Getting Around Iceland by Ferry: What the Routes Actually Connect

Iceland's ferries are not a coastal touring network but a handful of practical crossings that can save long drives or open up islands most visitors never reach.

The Big One: Landeyjahand to Vestmannaeyjar

The crossing most travellers actually use runs from Landeyjahöfn, on the south coast about 130 km east of Reykjavík, to Heimaey in the Westman Islands. The sailing takes roughly 35 minutes and runs several times daily in summer, weather permitting. Landeyjahöfn is shallow and silts up, so in winter and during rough spells the service shifts to the older harbour at Þorlákshöfn, adding about 45 minutes of driving and a longer crossing. Check the operator's site the morning you travel, not the week before.

Heimaey itself is worth an overnight rather than a day trip. The island has around 4,300 residents, a puffin colony at Stórhöfði, and the 1973 Eldfell eruption still visible in the lava that buried part of the town. Book accommodation in Vestmannaeyjar early for July and August, when the islands' festival and the good weather collide. If you are driving the Ring Road and short on time, the ferry is a pleasant detour; if you have two nights to spare, take them here rather than adding another waterfall stop.

The North: Akureyri to Hrísey and Grímsey

From Árskógssandur, about 30 minutes north of Akureyri, a small ferry reaches Hrísey in 15 minutes. The island is flat, quiet and easily walked in an afternoon, with a bird reserve at its northern end. It suits travellers already based in Akureyri who want a half-day away from the Ring Road traffic. There is no need to book far ahead outside July; the boat takes cars but most visitors leave them on the mainland.

Grímsey is the more committed trip. The ferry from Dalvík takes about three hours each way and crosses the Arctic Circle, which is the main reason people go. Sailings are not daily year-round, and the crossing is exposed, so it is a poor choice for anyone prone to seasickness. Flying from Akureyri is faster and, for a day trip, often the more sensible option. Book a night in Dalvík or Akureyri rather than trying to drive back to Reykjavík the same evening.

West and Westfjords: Breiðafjörður and Hornstrandir

The Baldur ferry links Stykkishólmur on the Snæfellsnes peninsula with Brjánslækur in the Westfjords, calling at Flatey in summer. The full crossing takes about two and a half hours; the Flatey stop is a highlight, with a handful of houses and a church on a car-free island. This is the route to take if you are combining Snæfellsnes with the southern Westfjords and want to avoid driving the long way round through Staðarskálli. Vehicles need booking; foot passengers rarely do.

For Hornstrandir, the uninhabited nature reserve in the far northwest, boats run from Ísafjörður in summer only, typically June to August. This is hiking territory with no shops, no accommodation and no rescue services on call, so it rewards planning. Most travellers base themselves in Ísafjörður for a night before and after. If your trip is a first visit to Iceland in under ten days, I would skip Hornstrandir entirely and put the time into the Westfjords' roads instead.

Practicalities and What to Skip

Icelandic ferries carry cars but capacity is limited, and summer sailings on the Baldur and the Vestmannaeyjar route do fill. Reserve vehicle space at least a few weeks ahead for July and August; foot passengers can usually turn up. Crossings are weather-dependent in a way that is genuinely unpredictable, so build slack into any itinerary where a ferry is the only way to reach a booked bed. May, June and September give you most of the daylight with fewer people competing for space.

What to skip: the temptation to treat ferries as a scenic coastal tour. Iceland has no such network, and the routes above exist to solve specific transport problems. If you are driving the Ring Road in a week, the only ferry worth considering is Landeyjahöfn to Heimaey, and even that costs you a day. Travellers with ten days or more should build in Heimaey and Flatey and treat the rest as optional. Base yourself in Reykjavík or Akureyri for the first and last nights and book those rooms before you finalise the ferry timetable.

Questions, answered

Do I need to book Iceland ferries in advance?

For foot passengers, rarely. For cars in July and August, yes — the Baldur crossing to Brjánslækur and the Landeyjahöfn service to Heimaey both fill. Book vehicle space a few weeks ahead and confirm the departure port the day before, since weather can move sailings.

Which Iceland ferry is best for a short trip?

The 35-minute Landeyjahöfn to Heimaey crossing, if the weather allows it. It is the shortest, most frequent and most rewarding, with a night on Heimaey giving you puffins, lava fields and a town worth walking. Anything else needs more time than a week allows.

When is the best time to take ferries in Iceland?

June to August for the fullest timetable, including Flatey calls and Hornstrandir boats. May and September offer decent daylight with less pressure on car spaces. Winter sailings are reduced and more often rerouted, so avoid planning a tight connection between October and April.

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