All you need to know about the Vadlaheidargong tunnel in North Iceland and National Park Entrance Fees
Icelanders are always trying to figure out a way to get somewhere faster and easier. The brand new addition to the tunnels in Iceland, Vaðlaheiðargöng tunnel, are to achieve just that. The tunnel shortens the ring road up by Akureyri in North Iceland by 16 km or about 6 minutes driving time. But the main purpose is to keep the ring road open during difficult winters when the Víkurskarð mountain heath is often closed.
Check out the exact location of the tunnel on the map below.
Photo from a brochure about the tunnel.
There is a toll for driving through the tunnel which can only be paid online. See the 2 different prices on the photo below:
1. If you pay within 3 hours the price is 1.500 ISK.
2. If you pay after 3 hours it is 2.500 ISK.
The price is each way so if you go back and forth, the price doubles. For details, please see the photo below or read all about the pricing on the Vadlaheidargong tunnel website.
Please note that if you choose to not pay at all, SADcars will be notified and will charge your credit card for the 2.500 ISK tunnel fee plus a 5.000 ISK service fee, a total of 7.500 ISK.
A word of advice, skip the tunnel if the weather and road conditions are good. Vikurskarð mountain heath offers beautiful views and does not add more then about 6 minutes to your driving time. However, if road conditions and weather is bad, we absolutely recommend taking advantage of the tunnel.
Check out the Vadlaheidi tunnel FAQ section for more information.
From the Vaðlaheidi tunnel management:
HOW TO PAY ONLINE THE TOLL ROAD:
You have two options to pay the tunnel: before and after passing through
I want to register BEFORE going through the tunnel:
Go to www.tunnel.is and register your car for the period you will be driving through the tunnel. Thereby, you will be charged the regular fee of 1.500kr for each trip you do during your registration.
Be aware of:
-We don’t charge you for registering the car. You will be charged only for the trips you do.
-You must drive through the tunnel during your registration period.
-Don´t register your car later than your rental car period ends or the next user could use your account.
I want to register AFTER going through the tunnel:
Go to www.tunnel.is within the next 3 hours of your trip if you want to pay the regular fee of 1.500 ISK.
Be aware of:
-If you go through the tunnel and you don´t register your car in the next 3 hours, car rentals will be notified and will charge your credit card for the tunnel fee plus their own service fee.
There are free WIFI points on the east entrance of the tunnel and in the gas station N1 in the west, that you can use to register and pay the toll.
The tunnel shortens the Ring Road by 16 km (10 miles), saving drivers up to 12 minutes in good weather conditions. Information about weather and road conditions is found at www.safetravel.is.
National Parks Road Fees
Visiting National Parks in Iceland also requires an entrance fee. Parking within the parks can also create a fee. Both Þingvellir National Park and Skaftafell National Park will require for you to pay entrance and parking fees on your visit.
Within the parks, there is plenty of information posted about when, how and where to pay. The charges vary based on the park and how long your stay will be, and everything is monitored by license plate recognition.
Parking Fees in Þingvellir National Park and Skaftafell National Park:
750ISK for Category A Vehicles (a family vehicle seating up to 5 people)
1000ISK for Category B Vehicles (a family vehicle seating 6-9 people)
Please be aware that if you do not pay for your entrance and parking upon entering the park or by visiting https://myparking.is/pay/skaftafell/ or https://myparking.is/pay/thingvellir/ before you exit the park, the vehicle will be fined. These fines will be sent to SADCars as the registered vehicle owner, and we will then contact you directly to pay the fine.