Flybus
Time45-55 min
Cost£22 one-way
FrequencyEvery flight, 24/7
Runs 35 minutes after every inbound flight. Never let me down across four trips.
Book Flybus →KEF to Reykjavik: the three ways into town
Everything you need to know about getting from Keflavik International into central Reykjavik - and when to skip the cheap option.
Airport Transfer
KEF Reykjavik
Distance 45 km
By bus 45-55 min
By car 40 min
Keflavik International (KEF) sits 45 minutes southwest of Reykjavik, on a lava field that doubles as a runway. There's no train - you're choosing between a coach, a rental car, or a taxi. Over four trips I've used all three, and the right pick depends on how fast you want to be in the city, what you plan to do once you get there, and how tolerant you are of Icelandic pricing.
This is the short version. If you want the full breakdown of each option, scroll past the comparison and picker below.
Which should you choose?
Short city break with hotel booked?
Flybus + hotel-drop£27 all in, door-to-door. The hotel-drop upgrade is worth every penny in Icelandic weather.
Heading straight to the Blue Lagoon?
Rental car20 min from the airport vs 45 from the city. Drive there first, then on to Reykjavik.
Doing the Ring Road or Golden Circle?
Rental carPicking up in town costs more in depot fees and burns two hours on day one.
Landing after midnight with a group?
Taxi or private transferSplit four ways the taxi maths works. Flybus still runs but the hotel-drop wait can sting.
Option 1: Flybus
Reykjavik Excursions run the Flybus and have effectively cornered the market. Coaches are modern, Wi-Fi works, and you can buy tickets at the airport kiosk or online. They meet every inbound flight - so if you land at 03:00, there'll be a bus.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Frequency | Every inbound flight, 24/7 |
| Price | £22 single, £40 return (2026) |
| Journey | 45-55 min direct to the BSÍ terminal |
| Add-on | £5 hotel-drop shuttle from BSÍ (worth it if raining) |
One trip I paid the hotel-drop fee in September and it was the best £5 I spent - the Icelandic wind at 11pm is not messing about.
Option 2: Rental car
Picking up at KEF rather than in town is cheaper (lower depot fees), faster (two-minute walk from arrivals), and unlocks the Blue Lagoon on day one if you want it - it's 20 minutes from the airport, 45 from Reykjavik. The trade-off is airport parking in the city, which adds up over a long stay.
Who to book with
Lotus Car Rental, Blue Car Rental, and Europcar all have desks at KEF. I've used Lotus twice with no issues. Book through DiscoverCars for price comparison - they pull from the same operators.
Option 3: Taxi / private transfer
Rare, expensive, and rarely the right answer. A taxi from KEF to central Reykjavik runs £130-160 depending on traffic and time of day. Only makes sense if you're landing in the middle of the night with a group of four who'd rather not wait for the bus. Private-transfer booking via GetTransfer locks in the price in advance - useful if you're landing at 02:00 and don't want to haggle.
Final thoughts
KEF to Reykjavik is a solved problem. Flybus does the job for almost everyone, and it does it cheaply, reliably, and at any hour of the day. You don't need to overthink it.
The upgrade path is a rental car - not because the bus fails, but because driving yourself turns the hour between airport and city into the first useful hour of the trip. Blue Lagoon, grocery-shop, Ring Road - all of it gets easier with a car from minute one.
The taxi is a last resort. If it's the right answer for you (late-night, group of four, pouring rain), book it through GetTransfer so the price is locked. Otherwise, save the £100 for Icelandic restaurants - you'll want it.