mi3stooges Posted January 18 #1 Share Posted January 18 I am looking for suggestions, experience and/or links for transportation from the city center in Reykjavik to the Skarfabakki 312 Cruise Terminal. I love to plan and research my trips (cruise or land) but Iceland has me stumped! TYIA!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt_BJ Posted January 18 #2 Share Posted January 18 you are looking at a distance of under 3 miles (average) .. there are plenty of taxi. Our last cruise ended in Reyk' and the hotel was about 1.5 miles. Taxi was easy and credit card was easy to use .... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mi3stooges Posted January 18 Author #3 Share Posted January 18 9 minutes ago, Capt_BJ said: you are looking at a distance of under 3 miles (average) .. there are plenty of taxi. Our last cruise ended in Reyk' and the hotel was about 1.5 miles. Taxi was easy and credit card was easy to use .... Do you remember the approximate cost? Anytime I do a search or "mock" reservation, its like $127!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt_BJ Posted January 18 #4 Share Posted January 18 (edited) I do not remember the exact cost but I do remember it was nothing to get excited about. BUT do be aware that just about everything in Iceland is gonna seem $$ as compared to US. ALSO the hotel we stayed at - FOSS - had a desk in the lobby to help arrange transportation / tours and the such and answer questions. We found them VERY helpful and service with a smile! Are you familiar with the geography? Know where the cruise port is? Edited January 18 by Capt_BJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CCJack Posted January 19 #5 Share Posted January 19 We also took a taxi, and I remember the cost being very reasonable. For 2 people I remember it being the same cost as 2 tix on the shuttle bus, so taxi worked great. Just ask the taxi driver where the best place is to find a taxi downtown for the return trip. there was not a lot of taxi's driving around downtown but there were some. There is a sign that says taxi stand near the main park downtown. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nitemare Posted January 19 #6 Share Posted January 19 $127 is approximately the cost of a taxi from KEF Airport, 45 minutes from the city, to Reykjavik. It might be a bit higher than that. For a 3 mile trip in the city I'd expect $25-30 at most. Remember, tipping is not part of the culture. I've used taxifarefinder for Reykjavik in the past for decent estimates Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crewbie Posted January 20 #7 Share Posted January 20 When we were in Reykjavik last summer there was a general bus providing service between Harpa Concert Hall and Skarfabakki. To my understanding, this was a free shuttle running from morning to night (11 am to 10 pm or 8:30 am to 10 pm depending on who we asked) coordinated by the port authorities and not under the domain of any particular cruise ship/line. If you're looking simply for transportation, this might also be considered as an option. I don't know if this would accommodate any luggage or require showing any cruise card for passage, however, and I'm sorry to not have further information on the frequency/availability of the service. You can see in the helpful image provided by Capt_BJ above the road running along the coast - there is also a wide, paved sidewalk pretty much parallel that, all else failing and weather-permitting, can be easily walked between the city and Skarfabakki, though it will take approximately 45 minutes one way, minimum. (I believe you can see Harpa as the dark, geometric building near the '41.') If you're seeking to board your cruise after arriving and staying in Reykjavik, then the taxi advice and/or asking in the hotel lobby as provided above may be the most convenient method. Skarfabakki itself is not remote - it's also a stop on the Reykjavik Hop-On Hop-Off, even, though I don't think the HOHO would be quite as convenient or cost effective as other options offered overall due to its ticket cost, relative infrequency, and limited daytime schedule. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fogfog Posted January 21 #8 Share Posted January 21 @Capt_BJ In reverse-- from the OPs initial question...are taxis at the cruise terminal to get into "town" at Ingólfur Square if I want to do a walking tour? This would be in the am from an overnight of an NCL ship. TYIA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mort&fran Posted January 26 #9 Share Posted January 26 On 1/19/2024 at 9:56 AM, Nitemare said: For a 3 mile trip in the city I'd expect $25-30 at most. Remember, tipping is not part of the culture. What are the suggested tips for cruise-tour guides and bus drivers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nitemare Posted January 30 #10 Share Posted January 30 (edited) On 1/26/2024 at 2:09 PM, mort&fran said: What are the suggested tips for cruise-tour guides and bus drivers? Tipping is not part of the culture. People are paid a fair and living wage. Iceland is a beautiful and unspoiled country. Let's try to keep it that way. Edited January 30 by Nitemare 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fogfog Posted January 30 #11 Share Posted January 30 TY @Nitemare Are you living in Iceland and not in need of tips. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nitemare Posted January 30 #12 Share Posted January 30 6 minutes ago, Fogfog said: TY @Nitemare Are you living in Iceland and not in need of tips. I have been there five times and talked to folks in all walks of tourism. They won’t turn down a tip, but hey think it is odd and it is unnecessary. Me? I don’t need tips, either. I get paid appropriately for my job by my employer. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fogfog Posted January 31 #13 Share Posted January 31 59 minutes ago, Nitemare said: I have been there five times and talked to folks in all walks of tourism. They won’t turn down a tip, but hey think it is odd and it is unnecessary. Me? I don’t need tips, either. I get paid appropriately for my job by my employer. In our experience...(living and traveling overseas) there is plenty of fleecing of the tourists vs the local pricing in many parts of the world..so ok--no "tips" necessary.. yet the locals don't pay nearly what is charged during "season" OTOH-- many "cultures" do not tip, and "pride" themselves on it--and scoff at those who do tip... yet many of the locals/services in the 3rd world are Not paid a living wage... Generosity is never wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibbie42 Posted March 30 #14 Share Posted March 30 I'm going to piggy back on this older thread and ask about getting from the Skarfabakki-312 cruise terminal into the city. We're on the the Nieuw Statendam from 7am to 7pm and I'm struggling to find the best transport. I'm not adverse to spending on cabs but I'm seeing reports of hours long waits at the terminal for cabs, plus it's a turn around day for HAL. There will be people both disembarking and embarking for their cruise so there will be a lot of people for HAL alone and there are two other ships in that day. The city bus options seem to be "walk half an hour and grab a bus. I'm not coming up with a free option from the port but I do see a HOHO bus that seems to pickup nearby. Does anyone have any other information? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CCJack Posted March 31 #15 Share Posted March 31 I can't add much, I have only been there once. However, for our stop (Celebrity cruise - only 1 ship in port) we had no wait for a taxi from port to downtown and also no wait for the return. I seem to remember a shuttle bus (not HOHO, and not city bus) that was also waiting at the port and there was no line. We could purchase tix for the shuttle bus on board the ship. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nitemare Posted April 1 #16 Share Posted April 1 Me, I'd walk it. Of course if you have too much luggage that's out, but your best alternative is a taxi. You could check www.straeto.is which is the public bus service to see if they cover your route. You'd need their app or cash to pay, I believe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seadayfan Posted July 5 #17 Share Posted July 5 On 4/1/2024 at 10:49 AM, Nitemare said: Me, I'd walk it. Of course if you have too much luggage that's out, but your best alternative is a taxi. You could check www.straeto.is which is the public bus service to see if they cover your route. You'd need their app or cash to pay, I believe Hi there! My question is are you allowed to walk into the port or take a private car? Our plan is to rent a van for the 6 of us for the few days we'll be in Reykjavik before the cruise and our thought is to have the driver drop all of us at the port with luggage and he return the car and walk back to the port. Do you know if this possible? Sometimes ports have a lot of security and not sure if they'd allow this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nitemare Posted July 7 #18 Share Posted July 7 On 7/5/2024 at 5:40 AM, seadayfan said: Hi there! My question is are you allowed to walk into the port or take a private car? Our plan is to rent a van for the 6 of us for the few days we'll be in Reykjavik before the cruise and our thought is to have the driver drop all of us at the port with luggage and he return the car and walk back to the port. Do you know if this possible? Sometimes ports have a lot of security and not sure if they'd allow this? if you can't drive all the way in, I am certain your driver could get you really close. We have plenty of threads about parking at the port, that I don't think you will have any issues with this plan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StooBush Posted July 11 #19 Share Posted July 11 On 1/20/2024 at 12:59 AM, Crewbie said: When we were in Reykjavik last summer there was a general bus providing service between Harpa Concert Hall and Skarfabakki. To my understanding, this was a free shuttle running from morning to night (11 am to 10 pm or 8:30 am to 10 pm depending on who we asked) coordinated by the port authorities and not under the domain of any particular cruise ship/line. If you're looking simply for transportation, this might also be considered as an option. I don't know if this would accommodate any luggage or require showing any cruise card for passage, however, and I'm sorry to not have further information on the frequency/availability of the service. You can see in the helpful image provided by Capt_BJ above the road running along the coast - there is also a wide, paved sidewalk pretty much parallel that, all else failing and weather-permitting, can be easily walked between the city and Skarfabakki, though it will take approximately 45 minutes one way, minimum. (I believe you can see Harpa as the dark, geometric building near the '41.') If you're seeking to board your cruise after arriving and staying in Reykjavik, then the taxi advice and/or asking in the hotel lobby as provided above may be the most convenient method. Skarfabakki itself is not remote - it's also a stop on the Reykjavik Hop-On Hop-Off, even, though I don't think the HOHO would be quite as convenient or cost effective as other options offered overall due to its ticket cost, relative infrequency, and limited daytime schedule. I just heard about this free shuttle from Harpa to Skarfabakki and will give it a shot in a couple of weeks. Worst case I grab a taxi. Our hotel is right around the corner. -S 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeamCan Posted August 12 #20 Share Posted August 12 On 7/11/2024 at 7:51 AM, StooBush said: I just heard about this free shuttle from Harpa to Skarfabakki and will give it a shot in a couple of weeks. Worst case I grab a taxi. Our hotel is right around the corner. -S Was there a free shuttle from Skarfabakki to Harpa Concert Hall? Do you know the frequency/schedule of service? How was the taxi availability at the port? Hope you had a great trip! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StooBush Posted August 12 #21 Share Posted August 12 16 hours ago, TeamCan said: Was there a free shuttle from Skarfabakki to Harpa Concert Hall? Do you know the frequency/schedule of service? How was the taxi availability at the port? Hope you had a great trip! Yes! Yes there was a free shuttle from Harpa to Skarfabakki, and presumably the bus went the reverse route as well, though I didn't take the bus the other way. There were at least two types of buses, one that had Free Cruise Shuttle (or something similar) on the side, and the other which showed a map with Harpa and the two Skarfabakki docks with a loop. It wasn't obvious but that bus was free as well. Easiest trip to a port ever. I'm sure there were taxis at the port, but I wasn't really paying attention. I will tell you that cabs in Reykjavik cost a fortune. As for the cruise, we had some weather issues that cancelled 2 Iceland ports, and we high-tailed it across the North Atlantic where we ended up doing 2 days of scenic cruising in Prince Christian Sound fjords in Greenland, which was the most beautiful waterway I've ever travelled though. Great trip, even if the NCL Star isn't exactly the jewel of the fleet. Really good entertainment on the boat, too (even if one of the performers had to catch up to the boat after he couldn't board at a cancelled port!). I may do a review of the cruise if I find the energy. -S 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeamCan Posted August 13 #22 Share Posted August 13 On 8/12/2024 at 1:47 PM, StooBush said: Yes! Yes there was a free shuttle from Harpa to Skarfabakki, and presumably the bus went the reverse route as well, though I didn't take the bus the other way. There were at least two types of buses, one that had Free Cruise Shuttle (or something similar) on the side, and the other which showed a map with Harpa and the two Skarfabakki docks with a loop. It wasn't obvious but that bus was free as well. Easiest trip to a port ever. I'm sure there were taxis at the port, but I wasn't really paying attention. I will tell you that cabs in Reykjavik cost a fortune. As for the cruise, we had some weather issues that cancelled 2 Iceland ports, and we high-tailed it across the North Atlantic where we ended up doing 2 days of scenic cruising in Prince Christian Sound fjords in Greenland, which was the most beautiful waterway I've ever travelled though. Great trip, even if the NCL Star isn't exactly the jewel of the fleet. Really good entertainment on the boat, too (even if one of the performers had to catch up to the boat after he couldn't board at a cancelled port!). I may do a review of the cruise if I find the energy. -S Thanks so much for the info! Sorry that the weather issues caused cancellation of 2 Iceland ports, but glad you had a great trip overall. I've heard Prins Christianssund fjord is beautiful... unfortunately our cruise doesn't go there. I'd love to read your cruise review if you post it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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