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Getting
There
Approximate
flight times from several cities:
Copenhagen,London,Frankfurt,
Paris,Amsterdam to Reykjavik..........approx: 3 hrs
New York,Boston,Baltimore,
Minneapolis to Reykjavik...............approx: 5-6 hrs
List
of airlines that fly to Iceland all year round:
Iceland
Express
Valid 15 September 2007 to 29 March 2008
Alicante,
Barcelona*, Berlin, Billund**, Friedrichshafen***, Copenhagen,
London, Luxembourg****
*
From 9 Nov to 10 Dec/ From 1 Feb to 29 Mar
** From 15 Sep to 27 Oct / From 22 Dec to 6 Jan
*** 22 December 2007 to 1 March
**** 28 September to 6 November.
Icelandair
Maintains regular scheduled flights to Iceland from the following
cities:
All
year:
London, Glasgow, Manchester, Copenhagen, Oslo, Paris, Stockholm,
Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Baltimore, Boston, Minneapolis, New York,
Orlando and Washington.
Summertime
only:
Barcelona, Berlin, Halifax, Helsinki, Göteborg, Bergen,
Milan and Munich.
British
Airways maintains regular scheduled flights to Iceland from
London (Gatwick).
SAS
Maintains regular scheduled flights to Iceland from Oslo.
Entry
Requirements
A
passport or other travel document accepted by Icelandic authorities
valid at least three months beyond intended stay is required
for visitors to Iceland. Further information at www.utl.is
• e-mail: utl@utl.is
THE
SCHENGEN AGREEMENT: The Schengen agreement went into effect
for Iceland on March 26, 2001 and the following countries participate
in the Schengen cooperation in addition to Iceland: Austria,
Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Holland, Italy, Luxembourg,
Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Germany.
Travel between above-mentioned countries will in principle be
without document check.
ATTENTION:
Nationals of the following countries do not require visas to
travel to Iceland as visitors, although they do require passports
that are valid for three months beyond their intended stay:
Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil,
Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus,
Czech Republic, Denmark, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, France,
Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong (applicable
for those holding HKSAR passports), Hungary, Ireland, Israel,
Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg,
Macao (applicable for those holding MSAR passports), Malaysia,
Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua,
Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino,
Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Great Britain (incl. Bermuda, Turks and Caicos Islands, Cayman
Islands, Anguilla, Montserrat, British Virgin Islands, St. Helena,
Falkland Islands and Gibraltar), United States of America, Uruguay,
Vatican and Venezuela.
VISAS:
Foreign citizens who must produce a visa upon arrival in Iceland
now also gain entry to the other Schengen countries. Schengen
visas should be obtained prior to arrival in the Schengen territory.
In most instances, Danish embassies will handle visa applications
on behalf of Iceland. A list of these embassies and further
information is available on the Directorate of Immigration home
page, www.utl.is
Getting
Around
By
air
AIR ICELAND operates regular scheduled flights from Reykjavík
to major domestic airports in all parts of the country. Furthermore,
in co-operation with several bus companies, Air Iceland can
offer an air/bus connection to over 40 towns all over Iceland.
Ferries
A number of ferry lines operate services to various islands
and fjords. Regular sightseeing tours are also available by
ferries during the summer.
By
bus
There is an extensive bus service to most parts of the country
and to the highlands, as well as a large number of organized
bus tours. Reservations are not necessary and tickets can be
bought either at the bus station or from the driver. Children
under 4 travel free of charge, and half price is charged for
children from 4-11.
Car
Rentals
There are several car rental agencies in Iceland. Cars can be
booked through a travel agent or an airline, at airports or
directly after arrival in Iceland. Many types of cars are available,
from small family cars to powerful 4-wheel-drive vehicles.
Travel
Tips
Business
Hours
Office hours are generally 09:00-17:00 and 08:00-16:00 during
June, July and August. Shopping hours are Mon-Fri 09:00-18:00,
Sat from 10:00 to 13:00/14:00/15:00 or 16:00. Some supermarkets
are open to 23:00 seven days a week. Banking hours are Mon-Fri
09:15-16:00.
Currency
The Icelandic monetary unitis the "króna."
Coins are in denominations of 100 kr., 50 kr., 10kr., 5 kr.
and 1 kr. Bank notes are in denominations of 5000 kr., 2000
kr.,1000 kr., and 500 kr. All Icelandic banks provide foreign
exchange and are generally open on weekdays from 09:15 to 16:00.
Travellers
Checks, Debit and Credit Cards
Are widely accepted in Iceland. The major cards in Iceland are
EUROPAY/MASTERCARD and VISA. Cash can be obtained at every bank
branch (over 170) as well as in all ATMs throughout the country.
Shopping
The shops inIceland are of international standard, and carry
a wide variety ofmerchandise. Local specialities are woollen
knitwear (for example sweaters, cardigans, hats and mittens),
handmade ceramics, glassware and silver jewellery. 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 4,000 (VAT included) per store.All
goods (except woollens) need to be shown at customs before check-in.At
Keflavík airport this applies only to tax-free forms
whose refund value exceeds ISK 5,000.All other forms can be
refunded directly in cash at Landsbanki Íslands in the
departure hall.
Postal
Services
There are post offices located in all major communities in Iceland.
General hours are: Mon-Fri 09:00-16:30. Many post offices in
Reykjavik are alos open during the weekends.
Telephone
Service
Direct calls can be made to all parts of Iceland.The code into
Iceland from overseas is +354 + seven-digit number. Direct long-distance
calls can be made to Europe and the USA by dialling 00 plus
the country code, and the telephone number you wish to reach.
Mobile
Phones
GSM: There are two GSM operators in Iceland:Siminn and Vodafone.Together
they cover most of Iceland including all towns and villages
with over 200 inhabitants. These two telephone companies both
sell pre-paid GSM phone cards and offer GSM/GPRS services. Pre-paid
cards are available at petrol stations around the country. GSM
phones may be rented from Iceland Telecom, Ármúli
27, Reykjavík.
Climate
Thanks to the Gulf Stream, Iceland enjoys a cool temperate ocean
climate: cool in summer and fairly mild in winter. However,
the weather is very changeable and tourists should be prepared
for the unexpected.
Weather/Clothing
For weather information in English, Tel.: 902-0600, extension
44, E-mail: office@vedur.is, www.vedur.is/english. When travelling
in Iceland you should bring along lightweight woollens, a sweater
or cardigan, a 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.
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 midnight sun. Keep
in mind, however, that the sun at midnight is not as warm as
at midday, so bring along a sweater.
Time
Zone
Iceland is on Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) throughout the year,
and does not go on daylight saving time.
Medical
Information
Icelanders enjoy a healthy life, thanks to clean air and water
and quality fish. Water is safe to drink throughout Iceland.
Pharmacies are called "Apótek" and are open
during normal business hours. Many are open at night. 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.
Medical
Help
There is a medical centre or a hospital in all major cities
and towns in Iceland. The emergency phone number (24 hours)
in Iceland is 112.
Health
Insurance
Citizens of Scandinavia have to show passport in case of medical
emergency. Citizens of EEA countries must have the E-111 form,
otherwise the patient will be charged in full. Citizens of other
countries must be charged in full. For further information contact:
State Social Security Institute
Laugavegur114 · IS-105 Reykjavík
Tel.: +354-560-4400 · +354-560-4520
Fax: +354-562-5053
Office hours 08:05-15:30
Vaccinations
Vaccinations are not required.
Visitors
with Disabilities
Visitors with disabilities can make travelling in Iceland fairly
easy by planning their vacation in advance. They may also find
it necessary to travel with a companion, for although there
are many hotels and restaurants accessible to people with disabilities,
they do not always provide full assistance. A number of hotels
in Reykjavík and Akureyri have rooms specially designed
for guests with disabilities. Larger department stores are generally
accessible to wheelchair users. The coastal ferry Baldur is
accessible to people with disabilities and so is the ferry Herjólfur.
All airlines flying to and from Iceland are equipped to accommodate
travellers with disabilities. A few domestic buses equipped
for wheelchair users are available for special tours upon request.
For accessible hotels and tourist attractions, see www.sjalfsbjorg.is
Police
Reykjavík police, for information only,Tel.:+354-569-9020.
Emergency phonenumber in Iceland is 112. (24 hours).
Religion
The established religion in Iceland is Lutheran.
Language
Icelandic is a Teutonic language ofthe Nordic group. It is believed
to have changed little from the original tongue spoken by the
Norse settlers. English is widely spoken and understood. Icelandic
has two letters of its own: Þ/þ pronounced like
th in "thing" and Ð/ð pronounced like th in"them."
News
in English
A short news broadcast in English is made on State Radio, FM
93.5 and FM 92.4, every morning Mon-Fri at 07:31, from June
1st to Sept. 1st. A telephone recording of the broadcast can
also be heard, Tel.: +354-515-3690.
Tipping
Service and VAT are invariably included in prices in Iceland.
Electricity
The electric current in Iceland is 220volts, 50 HZ AC.
Iceland
Tourism Offices
Main web site
http://www.icetourist.is/
Main
office
The Icelandic Tourist Board
Ferðamálaráð
Íslands
Lækjargata 3
101 Reykjav355k
Telephone: +354 535 5500
Fax: +354 535 5501
Email: info@icetourist.is
France
Office National du Tourisme d'Islande
Telephone: +33 1 53 64 80 50
Email: islande@icetourist.de
Web site: http://www.icetourist.de/islande
Germany
Isländisches Fremdenverkehrsamt
Frankfurter
Str. 181
D-63263 Neu-Isenburg
Telephone: +49 6102 254 484
Fax: +49 6102 254 570
Email: info@icetourist.de
Web site: http://www.icetourist.de
Italy
Icelandair / Ente Del Turismo Islandee
c/o
Guðný Margrét Emilsdóttir
Via Vallazze, 50
20131 Milano
Telephone: +39 22664643
Fax: +39 22664643
USA
Icelandic Tourist Board
655
Third Avenue
New York, N.Y. 10017
Telephone: +1 212-885-9700
Fax: +1 212-885-9710
Email: goiceland@aol.com
Web site: http://www.icelandtouristboard.com/
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