Public transport is the cheapest way to get around most places in Iceland, but in terms of price/convenience ratio and sense of freedom, hiring a car is an incredible bargain. Plus, if you plan on using a lot of taxis while moving around on vacation, renting a car in Iceland may be cheaper.
Your rent-to-own vehicle offers a level of convenience that most public transportation alternatives don't provide. You can stretch out as much as you want, adjust the air conditioning and radio to your needs, and have easy access to your belongings.
While bus tours in Iceland are pretty good, the experience is definitely not as good as renting a car and exploring the country on your own.
You don't have to wait for other passengers on the tour, and you can decide how much time you want to spend at each place without rushing back to the bus.
To rent a car, you must meet the basic requirements - you must be the required age and have a driving licence.
In addition, the only thing needed is a credit or debit card. When you pick up your car at the car rental company, you will need:
This is general information, different car hire companies may have specific conditions, so always check the terms and conditions of the specific car hire company before you travel.
How old do you need to be to rent a car? In most cases, car rental companies require the driver to be between 21 and 70 years of age. However, it is often the case that if you are under 25 or over 70, you will have to pay an additional surcharge.
You can rent a car from the car rental company for anyone who meets the rental conditions (age, driving licence, etc.). Simply fill in their personal details during the online booking process.
The bulk of our car rentals include theft protection, collision damage insurance (CDW), local taxes, airport surcharges and road taxes. You will pay for any extra services when you collect the car, such as young driver fees, additional driver fees or one-way hire. You'll find out about any additional charges directly when you book (and if you take your own child car seat or GPS, you can easily reduce your costs). For more information on what's included in the price, see the Terms and Conditions when you choose your car.
Most car rental companies include theft and collision damage insurance (CDW) as standard. While on holiday in Iceland, the terrain can be dangerous for vehicles. In mountainous areas there are gravel roads and loose stones that can damage your rental car. There is also the danger of sand and ash, which can damage the paintwork. That's why at Pelikan we recommend that in addition to the basic insurance, you should also take out sand and ash protection when travelling in Iceland. For more information on what's included in the insurance, see the Terms and Conditions when you choose your car.
If you plan to just drive around Iceland’s ring road, you don´t need a 4WD. However, if you plan to drive on mountain roads (F-roads), we definitely recommend 4x4 cars.
The maximum speed limit is 30-50 km/h in populated areas, 80 km/h on gravel roads in rural areas and 90 km/h on paved roads.
The average price of natural 95 petrol in Iceland is 2.3 EUR per litre.
A few days away from the daily grind, unspoiled nature, a rucksack on your back and breathtaking views all around you. If you long for an offline holiday where all you need is a good pair of boots, a smile on your face and the courage to prevail, read on. Because a holiday does not necessarily mean lounging about on a beach in an upmarket resort, drinking margaritas. The following 10 places will give you a welcome break to your routine, an opportunity to clear your head, throw away your troubles and experience something out of this world!
If you're planning to travel around the Iceland in a rental car, you probably won't miss the Golden Circle, or the three main attractions that 90% of tourists visit in this magical island.
The first stop should definitely be Pingvellir National Park. This is the place where the oldest parliament in Europe was once established and also a unique place where the tectonic plates of North America and Europe rub against each other.
Iceland is best known for its thermal springs, waterfalls and geysers. The first known European geyser is the Geysir (or Great Geyser), which gave its name to the other geysers of the world. It is situated at the foot of Mount Laugarfjall in the southwestern part of Iceland. Not far from it is probably the most famous of all geysers in Iceland - Strokkur Geyser. The geyser, whose name means "watering can" in Icelandic, is located in the geothermal area of southwest Iceland. Strokkur is one of Iceland's most popular geysers for tourists, as it erupts regularly almost every 10 minutes and gushes up to a height of around 20 meters, so you should definitely not miss it when visiting Iceland. The good news is that you can easily get here by rental car.
Gulfoss Falls is just a short walk from Strokkur and is the final piece of the puzzle known as the Golden Circle. Free parking and priceless views. Gulfoss is one of the most famous waterfalls in Iceland. Located on the Hvítá River, it flows through a 2 km long canyon and the waterfall itself is a double cascade where the flow of the river gradually drops from heights of 10 and 20 metres. If you're lucky with the weather and the sun comes out, you'll see an incredible rainbow.