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KEF

Keflavik International Airport

Reykjavik, Iceland

Where to start
Flybus / Airport Direct coach

Keflavík is ~50 km from Reykjavík (~45 min), and there's no ride-hailing anywhere in Iceland (no Uber or Bolt) while taxis are very expensive — so the default for almost everyone is a fixed-price airport coach: Flybus or Airport Direct, which meet every arriving flight outside arrivals and run to the city terminals (add the Flybus+/Premium tier to continue to your hotel). The public Strætó bus #55 is cheapest but infrequent and slow. Many travelers rent a car here for the Ring Road or a Blue Lagoon stop.

Ride Options

Flybus

shuttle

The default fixed-price coach to Reykjavík

AvailabilityMeets every arriving flight; ~45 min to BSÍ
Pickup NoteCoaches wait just outside arrivals — no need to pre-time it, they connect to flights. To the BSÍ bus terminal; add Flybus+ to continue to your hotel by minibus. Buy online or at the counter.
Convenience
Relative costMid cost
Visit Website

Airport Direct

shuttle

Alternative fixed-price coach with hotel drops

AvailabilityMeets flights; economy or premium (door-to-door)
Pickup NoteCoaches outside arrivals to central Reykjavík; the Premium tier drops you at your accommodation. Buy online or at the desk.
Convenience
Relative costMid cost
Visit Website

Strætó Bus #55

transit

Cheapest way to the city (light luggage only)

AvailabilityInfrequent (a few times daily) and slow, with a transfer
Pickup NotePublic bus stop outside the terminal. Slow with a change en route — check the Strætó app/timetable first. Impractical with heavy luggage or a late arrival.
Convenience
Relative costLower cost
Visit Website

Taxi

taxi

Door-to-door for small groups or special needs

AvailabilityAvailable at arrivals; very expensive, metered (no fixed fare)
Pickup NoteTaxi rank outside arrivals. Metered with no fixed airport fare — the ~50 km trip to Reykjavík is costly. Most travelers take the coach; use a taxi only if you need door-to-door.
Convenience
Relative costHigher cost
Visit Website

Rental Car

taxi

Ring Road, Blue Lagoon, and self-drive trips

AvailabilityDesks/shuttle at the airport; book ahead in summer
Pickup NoteRental desks at the airport (some via a short shuttle). Popular for the Ring Road and Blue Lagoon. Book ahead in peak season; mind Iceland's weather and gravel-road insurance.
Convenience
Relative costCost varies
Visit Website

Welcome Pickups — Pre-booked Private Transfer

Private Transfer

Pre-booked private transfer with a vetted local driver

AvailabilityAvailable at Reykjavik — pre-book online via Welcome Pickups
Pickup NoteA vetted local driver meets you in arrivals with a name sign. Flight monitoring and a fixed price paid in advance — no haggling on arrival.
Convenience
Relative costMid cost
Book Transfer

Pickup Guidance

Rideshare

There is no ride-hailing in Iceland — Uber, Bolt, and similar apps do NOT operate. Don't plan on an app; use a fixed-price airport coach, a taxi, a private transfer, or a rental car.

Taxi

Taxis wait outside arrivals but are very expensive with no fixed airport fare (metered) — the ~50 km trip to Reykjavík costs a lot. Reserve them for small groups or special needs; most travelers take the coach instead.

Shuttle

Fixed-price airport coaches (Flybus and Airport Direct) meet every arriving flight just outside arrivals and run to their Reykjavík terminals (~45 min). A hotel-connection add-on (Flybus+/Airport Direct Premium) transfers you to your accommodation by minibus.

Transit

Iceland has no railway, so there is no airport train — don't wait for one. The public Strætó bus #55 is the cheapest way to the city but is infrequent (a handful of times a day) and slow with a transfer — impractical with luggage or a late arrival. Check the timetable before relying on it.

Private Transfer

Pre-booked private transfers meet you at arrivals with a name sign — fixed price, good for families, late-night arrivals, or Blue Lagoon stopovers.

Travel Extras

Need a SIM?Need a lounge?Need a hotel?Need bag storage?

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Local Tips

  • There's no Uber, Bolt, or any ride-hailing in Iceland — don't plan around an app. The default is a fixed-price airport coach (Flybus or Airport Direct); taxis exist but are very expensive.
  • Don't confuse KEF with RKV: Keflavík (KEF) is the international airport ~50 km from the city, while RKV is Reykjavík's small in-city domestic airport — book your ride to Keflavík, not RKV.
  • Iceland has no railway, so there's no train from the airport — don't wait for one. Your realistic options are the airport coach, a taxi, a private transfer, or a rental car.
  • The airport is ~50 km from Reykjavík (~45 min) — the Flybus/Airport Direct coaches meet every flight, so you don't need to pre-time your arrival to catch one.
  • Add the hotel-connection tier (Flybus+ or Airport Direct Premium) to be taken from the city terminal to your accommodation by minibus — worth it with luggage.
  • Taxis have no fixed airport fare and are metered, so the long trip to the city is genuinely expensive — reserve them for small groups or special needs.
  • The public Strætó bus #55 is the cheapest option but infrequent and slow with a transfer — only sensible with light luggage and a flexible schedule.
  • Many travelers pick up a rental car at KEF for the Ring Road or a Blue Lagoon stop — book ahead in summer and factor in Iceland's weather and gravel-road insurance.

Tarmyq local tip

Two things to know about Keflavík: there's no Uber or Bolt anywhere in Iceland, and it's a good 50 km to Reykjavík — so the easy, sensible move is the airport coach. Flybus and Airport Direct both meet every flight right outside arrivals, and for a bit more they'll run you all the way to your hotel by minibus. Taxis work but are pricey with no fixed fare, and lots of people just grab a rental car here for the Ring Road or the Blue Lagoon.