Getting to the Westman Islands: the Herjólfur Ferry from Landeyjahöfn or Þorlákshöfn

The Westman Islands (Vestmannaeyjar) are a cluster of volcanic islands off Iceland's south coast. Only one of them, Heimaey, is inhabited, and it packs a lot into a small space: a working fishing town, a volcano that erupted on the edge of that town in 1973, sea cliffs full of puffins in summer and walks with views back to the glaciers on the mainland.

Almost everyone reaches Heimaey on the Herjólfur ferry. The ferry is straightforward once you understand one thing: it does not always leave from the same harbour. Most of the year it sails from Landeyjahöfn, a short crossing from a terminal on the black-sand coast. When that harbour cannot be used, it sails from Þorlákshöfn instead, a much longer crossing from a town closer to Reykjavík. This guide explains both, how to get to either harbour without a rental car, and what to check before you travel.

Ferry timetables, fares and booking rules change from season to season, so we do not repeat them here. Always check the current information directly with the ferry operator, Herjólfur, before you plan the rest of your day.

The Westman Islands ferry at a glance

• Ferry: Herjólfur, carrying foot passengers and vehicles between the mainland and Heimaey.
• Usual mainland harbour: Landeyjahöfn, on the south coast below the Eyjafjallajökull area. The crossing is short, usually well under an hour.
• Alternative harbour: Þorlákshöfn, west of Selfoss. Used when Landeyjahöfn is closed, often in winter. The crossing takes roughly two and a half to three hours.
• Arrival port: the harbour in the town of Vestmannaeyjar on Heimaey, a short walk from the town centre.
• Tickets: booked with the ferry operator. Book early in summer and for any vehicle.
• No town at Landeyjahöfn: just the terminal and a car park, so you need your own way to get there.

Landeyjahöfn: the short crossing

Landeyjahöfn opened in 2010 to give Heimaey a much shorter link to the mainland. It sits on the open, flat coast south of Route 1, between Hvolsvöllur and Seljalandsfoss. A side road leads from the Ring Road down to the terminal, and on a clear day you can see the islands rising out of the sea ahead of you as you drive.

There is no village at Landeyjahöfn. You find a terminal building, a car park and the breakwaters, and that is it. That is the main practical challenge: if you do not have a car, you need to arrange how you get there and how you get back, and the timing matters because the ferry will not wait.

From Reykjavík the drive to Landeyjahöfn takes roughly two hours without stops, along Route 1 over Hellisheiði and through Selfoss, Hella and Hvolsvöllur. From Keflavík Airport it is longer, because you first drive towards Reykjavík before heading east. Our route page for Keflavík Airport to Landeyjahöfn shows the current distance, drive time and fixed price.

Why Landeyjahöfn sometimes closes

The harbour was built on a coast of shifting sand, with glacial rivers and heavy Atlantic surf nearby. Sand builds up in and around the harbour mouth, and dredging is needed to keep it deep enough. In high waves, or when too much sand has built up, the ferry cannot enter safely. This happens most often in autumn and winter, but it can happen at other times too.

When that happens, Herjólfur moves its sailings to Þorlákshöfn, or in bad weather cancels some sailings altogether. The operator announces changes on its website and channels, sometimes only a day or a few hours ahead. If you are travelling outside summer, build some flexibility into your plans and check the announcements the evening before and again on the morning of travel.

Þorlákshöfn: the longer crossing

Þorlákshöfn is a harbour town in the Ölfus district, about an hour's drive from Reykjavík over the Hellisheiði and Þrengsli roads. It has one of the few sheltered ports on this long stretch of coast, which is why it serves as the fallback harbour for the Westman Islands ferry.

The crossing from Þorlákshöfn is much longer than from Landeyjahöfn, roughly two and a half to three hours in the open Atlantic. In winter that can be a rough trip. On the plus side, the drive to the harbour is shorter if you are coming from Reykjavík or the airport, so the total journey time is not as different as the sailing time suggests.

If your sailing moves to Þorlákshöfn and you have a transfer booked to Landeyjahöfn, contact us as soon as the change is announced. We will update the destination and the pick-up time, and the price follows the new destination. See Keflavík Airport to Þorlákshöfn for the route details.

How to get to the ferry harbour without a car

Many visitors to the Westman Islands do not bring a car across at all. Heimaey is small, the town is compact, and you can walk to many of the sights or join a local tour. The question is how to get from Reykjavík or the airport to the mainland harbour and back.

Public bus

Iceland's public bus network, Strætó, runs services along the south coast, and some of them connect with ferry departures at Landeyjahöfn. Timetables change by season and connections are limited, so check the current schedule carefully and allow for the possibility that the ferry changes harbour. This is the cheapest option, but it leaves little room for delays.

Rental car

If you are already driving the south coast, you can leave your car in the car park at Landeyjahöfn and cross as a foot passenger, or book a vehicle space on the ferry. Vehicle spaces are limited and sell out early in summer. Remember that if the sailing moves to Þorlákshöfn, your car is in the wrong place, or you have to drive there instead.

Private transfer

A private transfer takes you directly from Keflavík Airport, your hotel in Reykjavík or another address to the terminal, timed around your sailing. It suits travellers who land and want to go straight to the islands, families with luggage, and groups for whom a car or van at a fixed price works out simpler than several bus tickets.

• Fixed price per car (Tesla or similar, 1 to 4 passengers) or per van (Mercedes Vito, 5 to 7), the same day and night.
• Door to door: from the arrivals hall at Keflavík, or from your address in Reykjavík, to the ferry terminal.
• At the airport your driver meets you in arrivals with a name sign and checks your landing time from your flight number.
• 45 minutes of free waiting at the airport, free cancellation up to 24 hours before pick-up.
• Child seats free on request. Groups of 8 to 16 can ask for a minibus on WhatsApp at +354 777 3949.

Planning your trip: timing, tickets and luggage

Book the ferry first

Book your ferry tickets with Herjólfur before you arrange anything else, then plan the drive around the sailing. In summer, sailings can sell out, especially for vehicles and around popular weekends. If you are booking a transfer with us, tell us the sailing you have booked so the pick-up time leaves a comfortable margin at the terminal.

Allow a margin

Check the operator's advice on how early to be at the terminal, and add a buffer for the drive. Route 1 over Hellisheiði can be slow in snow, wind or roadworks, and in winter daylight is short. Arriving at the harbour early is a much better problem than watching the ferry leave.

Coming straight from the airport

If you plan to go from Keflavík straight to the ferry, look at the gap between your landing time and the sailing. Flights can be delayed, passport control and baggage take time, and the drive is long. A later sailing, or a night in Reykjavík or on the south coast first, is often the more relaxed choice. Our Keflavík Airport arrivals guide explains what happens between landing and leaving the terminal.

Luggage on the ferry

Foot passengers bring their own luggage on board. If you are staying on Heimaey for a few nights, travel as light as you can, or leave larger bags at your accommodation on the mainland if you are coming back the same way.

Festival weekend

Þjóðhátíð, the large annual festival in Herjólfsdalur on Heimaey, takes place over the first weekend in August. Ferries and accommodation are booked far in advance for that weekend, so plan early if you want to go, and avoid those dates if you want a quiet visit.

What to see on Heimaey

The ferry arrives in the harbour right by the town of Vestmannaeyjar, and much of the island is within walking distance. A day trip is possible from the mainland when the short crossing is running; one or two nights give you time to walk, see the puffins in season and enjoy the island when the day visitors have gone.

• Eldfell: the volcano that erupted on the eastern edge of the town in January 1973. The residents were evacuated, mostly by fishing boats, and lava buried part of the town. You can walk up the red cinder slopes for views over the island.
• Eldheimar: a museum built around a house excavated from the 1973 ash, telling the story of the eruption. Check opening hours before you go.
• Puffins: the islands are home to one of the largest puffin colonies in the world. The birds are usually present from late spring until about the end of the summer; the cliffs around the island are good viewing points.
• Herjólfsdalur: a green valley inside an old crater west of the town, where the festival is held and where walks begin.
• Sea views and smaller islands: from high points on Heimaey you can see the uninhabited islands around it and, on clear days, Eyjafjallajökull on the mainland. Surtsey, the island that rose from the sea in an eruption in the 1960s, is protected and closed to visitors.

Local operators offer boat trips around the islands and guided tours on Heimaey. Check their current seasons and book directly with them.

Combining the Westman Islands with the south coast

Landeyjahöfn is on the same stretch of Route 1 as some of the south coast's best-known sights. Seljalandsfoss, the waterfall you can walk behind, is a few minutes from the harbour turn-off, and Skógafoss is a little further east. If your sailing leaves time, a short stop on the way is easy to fit in. With a private transfer, ask for a stop when you book: drivers can stop on the way if it is agreed in advance.

If you want more of the south coast before or after the islands, our South Coast day trip guide and our guide to Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss cover the main stops. Hvolsvöllur and Hella are useful bases nearby; see our routes to Hvolsvöllur and Hella.

9–10 hours · private

South Coast & Vík

Seljalandsfoss · Skógafoss · Reynisfjara · Vík

Car

1–4 people

120,000 kr

Van

5–7 people

142,000 kr

Book this tour

Coming back from the islands

Plan the return the same way as the outward trip. Check which harbour your return sailing uses, then arrange the onward journey from there. We can meet you at the terminal when the ferry comes in and drive you to Keflavík Airport, Reykjavík or elsewhere; give us the sailing and its expected arrival time when you book.

If you are flying home the same day, leave a generous margin between the ferry's arrival and your flight. A cancelled or moved sailing is not unusual in winter, and a night in Reykjavík or near the airport before an early flight is often the safer plan. Our guide to early morning flights from Keflavík has more on timing a departure.

Frequently asked questions

How do you get to the Westman Islands from Reykjavík?

How long is the ferry to the Westman Islands?

Why does the ferry sometimes leave from Þorlákshöfn?

Do I need to book the Herjólfur ferry in advance?

Can I visit the Westman Islands as a day trip?

Is there a town at Landeyjahöfn?

Can you drive us from Keflavík Airport to the ferry?

When can you see puffins on the Westman Islands?