If you’ve ever wanted to visit Iceland and had a look at the different ways to explore the country, you probably noticed that train isn’t an option. Unlike most other destinations, Iceland indeed doesn’t have a public railway system and it has never had one. There are multiple reasons to for this.
In the early 20th century, there were actually several projects concerning the development of a public railway system in Iceland. The first wanted to connect Reykjavík to Selfoss via Þingvallavatn, the second thought of going from Reykjavík to Selfoss through Þrengsli. However, by 1931, all plans were abandoned and the idea of an Icelandic railway was off the table. Other than the Reykjavík harbour railway and the Korpúlfsstaðir farm railway, both small-scale and temporary, Iceland never saw a locomotive or wagon.
First run of Reykjavík Harbour Railway ‘Minør’ in 1913.
— Coen Krom (@CoenKrom) January 26, 2024
The locomotive is now an open-air static exhibit in Reykjavík. pic.twitter.com/fCdFklk5kB
Recently, multiple projects were brought up, looking into developing a small railway system in Iceland after all. The Lava Express would run from Keflavík International Airport to Reykjavík in order to make the connection easier and quicker for tourists, as this journey would only take 15 minutes. Due to a lack of funding, however, the project is still waiting for its moment of fame.
Municipalities around the capital are now looking at the possibility of a light rail system in the Capital Region. The first phase of the plan began in 2023. Set for completion in 2026, it will run from Reykjavík city centre to Hamraborg, in Kópavogur. The second phase should be completed by 2027 and will connect the city centre to Ártúnshöfði, in eastern Reykjavík.
The main reasons for this lack of a public railway system remain logistics and demand, or rather a lack thereof. Iceland has a small population, making a train project very expensive per capita. Moreover, only a handful of cities have a population worth considering a station. The fact that most cities are quite remote means the car plays an important role in people’s lives and almost everyone has one, thus there is a lack of demand for public transportation. Finally, the harsh weather conditions would make the logistics of a railway system quite complicated.
As a tourist, the best way of getting around Iceland at the moment seems to be renting a car or camper van. This allows you to be as flexible as you want. Alternatively, you could also look into booking an organised tour or making use of Strætó’s yellow public bus network, which is well-developed and can take you almost anywhere on the island.
