Egilsstaðir

Egilsstaðir is the unofficial capital of East Iceland. Its population is 2332. It lies on the banks of the Lagarfljót river.

Climate
The weather in Egilsstaðir is unpredictable. Temperatures are moderate: they don't go very high in the summer, nor do they go much below zero during winter. January is the coldest month.

By plane
One airport serves the Egilstaðir area and most of East Iceland.


 * Icelandair - operates domestic flights to Reykjavík

By car
Two main roads serve as entry points into Egilsstaðir
 * The ring road (Road 1) enters the town from north and south.
 * Seyðisfjarðarvegur (Road 93) enters the town from the east, linking it to Seyðisfjörður and the Smyril line ferry.

By bus
The local bus from Seyðisfjörður stops downtown and at the airport. Seyðisfjörður in turn is served by the weekly ferry from Hirtshals (Denmark) via the Faroes.

Renting a car
Car rental services can be found at Egilsstaðir airport. If you intend only to go between the towns of East-Iceland, renting a car is not necessary as the area does have a bus system.

On foot
Walking in Egilsstaðir is recommended as the town is small. The longest walking path in the town is 3.2 kilometers long.

By bus
Most of East Iceland has a joint public bus system. Single rides within the town cost 350 kr and 10 tickets can be bought for 3150 kr. Children below the age of 16 are charged 175 kr for a single ride trip within the town. The bus system is divided into 23 areas where one single ride fare or one ticket is charged for each area. The longest trip is between Borgarfjörður, north of Egilsstaðir, and Höfn.

By car
As a tourist you should be able to manage without a car if you are only staying in the city. Driving is recommended though for travel outside of the town.

By bicycle
It is easy to bike in Egilsstaðir if you can handle a few hills and strong headwinds. You could even go over the Lagarfljót bridge and visit the neighboring town Fellabær as these towns are situated quite close to each other.



Go next

 * Hallormsstaðaskógur is one of the largest forests in Iceland. It covers an 730 hectare area. Directions: turn into Route 1 towards Höfn. Turn right into Route 931. The forest will appear along the road to your right.
 * Stórurð is a natural phenomenon with rocks and lakes. Travelers should only go to Stórurð during the summer. Directions: Turn into Route 94 towards Bakkagerði. Park the car near Geldingarfjall mountain. From there is a 7.1-kilometer long marked path towards Stórurð.