Flying is the fastest way from Reykjavík to Akureyri, taking about 40 to 45 minutes in the air. Driving the 388 km Route 1 is the most scenic, and Strætó's bus service is the cheapest. For Irish travellers landing at Keflavík with luggage, tight schedules, or a group in tow, a private transfer with a service like Easytransfer is usually the least stressful way to link every leg of the journey together.
TL;DR:
- Domestic flights from Reykjavík to Akureyri take 40 to 45 minutes, but travelers arriving at Keflavík must allocate around 45 minutes for transfer.
- Driving along Route 1 offers scenic views and flexibility, with stops at key sites but requires a 7 to 10-hour journey, especially in winter.
- The bus service takes approximately 6 to 7 hours and is the most budget-friendly option, though winter schedules may be less frequent.
- Private transfers provide door-to-door convenience, automatic flight tracking, and fixed pricing, ideal for groups, families, and those with luggage.
- Travelers should check real-time road conditions, book flights early, and plan for flexible stops or delays, particularly in winter weather.
Table of Contents
- Flying vs driving vs the bus vs a private transfer: which suits you?
- How long does the flight from Reykjavik to Akureyri take?
- What's the best driving route from Reykjavik to Akureyri?
- Can you take a bus from Reykjavik to Akureyri?
- Why a private transfer solves the Reykjavik to Akureyri logistics problem
- What else should you plan before you go?
- Where should you stay in Akureyri after arriving from Reykjavik?
- Sergiu's take: match the transport to the trip, not the other way around
- Book your Reykjavik to Akureyri transfer with Easytransfer
- Sources
Flying vs driving vs the bus vs a private transfer: which suits you?
Every option gets you from Reykjavík to Akureyri, but they solve very different problems. Pick based on what you actually value on this trip: minutes saved, kilometers of coastline, euros kept in your pocket, or simply not having to think about logistics at all.
- Flying: fastest at about 40 to 45 minutes, with several daily departures year-round, but you'll need to transfer from Keflavík to Reykjavík Domestic Airport first.
- Driving: the most scenic and flexible, letting you stop at waterfalls and geothermal pools along Route 1, but it demands a realistic time budget and winter caution.
- Strætó bus: the cheapest option at roughly 6 to 7 hours, though seasonal schedule cuts can complicate winter planning.
- Private transfer: door-to-door convenience with fixed pricing, ideal for groups, families with luggage, or anyone who wants the trip handled rather than managed.
If you're short on time or arriving jet-lagged after a long-haul flight into Keflavík, that last option tends to remove more friction than people expect.
How long does the flight from Reykjavik to Akureyri take?
The domestic hop between Reykjavík (RKV) and Akureyri (AEY) takes about 40 to 45 minutes in the air, with multiple flights running daily throughout the year. It's the quickest way to cover the 400 or so kilometers between Iceland's south and north, and it barely dents a short trip's itinerary.
There's a catch Irish travellers often miss on their first visit: international flights land at Keflavík (KEF), not Reykjavík Domestic Airport (RKV). You'll need to cover roughly 50 km between the two, which takes about 45 minutes by car. Skip that step in your planning and you risk missing a tight domestic connection.
Quick booking tips for this route:
- Book your domestic flight several weeks ahead during the June to August peak, when seats and fares tighten fastest.
- Build in at least 90 minutes between your KEF arrival and your RKV departure to cover the transfer and check-in.
- Compare morning and evening departures. Northern light conditions can affect visibility and, occasionally, schedules in winter.
- Pack light. Domestic terminals in Iceland are small, with quick check-ins and minimal queuing, but also limited baggage handling capacity per flight.
Pro Tip: If you're connecting straight off a transatlantic or European flight into Keflavík, book a private transfer to Reykjavík Domestic Airport instead of a rental car. You'll skip the parking and drop-off hassle entirely and arrive right at check-in with your flight already tracked.
What's the best driving route from Reykjavik to Akureyri?
Route 1, Iceland's Ring Road, covers the 388 km between the two cities and rewards anyone willing to take it slow. Non-stop, the drive takes about 5 hours. A more sensible pace with fuel and food stops runs 7 to 9 hours, and if you actually want to see anything, plan for 9 to 10 hours across a full day.
Here's a stop-by-stop plan that works whether you're driving a diesel rental or an EV:
- Borgarnes (75 km) — a good first coffee stop and fuel check, with views over Borgarfjörður.
- Glanni Waterfall and Grábrók crater (about 140 km) — a short detour worth the ten-minute walk.
- Staðarskáli (165 km) — the corridor's main service stop, and it hosts a Tesla Supercharger.
- Blönduós (245 km) — a coastal town with fuel, food, and a chance to stretch before the next stretch north.
- Skagafjörður valley (about 290 km) — one of the most photographed stretches on the whole route.
- Goðafoss (about 340 km) — a dramatic waterfall just off the main road, minutes from Akureyri.
Electric vehicles handle this corridor better than most rural Icelandic routes, largely because charging infrastructure along Route 1 is denser here than elsewhere in the country. A workable EV plan tops up at Borgarnes, then Staðarskáli for the Supercharger, and again at Blönduós if the weather has pushed your consumption up. Petrol drivers have it easier still: stations never sit more than about 70 km apart on this stretch.
Winter changes the math. Holtavörðuheiði and Öxnadalsheiði are the two mountain passes that close most often when storms roll through, and a single closure can add hours or force an overnight replan. Check Road before you leave, and again before you commit to either pass, rather than trusting a forecast from the night before.
Pro Tip: Don't try to outrun a storm warning on Holtavörðuheiði. Wait a few hours for a clear window at first light, when passes tend to reopen faster than they do mid storm.
Can you take a bus from Reykjavik to Akureyri?
Strætó's route 57 links the two cities directly, with a journey time of roughly 6 to 7 hours depending on stops along the way. It's the most budget-friendly of the four options, and it suits travellers without a rental car or anyone happy to trade a couple of extra hours for a lower fare.
- Departures run from Reykjavík's BSÍ terminal or Mjódd, with arrivals at Akureyri's central bus stops and near the airport.
- Winter timetables run less frequently than summer schedules, so always check Straeto before locking in a departure date.
- Tickets are bought online or through the Strætó app, and seats aren't unlimited during peak summer weeks.
- The bus won't wait for a delayed flight connection, so build slack into your schedule if you're arriving from Keflavík the same day.
It's a solid choice if your budget matters more than your time, but it's not the option for anyone juggling luggage, a tight schedule, or a group booking multiple seats separately.
Why a private transfer solves the Reykjavik to Akureyri logistics problem
Public transport and rental cars both ask you to manage something: a timetable, a fuel plan, a parking spot. A private transfer removes that management layer entirely, which is exactly why it works so well for the KEF to Akureyri corridor.
Easytransfer builds its service around the exact friction points Irish travellers hit on this route:
- Door-to-door pickup, so you're never standing at a terminal wondering where to go next.
- Flight tracking, which means your driver adjusts to a delayed KEF arrival automatically.
- Fixed pricing with no hidden fees, agreed before you travel.
- Instant booking confirmation and 24/7 customer support if plans shift.
- A premium fleet, including Mercedes vehicles and electric Teslas, plus group transport for up to 49 passengers.
Private transfers give you flexibility for intermediate stops that a fixed bus timetable simply can't offer, whether that's a photo stop at Goðafoss or a break for lunch in Blönduós. That flexibility matters most for families travelling with luggage, groups splitting the cost of a private vehicle, and anyone arriving into Keflavík on a long-haul flight who doesn't want to navigate a rental counter on four hours of sleep.
A typical booking flow looks like this: you land at KEF, your transfer is already tracking your flight, and your driver meets you at arrivals for the trip to Reykjavík or onward toward Akureyri with scheduled stops built in. Cancellation policy is straightforward too. Plans change up to 24 hours before pickup and you get a full refund.
What else should you plan before you go?
A few small decisions make a bigger difference than most first-time visitors expect, especially once winter is in play.
- Daylight and aurora timing: Iceland's daylight swings dramatically by season, so check sunrise and sunset times before scheduling a long drive, and plan aurora viewing for clear nights well away from town lights.
- Packing checklist: warm layers, a proper waterproof shell, an ice scraper, and snacks for the drive. Route 1's service stations are useful but spaced out.
- Rental insurance: gravel protection and glass cover are worth adding in Iceland specifically, since loose gravel on unpaved sections is a common cause of small claims.
- Road and fuel checks: road.is for real-time conditions, and an offline map downloaded before you leave Reykjavík in case signal drops on the more remote stretches.
- Money and data: cards are accepted almost everywhere in Iceland, so carrying cash isn't necessary, but confirm your Irish mobile plan's EU/EEA roaming terms cover Iceland specifically, since it sits outside the EU.
Pro Tip: Screenshot your road.is check before you leave WiFi range. Mobile signal drops on a few stretches near the mountain passes, and you don't want your only route information behind a dead connection.
Where should you stay in Akureyri after arriving from Reykjavik?
Akureyri works well as a base precisely because it's better suited to whale watching, Mývatn day trips, and relaxed northern itineraries than Reykjavík is, so where you stay should reflect what you're there to do.
Travellers centering their trip on the town itself tend to book into Akureyri's compact downtown core, within walking distance of the harbor, restaurants, and the botanical garden. It's the easiest choice if you've arrived by bus or private transfer without a car and want everything on foot.
If you're driving and planning day trips out toward Mývatn, Goðafoss, or the whale-watching boats departing from Húsavík, a guesthouse or hotel just outside the center often makes more sense. You'll trade a short drive into town for easier parking and quicker access back onto Route 1 the next morning.
Budget travellers arriving by Strætó bus have solid hostel options clustered near the town center, while families and groups arriving by private transfer or rental car often find self-catering apartments better suited to longer stays, since kitchen access cuts down on dining costs across a multi-day northern itinerary. Whichever category fits your trip, book Akureyri accommodation earlier than you might in Reykjavík. Summer capacity is smaller and fills up faster relative to demand.
Sergiu's take: match the transport to the trip, not the other way around
If you're up for a single night in Akureyri, fly. Forty-five minutes in the air beats a full day of driving when your window is tight. If your trip is really about the north, the whale watching, Mývatn, Goðafoss, drive it, and give yourself the full 9 to 10 hours to actually stop. If you're traveling with family, a group, or heavy luggage and just want the logistics handled, book a private transfer.
That third scenario is where most people underestimate the value of paying a fixed price for certainty, especially on a corridor with real winter risk built into it.
— Sergiu
Book your Reykjavik to Akureyri transfer with Easytransfer
Skip the rental counter, the parking search, and the bus timetable entirely. Easytransfer is the alternative to self-drive stress on this route: one fixed price, a driver already tracking your flight, and a vehicle that fits your group instead of the other way around.
Booking takes minutes. Submit your pickup and drop-off details, get a quote back within 24 hours from a real agent, and you're confirmed instantly once you accept. Plans change? You can cancel up to 24 hours before pickup for a full refund, no penalty. Whether you need a straightforward Keflavík to Reykjavík transfer before heading north, or you're planning stops at the Sky Lagoon along the way, Easytransfer's fleet covers everything from a solo traveller to a group of 49.
Ready to lock in your route? Browse private transfer options and get your quote today, and if you're weighing a longer northern itinerary, Elite Travel's Iceland packages are worth a look for a fuller multi-day plan.
Sources
Check road.is for real-time pass conditions, straeto.is for current bus timetables, and Smyril Line for ferry sailings from Denmark. Visit Akureyri's transport page covers arrival options in detail, and domestic airline sites list live flight schedules between RKV and AEY.
- Reykjavik to Akureyri — kimkim
- Reykjavik to Akureyri drive — JuiceUp (2026)
- Transport — Visit Akureyri