TR AVEL ADVIC E Trav elling in Iceland W h en plan n in g a trip abroad it is good to be aw are of an y requ irem en ts th at th e cou n try you are visitin g h as in place, su ch as drivin g regu lation s an d w h at type of passport or visas you m igh t n eed in order to en ter. O n th ese pages you w ill fin d u sefu l in form ation abou t travellin g to Icelan d to h elp you prepare for you r trip. C U L T U R E Ice la nd is a la nd o f e xtre m e co ntra cts co ntra s ts a nd s pe cta cula r be a uty. It ha s s o m e o f the la rge s t gla cie rs a nd m o s t a ctive vo lca no e s in the w o rld, da ys a re e xtre m e ly s ho rt in w inte r a nd the s un ha rdly s e ts in s um m e r. It is ve ry s pa rs e ly po pula te d but to uris m ha s ris e n s ubs ta ntia lly in the la s t de ca de. Ice la nde rs a re ge ne ra lly w e lco m ing a nd frie ndly a nd unde rs ta nda bly ve ry pro ud o f the ir co untry. The pris tine na tura l la nds ca pe s s ho uld be tre a te d w ith gre a t ca re a nd re s pe ct. The o fficia l La ngua ge o f Ice la nd is Ice la ndic. W he n lo o king up pla ce na m e s in a n Ice la ndic m a p, guide o r o the r inde x, yo u s ho uld no te tha t the re a re e xtra le tte rs in the Ice la ndic a lpha be t, be yo nd the 26 tha t w e a ls o us e. The le tte r Þ is pro no unce d a s a s o ft th a s in think ; the le tte r ð (o r its ca pita l, Ð) is pro no unce d a s a ha rd th a s in the. So m e o f the m o s t co m m o n Ice la nding gre e tings yo u m a y find us e ful to kno w w he n vis iting a re : H a lló. (ha -lo w ) - H e llo B le s s (ble s s ) Go o d B ye Já (ya w ) - Y e s N e i (na y) - N o Já ta kk (ya w ta hk) Y e s ple a s e Ta kk (ta hk) Tha nk yo u Ta la rð u e ns ku? (Ta -la r-thu e n-s ku?) Do yo u s pe a k Englis h? O pið / Lo ka ð O pe n/ Clo s e d Ka rla r/ Konur Ge nts / La die s Tja lds væ ð ið Ca m ps ite The re is no re a l Ice la ndic e quiva le nt to the Englis h w o rd ple a s e. Ice la ndic is quite ha rd to le a rn a nd pro no unce but fo rtuna te ly, m o s t pe o ple in Ice la nd s pe a k a t le a s t s o m e Englis h. Go o d Englis h is w ide ly s po ke n a nd w ritte n, w ith ne a rly a ll to uris t info rm a tio n a nd inte rpre tive s igna ge be ing in bo th Ice la ndic a nd Englis h. H o w e ve r this s ho uldn t be ta ke n fo r gra nte d a nd a tte m pting to gre e t the m in the ir o w n la ngua ge w ill go a lo ng w a y. W e the re fo re re co m m e nd inve s ting in a phra s e bo o k to he lp yo u during yo ur s ta y. C U R R E N C Y The curre ncy o f Ice la nd is the Kró na (plura l Kró nur) (ISK). B a nking H o urs Monda y to Frida y: 0900 1200 a nd 1400 1600 Sa turda y: 0900 1200 (s o m e ba nks o nly) O pe ning tim e s m a y va ry fro m o ne ba nk to a no the r
B a nk a re clo s e d o n na tio na l ho lida ys. Cre dit Ca rds & A TM Ice la nd is a n a lm o s t ca s hle s s s o cie ty, w he re yo u ca n pa y fo r a lm o s t a nything, a lm o s t a nyw he re e ve n a co ffe e, a be e r o r a s a ndw ich w ith m a jo r cre dit ca rds. V is ito rs s ho uld be a w a re, ho w e ve r, tha t a dditio na l cha rge s m a y be a dde d fo r the s m a lle s t tra ns a ctio ns. The re fo re, it is us e ful to ha ve s o m e ca s h fo r s undry e xpe ns e s. The re a re ca s h dis pe ns e r m a chine s (A TMs ) in m o s t to w ns. Y o u ca n a ls o cha nge Ste rling into Kró nur a t ba nks a nd bure a u de cha nge s. Tra ve lle rs ' che que s ca n be e xcha nge d in ba nks. D R IV IN G IN IC E L A N D Driving re gula tio ns in Ice la nd a re diffe re nt fro m tho s e in the U K. A lw a ys re m e m be r tha t the no rm a l rule is to give w a y to the right e a ch tim e yo u re a ch a n unco ntro lle d inte rs e ctio n. U s ing m o bile pho ne s w he n driving is fo rbidde n, ho w e ve r, us e o f a co m ple te ly ha nds -fre e unit is a cce pta ble. Se ve re pe na ltie s a re im po s e d fo r drink driving, including w ithdra w a l o f yo u driving lice nce, pris o n s e nte nce s a nd he a vy fine s. The m a xim um s pe e d o n pa ve d ro a ds is 90km h (55m ph), but 80km h (50m ph) if yo u a re to w ing a nd 80kph (49m ph) o n gra ve l ro a ds but w e re co m m e nd lo w e r s pe e ds. The lim it in built-up a re a s is 50km h (30m ph). Fine s fo r e xce e ding the s pe e d lim it a re high a nd ca n ra nge be tw e e n 15,000 to 90,000 ISK. The m a in ro a d a ro und Ice la nd (Road 1) is ta rm a c o ve r m o s t o f its le ngth. Most o the r ro a ds a re uns e a le d. P le a s e be a w a re tha t m o s t ro a d a ccide nts s uffe re d by to uris ts o ccur w he re s e a le d ro a ds s udde nly cha nge to uns e a le d, o fte n w ith little w a rning. P a rticula r ca re ne e ds to be ta ke n o n gra ve l s urfa ce s, a nd m o unta in gra ve l ro a ds s ho uld o nly be us e d if yo u ha ve a 4x4 ve hicle a nd a re co nfide nt in driving it, a s the s e ro a ds a re no t ge ne ra lly s uita ble fo r ca ra va ns o r m o to rho m e s. O ff ro a d driving is s trictly pro hibite d. Dis ta nce s be tw e e n to w ns o r villa ge s ca n be gre a t, ro a ds na rro w a nd w inding, a nd s pe e d lim its lo w. Driving the re fo re ta ke s lo nge r tha n yo u think, no t o nly fo r this re a s o n but a ls o be ca us e the s ce ne ry co m m a nds s o m uch a tte ntio n. In ba d w e a the r, driving co nditio ns m a y be ha z a rdo us a nd ro a ds im pa s s a ble, e s pe cia lly in w intry co nditio ns. The s o uth-w e s t o f the is la nd ha s no ta bly s o m e high w inds, a nd to pre pa re fo r this, a s w e ll a s ge tting lo ts o f he lpful a dvice, w a tch this vide o o n driving in Ice la nd a nd che cko ut the Ice la ndic Tra ns po rt A utho rity w e bs ite. Mounta in tra cks in Ice la nd Many highla nd tra cks o nly o pe n fo r a s ho rt pa rt o f the s um m e r. If yo u inte nd to drive to the highla nd, o r re m o te r re gio ns o f the co untry, yo u s ho uld a lw a ys che ck firs t the N a tio na l Roads A utho rity, V e ga ge rdin, be fo re de pa rture (Te l: + 354 522 1000). V e ga ge rdin pro vide s up to da te info rm a tio n o n a ll ro a ds in the co untry a nd w ill a ls o a dvis e yo u o n fo re ca s te d w e a the r co nditio ns. Y o u s ho uld re m a in a le rt to the po s s ibility o f ra pidly cha nging w e a the r pa tte rns, including rive r le ve ls. Dis ta nce s be tw e e n pe tro l s ta tio ns ca n s o m e tim e s be gre a t, but m o s t m a ps o f Ice la nd s ho w w he re filling s ta tio ns a re lo ca te d. Cre dit ca rds a re a cce pte d a t m o s t filling s ta tio ns. Eve n in re m o te a re a s a nd o uts ide clo s ing tim e s, fue l is us ua lly s till a va ila ble by m e a ns o f a uto m a te d pum ps w ith ins tructio ns in Englis h. H o w e ve r, it is a lw a ys w is e to to p up yo ur ta nk w he n yo u ca n, w he n m a king lo nge r trips.
A va lid U K lice nce is a cce pte d in Ice la nd. If yo u ha ve a n o ld gre e n-s tyle lice nce, it s ho uld be ba cke d up by a n Inte rna tio na l Driving P e rm it. B e s ure to a rra nge a ppro pria te ve hicle bre a kdo w n a nd re co ve ry ins ura nce prio r to tra ve lling, a nd che ck w ith yo ur ins ure r tha t it do e s e xte nd to Ice la nd, a s re co ve ry ca n be e xpe ns ive in re m o te a re a s. Y o u a re re quire d to ca rry ce rta in ite m s in yo ur ve hicle s uch a s a w a rning tria ngle. The re gula tio ns o n w ha t m us t be ca rrie d do cha nge fro m tim e to tim e, s o it is a dvis a ble to che ck the m o s t up to da te info rm a tio n be fo re yo u tra ve l. It is re co m m e nde d to ke e p ve hicle do o rs lo cke d in s lo w m o ving tra ffic a nd s e cure yo ur ve hicle w he n it is le ft una tte nde d. Roads a re ge ne ra lly fre e o f cha rge in Ice la nd. The H va lfjö rdur tunne l be tw e e n A kra ne s a nd Re ykja vík is the o nly tunne l in Ice la nd w he re a to ll is le vie d. Fo r up to da te info rm a tio n o n tunne l a nd bridge to lls click he re. Lo w Em is s io n Z o ne s (LEZ s ) a re pro life ra ting thro ugho ut Euro pe. W hile the num be r a nd va rie ty o f s che m e s m a y s e e m ba ffling, in fa ct m a ny a pply o nly to city ce ntre s a nd s o w ill no t a ffe ct the m a jo rity o f ca m pe rs. If yo u do w is h to vis it citie s w hile ca m ping, e ithe r cho o s e a city ce ntre s ite a nd us e the link be lo w to che ck fo r a ny a cce s s re gula tio ns, o r ca m p o uts ide the city s LEZ a nd us e public tra ns po rt to a cce s s the ce ntre. P le a s e click he re fo r m o re info rm a tio n. P le a s e vis it o ur Tra ve l P la nning pa ge s fo r info rm a tio n o n ro a d to lls, w e ight lim its a nd m o re. H E A L T H / S A F E T Y The Fo re ign & Com m o nw e a lth O ffice m a y m a ke s pe cific tra ve l re la te d re co m m e nda tio ns fo r vis ito rs to Ice la nd. Fo r the m o s t up to da te info rm a tio n vis it the ir w e bs ite. H EA LTH The De pa rtm e nt o f H e a lth do e s no t m a ke a ny s pe cific he a lth re co m m e nda tio ns fo r vis ito rs to Ice la nd; ho w e ve r yo u m a y like to che ck w ith yo ur do cto r be fo re de pa rture. Y o u s ho uld ge t a fre e Euro pe a n H e a lth Ins ura nce Ca rd (EH IC) be fo re le a ving the U K. The EH IC is n t a s ubs titute fo r m e dica l a nd tra ve l ins ura nce, but it e ntitle s yo u to s ta te -pro vide d m e dica l tre a tm e nt tha t m a y be co m e ne ce s s a ry during yo ur trip. A ny tre a tm e nt pro vide d is o n the s a m e te rm s a s na tio na ls o f the co untry yo u a re vis iting. If yo u do n t ha ve yo ur EH IC w ith yo u o r yo u ve lo s t it, yo u ca n ca ll the De pa rtm e nt o f H e a lth O ve rs e a s H e a lthca re Te a m (+ 44 191 218 1999) to ge t a P ro vis io na l Re pla ce m e nt Ce rtifica te. The EH IC w o n t co ve r m e dica l re pa tria tio n, o ngo ing m e dica l tre a tm e nt o r no n-urge nt tre a tm e nt, s o yo u s ho uld m a ke s ure yo u ha ve a de qua te tra ve l ins ura nce a nd a cce s s ible funds to co ve r the co s t o f a ny m e dica l tre a tm e nt a nd re pa tria tio n. If yo u re quire m e dica tio n w hile in Ice la nd, re m e m be r to bring a pre s criptio n w ith yo u. If yo u ne e d e m e rge ncy m e dica l a s s is ta nce during yo ur trip, dia l 112 a nd a s k fo r a n a m bula nce. If yo u a re re fe rre d to a m e dica l fa cility fo r tre a tm e nt yo u s ho uld co nta ct yo ur ins ura nce /m e dica l a s s is ta nce co m pa ny im m e dia te ly. SA FETY H iking, m o unta ine e ring a nd o the r a dve nture s po rts a re incre a s ingly po pula r a ctivitie s in Ice la nd. U nfo rtuna te ly the re a re incide nts e a ch ye a r o f vis ito rs ge tting into difficulty a nd ne e ding the he lp o f the e m e rge ncy s e rvice s. Fo llo w the guida nce o f the Ice la ndic e m e rge ncy s e rvice s a s de ta ile d o n the Sa fe Tra ve l w e bs ite. Le a ve tra ve l pla ns a nd co nta ct de ta ils w ith s o m e o ne w ho is s ta ying be hind s uch a s ho te l o r ca m ps ite s ta ff o r to ur e s co rts, o r dire ctly o n the s a fe tra ve l w e bs ite, a nd ta ke a m o bile pho ne w ith yo u
A s w ith a nyw he re in the w o rld, it is go o d pra ctice to be vigila nt a bo ut yo ur pro pe rty, bo th in te rm s o f yo ur m o to rho m e a nd pe rs o na l be lo ngings, ta ke s e ns ible pre ca utio ns to pro te ct yo urs e lf fro m pe tty crim e. Don t le a ve yo ur ha ndba g o r lugga ge una tte nde d. Le a ve co pie s o f im po rta nt do cum e nts w ith fa m ily a nd frie nds in the U K. Ca rry a pho to co py o f yo ur pa s s po rt fo r ID. P A S S P O R T S / V IS A S P A SSP O RTS Y o ur pa ssport sho uld be va lid fo r the pro pose d dura tio n o f yo ur sta y; yo u don t ne e d a ny a dditio na l pe rio d o f va lidity o n yo ur pa ssport be yo nd this. Sho uld yo u w is h to ta ke a pe t o n yo ur jo urne y, ple a s e s e e o ur Guide to Euro pe a n Ca m ping fo r furthe r info rm a tio n. If yo u inte nd to tra ve l o n o ne o f o ur Es co rte d Tours, ple a s e che ck o ur Tour P a ge s to find o ut w he the r pe ts a re pe rm itte d. V ISA S If yo u ha ve a U K pa s s po rt e ndo rs e d B ritis h Citiz e n, B ritis h N a tio na l O ve rs e a s o r B ritis h O ve rs e a s Te rrito ry Citiz e n yo u do no t ne e d a vis a fo r s ta ys o f up to 3 m o nths. O the r type s o f B ritis h na tio na l w ill ne e d a va lid Sche nge n vis a to e nte r Ice la nd. Fo r s ta ys o f lo nge r tha n 3 m o nths, co nta ct the Dire cto ra te o f Im m igra tio n, Ú tle ndinga s to fnun, Skó ga rhlíð 6, 105 Re ykja vík. Te le pho ne : 510-5400. S H O P P IN G Sho pping ho urs m a y va ry but a re ge ne ra lly Monda y to Frida y 0900-1800 a nd Sa turda y fro m 1000 to be tw e e n 1400 a nd 1700 (de pe nding o n the s ho p). So m e s upe rm a rke ts re m a in o pe n until 2300, s e ve n da ys a w e e k. Ice la nd ha s tra ditio na lly fe lt e xpe ns ive fo r U K vis ito rs, a nd be pre pa re d fo r highe r co s ts fo r ge ne ra l fo o d ite m s o r lo ca l e xcurs io ns. Ge ne ra lly, yo u s ho uld be pre pa re d to s pe nd quite a lo t o f m o ne y if yo u inte nd to e a t a nd drink in re s ta ura nts a nd ba rs, w ith w ine pa rticula rly be ing ve ry e xpe ns ive. Me a t a nd fis h (s urpris ingly!) a re a ls o e xpe ns ive, but fruit a nd ve ge ta ble s, che e s e a nd m ilk a re re a s o na bly price d. Lo ca l s pe cia litie s a re w o o lle n knitw e a r, ha ndm a de ce ra m ics, gla s s w a re a nd s ilve r je w e lry. A ls o a va ila ble is a gre a t va rie ty o f high-qua lity s e a fo o d. LP G is no t a va ila ble, s o e ns ure yo u bring e no ugh ga s w ith yo u (s ubje ct to fe rry re s trictio ns ). It is fo rbidde n to im po rt fue l in a s pa re ca n. Y o u m a y be e ntitle d to a V A T re fund o n go o ds yo u purcha s e in Ice la nd to ta ke ho m e. More info rm a tio n is a va ila ble he re. T IP P IN G Se rvice a nd V A T a re inva ria bly include d in price s in Ice la nd. Tips a re no t e xpe cte d. T IM E Z O N E S Ice la nd is o n Gre e nw ich Me a n Tim e (GMT) thro ugho ut the ye a r, a nd do e s no t o pe ra te da ylight s a ving tim e. T O U R S IN IC E L A N D W e run a n Es co rte d Tours to Ice la nd w he re yo u ca n vis it m a ny bre a thta king a re a s, a ll in the co m fo rt o f yo ur o w n unit. Find o ut m o re a bo ut o ur Ice la nd & the Fa ro e Is la nds Es co rte d Tour.