Reykjavík day trips without a car: three bus outings

Start with the return bus

A useful day trip without a car begins with the journey back. Open the current Strætó planner, choose the exact date and find a return that leaves enough time for the town you want to visit. Then work backwards to select the outward bus. [1]

This matters because countryside timetables change by season and by day of the week. Strætó reduced some journeys on routes 50 and 51 when the winter timetable began on 24 August 2026. An older blog post or saved screenshot may therefore show a bus that no longer runs at that time. [6]

The three choices below are towns served by the current countryside network. They are not promises that every departure works as a comfortable day trip on every date.

Compare three towns

Routes 50 and 51 are part of the countryside network. Strætó states that these journeys can be paid on board by card or cash. Countryside trips are not sold through the city Klapp ticket system and cannot generally be reserved in advance. Check the current fare information rather than relying on a price quoted elsewhere. [4]

Hveragerði for geothermal character

Route 51 links Reykjavík and Selfoss, with Hveragerði on the way. The town makes sense when you want a compact place with geothermal character and the option of a local walk rather than a full day built around one attraction. [3] [7]

If Reykjadalur is your aim, treat it as a separate hiking decision. The bus reaches the town, not the bathing section, and the full outing still needs time for the approach, the return walk, changing and the bus home. Our Reykjadalur hot river guide explains the practical limits without assuming current trail access.

Choose a shorter town walk when daylight, weather or the bus timetable does not support the valley. A modest day that returns comfortably is better than a hike planned around the last possible connection.

Akranes for a coastal town day

Route 50 connects Reykjavík, Akranes and Borgarnes. Akranes offers a coastal town day with the harbour, shoreline and town services within the same broad destination. Visit West Iceland also highlights the lighthouses and Langisandur beach. Check local access for the places you choose. [2] [8]

Current route numbers are important here. Strætó changed the countryside network on 1 January 2026. Route 50 now serves Akranes and Borgarnes, while route 57 runs between Reykjavík and Akureyri and no longer stops in Akranes. Advice that still tells you to take route 57 is out of date. [5]

The photograph above is a historical harbour scene, not a picture of the present bus route. Use the official planner and local signs for your actual journey.

Borgarnes for history and shoreline views

Stay on route 50 to reach Borgarnes. The town sits beside Borgarfjörður and works well when you want local history, a meal and time outside without building the day around a remote trail. Visit West Iceland publishes a town overview and a separate walking route around the shoreline and streets. [9] [10]

Do not assume a museum, café or other venue will match the bus timetable. Check the place itself before making it the centre of your plan. If a venue is closed, a town walk can still work only when the weather and return bus leave a sensible margin.

Borgarnes is the farthest of these three choices in the current route pattern, so the return check matters most. If the available day gives you little time in town, save it for a date with a better timetable rather than compressing the visit.

Build a reliable bus plan

1. Choose one town. Combining these places adds transfers or long waits and weakens the point of a simple day trip.
2. Search the exact date. Check weekday, weekend and seasonal differences in the official planner.
3. Save both journeys. Note the service number, departure place and the last comfortable return, not only the final possible bus.
4. Check payment. Review the current countryside ticket page and carry a suitable payment method.
5. Match the activity to the gap. Do not add a long hike or fixed venue visit until you know how much usable time the timetable provides.
6. Check conditions. Review Travel conditions, official weather information and road notices before leaving.

If the return plan feels fragile, keep the day in Reykjavík. Our first day in Reykjavík guide is built around central walking, while the rainy day guide groups indoor choices without requiring a countryside connection.

Common questions