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The Reykjavík Grapevine

@rvkgrapevine

Useful Numbers
Emergency number: 112
Police: 444 1000
Medical help: 1770
Dental emergency: 575 0505
Taxi: Hreyfill-Bæjarleiðir: 588 5522 / BSR: 561 0000

Public Phones
There aren’t many public payphones in the city centre. The tourist information centre at Aðalstræti 2, City Hall, Kolaportið, entrance at Landsbankinn and in Lækjargata. Prepaid international phone card are recommended for international callers.

Tax Free Refund
Tourist information, Aðalstræti 2
Kringlan Shopping Mall
Smáralind Shopping Mall
Around Iceland, Laugavegur 18.
Keflavík International Airport
Seyðisfjörður Smyril Line

Opening Hours
Bars and clubs: According to regulations, bars can stay open until 01:00 on weekdays and 04:30 on weekends.

Shops: Mon.–Fri. 10:00–18:00, Sat. 10:00–16:00, Sun. closed. The shopping centres Kringlan and Smáralind as well as most supermarkets and tourist shops have longer opening hours.

Swimming pools: Weekdays 06:30–22:00 and weekends 09:00–18:00, although each pool varies plus or minus a few hours.

Banks in the centre are open Mon.-Fri. 09:00- 16:00.

Tourist Information
Arctic Adventures, Laugavegur 11, tel: 562 7000

Iceland Excursions – Grayline Iceland, Hafnarstræti 20, tel: 540 1313

The Icelandic Travel Market, Bankastræti 2, tel: 522 4979. Information on day tours, accommodations, car rental and everything else you need to know when travelling in Iceland.

Trip, Laugavegur 54, tel: 433 8747

Tourist Information Centre, Aðalstræti 2, tel: 590 1550,
 Offers information for tourists as well as providing internet access, booking service, a phone centre, money exchange service, tax refund and selling the Reykjavík Tourist Card. The Reykjavík Tourist Card gives admission to city busses, various museums, Reykjavík swimming pools, The Family Park and Reykjavík Zoo, The Culture House and the National and University Library.

Swimming Pools
There are several swimming pools in Reykjavík. The one in 101 Reykjavík, Sundhöll Reykjavíkur, is an indoor one, located at Barónsstígur. That pool features a nice sunbathing area and some outdoor hot tubs. Opening hours: Monday to Thurs day from 06:30–22:00, Friday from 06:30–20:00, Saturday from 08:00–16:00, and Sunday from 10:00–18:00.

Public Toilets
Public toilets in the centre can be found inside the green poster covered towers located, for example, at Hlemmur, Ingólfstortorg, by Hallgrímskirkja, by R eykjavík Art Museum, Lækjargata and by Eymundsson on Skólavörðustígur. Toilets can also be found inside the Reykjavík City Hall and the Reykjavík Library.

Pharmacies
Lyf og heilsa, Egilsgata 3, tel: 563 1020

Lyfja, Laugavegur 16, tel: 552 4045 and Lágmúla 5, tel: 533-2300

GETTING AROUND

Public Transport
The only public transport system in Reykjavík is the bus. Most buses run every 15–30 minutes (the wait may be longer on weekends) and the price per fare is 400 ISK for adults and children.

Multiple day passes are available for purchase at select locations. Tickets can be purchased on their app Strætó. Complete route map available at: www.bus.is. Tel: 540 2700.

Buses run from 07:00–24:00 on weekdays and 10:00–24:00 on weekends. Main terminals are: Hlemmur and Lækjartorg

Domestic Airlines
Air Iceland, Reykjavíkurflugvöllur, tel: 570 3030
Eagle Air, Icelandair Hotel Natura, tel: 562- 4200

Coach Terminal
BSÍ, Vatnsmýrarvegur 10, tel: 562 1011

Airport Express: Busses run daily from BSÍ Bus Terminal to Keflavík Internationl Airport from 03:30 to 22:00.

Flybus: Busses run daily from the BSÍ Bus Terminal to Keflavík International Airport in connection with all departing flights. Departures daily from 04:00 to 22:00/16:30 (every 15-60 minutes).
For Flybus time schedule see: 
www.flybus.is

Strætó: Bus number 55 departs daily from the University of Iceland to Keflavík International Airport, see schedule here (pdf).

Taxi

Hreyfill-Bæjarleiðir: 588 5522
BSR: 561 0000

Car Rentals
ALP, 
Dugguvogur 10, Tel: 562 6060
Avis, 
Knarravogi 2, Tel: 591 4000
Átak Car Rental, 
Smiðjuvegur 1, 
Tel: 554 6040
Europcar, Skeifan 9, Tel: 568 6915
Go Iceland Car Rental, Fiskislóð 31, Tel: 567 3000
Hertz, 
Flugvallavegur, Tel: 540 2220
Sixt Car Rental, 
Tangarhöfða 8, 
Tel: 540 2220

Carpooling
A reasonable choice for the budget traveller. You log on to the website www.samferda.net, choose your destination and hopefully find a travel buddy to share the cost.

Rent a Bike
HI Hostel, 
Sundlaugarvegur 34, 
Tel: 553 8110,
Tourist Information Centre, 
Aðalstræti 2, Tel: 590 1550.

SERVICES

Post Office
Post offices are located around the city. The downtown post office is at Pósthússtræti 3–5, open Mon.–Fri. 09:00–18:00. Stamps are also sold at bookstores, gas stations, tourist shops and some grocery stores.

Embassies and Consulates
United States, 
Laufásvegur 21, 
Tel: 595 2200
United Kingdom, 
Laufásvegur 31, 
Tel: 550 5100
Russia, 
Garðastræti 33, 
Tel: 551 5156
China, 
Bríetartún 1, 
Tel: 527 6688

For a full list visit Ministry for Foreign Affairs

Internet Access
Most cafés offer free wireless internet access. Computers with internet connections are available to use at:

Ground Zero, Frakkastígur 8, near Laugavegur 45
The Reykjavík City Library, Tryggvagata 15
The National and University Library, Arngrímsgata 3
Tourist Information Centre, Aðalstræti 2
Icelandic Travel Market, Bankastræti 2 Reykjavík Backpackers, Laugavegur 28

Laundry Service

HI Hostel, 
Sundlaugarvegur 34, 
Tel: 553 8110
Úðafoss, 
Vitastígur 13, 
Tel: 551 2301

CULTURAL CENTRES AND 
TOURIST OFFICES

The Intercultural Centre throws occasional cultural events and conferences but its main purpose is to be an information and counselling centre and serve as an advocate for the rights of immigrants in Iceland. Álfabakka 14, Tel: 530 9300
.

The Icelandic Tourist Board Geirsgata 9, Tel: 535 5500. All information needed before travelling in Iceland.

Nordic House
 Sturlugata 5, Tel: 551 7030. The Nordic cultural centre organises various cultural events, conferences and exhibitions.

All major tourist spots in Reykjavík also offer brochures, maps and information for travellers.

USEFUL INFORMATION

Where to Learn Icelandic as a 
Foreign Language
The Tin Can Factory, Borgartún 1, Tel: 551 7700
Múlti-Kúlti, Barónsstígur 3
Icelandic on the Internet
Mímir Continuing Education, Höfðabakka 9, Tel: 580 1800
Language School Lingva, Ármúli 12, Tel.: 561 0315 

Religious Movements
The national church in Iceland is the Evangelical Lutheran Church. Masses are generally held on Sundays at 11:00.

Service in English is at Hallgrímskirkja every last Saturday each month, starting at 14:00.

The Roman Catholic Church also has masses in English and Polish.

Other religious movements in Reykjavík are for example:

The Muslim Association of Iceland, 
Ármúli 38
Ásatrú Association, 
Grandagarði 8
Bahá’í, 
Álfabakka 12
Reykjavík Free Lutheran Church, 
Fríkirkjuvegur 5
Roman Catholic Church, 
Hávallagata 14
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Ásabraut 2
Jehovah’s Witnesses, 
Sogavegur 71
Seventh-Day Adventists, 
Suðurhlíð 36
Zen Buddhism in Iceland, 
Reykjavíkurvegur 31
Independent Church, 
Háteigsvegur 101
The Russian Orthodox Church in Iceland, Sólvallagata 10
The Cross, 
Hlíðasmári 5-7

Trade Unions
The Icelandic Federation of Labour, 
Sætún 1, Tel: 535 5600.
The Federation of State and Municipal employees, 
Grettisgata 89, Tel: 525 8300
The Association of Academics, 
Borgartún 6, Tel: 581 2090
Efling, 
Sætún 1, Tel: 510 7500
The Commercial Workers’ Union, 
Kringlan 7, Tel: 510 1700
Union of Public Servants, 
Grettisgata 89, Tel: 525 8340

Useful Websites
The official tourist website of Reykjavík
Information about the gay scene in Iceland
The Multicultural Centre

Hostel International in Iceland

Public employment services
The yellow pages

Rent a flat
Icelandic telephone directory

WHERE TO GET…

Work and residence permit: The Directorate of Immigration, Skógarhlíð 6, Tel: 510 5400.

Insurance and benefits: The State Social Security Institute, Laugavegur 114-116, Tel: 560 4400

Icelandic citizenship: Unless you come from a Nordic country, foreign citizens have to have had an unrestricted residence permit in Iceland for at least seven years in order to get an Icelandic citizenship although some exceptions exist to that general rule. Applications are at the Ministry of Justice and Ecclesiastical Affairs, 
Skuggasund, Tel: 545 9000.

Unemployment benefits: Directorate of Labour, Public Employment Service, Tryggvagata 17, Tel: 515 4800

Icelandic social security number (kennitala): National Register, Borgartún 24, Tel: 569 2900

Driver’s license: Applications at police stations. (Those who have a foreign license don’t need an Icelandic one for the first six months.)


Tax card: Tax office, Laugavegur 166, Tel: 563 1100

Social Service: Information and service is provided by district service centres in Reykjavík. To locate the service centre in your neighbourhood see: www.reykjavik.is