Ring Road (Route 1)

Most of Route 1 is open year-round, but individual sections close during winter storms, and highland stretches can ice over. The live percentage above reflects the latest Vegagerðin data for every Ring Road section, updated every 10 minutes. Always check road.is before you leave, and again along the way: conditions change fast in Iceland.

Yes, but it takes longer and you need to be flexible. The road itself is mostly paved and kept open, but winter storms can close mountain passes like Hellisheiði and Öxnadalsheiði for hours or days. Allow more driving time, carry warm clothes and food, and check the forecast for your actual route before every leg. A 4x4 helps but is not required on the Ring Road itself; winter tyres are.

The full circuit is about 1,332 km and takes 12 to 15 hours of pure driving. With stops for the waterfalls, glaciers and viewpoints along the way, most travellers spend 7 to 10 days on the route. Driving it in fewer than 5 days means long days behind the wheel and little time for the places people come to see.

Most people drive clockwise from Reykjavík (south coast first, then east, north and west). Either direction works, but clockwise hits the South Coast early, when you are freshest, and leaves the quieter Westfjords-adjacent sections for the end. If you drive counterclockwise, the Eastfjords tunnels and passes come first instead.

A few short stretches are still unpaved: the Möðrudalsöræfi section in the northeast and small parts near the Eastfjords. They are maintained and fine for a normal car, just slower. The rest of Route 1 is paved. The live road conditions above flag any section with loose gravel or other surface warnings.