The Ring Road

The IRCA is the party responsible for all of the country’s highways, and so maintenance and service of the Ring Road is the institution’s responsibility. Maintenance and service are provided 24 hours a day, year-round, to ensure that this staple of the transportation system, servicing millions of cars per year, is always available for all who need it.

The development of the Ring Road started with general calls for expansion of the Icelandic road system in the middle of the 20th century.  Following World War II, the Icelandic road system totalled in at roughly 4,400 km. Many of the most important settlements around the country were connected at this point, but some areas still remained remote and isolated. This was due to a number of factors; for instance: a lack of bridge construction over the country’s numerous, flood-prone rivers, and the difficult, mountainous terrain which blankets a majority of the island.

Much of Icelandic road development in the post-war decades focused on modernizing and strengthening the pre-existing system, but also on building new connections to areas still isolated from Reykjavík. This massive project lasted well into the 1970s, but finally, in 1974, the Northern and Southern parts of the now-complete Ring Road were connected with the construction of multiple bridges over Skeiðarárssandur in south-east Iceland.

In 2019, the Ring Road was finally fully paved, but the IRCA continues to engage in modernization projects — such as widening, and installing dividers between directions of traffic — and upkeep on various sections around the country, particularly around areas which receive heavy traffic over the summer months.

Most sections of the Ring Road — with exceptions in the North-East and in spots along the Eastern fjords — experience an average per-day, year-round traffic volume (ÁDU) of at least >1000 cars. Between the months of May and August (SDU) this number climbs up to >2000 cars on many sections. During peak season this can lead to conditions of heavy traffic on the bottlenecks present near popular destinations on the Ring Road. Travellers are encouraged to stay vigilant when driving.

Of the hundreds of bridges that dot the Ring Road, 29 are still single-lane as of 2023, down from 140 in 1990. The proposed Transport Plan for 2024-2038 calls for the widening of all single-lane bridges on the Ring-Road before 2039.

The Ring Road’s path takes it along Iceland’s jagged coastline, over rivers and volcanic sands, and across secluded heaths and highlands, with brief stops in developed areas and settlements along the way.

The road directly services — or provides quick access to — almost every corner and major settlement of the country, with the exception of the Westfjords and Snæfellsnes, and parts of North-East Iceland.

The road passes directly through many popular tourist destinations, such as Seljalandsfoss, Jökulsárlón and Mývatn. Many other natural attractions are also serviced by the Ring Road’s connective roads.

Although the Ring Road has been heavily modernized throughout its over 50 years of existence, travellers utilizing rental cars, and/or are unused to driving in Iceland, can nevertheless suffer accidents due to distraction, weather conditions, or other unforeseen events.

Should an accident occur in a remote place, such as on a heath, or in other places far away from urban settlement, rescue efforts could be far away. Travellers are encouraged to ensure that they have emergency supplies when travelling. The IRCA also strongly recommends that first-time travellers familiarise themselves with all necessary information regarding their planned route, and take all precautions necessary when on the road.

For more information on driving in Iceland you can visit safetravel.is for guidelines on Icelandic traffic law, road signs, and general tips on driving in Iceland, both in winter and summer.