Iceland review - 2004, Síða 65

REYKJAVÍK – PURE ENERGY / 63
The task of parking a car downtown, which can be so trying in many cities,
couldn’t be easier in downtown Reykjavík. Since the city has grown at such a
comfortable and manageable rate, enough time has been set aside for proper
planning and design of the downtown area.
That means accessible parking and lots of it. The parking garages and parking
lots are never far from the centre of the city and as you get further in, there are
still plenty of meters to cover the territory.
The city is divided into zones (P1, P2, and P3) based on the traffic flow through
those areas. The prime parking zones, in zone one, are a bit more expensive than
those areas with less traffic in zones two and three. When parking in one of
these three zones, you need to buy a ticket from one of the machines provided
in the street and display that ticket in the window of the car.
There are also plenty of parking meters scattered around the city in areas where
the parking ticket machines are available. These also have rates that vary based
on where you are in the city. In general, when you park right downtown, an hour
will cost you about ISK 80. Parking meters are generally located on the lower
half of the main shopping street, Laugavegur, and its many side streets.
Even more convenient are the six car parks located within the capital’s down-
town area. These are incredibly useful if you aren’t sure exactly how long you
will be downtown. These car parks allow you to pay when you leave, which takes
a lot of the stress off of your journey into the heart of the city.
www.rvk.is/bilast
The weather is characterised by cool summers and mild winters. Warmer than one might expect, courtesy of
the Gulf Stream, but very unpredictable!
During the summer, the nights are bright. In Reykjavík, the sun rises at 02.54 on June 21,and sets at 00.04.
Conversely, December is a very dark month, with only four hours of daylight.
DID
YOU
KNOW?
PARKING IN THE SPA CITY
Stress-free parking
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