Iceland Buses?

Hey all,

I leave for Iceland next week and am still struggling with the Straeto website so any help would be greatly appreciated.

1) Is it better to get the bus next Sunday from Reykjavik to Skogafoss / Vik or do I get it at the end of my trip…Vik to Reykjavik?

2) On Sundays, is it the 52 bus from Reykjavik to Vik or the 51?

3) Can anyone give me definite times the bus goes from Reykkjavik and what time it gets to Vik? + What times it leaves Vik and arrives in Reykjavik (on Sundays).

Thanks,

Josh

Straeto's site is confusing but I've had good experience using them to get where I want. I usually use the timetables they have as pdf form. There you just need to know that the first one on the page is Monday-Friday, the second (Laugardaga) Saturday and the third (Sunnu…) is Sunday and Public Holidays.

Seems like there is bus number 51 on Sundays leaving from Reykjavik at 9:00, arriving to Vik at 11:45. The bus back leaves from Vik at 20:30 and arrives to Reykjavik at 23:15.

And once you know the real names of the stops, you can search and double-check it with the journey planner too. The pdf seems to be for summer timetables. I have no idea when summer is over for Straeto.

Since I don't much use long distance buses I can't really help you except to point out that Strætó are not the only game in town - you may want to check out these guys. Looks like they would take you from Reykjavik at 08:00 to Vik at 13:05 for IKR 7,500 on Sundays. They make a number of "scenic stops" on the way ...

Hey Distant,

Thanks for that. I have been told Straeto is really good…just their website is confusing the hell out of me. I think I may have to re-think my schedule as I don't arrive next Sunday until mid-afternoon so I'd miss the bus to Vik and then the following Sunday I wanted to be in Reykjavik early so the 8:30pm bus Vik to Reykjavik isn't much good as I leave Monday.

I am planning to cycle from Vik to Thingvellir but need a bus to take me part the way because of time. I think I may have to choose to get the bus from Vik back to Reykjavik but aim to get it on the Saturday as looking at the PDF's…it appears you can take the 52 from Vik @ 11:30 or 12pm. I think I'm reading that right?

Leifur…thanks for that link…I've had a look and for a second it seemed perfect but the timings of their trips don't quite work out for my schedule…I appreciate the advice though.

What is hitch-hiking like in Iceland? I did post on a page looking for lifts or people offering lifts but I've had no responses…guess the fact I have a bike makes it difficult.

Potentially a new plan…any advice would be greatly welcomed.

Arrive and drop my bike case off at Alex Guesthouse on Sunday 2pm.
Get shuttle to Reykjavik before starting my cycle onto Thingvellir and stopping Sunday evening in Thingvellir.
Monday onto Fludir / Arnes
Tuesday onto Hrauneyjar
Wednesday onto Holaskjol guesthouse
Thursday onto Maelifell and stop in Grafarkirkja
Friday Grafarkirkja to Vik
Saturday go to Sólheimasandur (plane on beach) then back to Vik - Grab Straeto bus at 8pm to Selfoss. Camp at Selfoss
Sunday = 8am bus to Reykjavik - Look around city then head back to stay at Alex Guesthouse
Monday - Explore Keflavik before going to airport.

This is a brief description…a fair few miles to cover but I fell I have the equipment and mental strength to get through it. If anyone could give me some pointers or advice it'd be great to hear.

it appears you can take the 52 from Vik @ 11:30 or 12pm. I think I'm reading that right?

I think it means the bus arrives to Vik at 11:30 (from Hofn) and continues to Reykjavik at 12:00.

Hitch-hiking with a bicycle is going to be hopeless, people wouldn't want the hassle even if they could accommodate the bike - which most could not. Flagging down a bus might be an option, especially if you had negotiated that with the bus operator (i.e. if it didn't fit your schedule to meet a bus at a regular stop, maybe you could jump on between stops). I am not making any promises however.

The fact that you mention Hrauneyjar and Holaskjol seems to imply that you intend to bike along the highland roads - that MAY be feasible but you'd better come prepared for anything.

Today some of the passes up in the Westfjords were causing tourists all sorts of problems - five centimetres of snow will do that to you if you're not prepared :-)

I have read and heard from Hoff on here about the random snow spells in September and on the F roads through the Highlands…I've got a good 3 season sleeping bag + thermals and feel pretty prepared for cold weather…it's just how much it slows me down!?!

I'm going to plot out all the above route tomorrow…link it into different bus times + camp sites I can stop at and see if it can work…OH…and then plan a get out plan for snow.

Here's to hoping for now snow and lots of sunny spells on my travels!!! :D

Does anyone know if there is a general bus service to Thingvellir that I could catch next Sunday? On the Straeto website the PDFs aren't working and I can only get a map where it says there is a bus that goes to Mosfellsbær, but I can't see if it goes any further.

Many thanks.

The other thing to bear in mind is that the bus service does wind down in mid-September and Straeto tend not to be very forthcoming about exactly when they will change the service to winter timetable, or exactly what the winter timetable will be. That's another reason to take the long distance service when you first arrive and know it is still running, rather than later.

I see now that Straeto have published that the summer timetables in the south end on 12 Sept, though I can't see any winter timetables, you'd have to ask them about that.
http://www.straeto.is/leidakerfi/leidabaekur
I don't understand your problem taking the bus to Vik on the Sunday at the start. There are 2 buses a day on the 51 to Vik (and beyond) even on Sunday until then, every day of the week there is a bus from Reykjavik Mjodd to Vik at 0900 and 1730, and it takes 2h45. In return they leave Vik at 12.00 and 20.30.
http://www.straeto.is/media/sumartimi/Leid-51-sumar2015.pdf
The Reykjavik stop is called Mjodd which is the name of the bus station in a Reykjavik suburb that Straeto uses - note that it is in quite an annoying location alongside large roads in the suburbs. This is a very different place from BSI which the private bus operators use, there's probably something like 5km between them.

Thanks Hoff...I'd originally misread the timetable for Reykjavik to Vik...I've just seen the second 5:30pm bus and also see it stops at Skogar too. I think I will do that Sunday, then stop at Skogar camping before starting properly on Monday.

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