Is there a ferry from Denmark to Iceland?
Yes. Smyril Line, a Faroese company, runs a car and passenger ferry called the Norröna from Hirtshals, at the northern tip of Denmark's Jutland peninsula, to Seyðisfjörður on Iceland's east coast. It calls at Tórshavn, the Faroese capital, in both directions.
It is the only way to reach Iceland by sea with your own car, campervan or motorbike. Most passengers are Europeans driving their own vehicles for a long summer road trip, plus a growing number of travelers who simply prefer not to fly.
Denmark to Iceland ferry route and schedule
The Norröna sails once a week to Iceland between late March and late November. Smyril Line's sailing schedule for 2027 runs Iceland sailings from March 28 to November 20, with two different timetables depending on the season.
Summer timetable (late May to early September)
In summer the ship runs a faster loop. Based on the 2027 schedule, it leaves Hirtshals on Tuesday at 11:30, calls at Tórshavn on Wednesday evening and arrives in Seyðisfjörður on Thursday at 08:30, local time. That is about 47 hours door to door.
The return sailing leaves Seyðisfjörður the same Thursday at 10:30, reaches Tórshavn in the early hours of Friday and arrives back in Hirtshals on Saturday at 12:30.
Spring and fall timetable
From late March to late May and again from early September to late November, the ship leaves Hirtshals on Sunday at 15:00. It spends Tuesday morning in Tórshavn and arrives in Seyðisfjörður on Wednesday at 09:00, which makes the crossing closer to 68 hours.
In these months the Norröna stays in Seyðisfjörður until Thursday evening before heading back, which gives return passengers a relaxed boarding window.
Winter
From late November to late March, the Norröna sails only between Denmark and the Faroe Islands. There are no passenger sailings to Iceland in that period, so a winter trip to Iceland means flying.
A ship in an Icelandic fjord. The Norröna's final approach to Seyðisfjörður follows a narrow fjord like this one.
How much does the ferry from Denmark to Iceland cost?
Fares depend on the season, the cabin and the size of your vehicle, so the only reliable price is the one you get from the booking engine for your dates. As a guide, a Smyril Line sales manager told Matador Network's ferry guide that a one-way trip for one passenger with a standard car and an inside cabin started at about €311 in low season and €388 in high season. The article is undated, so treat those numbers as a floor.
For foot passengers, Guide to Iceland's June 2026 estimate put a bed in a shared bunk cabin at about $130 one way. A private inside cabin costs roughly $200 to $300 per person, and more in summer or with a car.
What adds to the price
- Vehicle size: a campervan or a car with a roof box costs more than a standard car.
- Cabin type: outside cabins with a window and suites cost well above inside cabins.
- Season: June to August is the most expensive period, and car spaces sell out months ahead.
- Meals: food is not included, and eating on board every day adds up.
Book three to six months ahead for a summer crossing with a car, and earlier if you want a cabin with a window.
What the crossing is like on board
The Norröna is a large ferry with cabins, restaurants, a cafeteria, a shop and outdoor decks. Two nights at sea feel more like a short cruise than a commute, and the views of the Faroe Islands as you sail in are a highlight in themselves.
The North Atlantic can be rough, especially in spring and fall. If you are prone to seasickness, book a cabin low and near the middle of the ship, and bring tablets.
A car ferry moored in a snowy harbor. The Norröna carries cars, campervans and motorbikes as well as foot passengers.
Stopping in the Faroe Islands
The Norröna calls at Tórshavn in both directions, and you can book a stopover there and continue on a later sailing. Because the ship sails once a week, a Faroes stopover usually means a week on the islands. That suits plenty of travelers, since the Faroes are spectacular and hard to reach any other way with a car.
Ferry from the Faroe Islands to Iceland
The same ship links the Faroe Islands and Iceland. The leg from Tórshavn to Seyðisfjörður takes about 15 to 18 hours, overnight in summer, and you can book it on its own if you are already in the Faroes.
There is no other passenger route between the two countries, so the Norröna's weekly timetable decides your dates in both directions.
Can you take a ferry to Iceland from Norway, the UK or Greenland?
No. There is no passenger ferry to Iceland from Norway, the UK or Greenland. Smyril Line used to call at Bergen in Norway and Lerwick in Shetland, but it dropped both ports in the late 2000s, and Hirtshals is now its only mainland European port for Iceland.
From Norway or the UK, the practical route is to drive to Hirtshals, which has frequent ferries from southern Norway, or to fly. Greenland has no ferry link to Iceland at all, so visitors fly between the two.
Arriving in Seyðisfjörður
Seyðisfjörður is a village of around 700 people at the head of a long fjord in East Iceland, known for its colorful wooden houses, its art scene and the rainbow-painted street that leads to its blue church. The village is worth a few hours before you drive on, especially if you have been at sea for two days.
From the harbor, Route 93 climbs over the Fjarðarheiði mountain pass to Egilsstaðir, the hub of the east, about 27 kilometers away and on the Ring Road. The pass is often foggy and can see snow outside summer, so drive it slowly and check road conditions before you leave the ship.
A campervan by a fjord. Most Norröna passengers bring their own vehicle for a long road trip around Iceland.
First stops in East Iceland
Many travelers spend their first day in the east rather than racing west. The floating geothermal pools at Vök Baths on Lake Urriðavatn, a few minutes from Egilsstaðir, are a soothing first stop after the crossing.
Further along the lake Lagarfljót, the 128-meter Hengifoss waterfall falls between striped red and black basalt cliffs, an easy half-day walk. In summer, the puffin colony at Borgarfjörður eystri is also within reach of Seyðisfjörður.
Hengifoss in East Iceland, a short drive from the ferry port and a popular first hike after the crossing.
Bringing your own car to Iceland
If you take your car on the ferry, it counts as a temporary import, and Iceland's customs service sends instructions to the person who booked the vehicle's transport. Foreign cars also pay Iceland's road charge, which Iceland's rules for visiting vehicles set as a fixed fee for stays of up to 30 days.
For a car up to 3.5 tonnes, the fee is 13,900 ISK for up to 10 days, 20,850 ISK for 11 to 20 days and 24,325 ISK for 21 days or more. Stays longer than 30 days pay 6.95 ISK per kilometer instead, so log your odometer reading when you arrive and again when you leave.
Ferry or fly and rent?
The ferry wins if you want your own car, a long summer trip or to visit the Faroes on the way. Flying and renting a car usually wins for trips of two weeks or less, because the crossing alone takes four to six days of your time for the round trip.
Do the sums on both before you book. With fuel, cabins and meals included, the ferry is rarely the cheaper option for a short trip.
Planning a trip by ferry to Iceland
The Norröna turns a trip to Iceland into a proper journey, and arriving through the East Fjords is an introduction no airport can match. Book early for summer, check the season's timetable carefully and plan your first days around the east.
If you want help with the stretch after you land, the East Iceland region guide is a good place to start, with the towns and sights closest to the ferry port.
Seyðisfjörður is also a base for guided trips.
A puffin trip to Borgarfjörður eystri starts from Seyðisfjörður in summer, which suits passengers arriving without a car.
Whichever way you go, the first sight of that fjord makes the long crossing worth it.
If you want a full Iceland route planned around your sailing dates, send us your ferry dates and we will build the trip from the harbor.
