Transportation  
 

Tourist Information  

Icelandic Tourist Board  
Ferðamalarað Islands  
Lækjargarta 3, Gimli,  
IS-101 Reykjavik  
Iceland  
Tel: +354-552 7488  
Fax: +354-562 4749  
E-Mail: info@icetourist.is  

Icelandic Tourist Board  
655 Third Avenue  
New York, NY 10017  
USA  
Tel: (212) 885-9747  
Fax: (212) 885-9710  

Isländisches Fremdenverkehrsamt  
City Centre, Carl-Ulrich str. 11  
D-63263 Neu-Isenburg 1  
Germany  
Tel: (6102) 254484  
Fax: (6102) 254570 

Language 
Icelandic is a Teutonic language of the Nordic group. It is believed to have changed little from the oringinal tongue spoken by the Norse settlers. English and Danish are widely spoken and understood. Icelandic has two letters of its own: Þ (uppercase) / þ (lowercase) pronounced like the "th" in thing and Ð (uppercase) / ð (lowercase) pronounced like the "th" in them. 

Business/Shopping/Banking Hours: 
Office hours are generally 09:00-17:00 but some institutions and companies change to 08:00-16:00 during June, July and August. Shopping hours are Mon-Fri 09:00-18:00, Sat from 10:00-13/14/15 or 16:00, varying from one shop to another. Some supermarkets are open to 23:00 seven days a week. Many shops are closed on Saturdays during the summer ? June, July and August ? but the woolen goods stores are open on Saturdays and some on Sundays as well. Shops outside Reykjavik in service centres or filling stations are often open all day (09:00-22/23:00) every day of the week. Banking hours are Mon-Fri 09:15-16:00. To change money outside regular banking hours see Currency Exchange. 

Currency Regulations: 
There is no limit on the amount of foreign currency in letters of credit, traveller’s cheques or bank notes which may be brought into Iceland. 

Debit & Credit Cards 
Electron, Maestro and edc debit cards are increasingly being accepted by merchants. Cash can be obtained against these cards in all banks and savings banks ATMs, as well as against Cirrus and Eurocheque ATM-only cards.  Credit Cards are widely used in Iceland and accepted by most establishments, including hotels, restaurants, car rentals and shops. The major credit cards in Iceland are EuroCard/MasterCard and Visa, both owned and serviced by all banks and savings banks in Iceland, and American Express, Diners Club and JCB which have agents. 

Traveller’s Cheques: 
Traveller’s cheques are widely accepted in Iceland. 

Shopping: 
The shops in Iceland are of international standard, and carry a wide variety of merchandise. Local specialties are woolen knitwear (i.e. sweaters, cardigans, hats and mittens), handmade ceramics, glassware and silver jewelry. Also available is a great variety of high-quality seafood. 

Tax-Free Shopping: 
A refund of local Value-Added Tax is available to visitors to Iceland. The refund will result in a reduction of up to 15% of the retail price, provided departure from Iceland is within 30 days after the purchase is made. The purchase amount must be no less that ISK 4,000 (VAT included) per sales receipt, and all goods (except woolens) must be packed in sealed bags or containers. 

Duty-Free: 
The duty-free store at Keflavik Airport is open to coincide with flight departure and arrivals. 

Laundry: 
Laundry and dry cleaning service are available at most hotels throughout the country. In Reykjavik there are two public laundries: 

• ÞVOIÐ Sjalf
  Barónsstigur 3 
  Tel: +354-552 7499 

• LAUNDRY SERVICE
  Vesturgata 12 
  Tel: +354-562 6820

Post Offices 
There are post offices located in all major communities in Iceland. General hours are: Mon-Fri. 08:30-16:30. The post office in Austurstraeti (City centre) is open June-August on Saturdays 10:00-14:00. 

Telephones 
Direct calls can be made to all parts of Iceland. The code into Iceland from overseas is +354 + seven-digit number. Direct long-distance calls can be made to Europe and the USA by dialing 00 plus the country code, the area code and the telephone number you wish to reach. If assistance is required, dial 114 for information and 115 to place a call. Coin and Card Operated public phones are at post offices and telephone exchanges around the country. Phone charges vary when calling within Iceland depending on the time of day. Rates may also be higher at hotels that in public phones, as a long-distance service charge is added. 

Telex 
Telex service is available in hotels, private companies and post offices. The telex code into Iceland is 0501. 

Telefax 
Fax service is available at most post offices around the country. The fax code into Iceland is +354 + seven-digit number. 

Telegrams 
Telegrams may be sent from private or public telephones by dialing 146. 

Climate 
Thanks to the Gulf Stream, Iceland enjoys a cool temperate ocean climate: cool in the summer and fairly mild in the winter. However, the weather is very changeable and tourists should be prepared for the unexpected.

Time 
Iceland is on Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) throughout the year, and does not go on daylight saving time. When it is noon in Reykjavik during the summer, the time is 08:00 in New York City, 13:00 in London, 14:00 in Paris, 14:00 in Oslo, 14:00 in Luxembourg, 14:00 in Rome and 21:00 in Tokyo. 

Health 
Icelanders enjoy a healthy life, thanks to clean air and water and quality fish. Water is safe to drink throughout Iceland. Pharmacies are called "Apotek" and are open during normal business hours, and at least one is open in Reykjavik around the clock. Reykjavik has a great many general practitioners, as well as specialists, many of whom will receive patients at short notice. There are also many Health Centers in Reykjavik, with officially appointed family doctors who receive patients at short notice during the day. For visitors arriving in Iceland, no vaccinations are required. 

 Disabled Visitors 
Disabled visitors can make traveling in Iceland fairly easy by planning their vacation in advance. They may also find it necessary to travel with a companion, for although there are many hotels nd restaurants accessible to the disabled, they do not always provide full assistance. A number of hotels in Reykavik and Akureyri have rooms specially designed for disabled guests. A list of hotels accessible to disabled visitors is included in a leaflet published by the Icelandic Hotels and Guesthouses. Larger department stores are generally accessible to wheelchair users. The coastal ferry Baldur is accessible to the disabled. The ferry Herjolfur also has excellent facilities for the disabled. All airlines flying to and from Iceland are equipped to accommodate disabled travelers. A few domestic buses equipped for wheelchair users are available for special tours upon request. For further information please contact the Icelandic Tourist Board. 

 Police 
Reykjavik police, Tel: +354-551 1166 Emergency (24 hours). For information, Tel: +354-569 9020. 

 Religion 
The established religion in Iceland is Lutheran. There are many Lutheran churches in Iceland and services are usually held every Sunday at 11:00 or 14:00. There is a Catholic Church in Reykjavik and Akureyri, and a number of churches for other groups. Holy Mass in English or German is offered in the Roman Catholic Cathedral every Saturday at 18:00, and in English Sundays at 20:00. 

 Electric Current 
The electric current in Iceland is 220 volts, 50 HZ AC. Please note that the prongs on electrical equipment you bring with you may be different from Icelandic standards. It is advisable to check before using such equipment. 

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