In short
Reykjavík: large ships berth at Skarfabakki, 4 km from the centre — 10–15 minutes by taxi or 45–55 on foot along the shore; smaller ones at Miðbakki in the Old Harbour, five minutes from Harpa. Four hours covers Harpa, the harbour and Hallgrímskirkja; a full day, the Golden Circle or the Blue Lagoon, best on an excursion.
Starting or ending your cruise here? Port guide: terminal, getting there, where to stay →
Where do cruise ships berth in Reykjavík, and how do you get into town?
Large ships tie up at Skarfabakki in Sundahöfn harbour, about 4 km east of the centre. Walking to Harpa takes 45–55 minutes along the sea; a taxi takes 10–15. Smaller ships moor at Miðbakki in the Old Harbour, where the city starts at the gangway and Harpa is five minutes away. There are no tenders here — the ship is always alongside.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Where the ship berths | Skarfabakki in Sundahöfn, with the new Vör terminal (open for the 2026 season), for large ships; when it is full, the neighbouring Korngarður quay, a short walk from the terminal. Smaller ships use Miðbakki in the Old Harbour. Occasionally a ship is sent to Hafnarfjörður, 12 km south. Yours is in the daily programme. |
| Into town from Skarfabakki | A taxi takes 10–15 minutes. On foot it is about 4 km along the shore past the Sun Voyager — 45–55 minutes. City bus 16 stops a few minutes' walk from the terminal, runs about every half hour and reaches the centre in 20–25 minutes; pay by card or app, no cash. |
| Shuttle | The port's own shuttle no longer runs. Some cruise lines lay on a bus into town, usually to Harpa — check the daily programme or ask at guest services. |
| From Miðbakki | On foot: Harpa in about 5 minutes, the Sun Voyager in 8, Laugavegur in 10, Hallgrímskirkja in about 15. No transport needed. |
| Typical call | Usually 8–12 hours, sometimes overnight. Reykjavík is also where round-Iceland cruises start and end, so some passengers change over on the day you call. Exact times are in the daily programme. |
| Time and daylight | Iceland is on GMT all year — in summer, two hours behind the Netherlands. Check whether ship time matches local time. In June and July it hardly gets dark. |
| Money and weather | Icelandic króna, but cards are taken everywhere, even for small amounts — you will hardly need cash. Summer days are usually 10–14°C, windy and showery. |
| Documents | Iceland is in Schengen but not in the EU. If the ship arrives from the Faroe Islands, Greenland or the UK — a non-Schengen port — checks take place on board or at the port. Carry the document your cruise line asks for (what to check). |
| All aboard | Usually 30–60 minutes before departure. Allow at least 45 minutes from the centre back to Skarfabakki: when several ships are in, the wait for a taxi can be half an hour or more. |
- Wind16 km/h
- Sea9°
- Sunset18:08
- Thu7°2°💧100%
- Fri9°7°💧14%
- Sat10°8°💧100%
- Sun10°6°💧100%
- Mon8°7°💧86%
- Tue10°7°💧78%
- Wed10°1°💧57%
Forecast by Open-Meteo, updated hourly. Check the forecast again the day before your stop.
What can you fit into a day in port in Reykjavík?
The city itself is small: Harpa, the Old Harbour, the Sun Voyager and Hallgrímskirkja fit into 3–4 hours on foot. But many people come for the landscape — the Golden Circle, with its waterfall and geysers, takes a full day, and the Blue Lagoon half of one.
Harpa, the Old Harbour and Hallgrímskirkja
From Skarfabakki, take a taxi or the ship's shuttle to Harpa, the concert hall whose honeycomb glass front changes colour with the sky. Next door is the Old Harbour with its fishing boats, and 5–8 minutes along the shore the steel Sun Voyager, with Mount Esja behind it. Then walk 15 minutes up Skólavörðustígur to Hallgrímskirkja: a lift takes you up the tower, with a ticket.
Whales, a hot pool or Perlan
Whale-watching boats leave from the Old Harbour and are back in about three hours; until mid-August many trips add puffins on the islets off the city. Or try the geothermal water: Sundhöllin in the centre, Laugardalslaug five minutes by taxi from the terminal, and Sky Lagoon in Kópavogur, 15–20 minutes from the centre, with timed tickets. Perlan on its hill has a viewing deck and a glacier exhibition.
The Golden Circle — on a call of 9–10 hours or more
A loop of about 250 km: Þingvellir, where the North American and Eurasian plates pull apart (45 minutes from town), the Geysir area, where Strokkur erupts every 5–10 minutes, and Gullfoss waterfall 10 minutes further on. With stops, allow 7–8 hours. The alternative is the Blue Lagoon: about 50 minutes each way, entry only with a booking, 4–5 hours in all.
Viðey island and the shore path
The Viðey ferry leaves right from Skarfabakki and takes 5 minutes: hourly in summer, from mid-May to August, and from September at weekends only. On the island you find meadows, birds, an 18th-century stone house and Yoko Ono's Imagine Peace Tower. Or walk the 4 km into town along the bay, with Esja across the water the whole way.
Places on the map
The places from this guide, ready for your phone. The numbers on the map match the list. “Map” opens Google Maps; “Walk from the pier” shows the walking route from where ships usually dock.
Map images are loaded from OpenStreetMap servers. Your choice is remembered in this browser.
- ⚓Cruise pierMap
- 1Harpa Concert HallMapWalk from the pier
- 2Sun VoyagerMapWalk from the pier
- 3HallgrímskirkjaMapWalk from the pier
- 4PerlanMapWalk from the pier
- 5Þingvellir National ParkMap
- 6Geysir and StrokkurMap
- 7Gullfoss waterfallMap
- 8Blue LagoonMap
Which pier your ship uses depends on the day: check the daily programme.
⏱ Will I make it back? Plan the day by the minute →
Skarfabakki or the Old Harbour — what difference does it make?
A lot. From Miðbakki the whole centre is walkable; from Skarfabakki you first need a ride — 10–15 minutes by taxi, if a car is waiting. Check the quay name in the daily programme before you make plans.
- Skarfabakki (Vör terminal). The main cruise quay, in the working harbour of Sundahöfn. Excursion coaches leave from here, and the Viðey ferry and Laugardalslaug pool are close by. Into town by taxi, the ship's shuttle if there is one, bus 16, or on foot along the shore.
- Korngarður. The neighbouring quay, used when two ships are already at Skarfabakki. It is a few minutes' walk to the Vör terminal; from there, the same options as from Skarfabakki.
- Miðbakki in the Old Harbour. For smaller ships: you step off right by the centre, five minutes from Harpa and the whale-watching boats. The handiest berth, if you are lucky.
- Sailing into the bay. The ship arrives across Faxaflói bay, past Viðey island, with flat-topped Mount Esja behind. Be on deck for the approach in the morning — and in the evening: in summer, sail-away happens in full daylight.
On your own or on a ship's excursion?
Reykjavík itself is easy on your own: the centre is compact, signs are clear and everyone speaks English. The one catch is getting from Skarfabakki: taxis run short when several ships are in, so book your ride back in advance.
Outside the city it is a different story. The Golden Circle and the Blue Lagoon are a long way out, there is practically no public transport, and the weather can slow the roads. A ship's excursion or a local tour with pick-up at the port is the sensible choice: the ship generally waits for its own excursions if they run late — it does not wait for independent passengers. Book the Blue Lagoon ahead and check that it is open: volcanic eruptions on the Reykjanes peninsula have closed it more than once.
How do you make sure you are back on board in Reykjavík?
- Ship time and local time. Iceland is on GMT, and a ship arriving from Norway or the Continent may keep its own clock. Check the all-aboard time against the ship's clocks.
- Book a taxi ahead. There is no Uber or similar in Iceland, and on busy days the wait for a taxi at Harpa can be half an hour or more. Book your ride back in the morning.
- A margin on the Golden Circle. The drive back from Gullfoss is about 1 hour 45 minutes without stops. If you go on your own, be back two hours before departure.
- The Viðey ferry. It runs to a timetable: the last return in summer is around 6:30 p.m., and from September it sails only in the afternoon at weekends.
- What to take. Your cruise card, the document your cruise line asked for, a waterproof jacket and a hat — the wind is cold even in July — swimwear for the pool and a phone with the ship's emergency number.
Where do cruises calling at Reykjavík start?
Reykjavík is both a start port and a port of call: on two-week Iceland cruises from Northern European ports, the ship stops here for a day, sometimes overnight. Departure ports:
- Cruises from Rotterdam — round trips to Iceland of about two weeks, via the Faroes or Norway.
- Cruises from Hamburg — summer sailings north with a call at Reykjavík.
- Cruises from Southampton — British Isles and Iceland sailings.
- Transatlantic cruises — late-summer crossings to Canada via Iceland and Greenland.
Often on the same itinerary: Bergen in a day and Stavanger in a day.
Common questions
Where do cruise ships dock in Reykjavík?
Large ships berth at Skarfabakki, with the Vör terminal, in Sundahöfn harbour about 4 km east of the centre, or at the neighbouring Korngarður quay. Smaller ships moor at Miðbakki in the Old Harbour, right by the centre. There are no tenders; your quay is in the daily programme.
Can you walk from the Reykjavík cruise terminal to the city centre?
Yes: from Skarfabakki it is about 4 km along the shore to Harpa, 45–55 minutes past the Sun Voyager. A taxi takes 10–15 minutes, bus 16 about 20–25. From Miðbakki in the Old Harbour the centre starts right away, and Harpa is about 5 minutes on foot.
Can you do the Golden Circle on one cruise call?
Yes, on a call of 9–10 hours or more: the loop is about 250 km, and with stops at Þingvellir, the Geysir area and Gullfoss waterfall it takes 7–8 hours. It is easiest on a ship's excursion or a local tour with pick-up at the port — there is practically no public transport.
Is there time for the Blue Lagoon from a cruise ship?
Usually, on a call of 7–8 hours or more: it is about 50 minutes each way, and the whole trip takes 4–5 hours. Entry is by timed booking only. Check before you go that the lagoon is open: volcanic eruptions on the Reykjanes peninsula have closed it more than once.
What can I see in Reykjavík in 4 hours from a cruise ship?
In 4 hours in Reykjavík you can see Harpa, the Old Harbour, the Sun Voyager and Hallgrímskirkja, including the ride up the tower. From Skarfabakki, add 15–20 minutes each way for the journey, including the wait for a taxi.
Do I need my passport to go ashore in Reykjavík?
Iceland is in Schengen but not in the EU. If the ship comes from a Schengen port, there is usually no separate check; if it comes from the Faroe Islands, Greenland or the UK, checks take place on board or at the port. Take ashore the document your cruise line asks for.
How the club fits in
Cruises calling at Reykjavík that are available in the club work on the same terms as any other route. You choose one way to pay per booking: the member price (INsider Pricing), roughly 17% below the listed price, or your Reward Points, which can cover up to half of the cruise price. They do not add up. To pay up to 100% with points, you need to have accumulated enough points and book 270 days or more before departure.
Not every cruise line can be booked through the club: check the specific sailing in the club's search, or ask us and we will tell you which itineraries calling at Reykjavík are available in the month you have in mind.
How booking with points works →
Practical port information is summarised from public sources as of October 2026: berths, call times, timetables, entry rules and visiting arrangements may change. Before you travel, check the ship's daily programme and the requirements for your passport. Percentages describe the club's rules and are indicative. Reislite is an independent information site run by partners, not a website of inCruises.