Keflavík Airport to Reykjavík

7 min readUpdated 9 July 2026Getting around

Every way to get from KEF to the city — rental car, transfer bus or taxi — compared honestly. Renting a car? Pick it up here and skip the transfer.

Short answer

Keflavík Airport is about 50 km from Reykjavík — roughly 45 to 50 minutes on Route 41 (Reykjanesbraut). Three ways to get there: a rental car, a transfer bus, or a taxi. Renting a car for your trip? Pick it up at the airport and skip the transfer.

Ring Road (R1) openHighlands: 1 of 11 monitored roads closed or impassableVegagerðin, updated just now

An open paved road running across Icelandic terrain under a wide sky — An Icelandic road under open sky. The drive from Keflavík into Reykjavík is a fast, fully paved 50 km on Route 41 — no gravel, no F-roads.

The corridor: KEF to the capital

The airport sits on the Reykjanes peninsula, south-west of the city. Route 41 (Reykjanesbraut) runs straight across the lava fields into Reykjavík. Open the map to see the line and plan stops.

Route 41 · ReykjanesbrautOpen the interactive map

Car, bus or taxi? Work it out in four questions

Work down the list. The first “yes” is your answer.

Are you renting a car for your trip?
Rent at KEF
Then pick it up at the airport. Every rental desk here is at or beside the KEF terminal, so you skip the transfer bus entirely, keep the car for the whole trip, and pay one price for the group instead of a fare per person.
Are there three or more of you travelling together?
Car or shared taxi
A rental or a taxi is usually cheaper than a transfer bus once you add up the per-person fares both ways — a car is one price for the whole group. If nobody wants to drive, split a taxi.
Arriving late at night, or want door-to-door with no waiting?
Taxi
A taxi runs 24/7 straight to your address. It costs the most, but for a red-eye arrival with luggage and no car booked, it saves the wait and the hotel-transfer shuffle.
Travelling solo or as a couple, on a budget, with no car?
Transfer bus
The transfer bus is the cheapest option. It runs to every arriving flight and drops at the BSÍ terminal in Reykjavík, with an optional hotel drop-off for a bit more.
All of the above “no”?
Transfer bus
If none of the above fits, the transfer bus is the safe default — cheapest, runs to every flight, no driving. But if a car is anywhere in your plans, renting at the airport almost always wins on both cost and convenience.

KEF to Reykjavík — rental car vs transfer bus vs taxi

Option	How you pay	Journey time	Flexibility & stops	Best for
Rental car	One price for the whole group — and you keep the car for the trip	~45–50 min, direct	Total: your own schedule, stops anywhere, luggage no issue	Anyone renting a car for their trip; groups; families
Transfer bus	Per person, each way — from 3,999 ISK one way (check the current fare; hotel drop-off costs a bit more)	~45–60 min to BSÍ terminal	Fixed route to the terminal; optional hotel drop-off; no detours	Solo travellers or couples, on a budget, with no car
Taxi	Metered — the most expensive; varies by time and address (check the fare)	~45–50 min, direct	Door-to-door, 24/7, but no sightseeing stops	Late-night arrivals, lots of luggage, no car booked

The honest wedge is in the “how you pay” column. A transfer bus is priced per person, each way — a family of four pays four fares out and four back. A rental is one price for the whole group, and you keep the car for the rest of the trip instead of paying again to get around. So if a car is anywhere in your plans, collecting it at the airport usually wins on both cost and convenience.

A quiet Icelandic road stretching toward distant hills — Once you have your own car, the airport transfer becomes the first leg of the trip rather than a separate ticket you throw away.

The three options, in detail

All three get you to Reykjavík in under an hour. The difference is cost structure, flexibility, and whether you want wheels for the rest of the trip.

#1.Rental car — pick it up at the airport

journey time: ~45–50 mindistance: ~50 kmcost structure: one group price

If you are renting a car for your trip, there is no reason to take the transfer bus first and collect the car in town later — the rental desks are at or beside the KEF terminal, so you pick up on arrival and drive straight to the city. That folds the airport transfer into the trip itself. For most first visits, something like the Hyundai i10 is the cheapest way to do it; step up to a Dacia Duster 4x4 or Hyundai Tucson if your route leaves the tarmac. See our renting-a-car guide for the age, deposit and insurance rules before you book.

#2.Transfer bus — cheapest with no car

journey time: ~45–60 minfare: from 3,999 ISK / persondrop-off: BSÍ terminal

The airport transfer bus (the Flybus-type service) is the cheapest option for one or two people with no car — from about 3,999 ISK one way, timed to arriving flights, dropping at the BSÍ terminal in Reykjavík. An optional hotel drop-off costs a little more. Check the current fare when you book, since the “from” price can rise with add-ons. It is the simplest choice when you do not need wheels in the city.

#3.Taxi — door-to-door, 24/7

journey time: ~45–50 minfare: metered, most costlydrop-off: your address

A taxi is the most expensive way in, and the fare is metered rather than fixed — it moves with the operator, the time of day and your exact address, so check the fare before you set off rather than trusting a quoted number. What you buy is convenience: straight to your door, any hour, no waiting for a scheduled bus. For a red-eye arrival with luggage and no car booked, that can be worth it — especially split between three or four people.

The drive itself

The route into the city is one of the easiest in the country. Route 41, the Reykjanesbraut, is a fast, fully paved dual carriageway that runs about 50 km across the Reykjanes lava fields — no gravel, no F-roads, nothing a 2WD car can't handle. In summer it is a simple 45-to-50-minute run. It is a good stretch to get used to Icelandic driving before you head further out.

A few practical notes. There are fuel stations along the way and around the capital, so you can fill up before returning the car — rentals go back full. Winter is the one time to slow down: the exposed peninsula catches wind and the odd snow squall, so check the live status above and our alerts page before you set off, and add time. For where to go once you have the car, our Golden Circle vs South Coast guide is the usual first day trip.

In winter, the airport road can turn quickly. The Reykjanes peninsula is open and exposed, so crosswinds, ice and sudden snow squalls happen even on this short paved stretch. Studded winter tyres are required by law on rental cars from 1 November to 14 April.

Check the live road status before you drive, slow down in wind and reduced visibility, and add time to your estimate. If conditions look bad after a late arrival, a taxi or the transfer bus is the safer call than pushing an unfamiliar car through a squall.

Frequently
asked questions

How far is Keflavík Airport from Reykjavík?

About 50 km, on Route 41 (Reykjanesbraut). The drive takes roughly 45 to 50 minutes in normal conditions — the airport is on the Reykjanes peninsula, south-west of the city, so you are on a fast paved road the whole way.

What is the cheapest way from KEF to Reykjavík?

For one or two people with no car, the transfer bus (Flybus-type) is the cheapest — from about 3,999 ISK one way. For three or more, or anyone renting a car for their trip, a rental car picked up at the airport is usually cheaper overall, because a car is one price for the whole group instead of a fare per person each way.

Should I take the transfer bus or rent a car?

If you are renting a car for your trip anyway, pick it up at the airport and skip the bus — you would otherwise pay for the transfer and then collect a car in town. If you have no car in your plans and it is just you or a couple, the bus is the simpler, cheaper choice.

Can I pick up a rental car at Keflavík Airport?

Yes. Rental desks are at or right beside the KEF terminal, so you can collect the car on arrival and drive straight to the city. That turns the airport transfer into the first leg of your trip rather than a separate ticket.

How much is a taxi from Keflavík Airport to Reykjavík?

A taxi is the most expensive option and the fare is metered, so it varies with the operator, time of day and your exact address — check the fare with the driver or app before you set off rather than trusting a fixed number. It is door-to-door and runs 24/7, which is why it suits late-night arrivals with luggage.

Does the transfer bus run at night?

The airport transfer buses are timed to arriving flights, including late ones, so a bus normally meets your flight even at night. A taxi is the alternative if your arrival falls in a gap or you want to go straight to your door.

Is there a public city bus from the airport?

There is a public Strætó service between the airport area and the capital, but it is slower, less frequent and involves changes, so most visitors take the transfer bus, a taxi, or their rental car instead. For a first arrival with luggage, the direct options are worth it.

What is the drive from the airport into Reykjavík like?

Straightforward. Route 41 (Reykjanesbraut) is a fast, fully paved dual carriageway across the Reykjanes lava fields, no gravel and no F-roads — a 2WD car handles it easily. There are fuel stops along the way, so you can fill up before returning the car.