Ferry options to Iceland.
 

Hello,

I am contemplating a trip to Iceland next summer taking in England and Scotland ( I live in France ).
Are there any ferries sailing from the UK ?
Or is going via Denmark the only option if one doesn't fancy flying ?
Cheers,

L.

Via Denmark is the only option for a ferry.


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I seem to remember that it was possible some... 30 years ago.
It is a pity that these crossings have been discontinued.
Could I do UK to Denmark then Denmark to Iceland and back ?
Cheers,
L.

I think the best you get now is Newcastle to Amsterdam….although I’m not even 100% sure that’s still running…


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You could shorten the route from France using the autotrain from Loerrach to Hamburg.
Iceland air offers airfreight from Belgium (at least they did in 2019).

Edit: for motivation ...
https://advrider.com/f/threads/planl...isited.749438/

¨I think the best you get now is Newcastle to Amsterdam….although I’m not even 100% sure that’s still running…¨

Yes true, it´s still running. DFDS is the ferrycompany.


Yes Icelandaircargo has cargo flights from Liege, Belgium.

About the autotrain : I think there are 2 companies who do the route Lörach-Hamburg. (at least before 2020) One of them is Urlaubexpress (trainforyou) I was thinking about taking a autotrain from that company but after having read all the negative reviews in both english and german I decided to drive the whole way.
The last thing you want om such a trip is missing a very expensive ferry because of a train which could be cancelled at the last moment.

I agree it´s a pity they don´t sail Iceland--Shetland anymore. It´s the missing link for a round trip now.

Eimskip and Samskip have freight vessel services to and from Iceland but it is freight only so you would still have to fly. I think you should do this in 2 different trips. One to Iceland via Denmark and another trip to UK ( all the way up to Orkney and Shetland) :)

Best regards,
Rögnvaldur

Thank you all for taking the time to answer.

I should have mentioned in my original post that I am a cyclist and that I ride my bicycle everywhere.
I could easily fly to Iceland but I have always disliked it, and boarding a plane has always been done as a last resort when all other options have taken me to a dead end.
Also time is almost never a problem when I embark on a long ride and I am sort of a purist, so no trains/buses either :-)

I suppose I could pedal all the way north to Scotland and back south then ride through Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark to take that damn ferry from Hirtshals.

What would be my chances of finding an Iceland-bound cargoship ( or any vessel ) from the Shetlands or Scotland ?

Cheers,

Levelo.

I think your chances are next to zero. Maybe I am wrong, I don´t have experience with this but I can not believe cargo shippers take tourists/travelers with them in Europe. As you know Europe is full of laws and rules, I can´t imagine theyre allowed to do so. And even if they are allowed, why should they do so? And departing from UK, which is neither in EU nor in Schengen, would mean more immigration rules . Then we have this covid situation, the last thing they want is getting the virus on a ship because that would cost lots of money.
This summer we had a cargo ship docked for two weeks because of onboard virus. They where banned from leaving until the health inspection gave permission.

I understand your wish to make that roundtrip, I did it about 20 years ago. It was expensive but great. But as the situation is now I don´t think it´s possible. I hope for you that I am wrong.

It used to be possible to board cargoships ( I did it a loooooong time ago ) but it was never guaranteed even in the best of times indeed :-)
How long in advance should I book a Hirtshals-Iceland ferry ticket considering that bicycles usually don't count as vehicles ?

Hello

The limiting factor is accomodation on the ferry.
I don't know how it was during covid, but before you had to book early to get the bed you liked.

I don't know if in covid-times the bunkbeds are open.
Have a look at the website, it's very expencive, flying is a much better option if your vehicule fits in a plane.

sushi

There should always be place for a bicycle but it´s true, accomodation is the limiting factor. And that depands on when you want to travel. In winter there is more then enough place. But I don´t think you want to drive a bicycle in wintertime on Iceland. For high season traveling you have to book early. How long in advance? I don´t know. Maybe the beginning of the new year, I think. But one of the things covid teached us, is early booking can be bad. Suddenly things change and then we have bookings which costs lots of money to change.
I would say: when you know for sure when you want to go, and you dont expect any changes in your plan, then book. The earlier you book, the more choice you have.

Last winter in covid the ship was stop for a couple of months because they build a new deck on top of it.

Hello,

" I don't know if in covid-times the bunkbeds are open.
Have a look at the website, it's very expencive, flying is a much better option if your vehicule fits in a plane. "

True.
I just checked and it is very pricey indeed.
I don't know if it is due to Covid or my own inability to navigate Smyril Line's website properly but I couldn't even book a single bed in a 4 person cabin.
Plus these guys don't even offer deck class for hobos ?
I know it is a 2 and a half day crossing but still...

L.

Bit of a torturous route but you could take ferry from Newcastle to Amsterdam. Then from (near) Groningen in Northern Netherlands to Kristiansand Norway. From Kristiansand it's a short ferry ride to Hirtshals, where the ferry leaves for Iceland.

Thanks for this info. I didn´t knew about this new ferry line from Netherlands to Norway. Too bad it is not to Denmark.

Feels like sailing around the North Sea, I am already getting a little sea-sick at the idea :innocent:
But thanks for mentionning this option !
L.

Hello everyone,

I ended up not going last summer but I have just booked myself on the Smyril Line ferry for mid-June :thumbup1:
I am hoping that no major world changes will occur before then and that the scheduled sailings will be honored.
A return ticket with a bunkbed in a shared cabin ( there is no deck class ), a bicycle, a 3 day stopover in the Faroe Islands on the return leg and no food is $ 650 or so.
Quite expensive but probably the cheapest combo possible.
Prices seem to be going up every day, so I am glad I booked early.
I will be riding in Iceland for 3 full weeks. Not enough, but better than nothing.

L.

Good luck, hope you enjoy and you have a decent sailing.

Thank you !

I hope the sailing won't be too rough, I am not much of a sailor.
I have been wanting to go to Iceland for a while.
It is a very expensive place to visit, no matter how you cut it.
At least as a cyclist I will be allowed to camp in the wild in most places.
I am investing in a very good tent, though :cool4:

L.

I wish you a wonderful trip!

Hi Levelo,


I don´t know if you already have found these websites but I think you can get some good information on them.

https://www.road.is/
Icelandic road administration; about the state of the roads and the current weather

https://en.vedur.is/
Icelandic meteorological office

https://safetravel.is/
Icelandic Association for Search and Rescue; tips and information

Have a good trip.

Hi Rognv & Addryn,

Very kind of you !

The weather is a major factor indeed especially when riding a bicycle. I don't care so much about the rain.
But the wind, man...

I am on my way.
Currently looping around through the Baltic States ( I am about to cross into Estonia from Latvia ) before ferrying to Helsinki from Tallinn.

It's been pretty cold so far so I got a chance to test my warm & waterproof gear that will no doubt come in handy in Iceland :thumbup1:

L.

PM me if you want to get a beer in Tallinn and/or route advice in the area. :) I am guessing you have already crossed the border by the time you read this, but if you are on the west coast, then take the Tourist/Romantic Road from Ainaži village, not the main highway from the border crossing with the alcohol stores!

Also, it's actually been remarkably warm in the Baltics for this time of year, normally it would be much rainier and colder right now. ;)

Hey AnTyx,

I am resting up in Valka/Valga.
From here on I plan to hit the shores of Lake Peipsi somewhere near Kallaste via Otepaa + Tartu.
I am cycling, so obviously staying clear of all highways ( some of the sandy corrugated tracks I have taken in Latvia reminded me of Namibia's and Angola's ! ).
Then up to Lahemaa NP via Rakvere so I'll hit the Big Smoke riding from the east.
I have got time, I am not rushing it.
Yes, would be really cool to meet up in Tallinn :thumbup1: I will be there for 3 or 4 days, from the 25th on or so.

L.

Hello Levelo,

Welcome to Iceland.

Thank you for your pm.
I have send you 3 messages back but none of them appear in my ¨sent items¨ box. Very strange. I don´t know if you got them and don´t understand why I can´t see them.
I am very certain i got a text ¨your message has been sent¨ after sending them.

Anyway, please let me know when you are back in the east of Iceland.
How is your trip going so far?

Best regards,

Rögnvaldur

Hey Rögnvaldur,

I just PMed you back !
Just done with the Kjölur route, it was an epic battle against the headwinds.
Now resting up in Fludir before tackling more dirt heading east.
Iceland is out of this world.
Kind regards,

Yves.