Tunnels in North Iceland
What you need to know and what’s good to know
The weather in Akureyri and all of Northern Iceland can be pretty rough at times. That can be a challenge, especially when travelling through rough terrain. That’s where the tunnels come in handy, to say the least. Here are a few things that will hopefully shed light on some of the things that lie ahead on your journey around Iceland.
Vaðlaheiðargöng
Vaðlaheiðargöng
Vaðlaheiðargöng tunnel is a great asset to the people in North Iceland when it comes to safety. 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 closed.
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. You can pay the toll on Vaðlaheiðargöng website tunnel.is
In summer, when the weather is good, we do recommend skipping the tunnel when traveling East.
Vikurskarð mountain heath offers beautiful views and does not add more than 6 minutes to your driving time.
However, if the weather is bad, we absolutely recommend taking advantage of the tunnel.
Héðinsfjörður
Going to Siglufjörður?
On your way from Akureyri to Siglufjörður you will have to go through three tunnels. All these tunnels are toll-free. The first tunnel you go through is called Múlagögn or Ólafsfjarðargöng tunnel. You must show great caution when going through as the tunnel only has one lane and there might be cars traveling in the opposite direction.
When you see a car approaching, you simply slide into the designated areas on your side. The passing areas are marked and well lit. No worries.
After you reach Ólafsfjörður you have to go through two tunnels to get to Siglufjörður, Héðinsfjarðargöng tunnels. Between the two tunnels is a beautiful fjord called Héðinsfjörður. Before the tunnel, you could only visit Héðinsfjörður by boat.
Dont forget to have fun and drive safe.
See you later!
An image from Google maps of the road tunnels around Akureyri.