In this guide
💡 The Short Version: The official Reykjavik City Card (Reykjavíkurborgarkort) is the capital’s municipal sightseeing pass, priced at 6,100 ISK for 24 hours, 8,500 ISK for 48 hours and 10,500 ISK for 72 hours. It provides unlimited free admission to 17 museums and galleries, all eight municipal geothermal swimming pools, unlimited travel on Strætó city buses throughout the capital area, and the scenic ferry crossing to Viðey island. It does not cover the Blue Lagoon, Sky Lagoon, the Hallgrímskirkja tower, or airport transfers. Or book a tour: secure a pass with instant voucher confirmation and 24-hour cancellation via GetYourGuide’s Reykjavik City Card listingad.
The card is sold through Visit Reykjavík, the city’s tourist board. It suits a trip built around museums, local buses and neighbourhood pools: the more of those you use in a day, the better it pays.
Árbær Open Air Museum. Photo: Reykholt, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
City Card prices and duration options
The card comes in three lengths. The clock starts when you activate it, not when you buy it.
| Card duration | Official price | Cost per 24-hour block | Typical breakeven threshold |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24-Hour Card | 6,100 ISK | 6,100 ISK | 2 museums + 1 pool swim + 2 bus trips |
| 48-Hour Card | 8,500 ISK | 4,250 ISK | 3 museums + 2 pool swims + 3 bus trips |
| 72-Hour Card | 10,500 ISK | 3,500 ISK | 4 museums + 3 pool swims + 4 bus trips + Viðey ferry |
Children under 18 get free museum entry with any adult card, and children aged 11 and under ride Strætó free, so you do not need to buy cards for them.
Complete list of free inclusions
The card unlocks unlimited access to 17 cultural venues, eight public bathing complexes, and the city transport network:
1. Museums and historical collections (100% free)
- National Museum of Iceland (Þjóðminjasafn Íslands): the 13th-century Valþjófsstaður church door and the settlement-era silver.
- The Settlement Exhibition (Landnámssýningin) at Aðalstræti 16: built around the excavated foundations of a 10th-century longhouse.
- Árbær Open Air Museum (Árbæjarsafn): a village of relocated turf and timber houses, workshops and a turf church.
- Reykjavik Maritime Museum (Sjóminjasafnið í Reykjavík): Iceland’s fishing history and the Cod Wars with Britain.
- Reykjavik Art Museum (Listasafn Reykjavíkur): covers three sites:
- Hafnarhús: Contemporary modern art, edgy installations, and the permanent collection of pop-artist Erró.
- Kjarvalsstaðir: Dedicated to painter Jóhannes S. Kjarval, surrounded by Klambratún park.
- Ásmundarsafn: The dome-shaped former studio and sculpture garden of artist Ásmundur Sveinsson in Laugardalur.
- National Gallery of Iceland (Listasafn Íslands): classical and 20th-century Icelandic art on the shore of Lake Tjörnin.
- The House of Collections (Safnahúsið): Historic neo-renaissance exhibition hall on Hverfisgata.
- Reykjavik Museum of Photography (Ljósmyndasafn Reykjavíkur): Intimate documentary gallery above the city library in Grófin.
- Sigurjón Ólafsson Museum: Coastal sculpture museum dedicated to the avant-garde sculptor in Laugarnes.
- Reykjavik Family Park and Zoo (Fjölskyldu- og húsdýragarðurinn): Native Icelandic horses, seals, reindeer, and domestic farm animals in Laugardalur.
- Regional Cultural Centres: Hafnarfjörður Heritage Museum, Hafnarborg Centre of Fine Arts, Gerðarsafn Kópavogur Art Museum, and the Natural History Museum of Kópavogur.
The Reykjavik Maritime Museum at Grandi. Photo: Holger Uwe Schmitt, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
2. Municipal geothermal swimming pools (100% free)
Cardholders swim free at all eight public pools run by the City of Reykjavik (adult admission is 1,500 ISK per visit):
- Sundhöll Reykjavíkur: The capital’s oldest pool, designed by state architect Guðjón Samúelsson in 1937, featuring indoor lanes, two outdoor thermal hot pots, and a rooftop sun deck.
- Laugardalslaug: Iceland’s flagship thermal complex, offering an Olympic-sized 50-metre heated outdoor pool, saltwater jacuzzi, steam rooms, and water slides.
- Vesturbæjarlaug: Beloved neighbourhood bathing complex in western Reykjavik, famed for community conversation tubs.
- Árbæjarlaug, Breiðholtslaug, Dalslaug, Grafarvogslaug, and Klébergslaug: Suburban community pools featuring hot tubs and play pools.
3. Public transit and island ferries
- Strætó buses: unlimited travel on city buses in the capital area. Route 55 to Keflavík Airport is not covered.
- Viðey ferry: a free return crossing to the island, which has the 18th-century Viðeyjarstofa house, a church and Yoko Ono’s Imagine Peace Tower.
Viðeyjarstofa on Viðey island. Photo: Quintin Soloviev, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0.
Partner discounts and concessions
The card also gets discounts at selected commercial operators:
| Operator or sight | City Card discount |
|---|---|
| Aurora Reykjavik Northern Lights Centre | 50% off admission |
| Whales of Iceland | 30% off admission |
| Volcano Express (at Harpa) | 20% off |
| Elding whale-watching cruises | 10% off tours |
| Lava Show | 10% off |
| Perlan - Wonders of Iceland | Discounted admission |
Tour options and bookings
Booking your City Card voucher ahead of your trip guarantees you can collect your card immediately upon landing in the capital.
Reykjavik: City Card with Museum Entry & 8 Thermal Poolsad
From 6,000 ISK · 4.4 stars from 1,248 reviews · 24–72 hours · Mobile voucher
The 24, 48 or 72-hour card as a mobile voucher, exchanged for the physical card at one of eight collection points.
Reykjavik: Perlan - Wonders of Iceland Experiencead
From 6,400 ISK · 4.7 stars from 4,458 reviews · 2 hours · Instant confirmation
Perlan is not free with the City Card; cardholders get a discount on a ticket to the ice cave and the Áróra planetarium show.
Reykjavik: National Museum of Iceland Entry Ticketad
From 2,600 ISK · 4.4 stars from 577 reviews · 2 hours · Instant confirmation
If you only want this one museum and will not swim or ride city buses, a single ticket costs less than a pass.
Does it pay off?
Two fares are fixed and checkable: a pool swim costs 1,500 ISK and a single Strætó ride 690 ISK. A day of one swim and four bus rides comes to 4,260 ISK, so two museum entries on top are enough to cover the 6,100 ISK 24-hour card. Museum prices are on each museum’s own page; add them up for your own list before buying.
When the card does not pay off
The card does not make financial sense under the following conditions:
- You are booking full-day regional excursions: If your days are occupied by day trips to the Golden Circle, South Coast, or Snæfellsnes Peninsula, you will be outside Reykjavik during museum operating hours.
- You only plan to visit private commercial spas: The pass does not include entry to the Blue Lagoon or Sky Lagoon.
- You prefer walking and free public sights: If your sightseeing focuses on taking photographs outside Harpa Concert Hall, walking the waterfront to the Sun Voyager, and visiting the free church interior at Hallgrímskirkja, your total entry expenditure will be minimal.
Collection locations and practical activation tips
When you purchase the card online, you receive a digital barcode voucher. You must exchange this confirmation voucher for a physical card at one of eight designated municipal collection desks before boarding a bus:
- Reykjavík Art Museum Hafnarhús: Tryggvagata 17, downtown harbour.
- Reykjavik Maritime Museum: Grandagarður 8, Grandi harbour district.
- The Settlement Exhibition: Aðalstræti 16, city centre.
- Elding Whale Watching Office: Ægisgarður 5c, Old Harbour.
- Árbær Open Air Museum: Kistuhylur 4, Árbær district.
- Reykjavík Art Museum Kjarvalsstaðir: Flókagata 24, Klambratún park.
Rules for activation and bus transit
- Write your details legibly: The reverse side of the card features blank spaces for your name, start date, and start time. Fill these out in indelible pen prior to presenting the card.
- Boarding Strætó buses: show the physical card when you board.
- Route 55 exclusion: the City Card is not valid on Strætó route 55 to Keflavík Airport; see Keflavik airport to Reykjavik.
For comprehensive trip planning and city transport routes, consult our dedicated guides on public transport in Reykjavik and where to stay in Reykjavik.
Common questions
How much does the Reykjavik City Card cost?
The Reykjavik City Card is sold in three durations: 24 hours costs 6,100 ISK, 48 hours costs 8,500 ISK, and 72 hours costs 10,500 ISK. The clock starts when you activate the card, not when you buy it.
What attractions and services does the Reykjavik City Card include?
It includes unlimited free admission to 17 city museums and galleries (including the National Museum of Iceland, the Settlement Exhibition, the Maritime Museum, Árbær Open Air Museum, and the Reykjavik Art Museum), free access to all eight municipal geothermal swimming pools, unlimited rides on Strætó city buses in the capital area, and the ferry to Viðey island.
Does the Reykjavik City Card cover Hallgrímskirkja tower or Perlan?
No. The Hallgrímskirkja church tower is not included and requires a separate 1,500 ISK ticket. Perlan's Wonders of Iceland exhibition is not free, though cardholders get a discount on admission. The card also does not cover the Blue Lagoon, Sky Lagoon, or airport express buses.
Where can I collect my physical Reykjavik City Card?
You can exchange an online voucher for a physical pass at multiple pickup points across the capital, including the Reykjavík Art Museum locations (Hafnarhús, Kjarvalsstaðir, Ásmundarsafn), the National Museum, Árbær Open Air Museum, the Maritime Museum, the Settlement Exhibition, and Elding's harbour ticket office at Ægisgarður 5c.
