Editing Transport in Iceland

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[[File:Icelandic-Road-Sign.JPG|thumb|right|An example of an Icelandic Road sign, showing the way to many farms and villages]]

The modes of '''transport in [[Iceland]]''' are governed by the country's rugged [[terrain]] and [[population density|sparse population]]. The principal mode of personal transport is the [[car]]. There are no public [[railways]], although there are [[bus]] services.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Three major projects (EUR1 billion) at Keflavik Airport in next 12 years – right choice? Part one |url=https://centreforaviation.com/analysis/reports/three-major-projects-eur1-billion-at-keflavik-airport-in-the-next-12-years-the-right-choice-639739 |access-date=2023-04-27 |website=CAPA - Centre for Aviation |language=en}}</ref> Domestic [[Commercial flight|flights]] serve places that reduce travel time significantly, or are seasonally inaccessible by road. 

The only international forms of transport are by [[Air transport|air]] and [[Ferry|sea]]. Most of the country's [[transport infrastructure]] is concentrated near the [[Capital Region (Iceland)|Capital Region]], which is home to 64% of the country's population.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Population by municipality, age and sex 1998-2022 - Division into municipalites as of 1 January 2023 |url=https://px.hagstofa.is:443/pxenpxen/pxweb/en/Ibuar/Ibuar__mannfjoldi__2_byggdir__sveitarfelog/MAN02005.px/ |access-date=2023-04-27 |website=PX-Web}}</ref>

==Rail==
{{Main|Rail transport in Iceland}}
Iceland has [[Rail transport in Iceland|no public railways]], although proposals to build a passenger line between [[Keflavík]] and [[Reykjavík]] have been made as well as proposals to build a [[light rail]] system in Reykjavík.<ref>{{cite magazine | title=MPs Propose Trains in Iceland | magazine=[[Iceland Review]] | access-date=2010-04-25 | date=2008-02-20 | url=http://www.icelandreview.com/icelandreview/search/news/Default.asp?ew_0_a_id=301156}}</ref>

In the past, locomotive-powered and hand-operated rails were temporarily set up during certain construction projects, but these have long since been dismantled.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Kirk |first=N. P. |year=1902 |title=Map of Reykjavík Harbour Railway |url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Map_of_Reykjav%C3%ADk_Harbour_Railway.jpg |journal=Minjasafnið |language=en}}</ref> Some artifacts from their existence remains in museums and as static exhibits.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=1982 |title=Minjasafn Reykjavík |url=http://minjasafnreykjavikur.is/english/Portaldata/12/Resources//Jarnbrautin___Reykjavik_baeklingur_1982.pdf |website=minjasafnreykjavikur.is/}}</ref>

==Road==
{{Main|Roads in Iceland}}
[[File:Southeast across Eyjafjörður.jpg|right|thumb|400px|Road across [[Eyjafjörður]] in northern Iceland from the western exit of the [[Öxnadalsheiði]] pass]]

[[File:Route1(iceland).png|thumb|right|''[[Route 1 (Iceland)|The Ring Road of Iceland]] and some towns it passes through: ''
1.[[Reykjavík]], 2.[[Borgarnes]], 3.[[Blönduós]], 4.[[Akureyri]],
5.[[Egilsstaðir]], 6.[[Höfn]], 7.[[Selfoss (town)|Selfoss]]]]

Iceland has {{convert|12869|km|mi}} of publicly administered roads, {{convert|5040|km|mi}} of which are paved.{{as of?|date=March 2025}}<ref>{{cite web | title=Samgönguáætlun 2009-2012 (National transport plan 2009-2012) | publisher=[[Alþingi|Alþingi (Icelandic parliament)]] | access-date=2010-04-25 | url=http://www.althingi.is/altext/138/s/pdf/0973.pdf}}</ref> Organized road building began about 1900 and has greatly expanded since 1980. [[Vegagerðin]] (Icelandic Roads Administration) is the legal owner and constructor of the roads, and oversees and maintains them as well. 11.4% of passenger-kilometres are by bus and 88.6% by car.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/tgm/refreshTableAction.do?tab=table&plugin=1&pcode=t2020_rk310&language=en|title=Eurostat - Modal split of passenger transport|website=ec.europa.eu|access-date=2018-04-20}}</ref>

==Sea==
The major [[harbour]]s in Iceland are:

* [[Akureyri]]
* [[Hornafjördur]]
* [[Ísafjörður]]
* [[Keflavík]]
* [[Raufarhöfn]]
* [[Reykjavík]]
* [[Seyðisfjörður]]
* [[Straumsvík]]
* [[Vestmannaeyjar]]
;Merchant marine
3 ships (with a tonnage of 1,000gt or over) totaling 13,085gt/{{DWT|16,938|metric|disp=long}}
1 [[chemical tanker]], 1 [[container ship]], 1 [[oil tanker|petroleum tanker]] (1999 est.)

;Transport ferries
The only habitable islands around Iceland are supplied and connected with the mainland by regular ferries. These islands are:
* [[Vestmannaeyjar]] The largest and most populated offshore island.
* [[Hrísey]] In the middle of [[Eyjafjörður]] in northern Iceland.
* [[Grímsey]] In the far north, the northernmost part of Iceland.

These ferries are considered part of the infrastructure system, and are therefore run by [[Vegagerðin]] like the roads.
* There is also a car ferry between [[Stykkisholmur]] on Snæfell peninsula and Brjánslækur in the [[West Fjords]] peninsula, stopping at [[Flatey, Breiðafjörður|Flatey]] island.
* There is one international ferry between [[Seyðisfjörður]] on the east coast and the [[Faroe Islands]] and [[Denmark]].

==Air==
{{See also|Air transport in Iceland}}

[[File:Icelandair B757-200 (TF-FIO) @ LHR, Aug 2007.jpg|thumb|right|A [[Boeing 757-200]] of [[Icelandair]], the main airline of Iceland]]

As of 2024,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/iceland/|publisher=CIA|title=CIA World Factbook|date=21 July 2024 }}</ref> there are 83 [[list of airports in Iceland|airports in Iceland]]:

{| class=wikitable
|+Airport runways in Iceland
! Length !!Paved !!Unpaved !!Totals
|-
| Over 3,047 m || style="text-align:right;" | 1 || style="text-align:right;" | 0 || style="text-align:right;" | 1
|-
| 1,524 to 2,437 m || style="text-align:right;" | 3 || style="text-align:right;" | 3 || style="text-align:right;" | 6
|-
| 914 to 1,523 m || style="text-align:right;" | 2 || style="text-align:right;" | 27 || style="text-align:right;" | 29
|-
| Under 914 m || style="text-align:right;" | 0 || style="text-align:right;" | 63 || style="text-align:right;" | 63
|-
! Total !! style="text-align:right;" | 6 !! style="text-align:right;" | 93 || style="text-align:right;" | 99
|}

==Public transport==
[[Image:Strætó.JPG|thumb|200px|A Strætó bus in Reykjavík.]]
[[Image:Iceland-Reykjavik-Bus stop 3.jpg|thumb|200px|A bus stop in Reykjavík.]]
Public transport systems in Iceland are relatively underdeveloped and many areas are poorly served by [[public transport]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Upham |first1=Paul |last2=Sovacool |first2=Benjamin K. |last3=Monyei |first3=Chukwuka G. |title=Energy and transport poverty amidst plenty: Exploring just transition, lived experiences and policy implications in Iceland |journal=Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews |date=2022 |language=en |volume=163 |pages=112533 |doi=10.1016/j.rser.2022.112533|doi-access=free |bibcode=2022RSERv.16312533U }}</ref>

Services are provided in major urban areas, for example [[Strætó bs]] operates bus services in the [[Reykjavík]] area (including the municipality of [[Reykjanesbær]]), and Strætisvagnar Akureyrar in the northern town of [[Akureyri]]. There are nationwide [[Coach (vehicle)|coach]] and bus services linking the major towns, although many [[Icelanders]] use domestic flights to get from one major town to another: for example between Reykjavík and Ísafjörður.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Should You Rent a Car or Use Public Transportation in Iceland? |url=https://www.gocarrental.is/blog/guides/car-rental-iceland-vs-public-transportation/ |access-date=2023-04-27 |website=gocarrental.is |date=12 April 2023 |language=en}}</ref>{{dubious|date=May 2024}}

Automobile ownership is also relatively high—the country has one of the highest rates in the world—with 580 cars per 1000 people (as of 2000){{Fix|text=Out of date}}, a figure similar to the [[United States]].<ref>{{cite web|title=ICELAND WORLDWIDE – Practical information|url=http://www.iww.is/pages/generalinfo/chap/driving.html|accessdate=2008-05-24|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070816021230/http://iww.is/pages/generalinfo/chap/driving.html|archivedate=2007-08-16}}</ref> 

In the 2000s, and most recently in 2014, there have been proposals to construct a railway between [[Keflavík Airport]] and [[Reykjavík]]. The airport in Keflavík is Iceland's main international airport; however, it is not situated close to the capital. It is currently served by a coach service, but [[Reykjavik City Council]] has agreed to conduct a [[feasibility study]] on the railway proposal, saying they are prepared to contribute 10 million [[Icelandic króna|krónur]] of funding.<ref>{{cite web|title=Iceland Review—Reykjavík City Wants Feasibility Study on Trains|date=28 March 2008 |url=https://www.icelandreview.com/news/reykjavik-city-wants-feasibility-study-trains/|accessdate=2008-05-24}}</ref> A [[light rail]] network within the capital has also been proposed.<ref>{{cite web|title=Iceland Review—MPs Propose Trains in Iceland|date=20 February 2008 |url=https://www.icelandreview.com/news/mps-propose-trains-iceland/|accessdate=2008-05-24}}</ref>

The country is served by one international ferry service: from the [[Faroe Islands]] and [[Denmark]] to/from Seyðisfjörður by [[Smyril Line]]. There is also a local ferry service between [[Þorlákshöfn]] and the [[Vestmannaeyjar|Westman Islands]], operated by [[Eimskip]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Eimskip – Forsíða|url=http://www.eimskip.is/Desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-368/|accessdate=2008-05-24|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080517015315/http://www.eimskip.is/DesktopDefault.aspx/tabid-368//|archivedate=2008-05-17}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[H-dagurinn]]
*[[Rail transport in Iceland]]
*[[Road signs in Iceland]]
*[[Tunnels in Iceland]]
*[[Vegagerðin]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Iceland topics|state=autocollapse}}
{{Transportation in Europe}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Transport In Iceland}}
[[Category:Transport in Iceland| ]]