Iceland's South Coast by car

The route and distances

The South Coast is the stretch of Route 1, the Ring Road, that runs east from Reykjavík between the glaciers and the sea. These are the main stops in order, with road distances from the official distance table of Vegagerðin, the Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration:

Keflavík Airport, where you pick up our cars, is next to the town of Keflavík. Driving times: at 90 km/h, the highest speed limit in Iceland, Vík is at least two hours from Reykjavík and Jökulsárlón more than four. Visit Iceland puts the lagoon about five hours east of the capital. Stops, weather and roadworks add more.

A day trip or several days?

• A day trip to Vík: about 370 km there and back from Reykjavík, or about 450 km from Keflavík Airport — at least four hours of driving before you stop anywhere. Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss, Sólheimajökull, Dyrhólaey and Reynisfjara are all on the way, so start early.
• Jökulsárlón: two days or more. There and back from Reykjavík is about 760 km — too far for one day. Spend a night around Vík or Kirkjubæjarklaustur, see Fjaðrárgljúfur, Skaftafell and Jökulsárlón on day two, and drive back on day three, or carry on east.
• In winter, there are only about four to five hours of daylight in December, so even a trip to Vík means driving in the dark. Spend a night on the way and keep a spare day.

Seljalandsfoss to Vík

• Seljalandsfoss is the waterfall you can walk behind. The path behind it may close when ice makes it unsafe; respect the closure.
• Skógafoss, 29 km further east, drops about 60 m. See it from below or climb the staircase beside it for a higher view; snow and ice can make the steps slippery.
• Sólheimajökull, 11 km from Skógar, is a glacier tongue. Safetravel warns that conditions at the ice edge change fast and that the ice ridge between its lagoons is unstable: stay off the ice, keep away from the lagoons and go onto the glacier only with a guide.
• Dyrhólaey, 19 km from Vík, is a headland and nature reserve. From 1 May to 25 June, parts of it can be closed to protect nesting birds; follow the signs and keep away from the cliff edges.
• Vík is the village at the end of a day trip, with a self-service fuel station open around the clock.

Reynisfjara: stay back from the waves

• Stay well back from the water's edge.
• Never turn your back on the sea.
• Keep children with you at all times.
• Keep away from the cliff: rocks fall.

Warning lights at the entrance show the danger of the day. Safetravel explains them: yellow — stay alert and careful; orange — stay at least 25 m (82 ft) from the sea; red — the beach is closed, so watch from the viewing area. Local safety officers can close the beach at short notice: respect the closure.

Keep the same distance on every black beach on this coast, Diamond Beach included.

Vík to Jökulsárlón

• Fjaðrárgljúfur is a canyon just off Route 1, west of Kirkjubæjarklaustur, and small cars can reach it all year. Park at the main car park and stay on the marked path. Don't drive on along F206, the road north to Laki: our terms exclude it for every car (clause 16).
• Kirkjubæjarklaustur, 73 km from Vík across Mýrdalssandur, is a good place to spend the night between the South Coast and Skaftafell.
• Skaftafell, 69 km on across Skeiðarársandur, is part of Vatnajökull National Park. Its visitor center is open all year, and short, easy trails lead to the waterfall Svartifoss and the glacier Skaftafellsjökull.
• Jökulsárlón and Diamond Beach, 57 km past Skaftafell: the glacier lagoon and Fellsfjara, the black beach travelers call Diamond Beach, lie on either side of Route 1 on Breiðamerkursandur. They are open all year, with park rangers on duty every day.

Glaciers: only with a certified guide

Sólheimajökull and the glacier tongues at Skaftafell look close and easy. Never walk onto a glacier on your own: go only with a certified glacier guide, who knows the area and brings the right equipment. Conditions at the ice edge change from day to day. The same goes for ice caves in winter: visit them only with a certified operator.

Parking fees

Most stops in this guide charge for parking, recorded by license plate: Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss, Sólheimajökull, Dyrhólaey, Reynisfjara, Fjaðrárgljúfur, Skaftafell and Jökulsárlón. Pay on the spot, at the machines or in the app named on the signs: Parka covers many sites, and Seljalandsfoss is paid through Checkit.

Skaftafell and Jökulsárlón belong to Vatnajökull National Park: pay at the machines in the car park or online. The fee is valid until midnight on the day you pay, and it is half price if you have already visited another of the park's paid areas that day (price list).

Prices change often, so we don't print them. If an unpaid fee reaches us, we pass it on to you or have it issued to you directly, and charge our €10 processing fee. More in Tolls & parking.

Wind, sand and ash

Wind is the biggest risk on this drive. Gusts can be far stronger than the average wind near mountains and on open sands, and the Met Office's wind warnings for the south have named the areas under Eyjafjöll (by Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss), Mýrdalur (around Vík) and Öræfi (around Skaftafell).

East of Vík, Route 1 crosses Mýrdalssandur, and before Skaftafell, Skeiðarársandur: wide sandur plains below the glaciers. The Met Office calls dust storms from these plains quite frequent. In strong wind, sand and volcanic ash blow across the road and can strip paint and pit glass within hours.

1. Before you set off, check the warnings on vedur.is and the road map and wind gusts on umferdin.is.
2. Under an orange warning, drive only if you must; under a red warning, don't travel.
3. Park facing into the wind and open one door at a time, holding it firmly (rental terms 18).
4. If the road ahead is closed, wait until it reopens or turn back.

Beaches, rivers and the road

• Stop only in car parks and marked areas, never on the road or its shoulder for a photo.
• Single-lane bridges remain on Route 1 — 29 in 2023, says Vegagerðin. Slow down; the car that reaches the bridge first crosses first.
• Sheep can be on or beside the road. Slow down when you see them: damage caused by or involving animals is excluded from every cover option (36(d)).
• Speed: the limit on paved roads outside towns is 90 km/h, and in wind, rain or ice the safe speed is lower. More in Speed limits & fines.

The South Coast in winter

• Short days: in December there are only about four to five hours of daylight. Plan the long stretches for the light hours.
• Closures: snow, ice and storms can close roads with little notice. Check umferdin.is before each leg.
• At the sights, the path behind Seljalandsfoss may be closed and the steps at Skógafoss icy.
• Tires and car: every car has winter tires from 1 November to 14 April at no extra charge, and from November to March we strongly recommend AWD or 4×4.
• If you get stuck, stay with the car and call 112 in an emergency. For help with the car, call us day or night on +354 779 9499.

More: Winter car rental in Iceland and Road conditions.

Fuel and which car

There are fuel stations along the way. N1, for example, lists stations at Hvolsvöllur, Vík, Kirkjubæjarklaustur, Fagurhólsmýri (between Skaftafell and Jökulsárlón) and Höfn; those at Vík, Kirkjubæjarklaustur and Fagurhólsmýri are self-service and open around the clock. From Kirkjubæjarklaustur to Fagurhólsmýri is 90 km, so fill up when the tank is half empty. Self-service pumps generally need a card with a PIN: see Fuel & paying at the pump.

Route 1 has been paved all the way round since 2019, and Vegagerðin's distance table counts the whole drive from Reykjavík to Jökulsárlón as paved. From roughly May to September an Everyday car handles it; choose a bigger car for comfort or luggage. From November to March we strongly recommend AWD or 4×4: Comfort or 4×4 Adventure. More in Which car do I need?.

Questions about driving the South Coast