Planning a trip to Akureyri
Getting There & Around
Akureyri is on Route 1 (the Ring Road), 388km (241 miles) from Reykjavík and 265km (165 miles) from Egilsstaðir. The downtown, clustered around Hafnarstræti, with Ráðhústorg Square at its northern end, is easily navigable on foot. Much of Akureyri is spread along a steep incline, however, so a car is helpful. Akureyri's one bike rental company has closed; check with tourist information to see if it's been replaced.
BSO taxi (tel. 461-1010) is on call 24 hours and operates a taxi stand on Strandgata at Hofsbót, with at least one wheelchair-accessible car.
By Plane -- Air Iceland (tel. 470-6000; www.airiceland.is) has eight 45-minute flights daily between Reykjavík and Akureyri. One-way tickets average 9,000kr ($144/£72), but go as high as 13,000kr ($208/£104) and as low as 4,000kr ($64/£32) with early booking online. From Akureyri, direct flights go to Vopnafjörður and Grímsey Island; all other destinations are routed through Reykjavík. From June through August, Iceland Express (tel. 550-0600; www.icelandexpress.com) has two flights a week between Akureyri and Copenhagen. The Akureyri Airport (AEY) is on the Ring Road, 3km (2 miles) south of town.
By Car -- Rental agencies at the airport are Alp/Budget (tel. 562-6060; www.alp.is), Avis (tel. 461-2428; www.avis.is), Europcar (tel. 565-3800; www.europcar.is), Hertz (tel. 522-4440; www.hertz.is), and National/Bílaleiga Akureyrar (tel. 461-6000; www.nationalcar.is), which has another office at Tryggvabraut 12. All agencies should offer to pick you up anywhere in town. If you rent in Akureyri and leave the car in Reykjavík, the drop-off fee will likely be 5,000kr ($80/£40) to 10,000kr ($160/£80).
The municipal parking lots -- clustered along Skipagata, one block east of the pedestrian-only stretch of Hafnarstræti -- are free, but during working hours you need to dash into an adjacent store or bank and ask for a "parking disc," a windshield sticker with attached clock hands. Signs indicate how long the parking spot is good for, from 15 minutes to 2 hours. Set the clock hands ahead to the time the spot expires. You can park all day if you keep returning to the car to reset the disc.
By Bus -- The tourist information center at Hafnarstræti 82, just south of the town center, doubles as the main bus station and sells tickets.
Trex (tel. 587-6000; www.trex.is) connects Reykjavík and Akureyri twice daily in summer via the Ring Road (6 hr.; 7,300kr/$117/£58), and once daily via the Kjölur interior route (10 hr.; 8,600kr/$138/£69). Trex also has daily summer connections between Akureyri and Dalvík (55 min.; 1,100kr/$18/£8.80), Húsavik (75 min.; 2,300kr/$37/£18), and Egilsstaðir (4 hr.; 5,300kr/$85/£42).
SBA-Norðurleid (tel. 550-0700; www.sba.is) includes sightseeing stops in its routes, often with guides. One bus connects Reykjavík and Akureyri daily in summer through the Kjölur route (9 hr.; 8,600kr/$138/£69), with brief stops at Geysir, Gullfoss, and Hveravellir. Other daily summer routes connect Akureyri to Mývatn, Húsavík, and Jökulsárgljúfur National Park in various combinations. A 3-day trip leads to Askja and Kverkfjöll in the interior.
Buses within Akureyri are free -- yes, free -- with six routes (mysteriously numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7) that run hourly on weekdays from 6:30 or 7:30am to as late as 8:30pm. Buses 3 and 4 also run weekends and holidays, with departures from around noon to 6pm. All routes leave from Ráðhústorg Square, by the shop named Nætursalan. No routes go to the airport. For schedule and route information, pick up a brochure at the tourist information center, call tel. 462-4929, or visit www.akureyri.is/ferdamenn/samgongur/straetisvagnar.
Visitor Information
The very competent tourist information center (tel. 550-0720; www.akureyri.is or www.nordurland.is; June 1-18 Mon-Fri 7:30am-5pm, Sat-Sun 8am-5pm; June 19-Aug Mon-Fri 7:30am-7pm, Sat-Sun 8am-7pm; May 15-30 and Sept Mon-Fri 8am-5pm, Sat-Sun 9am-1pm; Oct-May 15 Mon-Fri 8am-4pm) is currently at Hafnarstræti 82, 10 minutes' walk south from Ráðhústorg Square, but in 2009 or 2010 it may move to a new cultural center being built by the harbor. The center is useful for all of north Iceland, and the staff can find and book accommodations for a 500kr ($8/£4) fee.
Anyone planning a hiking adventure in north Iceland or the interior can buy maps and get free advice from the local hiking club, Ferðafélag Akureyrar, Strandgata 23 (tel. 462-2720; www.ffa.is; ffa@li.is; June-Aug Mon-Fri 4-7pm). This is also where to register your itinerary, so that if you don't return, they'll know where to come looking for you.
Fast Facts
Banks/Currency Exchange -- Banks are generally open weekdays from 9:15am to 4pm and have commission-free currency exchange and 24-hour ATMs. Kaup?ing Banki (KB) (tel. 444-6000) at Glerártorg Mall is open weekdays from 12:30 to 6pm. Hótel KEA exchanges currency but charges an outrageous 10% commission.
Cellphones -- Cellphones and calling plans are available at Síminn, Hafnarstræti 102 (tel. 460-6709; Mon-Fri 10am-6pm, Sat 11am-4pm) and Vodafone, Glerártorg Mall (tel. 599-9099; Mon-Fri 10am-6:30pm, Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 1-5pm).
Drugstores -- Apótekarinn (tel. 461-5800; Mon-Fri 9am-5:30pm) is downtown at Hafnarstræti 95. Drugstores with extended hours are Apótekið, Furuvellir 17, Hagkaup Market (tel. 461-3920; Mon-Fri 10am-7pm, Sat 10am-4pm, Sun noon-4pm) and Lyf & heilsa, Glerártorg Mall (tel. 461-5800; Mon-Fri 10am-6:30pm, Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 1-5pm).
Emergencies -- Dial tel. 112 for ambulance, fire, or police.
Internet Access -- Akureyri Library, has multiple terminals, a cafe, and the best price (200kr/$3.20/£1.60 per hour). The tourist information center has two terminals for 150kr ($2.40/£1.20) every 15 minutes. Both places, plus several cafes and the Penninn bookstore/cafe (Hafnarstræti 91-93) are Wi-Fi hot spots.
Laundry -- The only self-service laundry machines are at the campsite and youth hostel. Þvottahúsið Höfði, Hafnarstræti 34 (tel. 462-2580; Mon-Fri 8am-noon and 3-5pm), a full-service laundry, charges 900kr ($14/£7.20) for up to 5kg/11 lb.
Libraries -- Akureyri Library, Brekkugata 17 (tel. 462-4141; June 16-Sept 19 Mon-Fri 10am-7pm; Sept 20-June 15 Mon-Fri 10am-7pm, Sat 10am-3pm), has cheap Internet access and a decent collection of English-language books and magazines; tourists can borrow books for free.
Lost & Found -- See "Police."
Luggage Storage -- The tourist information center can hold bags for up to one night, but does not have a secure room for this purpose.
Mail -- See "Post Office."
Medical Help -- For an ambulance, call tel. 112. Akureyri Hospital (Spítalavegur, by Eyrarlandsvegur; main number tel. 463-010, emergency room tel. 463-0800, telephone consultation tel. 848-2600; Mon-Fri 5am-9pm, Sat-Sun 7am-noon and 2-4pm) is just south of the botanical garden. Heilsugæslustöðin Clinic, Hafnarstrstræti 99 (tel. 460-4600; daily 8am-4:45pm), is downtown.
Pharmacies -- See "Drugstores," above.
Police -- For emergencies, dial tel. 112. The police station (tel. 464-7700) is at Þórunnarstræti 138.
Post Office/Mail -- The post office (tel. 580-1000; Mon-Fri 9am-4:30pm) is at Skipagata 10, in the city center.
Supermarkets -- Supermarkets include Bónus (Langhólt 1), Haugkaup (Furuvellir, near Hjalteyrargata), and Nettó (Glerártorg Mall). Supermarkets open late include 10-11 (Þingvallastræti at Mýrarvegur; 24 hr.), Strax (Borgarbraut at Hlíðarbraut; 24 hr.) and another Strax (Byggðavegur at Hrafnagilsstræti; Mon-Fri 9am-11pm; Sat-Sun 10am-11pm).
Telephone -- Public phones are available at the tourist information center, Akureyri Hospital, Spítalavegur (by Eyrarlandsvegur), the city pool, and the Penninn Eymundsson bookstore on Hafnarstræti 91-93. See also "Cell Phones," above.
