Getting to Akureyri

6 min read Updated October 2026 Compare all tours

Akureyri has its own international airport, but for most of the year the flights there are domestic ones from Reykjavík. So the usual trip from abroad means landing at Keflavík first and then either flying on or driving north. Iceland has been a member of the Schengen Area since 2001. Once in town you need neither car nor bus for the centre, and many tours pick you up there.

Flying in from Reykjavík

Icelandair flies between the domestic airport in Reykjavík and Akureyri several times a day all year round. The flight takes about 40 minutes. If your international flight lands at Keflavík, you first need to get to the domestic airport in the city, which takes about 45 minutes by Flybus, taxi or rental car. Icelandair can also book you through to Akureyri on one ticket.

From Akureyri, Norlandair flies to Grímsey, Vopnafjörður and Þórshöfn and across to the east coast of Greenland.

Direct flights from abroad

Akureyri is one of four international airports in Iceland. easyJet was the first foreign airline to fly here on a regular schedule, starting from London Gatwick on 31 October 2023. For the winter from October 2026 to April 2027 it plans two flights a week, from London Gatwick between October and April and from Manchester in the core winter months. The two tourist boards list different weekdays for Manchester, so check the airline's own timetable.

From Switzerland, Edelweiss sells flights from Zurich between January and March 2027 on Sundays and between June and August 2027 on Fridays. The summer flights stop at Keflavík on the way. The Swiss tour operator Kontiki has run winter charters from Zurich since 2024, and the Dutch operator Voigt Travel has flown its guests from Amsterdam since 2019, in winter 2027 on Saturdays between January and March.

Visit North Iceland's flight guide for 2026/27 lists no direct flight from Germany or Austria. From there, the common routes are via Keflavík with a domestic connection, or via Zurich in the seasons when Edelweiss flies.

From the airport into town

The airport is about 3 km south of the centre. Visit Akureyri puts it at roughly a 30-minute walk or five minutes by car. A pre-booked airport bus runs in connection with international flights, and taxis are usually waiting. Hertz, Avis, Europcar and Thrifty rent cars at the terminal. The Strætó regional buses 78 and 79 also stop at the airport, which is handy for Dalvík or Húsavík.

By bus or car from Reykjavík

Strætó route 57 connects Reykjavík and Akureyri via Borgarnes, Blönduós and Sauðárkrókur. Visit Akureyri gives about six hours for the trip, and the summer 2026 timetable shows six and a half to seven. Buses leave from Mjódd in Reykjavík and stop in Akureyri at the airport and at Hof, the culture house on Strandgata. You pay on board in cash or by card. Seats cannot be reserved, but there is Wi-Fi and power on the bus.

By car the distance is just under 390 km, and Visit Akureyri gives about five hours without stops. Route 1, the Ring Road, is paved the whole way and open to all vehicles throughout the year, as long as the weather allows. Check the road conditions on road.is or by phone on 1777 before you set off, especially between October and April. The highland F-roads are a different matter: they require four-wheel drive and usually open only from June.

By ship

Cruise ships call at Akureyri mostly from May to the end of September, with the odd visit at other times of year. Most dock very close to the centre or about ten minutes' walk away, and the town's buses are free. Free Wi-Fi is available for passengers on the Tangabryggja and Oddeyrarbryggja quays. Our page on shore excursions covers what fits into a day in port.

If you want your own car in Iceland, the Smyril Line ferry sails from Denmark via the Faroe Islands to Seyðisfjörður in the east. From there you drive on to Akureyri.

What to leave at home

Iceland's food and veterinary authority MAST is strict about anything that could bring disease to the island's animals. Used riding gear such as saddles, bridles and whips, as well as used riding gloves, may not be imported at all. Riding clothes and boots must be washed or dry-cleaned before entry. Used fishing equipment has to be disinfected before it touches Icelandic rivers or lakes. Travellers from outside the EU and EEA may not bring in meat or dairy products, and MAST advises everyone else to leave them at home as well.

Once you are here, the getting around page explains the free town buses, the regional routes and the island ferries.