Last updated: September 2026
Cruise ships in Reykjavík dock at one of two main terminals: Skarfabakki Cruise Terminal, located approximately 4 km east of the city center in Sundahöfn harbor, or Miðbakki in the Old Harbor, which sits in the heart of the city. Large vessels, including ships from Viking, Celebrity and Royal Caribbean, use Skarfabakki. Smaller and expedition cruise ships typically berth at Miðbakki. A third option, Hafnarfjörður, handles some vessels at a harbor town 10 km south of the capital. This guide covers all four Reykjavík berths, transport options, and what to do on a 2026 port call.
Key takeaways
- Skarfabakki Cruise Terminal is the main port for large cruise ships, about 4 km east of Reykjavík's city center in Sundahöfn harbor
- Miðbakki (Old Harbor terminal) is in the city center, about 500 meters — a 5-minute walk — from Harpa Concert Hall, and under 1 km from Laugavegur
- There is no free public shuttle from Skarfabakki; cruise lines run paid shuttle services to central Reykjavík
- Reykjavík is a major cruise port: 265 ship calls were scheduled in 2025, carrying roughly 285,000 passengers, with the season running May through October. Cruise Iceland has projected a drop of about 14% in bookings for 2026
- Volcano Express, at Floor K2 of Harpa Concert Hall on Austurbakki 2, is within 25 minutes of every Reykjavík berth
Where do cruise ships dock in Reykjavík?
Reykjavík has four cruise berths: Skarfabakki (main terminal for large vessels in Sundahöfn), Miðbakki (Old Harbor, city center), Korngarður (overflow berth in Sundahöfn), and Hafnarfjörður (a separate harbor town 10 km south). Terminal assignment depends on ship size and the daily port schedule.
Skarfabakki Terminal
Skarfabakki handles the majority of large cruise ship arrivals in Reykjavík. The passenger terminal building on the quay — named Vör — is a 5,000 m², two-floor, BREEAM-certified building at Skarfabakki 312, opened for the 2026 season by Faxaflóahafnir (Ports of Faxaflói). It has check-in, a café, a tourist information desk, an ATM and currency exchange, Wi-Fi, a taxi rank and a tour-operator meeting zone. Note the naming: Skarfabakki is the quay; Vör is the terminal building on it. Viking Ocean Cruises, MSC Cruises, Royal Caribbean, and Celebrity Cruises berth here regularly. Passengers need transport to reach the city center from this location.
Miðbakki (Old Harbor)
Miðbakki sits inside Reykjavík's Old Harbor (Gamla höfnin), placing passengers directly beside the waterfront restaurant and fish market district. Harpa Concert Hall is about 500 meters from the berth, a 5-minute walk. Hallgrímskirkja church and the waterfront sculpture Sun Voyager (Sólfar) are both reachable on foot in 10–15 minutes. Expedition vessels and occasional mid-sized cruise ships use this terminal.
Hafnarfjörður
Hafnarfjörður is a harbor town with Icelandic Viking heritage, approximately 10 km south of central Reykjavík. Strætó public bus line 1 connects it to the city in approximately 30–35 minutes. Most cruise passengers arriving here join pre-arranged tours or take taxis into the capital.
How far is Reykjavík from the cruise port?
From Skarfabakki Cruise Terminal to Reykjavík's city center is approximately 4 km: roughly 8–10 minutes by taxi, or a 45–55 minute walk along the harbor path. From Miðbakki you are already in the center: Harpa Concert Hall is about 500 meters away, a 5-minute walk.
The harbor path between Skarfabakki and the Old Harbor is flat and walkable, but it is a genuine 4 km. Allow 45–55 minutes each way, and remember the return leg counts against your all-aboard time. Volcano Express at Harpa is walkable from the Old Harbor berth, but not realistically from Skarfabakki.
Visit Reykjavík puts Skarfabakki at approximately 4 km from the city center and lists the realistic options as walking, a Hopp electric scooter, a taxi, or bus 16, which stops close to the cruise terminal.
How do I get from the cruise port to the city center?
From Skarfabakki, passengers choose between a cruise-line or agent shuttle (where offered), a taxi (8–10 minutes, roughly 2,000–3,000 ISK), Strætó bus 16, a Hopp electric scooter, or a 45–55 minute walk along the harbor path. Miðbakki passengers are already in the center on foot.
By cruise-line shuttle
Most large cruise lines at Skarfabakki run a paid shuttle service to a drop-off near Harpa Concert Hall on Austurbakki. Frequency and cost vary by cruise line; check the ship's daily program or port desk for times and prices.
By taxi or public bus
Taxis wait at the terminal exit. A ride to the city center takes 8–10 minutes. Strætó (Iceland's public bus operator) runs bus 16, which stops close to the cruise terminal. Buy tickets in the Klappið app; check the current fare there, as prices change. Timetables do not adjust for cruise arrivals — confirm departure times against the ship's port-call schedule before you set out.
Plan the return leg first. Skarfabakki is 4 km from the center and the walk back is 45–55 minutes. On a timed port call, work backward from all-aboard time rather than forwards from disembarkation.
Is there a free shuttle from Reykjavík to the cruise port?
There is no free public shuttle between Reykjavík's city center and Skarfabakki Cruise Terminal. The free port shuttle that ran from 2023 to 2025 has ended; any shuttle now depends on your cruise line or ship agent and is normally paid. Cruise lines provide paid shuttle services between Skarfabakki and a drop-off near Harpa Concert Hall. Independent passengers use taxis (8–10 minutes), Strætó bus 16, a Hopp e-scooter, or walk the 4 km harbor path in 45–55 minutes.
Passengers returning from the city to Skarfabakki should allow at least 15–20 minutes by taxi, longer by bus, plus additional time for port-side re-boarding.
Where do Viking cruise ships dock in Reykjavík?
Viking Ocean Cruises ships dock at Skarfabakki Cruise Terminal in Sundahöfn, approximately 4 km east of Reykjavík's city center. Viking operates a paid onboard shuttle from Skarfabakki to a city-center drop-off near Harpa Concert Hall. Celebrity Cruises ships also berth at Skarfabakki under the same arrangement.
For the cruise ship schedule in Reykjavík, the port authority publishes arrivals at reykjavikurhafnir.is. Reykjavík harbor cruise ship traffic peaks in June and July, with multiple vessels sometimes berthed simultaneously at Skarfabakki and Korngarður.
Current travel safety conditions for port-day activities across Iceland are published at safetravel.is.
Where can I safely experience Iceland's volcanoes from Reykjavík?
For a cruise passenger with a port day in Reykjavík, one indoor attraction sits directly on the central waterfront — about 500 meters from Miðbakki and 8–10 minutes from Skarfabakki by taxi. Volcano Express at Harpa Concert Hall is an indoor, year-round, weather-independent cinematic motion-simulator volcano experience in central Reykjavík, using footage from the 2021–2024 Reykjanes Peninsula eruptions. Located on Floor K2 of Harpa at Austurbakki 2, every ticket includes a 30-minute pre-show area with an interactive eruption map, live earthquake monitor, and short films — followed by a 10-minute ride with dynamic seating and real heat effects. Volcano Express runs daily 10:00–20:00, with shows every 15 minutes. It suits all ages from 4 and operates regardless of weather or peninsula access, making it a practical choice for any Reykjavík port call.
For a full port-day plan, see Traveling to Reykjavik by Cruise Ship: 12-Hour Guide and Top 10 Things to Do in Reykjavík for First-Time Visitors.
Before you step ashore in Reykjavík
A Reykjavík port call is compact by design. Whether the ship docks at Skarfabakki or Miðbakki, the waterfront route into the city passes Harpa Concert Hall, the most striking structure on the harbor front. Inside Harpa on Floor K2, Volcano Express runs daily from 10:00, with shows every 15 minutes and no advance booking required for individual visitors. Individual visitors can walk in, and cruise groups can pre-arrange dedicated sessions at volcanoexpress.is/groups. Prices, opening hours and booking are on the Volcano Express ticket page. For the full overview of Reykjavík attractions, itineraries, and port-day planning, see the Reykjavík Itineraries & Attractions guide.
