Reykjavík Grapevine - 07.03.2008, Page 23

Services
Useful Numbers
Emergency number: 112
Police: 444 1000
Medical help: 1770
Dental emergency: 575 0505
AA: 551 2010
Information: 118
Telegrams: 146
Tax Free Refund
Iceland Refund,
Aðalstræti 2, Tel: 564 6400
www.icelandrefund.com
Post Office
Post offices are located around the
city as well as in the countryside.
The downtown post office is at
Pósthússtræti 3-5. For a full list and
info on opening hours visit www.
posturinn.is. Stamps are also sold in
bookstores, gas stations, some grocery
stores and tourist shops.
Embassies and Consulates
United States, Laufásvegur 21,
Tel: 562 9100
United Kingdom, Laufásvegur 31,
Tel: 550 5100
Russia, Garðastræti 33,
Tel: 551 5156
China, Víðimelur 29,
Tel: 552 6751
For a full list visit Ministry for Foreign
Affairs: www.mfa.is/diplomatic-mis-
sions/icelandic-missions/
Internet Access
Most coffeehouses have wireless
Internet access.
Computers with Internet connections
are available at:
Ráðhúskaffi City Hall,
Tjarnargata 11
BSÍ Bus Terminal,
Vatnsmýrarvegur 10
Ground Zero, Vallarstræti 10
The Reykjavík City Library,
Tryggvagata 15
The National and University
Library, Arngrímsgata 3
Tourist Information Centre,
Aðalstræti 2
Icelandic Travel Market,
Bankastræti 2
Opening hours
Bars and clubs: According to regu-
lations bars may be open until 01:00
on weekdays and 05:30 on weekends.
Shops: Mon-Fri 10-18, Sat 10-16, Sun
closed. The shopping centres Kringlan
and Smáralind as well as most super-
markets and tourist shops have longer
opening hours.
Swimming pools: weekdays 06:30-
22:30, weekends 08:00-20:30 although
some may be open an hour longer.
The State owned ÁTVR liquor
stores: Mon-Thu 11-18, Fri 11-19, Sat
11-18.
Banks in the centre are open Mon-Fri
09-16.
Laundry Service
HI Hostel, Sundlaugarvegur 34,
Tel: 553 8110, www.hostel.is
Úðafoss, Vitastígur 13,
Tel: 551 2301, www.udafoss.is
Getting Around
Public transport
The only public transport system in
Reykjavík is the bus. Most busses run
every 20 minutes and price per fare is
280 ISK for adults and 100 ISK for chil-
dren. Complete route map at: www.
bus.is. Tel: 540 2700
Busses run from 07:00-24:00 on week-
days and 10:00-24:00 on weekends
Rent a bike
Borgarhjól, Hverfisgata 50,
Tel: 551 5653, www.borgarhjol.net
HI Hostel, Sundlaugarvegur 34,
Tel: 553 8110, www.hostel.is
Tourist Information Centre,
Aðalstræti 2, Tel: 590 1550,
www.visitreykjavik.is
Taxi
Hreyfill-Bæjarleiðir,
Tel: 553 3500 or 588 5522
BSR, Tel: 561 0000
For disabled travellers:
Reykjavík Group Travel Service,
Brunastaðir 3, Tel: 587 8030, www.
randburg.com/is/reykjavik_group_
travel_service/
Car rentals
Átak Car Rental, Smiðjuvegur 1,
Tel: 554 6040
ALP, Dugguvogur 10, Tel: 562 6060
Avis, Knarravogi 2, Tel: 591 4000
Eurocar, Hjallahraun 9,
Tel: 565 3800
A.G Car Rental, Tangarhöfði 8-12.
Tel: 587 5544
Atlas Car Rental, Dalshraun 9,
Tel: 565 3800
Berg Car Rental, Tangarhöfða 8,
Tel: 577 6050
Hertz, Flugvallavegur, Tel: 522 4400
Airlines
Air Iceland, Reykjavíkurflugvöllur,
Tel: 570 3030, www.flugfelag.is
Air Vestmannaeyjar, Tel: 481 3255,
www.eyjaflug.is
Bus Terminal
BSÍ, Vatnsmýrarvegur 10,
Tel: 562 1011, www.bsi.is
Flybus
Busses run daily from the BSÍ Bus
Terminal to Keflavík International
Airport in connection with all depart-
ing flights. Departures daily from 04:45
to 15:00/16:30 (every 15 - 60 minutes).
For Flybus time schedule see: www.
flybus.is
Samferda.net
A reasonable choice for the budget
traveller. You log on to the website
www.samferda.net, choose your
destination and hopefully find a travel
buddy to share the cost.
Cultural Centres and
Tourist Offices
The Intercultural Centre
The Intercultural Centre throws oc-
casional cultural events and confer-
ences but its main purpose is to be an
information and counselling centre
and serve as an advocate for the rights
of immigrants in Iceland.
Hverfisgata 18, Tel: 530 9300
www.ahus.is
Icelandic Travel Market
Bankastræti 2, Tel: 510 5700,
www.kleif.is
Information on day tours, accommoda-
tions, car rental and everything else
you need to know when travelling in
Iceland.
Iceland Visitor
Austurstræti 17, Tel: 511 2442,
www.icelandvisitor.com
A travel agency offering travelling
package trips and custom-made tours
as well as car rental, day tours and
accommodations for visitors.
Tourist Information Centre
Aðalstræti 2, Tel: 590 1550,
www.visitreykjavik.is
Offers information for tourists as well
as providing internet access, book-
ing service, a phone centre, money
exchange service, tax refund and
selling the Reykjavík Tourist Card. The
Reykjavík Tourist Card gives admis-
sion to city busses, various museums,
Reykjavík swimming pools, The Family
Park and Reykjavík Zoo, The Culture
House and the National and University
Library.
The Icelandic Tourist Board
Lækjargata 3, Tel: 535 5500,
www.visiticeland.com
All information needed before travel-
ling in Iceland.
Nordic House
Sturlugata 5, Tel: 551 7030,
www.nordice.is
The Nordic cultural centre organises
various cultural events, conferences
and exhibitions.
All major tourist spots in Reykjavík also
offer brochures, maps and information
for travellers.
Useful Information
Where to learn Icelandic as a
foreign language
Icelandic on the Internet,
www.vefskoli.is
Mímir Continuing Education,
Skeifán 8, Tel: 580 1800, www.mimir.is
Námsflokkar Reykjavíkur,
Fríkirkjuvegur 1, Tel: 551 2992
Fjölmenning, Laugavegur 59,
Tel: 511 1319, www.fjolmenning.is
The Icelandic College of Engi-
neering and Technology, Höfða-
bakki 9,
Tel: 577 1400, www.thi.is
Iðnskólinn í Reykjavík,
Skólavörðuholti, Tel: 552 6240,
www.ir.is
The University of Iceland – De-
partment of Continuing Education,
Dunhagi 7, Tel: 525 4924,
www.endurmenntun.is
Language School Lingva,
The University of Iceland, at Sturlu-
gata. Tel.: 561 0351, www.lingva.is
Religious movements
The national church in Iceland is the
Evangelical Lutheran Church. Masses
are generally held on Sundays at 11:00.
Service in English is at Hallgrímskirkja
every last Saturday each month,
starting at 14:00. The Roman Catholic
Church also has masses in English and
Polish.
Other religious movements in Reyk-
javík are for example:
The Muslim Association of Ice-
land, Ármúli 38
Ásatrú Association, Grandagarði 8
Bahá’í, Álfabakka 12
The Church of Evangelism,
Hlíðasmári 9
The Icelandic Buddhist Move-
ment, Víghólastígur 21
Reykjavík Free Lutheran Church,
Fríkirkjuvegur 5
Pentecostal Assembly, Hátún 2
Roman Catholic Church,
Hávallagata 14
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-
Day Saints, Ásabraut 2
Jehovah’s Witnesses,
Sogavegur 71
Seventh-Day Adventists,
Suðurhlíð 36
Zen Buddhism in Iceland,
Reykjavíkurvegur 31
Independent Church,
Háteigsvegur 101
The Russian Orthodox Church in
Iceland, Sólvallagata 10
The Cross, Hlíðasmári 5-7
Trade Unions
The Icelandic Federation of
Labour, Sætún 1, Tel: 535 5600,
www.asi.is
The Federation of State and Mu-
nicipal employees, Grettisgata 89,
Tel: 525 8300, www.bsrb.is
The Association of Academics,
Borgartún 6, Tel: 581 2090,
www.bhm.is
Efling, Sætún 1, Tel: 510 7500,
www.efling.is
The Commercial Workers’ Union,
Kringlan 7, Tel: 510 1700, www.vr.is
Union of Public Servants, Gret-
tisgata 89, Tel: 525 8340, www.sfr.is
Useful Websites
www.visitreykjavik.is (The official
tourist website of Reykjavík)
www.gayice.is (Information about
the gay scene in Iceland)
www.fjolmenningarsetur.is
(The Multicultural Centre)
www.hostel.is
(Hostel International in Iceland)
www.vinnumalastofnun.is
(Public employment services)
www.gulalinan.is (The yellow
pages)
www.leigulistinn.is (Rent a flat)
www.ja.is
(Icelandic telephone directory)
Where to get …
Work and residence permit: The
Directorate of Immigration, Skógarhlíð
6, Tel: 510 5400, www.utl.is.
Insurance and benefits: The State
Social Security Institute, Laugavegur
114-116, Tel: 560 4400, www.tr.is
Icelandic citizenship: Unless you
come from a Nordic country, foreign
citizens have to have had an unre-
stricted residence permit in Iceland for
at least seven years in order to get an
Icelandic citizenship although some
exceptions exist to that general rule.
Applications are at the Ministry of
Justice and Ecclesiastical Affairs,
Skuggasund, Tel: 545 9000,
www.domsmalaraduneyti.is
Unemployment benefits: Director-
ate of Labour, Public Employment
Service, Tryggvagata 17, Tel: 515 4800,
www.vinnumalastofnun.is
Icelandic social security number
(kennitala): National Register, Bor-
gartún 30, Tel: 560 9800,
www.hagstofa.is
Driver’s license: Applications at
police stations.(Those who have a
foreign license don’t need an Icelandic
one for the first six months.)
Tax card: Tax office, Laugavegur
166, Tel: 563 1100, www.rsk.is
Social Service: Information and
service is provided by district service
centres in Reykjavík. To locate the
service centre in your neighbourhood
see: www.reykjavik.is
Ultimate Survival Guide | Reykjavík Grapevine | Issue 03 2008 | 23
Tryggvagata 17
101 Reykjavík
Tel: 411 9000
www.velferdarsvid.is
Housing benefits are intended for residents of Reykjavik as a financial aid to
those who rent in the general market.
Application service is provided at the city’s 6 service centers and it’s also
possible to apply electronically through www.rafraen.reykjavik.is. Applicants
shall have reach 18 years of age, hold a legal residence in Reykjavik and be
able to show a signed rental contract that has been registered at the district
magistrade.
For further information contact you nearest service center, either directly or
through tel: 4 11 11 11.
HOUSING
BENEFITS
RENT BENEFITS
HOW TO DRIVE IN ICELAND
A relatively large percentage of foreign tourists in Iceland travel around the country by car. Conditions in
Iceland are in many ways unusual, and often quite unlike that which foreign drivers are accustomed. It is
therefore very important to find out how to drive in this country. We know that the landscapes are beautiful,
which naturally draws the attention of driver away from the road. But in order to reach your destination safely,
you must keep your full attention on driving.
Further information on www.drive.is
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The speed limit in urban areas is usually 50
km/hr. Speed limit signs are usually not posted
unless it is other than 50 km/hr. The limit is often
60 km/hr on thruways, but in residential areas it
is usually only 30 km/hr. The main rule on
highways is that gravel roads have a speed limit of 80 km/hr, and
paved roads 90 km/hr. Signs indicate if other speed limits apply.
The penalty for driving at 30 km over the speed limit is 45,000 kr.
The penalty for speeding can be up to 110,000 kr, or even more,
plus suspension of the driver’s licence.
WHAT ARE THE SPEED LIMITS?
It is against the law to operate a vehicle in
Iceland after having consumed alcohol or
drugs, and the punishment for violating
this law is rather stiff. Those driving a car
with more than the legal blood alcohol limit
of 0.5 per mill, have to pay a penalty and suffer suspension of
their drivers’s licence. The penalties for drunk driving are
between 70,000 kr up to 140,000 kr. If driving under the
influence of alcohol or drugs, you will not be entitled to
compensation in case of an accident and will have to bear
the total cost of the accident yourself. This can amount to
several million Icelandic krona.
ALCOHOL OR DRUGS