with a rental car. Other options exist, such as hitchhiking, but having your own car will give you lot the liberty to enjoy the country at your own pace and co-ordinate to your own itinerary!
Last, merely non least, fifty-fifty if it might sound expensive, renting a motorcar in Republic of iceland volition always be more efficient than taking day tours. The tours are more expensive and they are far less flexible!
I hope I have convinced y'all that deciding to rent a car in Iceland is for now the best option to run across what this mesmerizing country has to offering! I also hope my rental car and driving in Iceland tips were useful (they should exist if you read through carefully enough!)
Iceland is my favorite country and then go explore and have fun, information technology is really worth information technology, believe me! 🙂
Thanks for reading and don't be afraid to ask me questions, I am always happy to hear feedback from my readers!
Yulia
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Source: https://misstourist.com/8-things-you-should-know-before-renting-a-car-in-iceland/
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