Basic Travel Tips for Tourists in Iceland

BASIC TRAVEL TIPS FOR TOURISTS IN ICELAND

Capital city
Reykjavik is the capital city, and the metropolitan area has a population of 220.000 people 

Business & Shopping hours
Office hours are generally from 09:00-17:00. Banks have a shorter time opening time, their opening hours are from 09:00-16:00. Shopping hours due vary from weekdays to weekends. The opening hours from Monday-Friday are from 09:00-19:00, Saturday from 10:00-18:00 & Sunday from 12:00-17:00. Some stores can have a shorter opening time within those hours. Opening times for supermarkets is usually 09:00-21:00 (this may vary between supermarkets), some have a 24/7 opening hours.

Currency Exchange
The local currency is the Icelandic Króna (ISK). You can use your card everywhere while visiting, but if you would like to have cash on you we suggest you exchange the money before arriving in Iceland. If you are unable to or do not have the time to exchange the currency, you are able to do that at the bank at Keflavík Airport or use an ATM. Unfortunately the banks in the city do not do currency exchange unless you have an Icelandic Social Security number (called kennitala in Icelandic).

Money/Credit cards
The local currency is called Icelandic Króna (ISK), and only a few places accept foreign currencies. Credit and debit cards are the most common forms of payment in Iceland. Payment with cards uses the chip-and-pin method. In fact, locals rarely use cash since most merchants accept credit and debit cards, even for small purchases. Visa and MasterCard are your best bet since all Icelandic banks service them. Many Icelanders also have their debit & credit cards on their phones, and are able to pay with their phones.

Airport transfer
Keflavík international airport (KEF) is located around 50 km from Reykjavík, and the transfer time is about 45-50 minutes. The airport in Reykjavík (REK) serves for domestic flights within Iceland.  

Northern Lights
The magical phenomena called the Northern Lights can frequently be seen in Iceland from September to mid-April, provided that the weather conditions are favourable. Iceland is unique in that the Northern Lights can be seen in every part of the country. Shortest daylight of 4,5-6 hours is in December and January with an average temperature of 0°C.The Icelandic Met Office provides Aurora Borealis forecast for Iceland. For more information, see HERE

Midnight Sun
During summer, the nights are bright in all of Iceland. In the month of June, the sun never fully sets in the north. There are even special excursions to the island of Grímsey on the Arctic Circle, where you can experience the phenomenon of the midnight sun. The sun at midnight is not as warm as at midday, so do bring along a sweater!

How long do I need to see Iceland
A circle tour around Iceland is around 2.000 km (1.250 miles) of driving and requires a minimum of 8 days. Shorter stay is usually in Reykjavik with day tours from/to the capital city. 

How to dress
The best advice is to dress in layers. Read more: https://www.gjtravel.is/how-to-dress-for-iceland/ 

Temperatures
Never really hot, never really freezing. Summer 12-18° Celsius and winter average 0° Celsius. Read more: https://www.gjtravel.is/weather-daylight-in-iceland/ 

Weather / Climate
Thanks to the Gulf Stream, Iceland enjoys a cool temperate maritime climate: cool in summer and fairly mild in winter. However, the weather is very changeable, and tourists should be prepared for the unexpected. The average temperature in Reykjavik in July is around 11°C (c. 52°F), while the temperature in January is around 0°C (32°F). However, temperatures vary considerably from one region of Iceland to another. The Icelandic Met Office provides an extensive range of weather-related information in English and has excellent articles showing annual temperature averages in Iceland over the past few years.

Weather / Clothing
When travelling in Iceland, you should bring along lightweight woolens, a sweater or cardigan, wind and rainproof (weatherproof) coat and sturdy walking shoes. Travellers who are camping or heading into the interior will need warm underwear and socks, rubber boots and a warm sleeping bag. Iceland has numerous swimming pools, usually with natural geothermal water; therefore, in either season you should bring a swimsuit.

Visa
Schengen visa (apply at the Danish or Icelandic embassy and in some countries at the Norwegian embassy). A Visa letter is provided after a 20% deposit payment.

Shopping
The shops in Iceland are of international standard and carry a wide variety of merchandise. Local specialties are woolen knitwear (for example sweaters, cardigans, hats and mittens), handmade ceramics, glassware and silver jewelry. Also available is a great variety of high-quality seafood.

Tax-Free Shopping
A refund of local Value-Added Tax (VAT) is available to all visitors in Iceland. The refund will result in a reduction of up to 15% of the retail price, provided departure from Iceland is within 3 months after the date of purchase. The purchase amount must be no less than ISK 6,000 (VAT included) per store. All goods (except woolens) need to be shown at customs before check-in. At Keflavík airport, this applies only to tax-free forms whose refund value exceeds ISK 6,000. All other forms can be refunded directly in cash at Arion Banki in the departure hall. See more information HERE

Post Offices
There are post offices located in all major communities in Iceland. General hours are Mon-Fri 09:00-16:30, but some post offices are open longer. Some post offices in Reykjavik are also open during the weekends. Information on opening hours can be found on the Icelandic Post website.

Police
Reykjavík police, for information only, Tel.:+354-444-1000.
The 24-hour emergency phone number in Iceland is 112 – for police, fire and ambulance services.

Emergency Medical Help
The 24-hour emergency phone number in Iceland is 112 – for ambulance, police and fire services. There is a medical centre or a hospital in all major cities and towns in Iceland. Please also read safety information on www.safetravel.is.

Telephones
Direct calls can be made to all parts of Iceland. The code to Iceland from overseas is +354 + seven-digit number. Direct long-distance calls can be made to Europe and the USA by dialing 00 plus the country code and the telephone number you wish to reach.

Mobile Phones
There are four GSM operators in Iceland: Siminn, Vodafone, Nova and Hringdu. Together they cover most of Iceland including all towns and villages with over 200 inhabitants. The companies sell SIM cards for pre-paid mobile/GPRS services, called Frelsi.

Time Zone 
Iceland is on Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) throughout the year and does not go on daylight saving time (DST).

Health / Pharmacies / Medical Help
Icelanders enjoy a healthy life, thanks to clean air, water and quality fish. A big part of the population does some kind of exercise as well. Water is safe to drink throughout Iceland. Pharmacies are called “Apótek” and are open during normal business hours. Many are open at night. A list of pharmacies in Iceland is available here. Reykjavík has a great many general practitioners, as well as specialists, many of whom will receive patients at short notice. There are also many Health Centres in Reykjavík, with officially appointed family doctors who receive patients at short notice during the day. For information tel.: +354-585-1300 or go to the Health Care website.

Religion
The established religion in Iceland is Lutheran.

Language
The national language is called Icelandic, but most Icelanders (especially those from their teenage years through their fifties) speak fluent English. In fact, they welcome the opportunity – so never be shy about approaching an Icelander. 

Icelandic is a Germanic language of the Nordic group. It is believed to have changed little from the original language spoken by the Norse settlers. English is widely spoken and understood. Icelandic has several letters of its own, including Þ/þ, pronounced like th in “thing” and Ð/ð pronounced like th in “they.”

Tipping
Service and VAT are customarily included in prices in Iceland. See more info HERE

Electric Current
The electric current in Iceland is 220volts, 50 HZ AC.
Europlug/Schuko-Plug (CEE types)

Is Iceland part of the EU?
Iceland belongs to the European Economic Area or EEA, and through that organization has some trade relations with the EU. The EEA includes EU countries plus Iceland, Norway, and Liechtenstein. These three countries can participate in the EU’s single market even though they do not belong to the EU. Iceland is part of Schengen.

Safety
According to the Global Peace Index, Iceland was the safest country in the world in 2019. Violent crimes are extremely rare.  

COMPANY HISTORY & PROFILE: GJ Travel is Iceland’s oldest coach company and inbound tour operator, a 3rd generation family company founded in 1931. We are specialized in group travel and bus rental. Please take a look at our short company presentation with our history: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iZ-p3XzZig&t=225s   

• Customized private group tours, packaging bus, guide, accommodation, meals, activities and other services you require https://www.gjtravel.is/private-iceland-tours/ 

For private tours only, we provide guides in various languages, including English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Mandarin, Cantonese, Danish, Finish, Swedish, Norwegian, Russian, Korean and many others.  

• Bus Rental from 4-69-seater https://www.gjtravel.is/bus-rental-iceland/ 

Modern Mercedes Benz busses with a high standard in quality & safety and free Wi-Fi. 

• Multi-day fixed departure tours, from 3-14 days, including Northern Lights programs on SIC basis with an English speaking guide only: https://www.gjtravel.is/iceland-tours/ 
• Greenland packages: https://www.gjtravel.is/greenland-tours/