Local Information

Location

• Location
• Local Information
• Main - M101
• M208
• M209
• M103
• M104
• M105
• M101 [M105]
• M101 [M103]
• V102 [M104]

Weather

The place to check is vedur.is, the website of Iceland’s Met Office. You will find the weather forecast and observations (including aurora) as well as earthquake observations etc.

Getting around in Reykjavik

The center is small. For places a bit further, you may need to use buses of Strætó. A single ticket costs 490 ISK, it is valid for changes in the Greater Reykjavik area during 75 mins. Tickets are sold through the Klapp app.

From the center to the university you can get with bus 8 from Gamla Hringbraut (formerly, BSÍ) to HR (formerly, Nauthóll - HR). This is just 2 stops, but it is a walk of 20 mins along the perimeter of the domestic airport. To Gamla Hringbraut, you have to walk or take some other bus (1, 3, 5, 6, 15), depending on where you are staying.

In evenings and on weekends, one gets to/from HR with bus 5 instead. This route starts in a far-out suburb in the East of Reyjavik, stops at Ártún (a major stop for changing between lines), passes through Laugardalur, stops at Hlemmur (the main hub for Reykjavik’s city buses) and Gamla Hringbraut.

Eating out and foodstores

Eating out is expensive, but nicer restaurants are nice, no doubt.

The useful foodstore chains are Bónus, Krónan and Nettó. Opening times vary, some stores open later and close earlier than you would expect. At 10-11 and Krambúð stores (open long or round the clock) you will find a limited selection and high prices.

Swimming pools

The best and also the cheapest fun in Reykjavik are the geothermal swimming pools. The main ones in the city are Laugardalslaug, Sundhöll Reykjavíkur and Vesturbæjarlaug. You get an outdoor swimming pool (25 m in most places, 50 m in Laugardalslaug; the water temperature is 26°C all year round), hotpots (38-42°C) and steam saunas. Sundhöll Reykjavíkur is the most central one, but has an odd system of locking lockers (you have to bring your own padlock, which won’t fit, or buy one, although you might be able to borrow one). Laugardalslaug (with a much more reasonable locker system) is the biggest and most fun. A single ticket costs 1060 ISK.

All swimming pools are open from early morning until 22.00 and this means you can stay in the pool until 22.00 and then have 15 extra minutes to change and rush out.

Just next to Reykjavik University, there is the Nauthólsvík geothermal beach. Here the fun consists in a hotpot and dips in the ocean (seawater ~15°C), there is also a steam sauna. This place is open 11-19 daily, until 16 on Sat, closed Sun, and the entrance is free.

There is also the Blue Lagoon if you want to pay a lot more. It is closer to the airport than to Greater Reykjavik and you will need a whole morning or afternoon to go there. There is also the brand new spa in Kópavogur.

If you are into this type of thing, take your swimming gear with you!