BusTravel Iceland

Where BusTravel Iceland operates and its background

BusTravel Iceland is a Reykjavik tour company whose About page says it "has been operating since 1960 and was reimagined in 2015". It runs guided day tours and multi-day tours from Reykjavík with daily departures, and it also offers shore excursions from six ports around Iceland (Akureyri, Ísafjörður, Seyðisfjörður, Húsavík, Djúpivogur and Grundarfjörður), operating seasonally from May to September. The homepage adds the Westman Islands to its port menu. Its office is at Skógarhlíð 10 in Reykjavík, the address of the Bus Hostel. The About page says its tours are "operated in comfortable buses" and led by its own guides, and the homepage calls it "Iceland's top rated bus tour operator". Prices are shown in Icelandic krónur by default, with EUR, USD, GBP and CNY also offered in the currency switcher.

Alongside its own bus tours, the catalog lists many activities and tickets that the site does not describe itself running, such as Silfra snorkeling and diving, whale watching boats, helicopter flights, snowmobiling, and admission tickets for the Sky Lagoon, Forest Lagoon, FlyOver Iceland and the Lava Show. The site does not say which company operates each of those.

Day tours from Reykjavik

The homepage bestsellers give a good picture of the day-trip range. The Grand Golden Circle Tour takes 8.5 hours, visits Thingvellir National Park, Geysir, Gullfoss and a volcano crater, and is listed from 10990 kr. with a 4.69 rating. The Northern Lights Bus Tour runs about 4 hours from August to April and is listed at 9990 kr., with a 4.85 rating. The South Coast Small Group Tour covers Skógafoss, Seljalandsfoss, Reynisfjara and Sólheimajökull glacier in 10 hours for 17990 kr. The Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon and South Iceland day tour runs about 14 hours for 27990 kr., adding the glacier lagoon and Diamond Beach.

Other listed day tours include the Snaefellsnes Peninsula Tour (11 hours, 17490 kr., rated 4.94), a Northern Lights Small Group Tour at 13990 kr., an Afternoon Volcano Hiking Tour (7 hours, 15990 kr.) to recent eruption sites, a Golden Circle and Blue Lagoon Small Group Tour with admission at 31900 kr., and a Golden Circle Small Group Tour with Fridheimar Farm Visit at 15490 kr. The Golden Circle and Secret Lagoon Tour is labeled a Viator Experience Award winner for 2025. The day-tour page lets travelers filter by dates, duration, starting point, attractions, activities and "tour physically difficulty level".

Multi-day tours, private tours and transfers

The multi-day range is built around small groups. Listings include the 2-Day Ultimate South Iceland Small Group Tour With Crystal Ice Cave (October to April, 64990 kr.), the 3-Day Wellness Small-Group Tour with the Blue Lagoon and Sky Lagoon, a 4-Day Essence of Iceland Small Group Tour (139990 kr.) that includes whale watching by boat, 6-day Ring Road tours from 249990 kr., a 7-Day Ring Road and Snaefellsnes tour at 299990 kr., and an 8-Day Summer Ring Road and Landmannalaugar Highland tour from June to September at 329990 kr. The site also lists an 8-Day Ring Road, Snaefellsnes and Volcano Hike tour and Laugavegur trail hikes, one of them staying in huts.

Private tours run with a private guide and vehicle. The Golden Circle Private Tour (about 8 hours) is listed at 165000 kr., the South Iceland Private Tour at 250000 kr., the Private Snaefellsnes Peninsula Tour at 180000 kr. and a Private Northern Lights Tour at 140000 kr. There is also a bespoke private tour option. For transfers, the site sells Keflavik airport buses to and from Reykjavik (from 4199 kr.) and Blue Lagoon transfers, including a Reykjavík to Blue Lagoon round trip at 7299 kr.

Shore excursions are timed for cruise passengers, with what the site calls "a guaranteed return to your ship". Examples include a Snaefellsnes tour from Grundarfjörður (about 5 hours, 26240 kr.), a Dynjandi Waterfall and Farm Tour from Ísafjörður (3.5 hours, 17091 kr.) and Lake Mývatn and Goðafoss trips from Akureyri. Some summer departures, including a Grand Golden Circle Tour at 12990 kr. and several north Iceland trips, run with a German-speaking guide.

Pickups and the day itself

Pickup in Reykjavik is spelled out in detail. The pickup page says the company collects only from locations within Reykjavik city center and cannot pick up from every address because of traffic restrictions, so each hotel is matched to a numbered Tour Bus Stop. For regular tours the page says "we charge ISK 1590 for the pickup", with one free pickup point at Tour Bus Stop 12, Höfðatorg; for the Northern Lights Bus Tour, Tour Bus Stop 5 at Harpa is also free. The page lists the cruise terminal at Skarfabakki and the old harbor as pickup points, and it states that BusTravel "accepts no responsibility for additional costs" of reaching a pickup.

The About page says tours are conducted in English, and it describes the guides as "professional, knowledgeable, humorous, and approachable". The review feed on the homepage mixes praise with complaints, including one about a leaking bus and about having to walk to Stop 12, which is a useful sign the reviews are not filtered to the glowing ones.

Booking, terms and support

The homepage promises "easy booking & cancellation", "no booking fees", a "best price guarantee" and "secure payments", and runs seasonal sales with promo codes such as SEPTEMBER10. A "Manage your booking" link handles changes online. Support is by phone on +(354) 539 3111, email and live chat, and there is a travel agent sign-up and group options for schools and incentives.

On sustainability, the environmental policy says the company is certified by VAKINN, the official quality and environmental system in Icelandic tourism, runs a fleet meeting the EURO 6 emissions standard, and partners with VAXA Technologies, an algae producer, in an arrangement the site says makes each tour carbon neutral. The About page also cites a 2024 Tripadvisor Travelers' Choice award.

What the site leaves open

The homepage's "easy cancellation" line does not give the cancellation window or refund rule, though the footer links to Terms and Conditions and an FAQ. Group sizes are not stated on the small-group tour cards. The site has dedicated pages for guests with disabilities, travelers with young children and tour difficulty levels, and a guide on what to wear for Northern Lights tours, but the tour cards themselves do not show age limits or difficulty ratings. For bookable extras such as Silfra diving or helicopter flights, the site does not say whether BusTravel or another company runs them.

For travelers based in Reykjavik who want a straightforward, well-organized way to see the Golden Circle, the South Coast, Snaefellsnes or the Northern Lights, BusTravel's long catalog, detailed pickup system and range from big-bus to private tours make it an easy company to plan around. Anyone who needs a non-English guide outside the German summer departures, or pickup outside the city center, should check before booking.