How to check road conditions in Iceland

The two-minute check before every drive

1. Open the road map on umferdin.is and follow your whole route, not just the start. Each road is colored by its current condition, closures are marked, and the legend on the map explains every color.
2. Check the weather for your route and travel time on vedur.is — wind above all. Warnings are on the alerts page.
3. Look at safetravel.is for travel alerts, for example roads expected to close in a storm.
4. If anything is unclear, call 1777, the road and weather line of the Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration (Vegagerðin), open 06:30–22:00 every day of the year.

Reading the road map on umferdin.is

umferdin.is is the official traffic site of the Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration. Its map shows:

• Road conditions — each stretch is colored by its surface, from good to icy, snow-covered, difficult or impassable. The colors can change when the site is updated, so always read the legend on the map rather than relying on memory.
• Closures and notices — closed roads, roadworks and weight limits. Mountain roads (F-roads) are closed outside their short summer season.
• Wind, weather and webcams — readings from roadside weather stations, including gusts, and live camera images of passes, so you can see the road before you reach it.

In winter (1 October to 30 April) the information is updated daily from 07:00 to 22:00, and in summer from 08:00 to 16:00. Outside those hours conditions can change before the map shows it.

Weather warnings and wind (vedur.is)

The Icelandic Met Office publishes forecasts and color-coded warnings by region on vedur.is:

Wind is the biggest risk on Icelandic roads. Gusts can be far stronger than the average wind, especially near mountains, at the mouths of valleys and on open sands. The wind forecast on vedur.is shows the wind by place and time; umferdin.is shows the gusts measured along the road right now.

In strong wind, park facing into the wind, open the doors one at a time with a firm grip, and keep a hand on the tailgate — a door caught by the wind is one of the most common kinds of damage in Iceland. More in How damage works.

Winter driving: daylight, ice and planning

• Short days: around the winter solstice Reykjavík gets only about four hours of daylight, and the north even less. Plan long drives for the light hours.
• Ice: bridges, shaded stretches and the first cold mornings are often icier than the road before them. Slow down early and brake gently.
• Winter service: the Road Administration services about 5,000 km of Iceland's roads in winter and aims to finish clearing before morning traffic on service days — but not every road is cleared every day, and some smaller roads not at all.
• Tires and car: all our cars have winter tires from 1 November to 14 April at no extra charge, and from November to March we strongly recommend AWD or 4×4. No tire makes ice safe — speed is what you control.
• Be prepared: keep the tank at least half full, and carry warm clothes, water, food and a charged phone.

If a road closes or you get stuck

1. Stay in or with the car, switch on the hazard lights and keep warm. In an emergency, call 112.
2. For help with your rental car — a breakdown, a flat tire or a car stuck in snow — call us day or night on +354 779 9499. See Accident & breakdown.
3. Before remote or winter trips, leave a travel plan on safetravel.is so rescuers know where to look.
4. If the road ahead closes, wait for it to reopen or change your plan. Storm closures are usually lifted once the weather passes and the road has been cleared; your safety comes first.

Questions about road conditions