Getting Around Iceland in November Without a Rental Car

Coaches, airport shuttles and guided pickups can cover most of a November trip — if you pick the right base and skip the routes that quietly stop running.

Landing at Keflavík and reaching Reykjavík

Keflavík Airport sits about 50 km from central Reykjavík, roughly 45 minutes by road in normal conditions — allow more when snow or sleet slows the Reykjanesbraut. Two scheduled coaches cover the route: Flybus, which meets most arrivals and drops at BSÍ bus terminal near Hlemmur, and Airport Direct, which runs toward the Skógarhlíð area. Both cost in the region of 3,000–4,000 ISK one way, more with hotel drop-off. Book the coach with your flight number attached so the operator can move you to a later departure if you are delayed.

If you land after midnight or your flight is badly delayed, a shared door-to-door transfer is worth the extra cost over a coach that may have stopped for the night. Staying near BSÍ, Laugavegur or Hverfisgata makes the coach simple and puts you within walking distance of tour pickup points. Hotels along Suðurlandsspítali or in the outer suburbs are cheaper but add a taxi leg on dark, icy mornings. On a short November trip I would book a hotel in postcode 101 and treat the coach as part of the arrival plan.

City buses, day tours and the limits of public transport

Reykjavík's Strætó city buses (route 1, 3, 6 and others) cost about 650 ISK per single adult fare, payable in the app or with coins. They are useful for Hallgrímskirkja, the National Museum by Suðurgata and the pools at Laugardal, but they are not a sightseeing network. For anything outside the capital — Þingvellir, the Geysir area, Seljalandsfoss, Vík — you need a guided day tour, and in November that is the sensible choice since many minor roads close or turn dangerous.

Golden Circle coaches run year-round and collect from designated stops in 101 rather than every hotel door, so check your pickup point before booking. South coast tours to Vík are still running in November but daylight is short: expect an early start and a return after dark. Tours to Landmannalaugar and the interior highlands simply do not operate — the F-roads are closed, so cross those off. If your priority is the south coast, book a two-day tour with an overnight near Vík rather than a single long day.

North Iceland and Akureyri without a car

Akureyri is about 390 km from Reykjavík along Route 1, roughly four and a half to five hours by car in good conditions and longer in winter. Domestic flights from Reykjavík to Akureyri take about 45 minutes and are the reliable option in November, when the Kjölur and Sprengisandur highland routes are shut and the Ring Road crossing can be slow. City buses in Akureyri are limited but the town centre, the botanical garden and the church are walkable from most hotels.

For whale watching at Húsavík or the Mývatn area, book a guided tour from Akureyri with transport included; the drive to Mývatn is around 90 km and the roads can be icy. The local tour operators run these trips even in low season but not daily, so build your dates around departures. I would fly north, stay two nights in Akureyri and take one organised day trip, rather than attempting the drive from Reykjavík in November.

What to book first and what to skip

Book in this order: airport coach or transfer, then your accommodation, then guided tours with pickup, because tour capacity shrinks in November while hotels in 101 and Akureyri still fill on weekends. Northern lights tours operate from September to mid-April, run on clear nights only and often re-run you for free if the first attempt fails — check each operator's policy. Blue Lagoon transfers are easy to add but the lagoon itself is busy; the Sky Lagoon near Kársnes or the local pools in Reykjavík are quieter.

Skip any plan involving a self-drive Golden Circle loop, a Highlands detour or a one-day Ring Road run — none is realistic in November without a car and winter experience. Also skip long-distance public buses between regions, which are sparse and poorly suited to short trips. If you want two bases, keep them Reykjavík and Akureyri and fly between. For the winter booking checklist, see our guide to November bookings.

Where to stay for easy transport

Staying in central Reykjavík, ideally between Laugavegur and the harbour, means tour pickups, the BSÍ coach terminal and restaurants are all within a short walk — a real advantage when daylight lasts only about five hours. Rooms in 101 are the priciest; the 105 and 107 postcodes near Sundlaugavegur and Hringbraut are slightly cheaper and still walkable to pickup points. Book early for weekends in November, when short-break demand is steady.

In Akureyri, a hotel near the town centre puts you close to the bus stops and the tour departure points, and you can reach the airport at about 3 km. Compare total costs including transfers rather than room rate alone, and check whether your hotel offers a designated tour pickup stop — many central ones do, which saves an early taxi.

Questions, answered

How do I get from Keflavík Airport to Reykjavík in November?

Take a scheduled coach such as Flybus to BSÍ terminal or Airport Direct toward Skógarhlíð, both 3,000–4,000 ISK one way, with hotel drop-off costing more. For late-night arrivals or long delays, a shared door-to-door transfer is worth the extra.

Can I visit the Golden Circle and south coast without a car in November?

Yes, but only on organised day tours with pickup from central Reykjavík. Golden Circle coaches run year-round; south coast trips to Vík operate but return after dark. Highlands tours do not run because the F-roads are closed.

What should I book first?

Airport transfer, then accommodation in postcode 101 or central Akureyri, then guided tours with pickup. November tour capacity is limited and hotels fill on weekends, so early booking matters more than comparing every room rate.

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