Last updated: September 2026
Keflavík International Airport (KEF) is about 50 km from Reykjavík, and the drive takes roughly 45 minutes. There is no train and no city bus at the terminal door; your realistic options are the Flybus airport coach (3,999 ISK), the public Strætó bus 55 (2,400 ISK, slower and not tied to flights), a taxi (roughly 15,000–25,000 ISK), a rental car, or a pre-booked private transfer. This guide compares all of them with 2026 prices, so you can pick by budget, arrival time and luggage.
Key takeaways
- The distance from KEF to central Reykjavík is about 50 km — roughly 45 minutes by road
- Flybus costs 3,999 ISK one way to BSÍ terminal and meets every arrival, including night flights
- Airport Direct no longer operates as a separate company — its former service and tickets have moved to Flybus
- Strætó bus 55 is the cheapest at 2,400 ISK, but takes about 90 minutes and doesn't cover early-morning flights
- A taxi runs roughly 15,000–25,000 ISK depending on operator and time of day
- There is no Uber or Lyft in Iceland, and no rail link from the airport
How do I get from Keflavík Airport to Reykjavík?
Most travelers take the Flybus coach, which leaves 35–45 minutes after every flight arrival and reaches Reykjavík's BSÍ bus terminal in about 45 minutes. Budget travelers use public bus 55, small groups often split a taxi or private transfer, and anyone planning to drive Iceland's Ring Road usually collects a rental car at the airport and skips the transfer question entirely.
Flybus — the default choice
The Flybus, run by Reykjavík Excursions, is the airport coach that Iceland's timetable is effectively built around. A one-way adult ticket to BSÍ terminal costs 3,999 ISK (about $29); a return is 7,298 ISK. Youth aged 6–15 pay 2,000 ISK and children under 6 travel free. Adding a hotel drop-off (the "Flybus+" option) costs about 1,300 ISK extra and transfers you to a smaller shuttle at BSÍ for the last leg.
The decisive advantage is coverage: Flybus departures are scheduled against every single arrival, including the red-eye flights that land before 05:00, and the coach waits when flights run late. Book online in advance or buy at the ticket desk in arrivals.
One change worth knowing for 2026: Airport Direct, formerly the second-largest shuttle operator on this route, no longer runs its own service. Its bookings and tickets were transferred to Flybus, and its website now redirects there. If an older guide recommends comparing the two, that comparison is out of date.
Strætó bus 55 — the cheapest way
Iceland's public bus network, Strætó, runs route 55 between the airport area and BSÍ terminal in Reykjavík. The fare is 2,400 ISK, paid in the Klappið app — buy the ticket before boarding. The trade-offs: the journey takes close to 90 minutes with stops, the bus stop is a short walk from the terminal (by the airport hotels), and the timetable is a normal city-bus schedule rather than one matched to flights. If you land at midnight or fly out at 06:00, route 55 will not be running.
For a solo traveler with a mid-day flight and no time pressure, it saves about 1,600 ISK versus Flybus. For two or more people, the gap per person rarely justifies the extra hour.
Taxi — door to door, at a price
Taxis wait outside arrivals around the clock. A metered ride to central Reykjavík typically lands between 18,000 and 25,000 ISK, with base fares around 700 ISK plus roughly 280–350 ISK per kilometre, and surcharges at night and on holidays. Some operators sell fixed-price airport runs — from about 15,000 ISK with smaller companies to 22,500 ISK for 1–4 passengers with Hreyfill, one of the two big Reykjavík taxi firms.
There is no Uber or Lyft in Iceland. The closest equivalent is the Hreyfill taxi app or booking by phone. For a family of four with luggage, a fixed-price taxi is competitive with four Flybus+ tickets — do the arithmetic before defaulting to the coach.
Rental car — if Reykjavík is only your first stop
Every major rental agency operates from a lot beside the terminal, connected by a short shuttle. If your itinerary goes beyond the capital — the Golden Circle, the south coast, the Ring Road — collecting the car on arrival is usually cheaper and simpler than a transfer plus a later city pickup. Winter arrivals should request studded tires (standard November–April) and be honest about their gravel-road and wind experience; Icelandic rental damage claims are famously specific.
Private transfer — groups and low-stress arrivals
Pre-booked private transfers (sedan or minibus, driver holding a sign) run from roughly 20,000–30,000 ISK per vehicle to central Reykjavík. For groups of four to eight, or travelers landing after a long-haul flight who just want a named driver, the per-person cost approaches Flybus territory while cutting out every intermediate step.
Which option should I choose?
| Option | Price (one way) | Time | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flybus | 3,999 ISK | ~45 min + wait | Solo travelers, any flight time |
| Flybus+ (hotel drop-off) | ~5,299 ISK | ~60–75 min | First-timers with hotel bookings |
| Strætó bus 55 | 2,400 ISK | ~90 min | Budget, daytime flights only |
| Taxi (fixed/metered) | 15,000–25,000 ISK | ~45 min | Families, groups, door-to-door |
| Private transfer | 20,000–30,000 ISK/vehicle | ~45 min | Groups of 4–8, arranged pickup |
| Rental car | varies | ~45 min | Anyone touring beyond Reykjavík |
Do airport buses run for night flights?
Yes — Flybus meets every arrival, however delayed, and runs to the airport ahead of every departure, including the early-morning wave. This is the single biggest practical difference from public bus 55, which follows a fixed daytime timetable. If your flight lands between roughly 23:00 and 06:00, your options are Flybus, a taxi, or a pre-booked private transfer.
Book the outbound leg with more margin than feels natural. Icelandic weather can slow the Reykjanes highway in winter, and KEF's security queue peaks with the 07:00–08:00 departure wave. The standard advice — leave central Reykjavík 3 hours before an international departure — exists for a reason.
What should I do with my first hours in Reykjavík?
If you land in the morning, you'll likely reach the city before hotel check-in — plan a first stop that welcomes you with luggage-friendly logistics. The Flybus terminates at BSÍ, a 20-minute walk or short taxi from the harbor district. Harpa Concert Hall on the waterfront makes a natural first anchor: inside on Floor K2, Volcano Express runs its 10-minute motion-seat eruption film every 15 minutes, daily from 10:00 — a 40-minute, weather-proof introduction to the volcanic island you just flew over, built from real footage of the 2021–2024 Reykjanes eruptions. The eruptions' lava fields are visible from the Flybus window on the drive in; the ride shows you what they looked like at full force.
From there, the city core is on foot: see our guides to a perfect first day in Reykjavík and the full Reykjavík itineraries and attractions overview.
