Driving to Gullfoss in winter

What is Iceland's kilometre fee, and do you pay it in a rental car?

A charge of ISK 6.95 per kilometre on every car up to 3.5 tonnes, in force since 1 January 2026. It replaced the fuel duties. In a rental car you pay it through the rental firm.

Ísland.is sets the rate at "ISK 6,95 per kilometer for vehicles and SUV up to 3,5 tonnes", rising with weight. The government's announcement of 19 December 2025 explains that the fee replaces the petrol and diesel duties, so the cost of driving an average petrol car stays about the same. Pump prices fell when the duties went.

The owner of the car is billed, which for a rental means the rental company. Each firm passes it on its own way. Blue Car Rental, for one, charges a flat ISK 1,550 per rental day, and reports petrol at about ISK 213 a litre in January 2026 and about ISK 282 by early October. Read the line in your rental quote. Driving to a snowmobile tour is a small share of a week's driving.

How long is the drive to Gullfoss in winter, and which road do you take?

About 115 km. Mountaineers of Iceland says the drive takes about 2 hours; in winter allow 2.5 to 3 with a stop.

The booking listing for the Mountaineers ice cave tour puts Gullfoss at "115km/ 71miles" and 95 minutes without stops. Mountaineers' own page rounds it to two hours, which is closer to real life in winter. You can go east on Route 1 over Hellisheiði and turn up Route 35, or take Route 36 through Þingvellir and on via Laugarvatn. Both end on Route 35 past Geysir, 10 minutes before Gullfoss.

Pick the route on the morning, not the night before. Hellisheiði is a high moor that closes in storms, and Route 36 over Mosfellsheiði can drift over. Beyond Gullfoss the road turns into the Kjölur highland track (F35). Do not follow it: that is why the operators collect you in giant trucks. Húsafell, for the Into the Glacier tours, is north instead, about two hours via Route 1 and the Borgarfjörður valley.

Where do you check road conditions and weather warnings before you leave?

umferdin.is for roads, vedur.is for weather warnings, safetravel.is for alerts. Check the evening before and again before you set off.

Umferdin.is is the Road Administration's live map: closures, ice, snow and wind on each stretch. Its traffic service answers on 1777 from 06:30 to 22:00 every day. The Met Office at vedur.is issues yellow, orange and red warnings by region; orange on your route means do not go. Safetravel.is puts it plainly: "Strong winds, snow, rain and drifting snow can make the driving conditions difficult and sometimes dangerous, even though the roads seem clear."

The operators watch the same data. Mountaineers warns that "Tour timings may be delayed or canceled due to weather or road conditions." If your phone shows a warning and the operator has not called, call them. In an emergency the number is 112.

How early should you leave Reykjavík for a winter snowmobile tour?

Three hours before the start time, and be at the meeting point 15 minutes early. For a 12:00 ride from Gullfoss, leave Reykjavík by 9:00.

In December the sun rises at about 11:20 in Reykjavík. A 9:00 start means the first hour and a half in the dark, on roads that may not have been ploughed yet. Drive slower than you think you need to, keep your lights on (Icelandic law, all day), and do not stop on the road for photos. Every Golden Circle pull-out fills with people who did.

Meet at the upper Gullfoss car park, outside the café, 15 minutes before departure. Sleipnir's winter trucks also leave from the Gullfoss Café car park. For the ride from Geysir, Snowmobile.is meets at the car park behind the Geysir Centre, about 1.5 hours from Reykjavík. And plan the way home: a 14:00 tour from Gullfoss in December gets you back to your car after dark.

Meet at Gullfoss, ride the monster truck up and drive a snowmobile for about an hour. The lowest price onto the ice.

★ 4.3 · 4 hours · from $251

Explore the ride from Gullfoss → Tour details

Tyres, fuel and parking: what else do you need on the way?

Winter tyres come with every rental car from November. Parking at Gullfoss is free, Geysir charges ISK 1,080. Fill up before Gullfoss.

Winter tyres are required from 1 November to 15 April and studded tyres are allowed in the same window, and rental cars come fitted with them in season (Blue Car Rental). A 4x4 is not required for Route 35, but its weight and grip help on packed snow.

Guide to Iceland says both Gullfoss car parks are free, and a guest on the Gullfoss ride in April 2026 agreed: "The meeting point is easy to find and has free parking." Geysir is paid: Parka lists ISK 1,080 for up to 8 hours, payable online up to 24 hours later. Þingvellir charges ISK 1,000. Fuel up in Reykjavík or on the way: there are N1 stations at Geysir, Reykholt and Flúðir, and a petrol station by the Húsafell Activity Centre.

One change to watch: in September 2026 the government put out a draft law for a nature and infrastructure fee at Geysir, Gullfoss and Þingvellir, ISK 3,000 in winter and ISK 4,500 in summer for visitors who are not resident in Iceland, from 1 May 2027 (Government of Iceland). It is a proposal, not law. It does not affect a trip this winter.

Is it worth self-driving to a snowmobile tour in winter?

If you are confident on snow and have a spare day, yes. If not, pay for the pickup.

The ride from Gullfoss costs $251 and the ride from Geysir $262. The Golden Circle snowmobile day from Reykjavík costs $361 for the same hour on the ice, with Þingvellir, Geysir and Gullfoss on the way and nobody in your group behind the wheel at 9:00 in the dark.

Self-drive suits people who already have a car for the week and want the Golden Circle at their own pace. First-time winter drivers, people landing the same morning, and anyone who would lose sleep over an orange warning should take the bus. One Into the Glacier guest who drove to Húsafell in December 2024 described it as "a challenging drive". The Reykjavík or Gullfoss guide compares the two in full.

Frequently asked questions