Reykjavik, Iceland · Money-saving passes

Reykjavik Money-Saving Passes & Cards

An honest guide to which Reykjavik passes save money, which ones are really for long stays, and when paying as you go is cheaper.

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verified Prices and rules verified 2026-04-22

The short answer

Usually, no. Reykjavik has one real short-stay tourist pass, the Reykjavík City Card, and it only makes sense if you pack museums, a pool, and some bus or Viðey ferry use into the same 1 to 3 days. If you are staying in central Reykjavík, walking most places, traveling with children, or mainly visiting Perlan and paid tours, separate tickets are often cheaper.

Every pass, compared honestly

Neutral comparison — no affiliate links, no sponsored placements. Prices checked on official issuer sites.

Reykjavík City Card

tourist card

Transport

Prices

  • Adult 24h 6,100 ISK
  • Adult 48h 8,500 ISK
  • Adult 72h 10,500 ISK
Durations: 24 hours · 48 hours · 72 hours

Includes

  • ✓Entry to 17 museums and attractions in Reykjavík and nearby partner sites.
  • ✓Entry to 8 Reykjavík geothermal pools.
  • ✓Unlimited Strætó bus travel within the capital area.
  • ✓Viðey ferry travel.
  • ✓Included museums include the Settlement Exhibition, Reykjavík Museum of Photography, Reykjavík Maritime Museum, Árbær Open Air Museum, National Museum of Iceland, National Gallery of Iceland, House of Collections, three Reykjavík Art Museum branches, Reykjavík Park and Zoo, and more.
  • ✓Discounts at Perlan, Whales of Iceland, Saga Museum, Aurora Reykjavík, Einar Jónsson Museum, and a few tour and food partners.

Not included

  • ·Keflavík airport transfer and bus 55.
  • ·Perlan is discounted, not free.
  • ·Whales of Iceland is discounted, not free.
  • ·Saga Museum is discounted, not free.
  • ·Aurora Reykjavík is discounted, not free.
  • ·No official fast-track entry at any site.

shopping_bag Buy through the official Visit Reykjavík page and collect it at one of the listed museum desks or the Elding ticket office at Ægisgarður 5c. Check the current pickup list before you pay, because older pages and third-party writeups still show conflicting collection advice.

This is the only pass most short-stay visitors should even consider. It works when you stack museums, one pool visit, and some bus or ferry use into the same day or two. It is a weak buy if you mostly walk central Reykjavík or care more about Perlan and tours than the included museums.

Official site open_in_new Verified 2026-04-22

Reykjavík Art Museum 24-hour ticket and annual passes

museum pass

Prices

  • 24h Adult 2,550 ISK
  • 24h Student 1,550 ISK
  • Under 18 Free
  • Annual 6,200 ISK
  • Annual +1 9,300 ISK
  • Annual 18-28 4,300 ISK
Durations: 24 hours · 12 months

Includes

  • ✓Access to Reykjavík Art Museum Hafnarhús.
  • ✓Access to Reykjavík Art Museum Kjarvalsstaðir.
  • ✓Access to Reykjavík Art Museum Ásmundarsafn.
  • ✓Annual passes cover museum exhibitions and events unless otherwise stated.
  • ✓Annual passes include 10% off the museum shop and 5% off the Kjarvalsstaðir restaurant.

Not included

  • ·No Strætó transport.
  • ·No pools.
  • ·No other city museums.
  • ·No official queue-skipping benefit.

shopping_bag Buy from the museum's own admission page or at reception. The 24-hour ticket is the smart pick only if you really plan to visit two or three branches in a day; the annual versions make sense for long stays or return visits, not a normal weekend trip.

For art-focused travelers, this is the cleanest specialist product in Reykjavík. The 24-hour ticket is good value if you turn it into a museum day. If you only want one branch, it behaves more like regular admission than a true savings pass.

Official site open_in_new Verified 2026-04-22

Reykjavík Culture Card

museum pass

Prices

  • Adult 8,700 ISK
  • Disabled Free
Durations: 12 months

Includes

  • ✓Annual access to all Reykjavík Art Museum locations.
  • ✓Annual access to Reykjavík City Museum locations including Árbær Open Air Museum, Reykjavík Museum of Photography, Maritime Museum, the Settlement Exhibition, and Viðey Island.
  • ✓Membership-style access to Reykjavík City Library branches.
  • ✓Monthly bring-a-guest specials at named venues.
  • ✓Partner discounts at selected theaters, cinema, symphony, museum shops, Perlan, Whales of Iceland, and some ferry fares.

Not included

  • ·No Strætó bus travel.
  • ·No airport transfer.
  • ·No official skip-line benefit.
  • ·Not designed for short-stay tourists.

shopping_bag Buy it from Reykjavík Art Museum desks, Reykjavík City Museum locations, or listed library branches through the city's own sales points. This is an annual card, so think of it as a semi-local product rather than a sightseeing shortcut.

A fair deal for exchange students, repeat visitors, and anyone staying long enough to treat Reykjavík museums as part of weekly life. For a short city break, the annual term makes it hard to justify.

Official site open_in_new Verified 2026-04-22

Culture Pass 67+

museum pass

Prices

  • Senior 67+ 2,550 ISK
Durations: 12 months

Includes

  • ✓Unlimited access to Reykjavík museums covered by the city's culture products.
  • ✓Partner offers and discounts tied to the city culture program.
  • ✓Access through Reykjavík Art Museum, City Museum, and City Library sales network.

Not included

  • ·No Strætó bus travel.
  • ·No airport transfer.
  • ·No official fast-track entry.
  • ·Poor fit for most short-break tourists unless they return often.

shopping_bag Buy through Reykjavík Art Museum, City Museum, or City Library points listed by the city. The price is excellent, but the 12-month term means it only shines for seniors staying a long time or returning to Reykjavík more than once.

If you are 67 or older and spending real time in Reykjavík, this is easily the best-value annual museum product in the city. If you are in town for three days, it is still the wrong tool.

Official site open_in_new Verified 2026-04-22

Does the math work?

Real scenarios with real numbers. Green means a pass saves money, red means single tickets win.

One packed museum-and-pool day: National Museum, one city pool, and two Strætó rides

borderline

Using: Reykjavík City Card 24h

Single tickets

6,110 ISK

With pass

6,100 ISK

Diff

Save 10 ISK

This technically breaks even, but only by a coin-flip margin. Buy it only if you want the convenience of one card and are certain you will use all three elements on the same day.

One day with the National Gallery, Viðey ferry, and a city pool

buy

Using: Reykjavík City Card 24h

Single tickets

6,430 ISK

With pass

6,100 ISK

Diff

Save 330 ISK

This is a realistic good-use case for the City Card. The savings are not huge, but the pass makes sense if that is your actual plan and you do not want to manage separate tickets.

Two-day trip with National Museum, National Gallery, one pool, and two bus rides

borderline

Using: Reykjavík City Card 48h

Single tickets

8,610 ISK

With pass

8,500 ISK

Diff

Save 110 ISK

The 48-hour card works here on paper, but the margin is thin enough that one skipped activity wipes it out. Good only if your itinerary is fixed and weather will not push you indoors or back to the hotel.

Three busy days with National Museum, National Gallery, two pool visits, and Viðey ferry

buy

Using: Reykjavík City Card 72h

Single tickets

11,160 ISK

With pass

10,500 ISK

Diff

Save 660 ISK

This is the strongest normal-tourist case for the City Card. Once you mix major museums with repeat pool use and the ferry, the pass starts doing real work instead of just feeling tidy.

Art-heavy day visiting all three Reykjavík Art Museum branches within 24 hours

buy

Using: Reykjavík Art Museum 24-hour ticket

Single tickets

7,650 ISK

With pass

2,550 ISK

Diff

Save 5,100 ISK

If you genuinely want Hafnarhús, Kjarvalsstaðir, and Ásmundarsafn in one day, the museum's own 24-hour ticket is the clean winner. It is much better value than forcing a broader city pass around an art-only plan.

What should YOU buy?

Pick your travel style.

solo

Buy: Reykjavík City Card

Buy it only if you have a stacked plan with at least two paid sights plus a pool or ferry. Solo travelers walking central Reykjavík often do better paying as they go, so this is a conditional yes rather than a default buy.

couple

No pass recommended

For many couples, Reykjavík works best without a pass because you split time between cafés, walks, one or two museums, and maybe one headline attraction that is only discounted. The City Card makes sense only if both of you will use it hard on the same day.

family

No pass recommended

Families usually lose value on Reykjavík passes because children are already free at many museums and pools, and the City Card does not offer a dedicated child tier. Price the adults separately before assuming a family pass strategy saves money.

48h stopover

Buy: Reykjavík City Card

The 48-hour City Card can work on a short stopover if you plan two museums, one pool, and at least some bus or ferry use. If your stopover is mostly food, downtown walks, and one major attraction, skip it.

week long

Buy: Reykjavík Culture Card

A week is where the annual Culture Card starts to enter the conversation, especially for slower travelers who like museums and may revisit places. Even then, it suits a long, museum-heavy stay better than a standard tourist checklist.

budget

No pass recommended

Budget travelers should not buy a pass by reflex in Reykjavík. Free walks, one paid museum, one pool, and careful Strætó use usually beat the City Card unless you are certain you will cross the break-even line.

senior

Buy: Culture Pass 67+

If you are 67 or older and staying long enough to revisit museums, the 67+ culture product is excellent value. For a quick trip, senior discounts on separate tickets may still be the simpler and cheaper option.

student

Buy: Reykjavík Art Museum 24-hour ticket and annual passes

Students already get reduced admission at some major museums, which weakens the City Card. The best specialist value is often the Reykjavík Art Museum 24-hour ticket, or the 18 to 28 annual pass if you are based in the city for a while.

warning Scams & traps to avoid

Known scams tied to Reykjavik passes and tickets.

Old City Card prices on reseller and mirror sites

How it works

Third-party pages and copycat-looking card sites still surface older Reykjavík City Card prices such as 5,500, 7,700, and 9,500 ISK. A traveler sees a lower number, assumes that is still current, then either pays through a middleman or shows up budgeting for the wrong amount.

How to spot it

If the price does not match the current Visit Reykjavík page, treat it as stale or unreliable. Watch for sites that look official but are not run by the city or Visit Reykjavík.

Safe alternative

Use the issuer page at visitreykjavik.is and confirm the live adult prices before buying.

Voucher date confusion that looks like an expired pass

How it works

Some buyers see a scheduled date on a voucher and assume the pass has expired before pickup, then consider buying a second one. A March 2026 traveler complaint shows this can happen even when the issuer says redemption should still be possible.

How to spot it

Your voucher shows a date that does not match your real use day, or the wording makes it look tied to one calendar date instead of activation time.

Safe alternative

Contact Visit Reykjavík support before rebuying. The City Card runs on activation and consecutive hours, so a confusing voucher is not the same thing as a dead pass.

Used or partially used cards passed between travelers

How it works

Travel forums sometimes show people trying to hand off leftover cards after they leave town. Time-limited products like the City Card are tied to activation time, and what sounds like a bargain can turn into a card with little or no usable value left.

How to spot it

A seller talks about a few hours left, a half-used card, or a card that was activated yesterday but 'still has value.'

Safe alternative

Skip second-hand cards and buy direct from the issuer or museum desk. The savings are too small to justify the risk.

Don't buy a pass if…

  • block You are staying in 101 downtown, walking most places, and only want one or two museums.
  • block Your wish list is mostly Perlan, Whales of Iceland, Aurora Reykjavík, Hallgrímskirkja tower, or tours outside Reykjavík, because the City Card does not fully cover those.
  • block You are traveling with children under 18, who are already free or very cheap at many museums, pools, and family attractions.
  • block You only want one museum plus a swim. Separate tickets are often cheaper than any pass.
  • block You are considering an annual card for a trip under a week. The Culture Card and museum annual passes are built for repeat use, not a short break.

Common questions

Is the Reykjavík City Card worth it for 2 days? expand_more
Sometimes, but not by default. The 48-hour card at 8,500 ISK only pays off if you actually combine major paid museums with at least one pool visit and some bus or ferry use. If your two days are mostly downtown walking, cafés, and one headline attraction like Perlan, separate tickets are usually cheaper.
Does the Reykjavík City Card include airport transfer from Keflavík? expand_more
No. The official City Card page says airport transfers are excluded, including the airport bus and bus 55. Treat the card as a Reykjavík city sightseeing and local transport product, not an airport transfer pass.
Does the Reykjavík City Card include Perlan? expand_more
No, not as free entry. Perlan is one of the attractions that gets a discount through the City Card, but it is not included admission. This catches people out because Perlan is one of the city's best-known paid attractions.
Are Reykjavík museums free for children anyway? expand_more
Often, yes. Children under 18 are already free at the National Museum of Iceland, children 17 and under are free at the National Gallery and House of Collections, and children 0 to 15 are free at Reykjavík city pools. That is one reason family travelers often get less value from passes than adult-only examples suggest.
Is there a senior pass for Reykjavík museums? expand_more
Yes. The city runs a Culture Pass 67+ for 2,550 ISK, valid for 12 months. It is a very good deal for seniors staying in Reykjavík for a longer period or returning more than once, but it is not really aimed at a short holiday.
Can I skip ticket lines with a Reykjavík pass? expand_more
I could not verify any official skip-line benefit for the Reykjavík City Card, the Culture Card, the 67+ Culture Pass, or the Reykjavík Art Museum passes. Buy them for admission value and convenience, not for fast-track access.
What is the best Reykjavík pass for art lovers? expand_more
Usually the Reykjavík Art Museum's own 24-hour ticket. It covers Hafnarhús, Kjarvalsstaðir, and Ásmundarsafn for 24 hours, which is better value than buying a broad city pass if your day is really about art rather than buses, pools, and mixed sightseeing.
Where should I buy the Reykjavík City Card? expand_more
Use the official Visit Reykjavík page, then follow the current purchase and pickup instructions there. Older pages and some third-party sites still show stale prices or confusing pickup details, so the issuer page is the safest place to confirm both cost and collection point.

Sources

We cite our sources. Verify anything you're about to spend money on.