How to Get to the Reykjavik Golden Circle: Pickups, Bus Stops and the Drive
Every tour here starts in Reykjavík, and most of them come and get you. What varies is where: your hotel door, a numbered bus stop near it, or a terminal. Check it when you make your Reykjavik Golden Circle booking and the morning goes smoothly.
Pickup, the way the tours do it
The pickup is part of the tour, and it works the same way on most of them.
- At booking Choose your hotel or the nearest numbered bus stop from the list. If your hotel is missing, pick the stop closest to it.
- The night before Read the confirmation for the pickup window and walk to your stop once, so you know where it is in the dark.
- On the morning Be outside from the start of the window. On the big coaches pickup starts about 30 minutes before the tour.
- The transfer A small bus collects you and brings you to the main coach, or the minibus collects you directly.
- Coming back Drop-off is usually at the same stop or hotel, in the evening.
The city's stops are numbered, and the listings use the numbers: #1 at City Hall, #2 by the pond, #3 on Lækjargata, #5 at Harpa, #6 at the Culture House, #12 at Höfðatorg and more. Note your stop's number as well as its name.
Know where you will be staying?
Most small-group tours collect from your hotel or a stop near it. The big coaches also leave from the two terminals below.
Bus Stop 12 at Höfðatorg and the BSÍ terminal
Two places come up again and again as meeting points. If you prefer to walk to the tour rather than wait for a pickup, these are where you go.
- Bus Stop 12, Höfðatorg
- Þórunnartún 1, 105 Reykjavík. The free meeting point for the big-coach Kerið days and several others.
- BSÍ Bus Terminal
- Vatnsmýrarvegur 10, 101 Reykjavík. The coach hub for several classic tours and the snowmobile day. Check in at least 15 minutes before departure.
Several coaches sell a no-pickup option that meets at one of these. Pick it only if you know the way and the weather is kind, because the coach leaves on time.
Why some hotels are collected from a bus stop
Parts of downtown Reykjavík restrict large vehicles. One small-group operator says that, because of these driving restrictions, it cannot guarantee a pickup from every hotel, and asks guests in the restricted area to meet at a designated stop. The superjeep day says the same: some downtown streets are too small for its vehicle, so it uses bus stops there.
So if your hotel is on a narrow central street, expect to walk to a stop. It is rarely more than a few minutes, but it matters at 07:30 in January. Your confirmation names the stop.
From the cruise port at Skarfabakki
Several tours collect from the Skarfabakki cruise terminal. One big coach offers it in summer, and others list it as a pickup point or an option. When you book, the operators ask for your ship's name, its docking and disembarkation times and your re-boarding time.
Leave yourself a margin. A long Golden Circle day runs 8 to 11 hours, so a ship that docks at 08:00 and sails at 17:00 suits a six-hour classic day better than a lagoon combination.
Driving it yourself
You do not need a tour to reach the stops. The roads are paved and numbered, and every stop has a car park. Here are the roads you will use:
| Road | Name | What it connects |
|---|---|---|
| 36 | Þingvallavegur | Reykjavík to Þingvellir, then south along the lake |
| 361 | Into the park | Route 36 to the Silfra car park |
| 35 | Biskupstungnabraut | The Ring Road towards Kerið, Geysir and Gullfoss |
| 37 | Laugarvatnsvegur | Route 35 towards Brúarfoss and the lake town |
The tours' own itineraries time the legs: about 45 to 50 minutes from Reykjavík to Þingvellir, an hour on to Geysir, and ten minutes between Geysir and Gullfoss. Road 37 is Laugarvatnsvegur, named for Laugarvatn, the lake town it runs to. Budget for the Þingvellir parking fee (1,000 ISK for a car), the Kerið fee (700 ISK) and the Brúarfoss parking (750 ISK). In winter, check the road status every morning before you set off. The full drive times are on the map page.
No luggage on board
A day tour is not an airport transfer. One small-group operator states that it cannot carry or store luggage or suitcases. If you are checking out that morning, leave your bags at the hotel or plan the tour for another day. Ask the operator before you book if you have no other choice.
Asked about getting there
Where do Reykjavik Golden Circle tours pick up?
Do Golden Circle tours pick up at the cruise port?
Can I bring luggage on a Golden Circle tour?
Can I drive the Golden Circle myself?
How early should I be at the bus stop?
Is there a public bus around the Golden Circle?
Where these facts come from
Every meeting point, pickup rule and drive time comes from the tour's own listing, saved on 23 September 2026. The road names are the Road and Coastal Administration's; the fees are the park's and the landowners' own, read 23 September 2026.
- Road conditions and closures (Road and Coastal Administration)
- Parking service: the fee, the car parks and paying (national park)
- Kerið crater: entrance fee and what it covers (the landowners)
- Parking at Brúarfoss (the landowners)
Next: decide where to sleep for an easy pickup, see the loop and its drive times, or compare every fare on Reykjavik Golden Circle Tours.