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Icelandchecked Jul 2026StraightforwardTaxis in Iceland, and why there is no Uber
There is no widespread Uber here, which surprises people. Taxis are licensed, metered, card-friendly and expensive, and the usual way to get one is to book it rather than wave at the street.
At a glance
Uber
Not a thing here
Instead
Book by app or phone
Apps
Hopp Taxi, Hreyfill
Cost
Expensive, and card-friendly
There is no widespread Uber in Iceland. Taxis are licensed and metered, and you get one by booking it, by app or by phone, or from a rank at the airport, a hotel or a bus station, rather than hailing on the street. The apps to know are Hopp Taxi, which works much like a ride-hailing app, and Hreyfill, one of the long-established companies. Fares are expensive by any standard, so for the Keflavik run the airport coach is far cheaper. Cards are fine, and tipping is not expected.
No Uber, so book instead of hailing
Ride-hailing as Americans know it never really arrived in Iceland. What exists instead is a small number of licensed taxi companies operating on official meters, several of them around the clock. You reach them by app or telephone, or you take one from a rank at Keflavik, a hotel or a bus station. Street hailing is not the habit here and, outside central Reykjavik, not much use.
Hopp Taxi is the one that behaves most like the app you are used to: book, track and pay in the app without cash. Hreyfill, operating since 1943, is one of the established companies and also takes app and phone bookings, including fixed-price airport transfers when arranged in advance. Outside the capital area, taxis are scarce, and in much of the country a rental car or a scheduled bus is the only realistic way to move.
Expensive, so weigh the alternative
Iceland is expensive and taxis are no exception, which makes the Keflavik to Reykjavik journey the decision that matters most. It is roughly 45 minutes to an hour by road, and a metered taxi for it is one of the priciest rides you are likely to take on your trip. The scheduled airport coach costs a fraction of that, runs to meet flights, and drops at a central terminal with hotel transfers, which is why most visitors take it.
A taxi earns its keep in other situations: late arrivals, heavy bags, a group splitting one fare, or a fixed-price transfer booked ahead so the meter is not a surprise. Within Reykjavik, distances are short and the city is walkable, so the taxi is more of an occasional convenience than a daily expense.
Paying, and what not to worry about
Fares run on official meters set by the company and there is nothing to haggle over, so the games you watch for elsewhere are simply not part of the picture. Cards are accepted, and if you booked through an app you have already paid. Choose krona if a terminal offers you dollars.
Tipping is not expected: pay the fare and that is the end of it. If you want a firm number before you commit, ask for a fixed price when you book a transfer, which the companies will quote. This guide is written for US travelers departing the US. For the wider picture, see cash or card in Iceland, tipping in Iceland, and the Iceland money guide.
Common questions
Quick answers.
Is there Uber in Iceland?
No, not in any widespread sense. Licensed taxi companies do the job instead, booked by app or phone or taken from a rank. Hopp Taxi is the app that works most like ride-hailing, and Hreyfill is one of the established companies.
How much is a taxi from Keflavik airport to Reykjavik?
Expensive enough that most visitors take the coach instead. The drive is roughly 45 minutes to an hour and a metered taxi is one of the priciest rides on a typical Iceland trip, so ask for a fixed-price transfer if you want a taxi, or book the scheduled airport bus.
Can I hail a taxi on the street in Iceland?
Sometimes in central Reykjavik, but it is not the habit and not reliable. Booking by app or phone, or using a rank at the airport, a hotel or a bus station, is how it works here.
Do Icelandic taxis take cards?
Yes, cards are accepted, and if you book through an app you have already paid. Choose krona rather than dollars if a terminal offers you the choice, and no tip is expected.
More on Iceland
The little money things nobody warns you about.
- Renting a car in Iceland, and what the insurance skipsIceland inverts the usual advice. Buying the biggest waiver the counter offers still leaves out the damage that actually happens here, because the common claims sit in their own separate categories.
- Do I need cash in Iceland, or can I use cards?Short answer: barely any. Iceland is one of the most cashless countries on earth, and plenty of visitors complete a whole trip without touching a banknote. The money problem here is not payment, it is the prices.
- Tipping in IcelandThis is the easiest tipping page we write. Service is included, wages are decent, and nobody is waiting for a percentage. You can put your mental arithmetic away for the whole trip.
Sources, and how this was checked
Last checkedJul 2026
- Visit Reykjavikthe city's official page on taxis, meters and fixed-price airport transfers, including the Hopp Taxi app
- Hreyfillthe Reykjavik taxi company's own booking and airport transfer information
Our own readThat taxis are booked rather than hailed, and that the airport coach beats a cab on price, are well established. We have avoided quoting fares because Icelandic prices move and a metered ride depends on traffic and time of day. Checked July 2026.
How we checkHow every guide is researched, checked and dated