Golden Circle Classic Day Tour from Reykjavik
The lowest Golden Circle fare, from the BSÍ Bus Terminal or a pickup, with 30 minutes at Thingvellir and an app audio guide in several languages.
From $85 per person
Check AvailabilityThingvellir Road Conditions: Route 36, Winter and Safety
Thingvellir is about 40 km from Reykjavík on a primary road, and for much of the year the drive is simple. From autumn to spring it takes more care. Here is the route, where to check it each morning, the rules that catch visitors, and when the Iceland day tours to Thingvellir are the easier answer.
The road to Thingvellir: Route 36, Þingvallavegur
Route 36, Þingvallavegur, is the main road from Reykjavík. It is a primary road, 68 km long. It leaves the Ring Road just outside the city, passes the junction with Route 48 and runs round the north of the park. There it meets Route 52 and Route 550. Then it runs south along the lake’s western shore to Route 35 near Selfoss.
| Road | What it is | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Route 36, Þingvallavegur | Primary road, 68 km | Your road from Reykjavík to the park |
| Road 361 | A road into the park | The way towards the Silfra car park |
| Route 52, Uxahryggir | Meets Route 36 north of the park | A road on, not a road in |
| Route 550, Kaldadalsvegur | A 40 km highland track, not an F-road | Many rental companies forbid 2WD cars on it |
| Route 35 | Meets Route 36 near Selfoss | The southern end of the loop |
For the park, you need only Route 36 and, for Silfra, road 361. Check your rental terms before you turn onto Route 550.
Checking the road before you go
Check the weather and the road each morning, and again during the day. Conditions can change between breakfast and the drive home.
- umferdin.is: the Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration’s map and road notifications.
- Phone 1777: the same administration’s traffic service.
- safetravel.is: the conditions map and alerts from the Icelandic Association for Search and Rescue.
A sign reading “Lokað” means the road is closed. Turn back, and do not drive round the barrier.
Driving rules that catch visitors
Most of these are the law, and all of them come up on the drive to Thingvellir.
- Headlights: on at all times, all year. “Auto” is not enough.
- Photo stops: never on the road or beside it. Wait for a car park.
- Gravel: slow down before the tarmac ends, not on it.
- Single-lane bridges: 50 km/h, and the car that reaches the bridge first goes first.
- Off-road driving: forbidden everywhere in Iceland.
- Children: under 135 cm they need a car seat.
- Phones: using one at the wheel is illegal.
Winter driving, November to March
At the park’s own weather station, the average low stayed below freezing from November to March in the 1949–1983 record, reaching −6.4 °C in January. Recent decades have run warmer, but you should still expect frost. In mid-December you have about four hours of daylight.
So drive in the middle of the day, check umferdin.is before you leave, and keep your lights on. F-roads are usually closed from mid-September until June or July. Route 36 is not an F-road, and it is your road to the park.
Not keen on winter roads? A coach or a private driver takes the road off your hands, and every tour here can be cancelled for a full refund up to 24 hours ahead. Compare the Golden Circle tours before you pick up a rental car.
Parking when you arrive
You have three paid car parks: P1 Hakið by the visitor centre, P2 Efri-Vellir below Öxarárfoss, and P5 Valhöll nearest the church and Silfra. A car with up to five seats pays 1,000 ISK for the day, and one payment covers all three. Cameras read your plate, so pay at a machine or online at Checkit.is.
If you drive yourself to a snorkel, the parking is yours to pay: the self-drive snorkel fare that meets by P5 lists parking fees as not included. The park map shows where each car park sits.
If something goes wrong: 112 and 599-0112
In an emergency, call 112. Iceland is switching off its 2G and 3G networks, so if 112 will not connect, call 599-0112, the backup number. Save both in your phone before you leave Reykjavík.
For a breakdown that is not an emergency, call the number on your rental agreement. For the road itself, phone 1777.
Letting a tour drive
If you would rather not drive, a tour takes the road, the parking and the weather check off your list. The coaches leave from Bus Stop 12 at Höfðatorg or the BSÍ Bus Terminal, and most will collect you from your hotel. A private car can pick you up anywhere in the capital area.
You give up some time in the park for it. Most Golden Circle coaches stop for 30 to 45 minutes, while the private Thingvellir tours stay for two or four hours.
Tours that take the driving off your hands
The Golden Circle Guided Bus Tour from Reykjavik
A guided coach loop in six and a half hours, with pickup from your accommodation and 30 minutes at Thingvellir.
From $88 per person
Check Availability
Private Golden Circle Tour from Reykjavik
A private car from any starting point in the capital area, for a group of up to three, with 30 minutes at Thingvellir and the rest of the Golden Circle.
From $1,650 per group, up to 3
Check AvailabilityWhere to check these figures
Road status changes by the hour. Check these before every drive.
- umferdin.is: road map and notifications
- safetravel.is: conditions and driving advice
- Thingvellir parking service
What to see once you arrive is on the national park guide, the month you are driving in on the weather page, and every tour on Thingvellir Tours.