Almost every international flight into Iceland lands at Keflavik Airport, 50 kilometres (around 31 miles) from the centre of Reykjavik, out on the Reykjanes Peninsula. Being so far out from the city, airport transfers can end up being very expensive if you don’t plan in advance. Plus, there’s the opportunity to combine your airport transfers with a trip to the Blue Lagoon on arrival or departure from Iceland. Figuring out which Reykjavik airport transfer option is best for you takes a little bit of research, so we’ve laid out all the information to help you decide.

About Flybus Airport Transfer

The most popular way to travel from Keflavik Airport to the centre of Reykjavik is by the Flybus airport transfer. Large, comfortable coaches await at the arrivals gate with onboard Wifi and TV screens showing a glimpse of what’s to come on your trip to Iceland. The journey to the central BSI bus station takes around forty-five minutes (though this can vary slightly, depending on weather conditions). And from the BSI bus terminal, smaller shuttles can whisk you straight to your hotel door if you’re staying in Reykjavik.

You can book the Flybus online in advance to guarantee a ticket before you arrive in Iceland. So all you have to do is sit back, relax and watch the volcanic fields drift by on your way to Reykjavik. The perfect introduction to Iceland.

Arrival transport from Keflavík to Reykjavík

Each Flybus is timed to fit in with every flight landing at Keflavik Airport, so you can glide straight from the arrivals terminal to a bus already waiting for you. Even if your flight is delayed, the bus will wait. There is no fixed schedule for Flybuses leaving for the city centre, it is completely flexible depending on flight arrivals into Keflavik Airport.

Buses can be found right outside the terminal building and it’s easy to spot them. After a forty-five-minute journey into the centre of Reykjavik, if you have booked a transfer straight to your hotel, it may take up to thirty minutes for the shuttle from BSI bus terminal to your hotel’s nearest bus stop.

Departure transport from Reykjavík to Keflavík

For your return journey from Reykjavik to Keflavik Airport, the Flybus runs fourteen times a day and the timetable is designed to fit roughly with the airport’s flight schedule. The first Flybus runs at 3.30am for those early morning flights, and the last bus is at 9.30pm to catch the final departures from the airport. The return journey takes around forty-five minutes, and catching the bus three to four hours before your flight departs should see you arrive at Keflavik in plenty of time, as recommended by the airport authorities. Hotel pick-ups start thirty minutes before the bus departs from BSI bus terminal and can take up to twenty minutes.

Five reasons for taking the Flybus

Comfortable, convenient and reliable – find out the five reasons for taking the Flybus from Keflavik Airport to the centre of Reykjavik with Iceland’s oldest running tour company.

Private airport transfer to/from Reykjavik

If you’re travelling as a large group, a private airport transfer may work out easier for you. Reykjavik Excursions offer private airport transfers from Keflavik to Reykjavik for up to seven people in a comfortable van. Booking a private transfer in advance means that, once you’ve picked up your luggage and cleared customs, the driver will be waiting for you at the arrivals hall with your name on a sign. The driver can assist you with carrying your luggage to the car, which will be just outside the terminal.

A private airport transfer to Reykjavik takes around forty-five minutes, depending on which accommodation you are staying in, and takes you right to the hotel’s front door.

Hire a car from Keflavik airport

Hiring a car at Keflavik Airport is easy and a popular way to see Iceland is to embark on a road trip around the Route One ring road that loops around the entire island. We recommend hiring a car in Iceland with our partners at Enterprise. Booking you hire car from Keflavik in advance is a good idea, so you can get the right kind of vehicle for your trip. Bear in mind that in winter, you may want a 4x4 with snow tires to tackle the roads and if you’re going into the interior of the island, you might end up fording rivers and driving down gravel tracks.

About Keflavík International Airport

Keflavik Airport is Iceland’s largest airport and the main one for international commercial flights to and from Iceland. There’s another, smaller airport in the centre of Reykjavik (called Reykjavik Airport) but this is only for domestic flights within Iceland, so don’t get the two mixed up!

Keflavik Airport sits out on the Reykjanes Peninsula, around 50 kilometres (31 miles) from the centre of Reykjavik. Around one hundred different flight routes operate from Keflavik airport, across Europe and North America, and flights vary from budget airlines to flagship carriers. In fact, people often use Iceland as a stopping-off point between Canada or the USA and Europe to break up the journey.

Relax and unwind with a stop at the Blue Lagoon included in your airport transfer

As it is out on the Reykjanes Peninsula near Keflavik Airport, adding a stop at the Blue Lagoon to your airport transfer can save you time and offer a delightful introduction to Iceland’s scenery upon arrival. The milky-blue waters of this geothermal pool almost seem to glow against the black lava fields. Or, stopping at the Blue Lagoon on the way back to the airport is just the tonic before a long-haul flight.

About BSI Bus Terminal in Reykjavík

The Flybus airport transfers end at BSI bus terminal in the centre of Reykjavik. This is the main hub of Reykjavik Excursions – Iceland’s oldest-running tour company. Heading into the bus terminal, there is a huge information desk where you can book tours for your coming days in Reykjavik.

From the BSI bus terminal, it’s just a ten-minute walk to Hallgrimskirkja – the striking main cathedral that sits in the heart of the capital. If you’re staying in the centre of Reykjavik, around Hallgrimskirkja or Laugavegur (the main shopping street), it’s easy to walk to your hotel from BSI bus terminal. You can also book the Flybus transfer straight to the nearest bus stop to your accommodation, which means you’ll get on a small shuttle bus at BSI bus terminal for the final part of the journey.

Frequently asked questions about airport transfer in Iceland

If you still have questions about the best option to get from Keflavik Airport to the centre of Reykjavik, we’ve rounded up some answers to frequently asked questions.

What airport do you fly into for Iceland?

Although there are two airports that service Reykjavik, almost all international flights from outside Iceland land at Keflavik Airport, a forty-five-minute drive from Reykjavik. The small airport in the city centre – called Reykjavik Airport – only services domestic flights from within Iceland.

How much is a transfer from Keflavik airport to Reykjavik?

The cheapest way to get from Keflavik Airport to Reykjavik is to take the public bus (number 55). This option costs around €13-15, but it is not the most convenient way to travel. The public bus timetable is very inflexible, especially during the weekend and public holidays, and you might end up waiting a very long time for the next bus. The journey time also takes longer than the Flybus.

How do I get from Keflavik Airport to my hotel?

If you are taking the Flybus, you can book a transfer to the nearest bus stop to your hotel. Some are right outside the hotel door. There is a series of bus stops scattered across Reykjavik and hotel shuttles from BSI bus terminal drop you at one of these – check the complete list of Reykjavik’s bus stops to find the closest one to your hotel.

Of course, if you are taking a private transfer or taxi from the airport, the driver will drop you right at your hotel door.

How do I get from Iceland airport to Reykjavik city centre?

Every Flybus airport transfer from Keflavik Airport stops at BSI bus stop, which is in the centre of Reykjavik, a ten-minute walk from Hallgrimskirkja and the main shopping street – Laugavegur. You can also book a ticket which includes a shuttle service to the nearest bus stop to your accommodation. It is possible to get a taxi from Keflavik Airport to Reykjavik, but this option is very expensive in comparison to the Flybus.

Is Keflavik airport the same as Reykjavik airport?

Keflavik Airport is not to be confused with Reykjavik Airport. Keflavik is outside Reykjavik, around a forty-five-minute drive away on the Reykjanes Peninsula. It is Iceland’s biggest airport and where most international flights into the country land. Reykjavik Airport, on the other hand, is a small airport in the centre of the city that only deals with domestic traffic. If you’re catching a flight to another place in Iceland, perhaps Akureyri in the north of the island, you might be going from Reykjavik Airport.

How much is a taxi from Keflavik airport to Reykjavik?

A private transfer is a fairly expensive option at around €240 for up to seven people, but comes with the convenience of being tailored to your timetable and the driver will meet you at arrivals with a sign. This option can sometimes be cheaper than a taxi, which some travellers have reported paying up to €250 for.

Midnight sun or a snow-covered scene – when is the best time to visit Iceland?

With long, endless days in summer and a chance to spot the Northern Lights in winter, there’s a great debate about the best time of year to visit Iceland. Depending on whether you want to hike the rugged interior of the island or discover the sleek, blue world of a natural ice cave, we’ve covered the best time to visit Iceland for every kind of holiday.

How to get to Iceland?

A variety of low-cost airlines and flagship carriers fly from across Europe and North America directly to Keflavik Airport in Iceland. Booking in advance, you can often bag a good deal on flights to Iceland and there are over 100 services to Keflavik. Iceland is also a popular stop-over on the way from Europe to North America, breaking up the long-haul journey.

It is also possible to get the ferry to Iceland, for those that really don’t like flying. Year-round there is a weekly sailing from Denmark to Iceland via the Faroe Islands. Though this option takes quite a long time – two or three nights, depending on the timetable.

So, by now, you should know exactly which airport transfer to Reykjavík is best for your trip. The public bus may be the cheapest but is far from the most convenient. A taxi or private transfer is the most flexible but is far more expensive than the Flybus. Overall, if you’re looking for the perfect balance of convenience and price, it has to be the Flybus for your Iceland airport transfer from Keflavik Airport to the centre of Reykjavik.