Bus Lines in Iceland

Bus Lines in Iceland

No License? No Problem – Life in the bus line

When you are visiting a foreign country, public transport can be a bit intimidating. In Reykjavík, however, getting the hang of it is pretty easy. There are no tube lines to get tangled up in, no metro, no Ubers, and no tram system. Basically, if you are a non-driver who doesn’t wanna splurge on a cab – the bus system is it.

As well as tourist-centric hop-on-hop-off buses, there are a 26 bus lines covering Greater Reykjavík. City buses are known as Straeto, a nickname for straetisvagn, which translates literally as street carriage. Most routes stop at the bus station, Hlemmur, at the top of the main Laugavegur strip, also passing Harpa and the downtown thoroughfare of Laerjargata. So download the Straeto app, connect your credit card, and charge that baby up, your carriage awaits.

Ulfarsfell and Mount Esja

Everyone who comes to Iceland wants to get out and see some of that famous beautiful nature. If you’re on foot, and on a budget, you can get the bus to the city limits and find two picturesque local hikes. Ulfarsfell is a small mountain with two walking paths to the top, and Esja is the large mountain just across the bay from Reykjavík. Take snow grips and waterproofs in winter. Seriously. You’ll thank us later.

Route: Straeto 15 from Hlemmur to Artun. Change to Straeto 57 at Artun. Disembark at the Ulfarsa stop for Ulfarsfell, or Esjuraetur for the Esja Hiking Center.

A high-way in Iceland. Photo by Olga

Seltjarnarnes

This beautiful nature area sits on the very end of the Greater Reykjavík peninsula. There’s a lighthouse with a tidal causeway, a bird sanctuary, and a small hidden hotpot that can bathe your feet in. There’s also a Medical & Healthcare Museum on Austurströnd, if you like medical stuff.

Route: Straeto 11 toward Seltjarnarnes. Disembark at the final stop, then walk to Grotta. (Note that the black beach was the location of Björk’s Stonemmilker VR video.

Hafnarfjördur

You probably came through this suburb of Reykjavík already, as it’s on the Flybus rute. While it doesn’t look like much from the bus, it’s a great place to spend a day. Pallett is a popular coffee house, occupying the same building as the Von Mathus restaurant. The old town has a variety of shops, bakeries and museums, a tucked-away park with crags of lava, and an el-themed café.

Route: Straeto 1 to the final stop of Hafnarfjördur. It has a quiet retro-style pool, Sundhöll Hafnarfjördar, built in 1949