Reykjavik / The verdict
Keflavik airport to Reykjavik: which way?
For most arrivals the FlyBus airport coach is the pick: it departs 30 to 60 minutes after every scheduled landing, runs about 45 minutes to the BSI terminal and costs 3,999 ISK, or 5,299 with a drop near your hotel. Public bus 55 undercuts it at 2,400 ISK but only suits daytime arrivals, while taxis and pre-booked transfers at roughly 22,500 ISK a car suit groups and late landings.
By The Real Traveler Experiences team. We earn a commission if you book through our links. It never changes a verdict.
The Reykjavik story
Reykjavik is the smallest-feeling capital in Europe: colorful tin-roofed houses, the rocket-church silhouette of Hallgrimskirkja, the Harpa concert hall on the waterfront, and a 101 downtown you can cross on foot in twenty minutes. It works as a base camp rather than a museum city, and the famous Iceland is mostly outside it, which the city itself seems to know.
The verdict in 30 seconds
Our pick: FlyBus airport coach (runner-up: Taxi or private transfer)
For most arrivals the FlyBus airport coach is the pick: it departs 30 to 60 minutes after every scheduled landing, runs about 45 minutes to the BSI terminal and costs 3,999 ISK, or 5,299 with a drop near your hotel. Public bus 55 undercuts it at 2,400 ISK but only suits daytime arrivals, while taxis and pre-booked transfers at roughly 22,500 ISK a car suit groups and late landings.
Go if
- You want the simplest ride after a red-eye: step out of arrivals, board the coach, get off at BSI or a stop near your hotel.
- You are pricing a solo or pair trip where a 22,500 ISK taxi makes no sense next to a 3,999 ISK seat.
- You landed at an awkward hour and need a transfer that follows flight arrivals rather than a public timetable.
Skip if
- You are landing and heading straight onto the Ring Road; picking up a rental car in the arrivals hall skips the city entirely.
- You need a guaranteed child seat at the coach door; infants under one cannot ride the FlyBus and ages one to three need a seat arranged a day ahead.
The options
FlyBus airport coach Go
Almost everyone: it follows flight arrivals around the clock and undercuts every motorized option except the public bus.
Good
- Departs 30 to 60 minutes after every scheduled arrival, delayed flights included
- 3,999 ISK to the BSI terminal in about 45 minutes; 5,299 with a hotel-area drop
- Youth 6-15 pay 1,999 ISK and children 1-5 ride free
- Tickets sold online or at the desk in the arrivals hall
Watch out
- The base fare ends at the BSI terminal, about a 10-minute walk south of the center, not at your door
- Hotel drop-off on FlyBus+ means a minibus change at BSI
- Infants under one cannot ride and ages 1 to 3 need a car seat arranged a day ahead
FlyBus times, fares and bookingReserve an airport coach seat aheadpartner site
Straeto route 55 public bus It depends
Daytime arrivals on a tight budget carrying light bags, when the timetable happens to line up.
Good
- 2,400 ISK adult fare is the cheapest seat on the route
- Children 11 and under ride free
- Through-services reach the BSI terminal
Watch out
- Not timed to flight arrivals, roughly hourly at best and nothing after about 23:00
- Some trips terminate at Fjordur and need a connection to reach BSI
- About 80 minutes to the center with stops along the way
- No reservations; pay the driver or in the Klappid app
Taxi or private transfer It depends
Groups of three or four, families with small children and arrivals deep into the night.
Good
- The only true door-to-door option at about 40 minutes
- Fixed online quotes around 22,500 ISK for up to 4 passengers split well three or four ways
- Runs at any hour and child seats come on request with a pre-booking
Watch out
- Five or six times the coach fare for a solo traveler
- Metered rides from the rank add a 490 ISK airport fee and climb in traffic
- A quoted 40-minute ride stretches when weather slows the road
Hreyfill taxi fare tablePre-book a fixed-price arrival transferpartner site
Rental car at KEF It depends
Travelers who planned to drive anyway and want to roll straight onto the Golden Circle or Ring Road.
Good
- Counters inside the arrivals hall put you on the road in about half an hour
- No double handling of luggage
- The Blue Lagoon is 20 minutes from the airport, half the drive from the city
Watch out
- A wasted line item for a city-only stay: Reykjavik is walkable and parking is limited and paid
- Winter self-drive demands comfort with ice and wind
- Fuel and parking make it the priciest choice for a short trip
Keflavik airport transport infoCompare rental cars at Keflavikpartner site
| Criterion | FlyBus airport coach | Straeto route 55 public bus | Taxi or private transfer | Rental car at KEF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Official adult cost | 3,999 ISK to BSI, 5,299 ISK with a hotel-area drop | 2,400 ISK to the city, 1,800 ISK toward Fjordur | Fixed about 22,500 ISK per car for up to four | A small car runs roughly 15,000 ISK a day before fuel |
| Time to the center | About 45 minutes, plus the hotel-hop leg on FlyBus+ | About 80 minutes when the run goes through to BSI | About 40 minutes door to door | About 45 minutes plus parking |
| Works for a 2am arrival | Yes, departures follow every landing | No, service ends around 23:00 | Yes, fixed-fare drivers run around the clock | Yes, but confirm your supplier staffs late arrivals |
| Luggage and kids | Big hold luggage included; infants under 1 cannot ride and ages 1-3 need a pre-arranged seat | Regular city-bus rules; under-12s free | Child seats on request; the car swallows all your bags | Your own rules apply; winter kit is on you |
| Where you end up | BSI terminal, or a stop near your hotel on FlyBus+ | BSI on through-services, otherwise Fjordur | Your actual address | Wherever you find parking |
| Who should book it | Almost everyone flying solo or as a pair | Budget travelers arriving by day | Groups, families and late arrivals | Drivers heading straight onto the ring road |
What it costs
- FlyBus adult single, KEF to BSI terminal: kr 3999 (FlyBus+ at 5,299 ISK adds a minibus hop to hotel-area stops; youth 6-15 pay 1,999 ISK and children 1-5 ride free). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
- Straeto route 55 adult single to Reykjavik or Gardabaer: kr 2400 (1,800 ISK to the Fjordur direction; children 11 and under free; pay on board or in the Klappid app, no reservations). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
- Hreyfill taxi fixed online fare, KEF to Reykjavik, up to 4 passengers: kr 22500 (5-8 passengers quoted at 29,250 ISK; metered rank pickups add a 490 ISK airport fee). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
What travelers report
Based on 13 traveler reports (Jan 2025 to Aug 2026) and the official sources linked on this page. 1 was negative.
What people like
- 5 of the logged reports call the airport coach the default move: cheap, guaranteed to run after landings and no worse in a storm than anything else on the road.
- 3 of the logged reports liked being able to buy a ticket in the arrivals hall without pre-booking.
- 2 logged reports note the FlyBus+ add-on or a connecting minibus gets you to a stop near your hotel door.
What people complain about
- 3 of the logged reports flag that public route 55 is not timed to flights, runs thinly in the evening and sometimes ends at Fjordur rather than BSI.
- 2 of the logged reports describe taxi fares into the city as shockingly expensive for a solo traveler.
- 2 logged reports mention the bus-change shuffle at the BSI terminal confuses first-timers expecting a single ride to their hotel.
How to do it right
- Walk out of customs into the arrivals hall: the FlyBus desk sells tickets inside and coaches wait directly outside, and you can also pre-book online.
- On the base FlyBus fare you get off at the BSI coach terminal, roughly a 10-minute walk south of the center; the FlyBus+ fare adds a connecting minibus to designated hotel and bus stops.
- Route 55 boards at the Kjovellir stop about 150 meters from the terminal doors; check the timetable before committing, since not every run reaches BSI and nothing runs much after 23:00.
- Taxis queue outside arrivals; a pre-booked private transfer puts a driver in the hall with a name sign at a fixed price.
- Rental car counters line the arrivals hall; Reykjavik is about 45 minutes away in normal conditions.
The trap to avoid
Airport Direct is the name that still trips people up: scheduled coaches under that brand stopped running in early 2025, and what is sold under the name now is the same FlyBus operation on the same buses. Pay FlyBus prices rather than a premium for a rebranded seat.
Why this verdict
Keflavik sits 50 kilometers from Reykjavik on a peninsula with exactly one road, so the question is not how to get in but what to pay for the ride. The FlyBus coach is the default for a reason: it leaves 30 to 60 minutes after every scheduled arrival, delayed flights included, and reaches the BSI terminal in about 45 minutes for 3,999 ISK. Pay 5,299 for the FlyBus+ version and a minibus continues to a stop near your hotel, which matters because the base fare ends at the terminal, not your door.
The straightforward alternative is public route 55 at 2,400 ISK. It is cheap, but it runs on a commuter timetable, stops for the night around 23:00 and some trips terminate at Fjordur instead of reaching the city. It suits a relaxed daytime arrival with a backpack, not a jetlagged midnight landing.
Taxis and pre-booked private transfers are the only door-to-door option, at about 22,500 ISK a car on the fixed fare. That is a terrible solo price and a reasonable one split four ways at 1am. One naming trap survives on booking sites: Airport Direct stopped running as a scheduled coach in early 2025, and the name now rides on the same FlyBus operation, so compare prices before paying extra for it.
Timing and tickets
Whatever you pick, the Blue Lagoon sits 20 minutes from the airport against 45 from the city, so many travelers tag it onto arrival or departure day rather than making a separate trip.
Book or check times
FlyBus times, fares and bookingStraeto timetables for route 55Hreyfill taxi fare tableKeflavik airport transport info
We earn a commission if you book through our links. It never changes a verdict. How this works
Pre-book a fixed-price arrival transferpartner siteReserve an airport coach seat aheadpartner siteCompare rental cars at Keflavikpartner site
Questions
What is the cheapest way from Keflavik airport to Reykjavik?
Straeto public bus 55 at 2,400 ISK for adults, though it only works for daytime arrivals since it is not timed to flights and some runs end at Fjordur instead of the BSI terminal.
Will the FlyBus wait if my flight is delayed?
Yes. Coaches depart about 30 to 60 minutes after every scheduled arrival including delayed flights, and a pre-booked seat is held for you.
How much is a taxi from Keflavik to Reykjavik?
About 22,500 ISK for up to four passengers when you book the fixed online fare with the main operator; metered trips from the rank add a 490 ISK airport fee and can climb in traffic.
How long does the airport transfer take?
The coach and taxis take 40 to 50 minutes in normal conditions; route 55 takes around 80 minutes because it is a public bus with stops.
Can I go straight to the Blue Lagoon instead of the city?
Yes, and it is closer to the airport than Reykjavik is. Dedicated Blue Lagoon transfers and tour packages run from KEF, so booking the lagoon for arrival or departure day saves backtracking.
Can children ride the FlyBus?
Children ages 1 to 5 ride free but need a car seat arranged about 24 hours ahead for ages 1 to 3, and infants under one cannot ride because the coaches carry no three-point belts.
Pack for it
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