Gas Stations in Iceland | 5 things you don't know!
Whether you are renting a vehicle and driving yourself around Iceland or you're taking a group tour, chances are you will be visiting the gas stations during your trip! Here are 5 things you don't know about the gas stations in Iceland including something I do every time I visit!
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A really important thing to know especially for Americans is the gas station pumps won't accept most American Credit Cards since US cards do not use a PIN number, so you would have to use a debit card from your bank along with your bank PIN. This was something I learned first time having to fill up on my road trip, a tricked I learned was to actually use your credit card to buy pre-paid gas cards at the stations, and pay at the pump with these cards this way you can avoid foreign transaction fees from your bank. Another tip for Americans, chances are your rental is a diesel like mine was and learned there's 2 grades, the more expensive one is for cars and the cheaper one is meant for farm equipment.
You can call your credit card company and request a PIN. I was able to use my American Express in a Swedish train station back in 2009 as a result.
@@johngianno6409 PIN for cash advances purpose only for US credit card companies like Chase Visa. If you withdraw at ATM with PIN cash advances rate will apply per customer service at CHASE VISA. Guess it’s different than AMEX.
@@supercjh I was referring to simply being able to use my card as credit and not trying to get cash. This was before American cards got chips in them. To this day, that was the only time I was ever prompted for a pin to use an American credit card.
@@johngianno6409For real?! I did not know that was a thing.
Don’t forget to take your Costco Card to Iceland as it’s the cheapest place to fill up, just outside of Reykjavík next to IKEA. 😁👍🏻
Do they require a PIN ?
Love your videos! We are heading to Iceland in June as a mom/daughter trip. I'm hooked on watching all your videos as we are driving the Ring Road and cannot wait! Tou have a fun way of putting the information out there that is easy to digest! Thank you!
So glad you brought up the fill up option tip! We chose this option about 3 times on different cards on our trip to Iceland only to get home and see these holds. It wasn't a big deal in the long run, but initially we thought it was fraudulent activity. I actually watched this video specifically to see if you'd bring this up. This is especially good to know when you're renting a car and they want it returned with a full tank. Naturally, when asked, you choose to fill it all the way up, you know? Thank you for all your hard work on these videos! You make traveling to Iceland easy and fun!
I was in Iceland last March. My wife did a lot of research and we will be back next year. We both fell in love with the country. 👍👍👍
Love to hear that, Joe!
If you are planning a trip to Iceland and you’ve never been, her Iceland planning made easy course is a must! I’m not even half way finished and I’ve learned so much
Love to hear you feedback! Thanks for the kind words!
Watching from Minnesota. Thanks for the tips!
Leaving Tuesday and will arrive in Reykjavik on Wednesday morning! So excited. Have purchased the book, watched most of the videos and plan to have a great time! All the way from Atlanta, Georgia!
Have the best trip!
Loved your 5th tip!
Hi!! Thanks to talk about the fill out option because we made that mistake two times on our way to Akureyri, and it took almost 500 dollars out of our card and we were very surprised about it, plus the amount only came back two days after, so we had to do a lot of research about why each time we put gas 200+ were being taken of our account. Some information out there said that we should buy gas cards, but we did find anywhere to sell, then a local told us just to choose an amount.
Thank you for this video.. My son and I watched this together and when you got to the part about ice cream his eyes lit up. He was very insistent we have to stop at a gas station. And for some reason you’re absolutely right. The soft serve is really good here. Thank you for all the tips\videos. We’ve been paying close attention and greatly appreciate your help!!
Yay I'm so glad you got to taste the delicious ice cream - and at a gas station, who knew?!
Hello! We have an upcoming trip to Iceland in a few weeks and we ALL HAVE WATCH YOUR VIDEOS!!! THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIPS!!!
Thanks for following! You're welcome!
Super helpful as i will be driving a rental in Iceland around the golden circle this coming September 1 and 2
Thank you Jeane this is perfect for planning. Need more videos like this.
So glad to hear it! Happy planning!
Very informative! Thank you so much
Great information! Love your tips
I DO LOVE YOUR VIDEOS!!! the best info!! the best style! thanks much!
Thank you so very much! Have you been to Iceland? If so, and if my content and/or resources helped with your trip I'd so appreciate a review on my Google page (g.page/r/CcNakSXbieLcEB0/review) 💗
This will be super helpful for when we're there in april. Thank you!
Excellent! Have the best trip!
In Iceland right now and just prepping for my first tank fill tomorrow, takk takk 🌸🌸
Thank you for your tips, going in October.
Nice that you upgraded your audio equipment to get rid of the echo in older videos. Sounds very professional.
You should've mentioned if you rent a car from Blue Car Rental, you get a little tag for free coffee at certain gas stations, and I believe a little discount on the fuel itself! There was a gas station coming out of Snaefellsnes park on the north side we went to, and the guy recommended we check out some nearby street art... it was incredibly beautiful! He was very kind and helpful.
@Leigh Oxley Hello =) How was your car rental experience with blue car rental? Would you recommend it?
That's because Blue Car rental have already overcharged you. They can more than afford to throw a few free cups of horrible coffee your way.
Absolutely love your videos. My daughter will be graduating high school this year and for her graduation present we told her we would take her anywhere in the world for one week and she chose Iceland so thanks again I’m probably going to watch every single one of your videos before we leave because what I’ve seen so far it’s been very helpful keep them coming
Kind girl, she could’ve said Cook Islands.
Lucky duck
Going there in 3 weeks. Just bought your travel guide. 💪🏼
Some great tips - thank you
The gas station in Vik, next to the Black Sand Beach, has a restaurant inside with great Beef Stew!
Great tip! Thanks for sharing Wade!
Thank you very much for very nice information
I just got back from my trip to Iceland. I rented a car and needed to fill the tank before returning it. OB is a gas station there that takes Apple Pay. So If you have apple pay you can use american credit cards there without pin. Also choose the 20,000 choice for your fill up so it maxes out at that price and not use the fill option.
Knowing about the "Fill up" option will save me a whole heap of agro. :) Thank you
Another pleasant surprise was excellent quality pastries on the Golden Circle. It was like a patisserie in Paris!
Yum! 😍
New Iceland with a view!!!!!! 😍😍😍love To this Channel
Thank you! 😍
I think in this regard, pretty much most of Europe is like this. When a gas station is on the motorway, we call it a Service Area - generally has restaurants, shops etc.
it's interesting to know about the fill up option ... hmmm
This is super helpful, I’m going back in May and renting a car for the first time.
Be sure to use my discount with my favorite car rental company, Blue Car! My discount will be automatically applied at checkout: bit.ly/IcelandCarDiscount
@@IcelandwithaView I actually booked with blue rental car because of your recommendations, and I did use the discount. Thank you.
Because of this video I bought soft icecream in Iceland. It was amazing. The locals told me the best ice cream is at a local place called Ungó. 10 minute drive from Keflavik airport. It was amazing. Try the biggest one. Thanks!!
I wish this video came out 3 days ago. Before I hit that fill button and had a $250 hold plus the $55 in gas
Thank you!
Yes! Still have 5 holds for $180 each on my credit card from getting gas in Iceland 3 weeks ago!
Good tips!!!
wow thx for the no fill up info!!!
For long trips in Canada we always have a spare fuel container for few gallons just in case
Pre-authorizing your card at a gas pump in the US also places a hold / check amount on your card, to ensure that you have a specified amount available within the card that you're using to fill up. Typically, the amount is set by the card brands. I would assume that the hold would stay on your card for longer, depending upon how the processor finalizes the card payment. In the US this happens very quickly, but I would assume it takes longer for the bank in Iceland to process the card. It is a risk limiting function of dispenser card readers (DCRs). I now want some gas station hot dogs and icecream. Most people would shy away from this but I am excited to try it when I visit.
When doing cross country road trips in the states, love the big truck stops, they are amazing, they sell all kinds of stuff. And generally have good coffee!
I did miss the information about the possible discount at specific gas stations, if you travel by a rental car (depending on brand the rental car company has a deal with). I didn’t know this, at my first drive to the station and „missed“ 10-20€ discounts. So I think it’s really good to know.
I used to work at Olís gas station and many rental cars had discount cards for that station. The discount on gas is only 3 kr. per liter, not 10% like some people have been told. Just keep that in mind
Lilja Karen it’s would be a lot easier if you would use € too, it would avoid mistakes like mine by using the wrong currency 🤷♂️ 😉
Apple Pay is available at Orkan
Thank you and Terima Kasih...
Very helpful!! Especially when I am going to rent a car
I plan on living in Iceland after I visit
The fuel pumps put that large hold on your card when you want to fill up because some vehicles in Iceland have really large fuel tanks. And gas is not that cheap either. So... It makes sense to make sure you have the money before it lets you fill up. Then it releases the hold of what you don't use. It might take a few days but you get the hold back. If your ballance is not enough for a full tank, you have the many price options there. They are just lower amounts of hold. Let's say 10000 isk option. If you only put gas for 7000, you get 3000 back. So no worry, no need to "play safe". The real problem with self service pumps and cards is that some international cards don't work with them. And you might get stuck in those pump only places. Shops/coffe shops/restaurants in gas stations are a common thing all across Europe and beyond. Because woever stops for gas might and will very often buy food for the drive or other things. Nobody is shopping for groceries at gas stations except in those very small villages where is "all in one shop". Or to get tobacco products. Also roads with not so many pumps is common place around the world where is low traffic. It makes no point to invest in a gas station in the middle of nowhere only to have 10 customers a day. Hotdogs, yes. They are like a cult. A delicious one.
Thanks for all your videos and your amazing e-book I bought - I love the interactive map! I bought 2 books off Amazon and your e-book has honestly been the most resourceful! Thanks! I Have a Q for you: Is dettifoss available to access in March (3rd week)? road.is shows 862 and 864 are not available, so I'm just trying to see if it's practical at all to make this part of the wish-list itinerary?
The accessibility of Dettifoss depends on the weather. March is a highly varied month with regards to weather. Road.is has the most up to date information about roads here.
No - the waterfall is closed between October and April. The elves turn off the tap.
Didn't realize the fill up option is "weird". It's the same deal in canada, it holds $250 when you choose to fill it up but it gets reversed in a day or 2.
Are there a lot of restrooms around Iceland? That's one of my concerns about possibly road-tripping around Iceland.
They work taking an amount of money of the card and after charge the gas they take the money according the liters. But in experience doesn't work with all the cards, maybe as they were foreign and just work with credit card, not debit
Putting a hold on your card has become pretty common when filling up in the US now too
Our Canadian PIN Credit Cards didn't work at the gas pumps. We had to go into the gas station and buy a 'pre-paid' gas card. We had to buy a bunch of pre-paid cards for the 2 weeks we were there, but at least they worked while in the west fjords and other remote places. The funny thing was the card that didn't work at the pump, was the same card we used to purchase the pre-paid card!! Just an FYI that this is also an option :)
Thanks for the heads up Jen, I thought that with our Can c/c we would have no problem with having a pin!
@@brummie0007 I'm not sure if everyone has this problem, but we did!! The pre-paid cards worked well for us :)
@@KoenJenny Did you use all the funds on the pre-paid card before you finished with your car?
Yeah I have problem using my cards while filling up in Olafsvik. Since it is 6 pins card, it keeps rejecting and later I realized european used 4 pins. I have asked other non-european who used the same 6 pins cards but they had no issue with it. And I paid for the gas cards using the same 6 pins cards I used at the fuel tank. At last I only use prepaid gas cards in all gas station to be safe. I don't know if anyone had similar issues like me. Any similar experiences here?
@@brummie0007 I think we came pretty close in the end. Since we were there for 2 weeks we had to buy them more than once. We pretty much did the entire perimeter of the island and stayed off the ring road as much as possible!!
Hi . Do you know if it possible to get gas cartridges in Bonus supermarket, if not where they are available please?.
Great video! Thank you! Another question: Do I have to go into the shop first and show my credit card before using the gas station? Or is it the other way (fill up tank and then pay inside)?
Fill up first then pay. There's also usually a machine by the pump that you can use but be aware of the fill up situation Jeannie mentioned.
@@orkellSigvaldason that is a great question because when I go to the states, and use my Canadian MC, it won't work unless I go in first. It's nice to know you don't have to do that with a foreign card in Iceland.
me and my dad went to iceland last spring and continuously hit the “Fylla” button all week thinking it just meant fill... and then we saw around $800 taken from our accounts in gas and had no idea how the fylla button worked haha
also the Fylla button is primarily used for large transportation trucks that have huge tanks as far as i know?
Just FYI, even when picking the 10000 KR option on the gas pump, it still put a hold on my checking for a hundred USD (Don't remember the exact amount). The best thing you can do is get a gas card if you are using the same gas station chain.
Yuhas Brothers I’m confused. What kind of car did you drive? I’m gonna be renting a Suzuki vitara and trying to figure out how much to fill up in KR and whatnot before I go
What is the latest on charging electric vehicles? I’ve read lots of plans for installing new stations. Thank you.
Oh my goodness! I wonder if I can get a prepaid Visa with a pin for Iceland. I think my Mastercard has a pin but I never use the pin in the US.
Can you get prepaid gas cards before coming to Iceland?
Do they have bathrooms? Is there a fee to use them? Thank you for the advice!!
does the gas spill when you pick the option you suggested if you're not paying attention, or doe sit have the automatic stop when the tank is full?
At the stand alone pumps, without the station, can you use the prepaid gas cards that you purchased earlier from that station? Or do you need a PIN still?
I see some comments below that touch on what confused me when I was in Iceland and still confuses me - going again in September so would appreciate a very clear picture. I was at a gas pump in Iceland and tried a bunch of cards I had with me, it put a HUUUUGE hold on my one card. Horrible. What is the right way to get this done? I have Amex, Visa and Mastercard credit cards and Visa debit. Do not want to pay foreign transaction fees OR have a huge hold on my card. Thoughts?
Thanks for the video. I made the mistake 'fill up',and was really surprised to be charged not what I filled up,but a much higher amount. Now in the comments i read that after a few days i should be returned the amount I did not use. I hope this is true,still they did not refund,I have a postal prepaid, and they are very slow.
I think the delay may be due to international stuff. I'm sure you see pending/hold charges disappear much faster in your home country.
So if we selected the 5000 ISK payment option would they still place a hold and overcharge on our card ?
How is the hot coffee from the N1 stations? Is it set out fairly early?!
Are the stations 24 hour? Or what are the closing times
Hello, what about diesel on gas station, is it available? Thanks!
Hello, do you have a map with the gas stations on the circle.
Toooooo gooooooood
You didn't mention gas pump color diesel and regular gas are mixed. I pumped gas into my diesel engine and it cost $500 to fix. In USA it is black for petrol and green for diesel, this is switched in Iceland.
Good to know.
Ain't it labeled?
Doors anyone know if gas stations have shower (like Love’s in the US) and if they do how much is the charge?
I have two questions. Maybe someone knows.... 1: the gas stations, that also include a grocerie store, are the groceries here more expensive than normal? Because that is the case in germany. So would it be smarter to wait for the next "real" grocerie store if it can wait or is it, that it doesn't matter, because it's as expensive as it would be somewhere else in iceland? and 2: I guess 3:54 is a common view at the ringroad.. and I find it beautiful! Its so raw. But the question came up, if there are possibilities to pull your car over to - you know - admire the view somewhere without risking anything? Because I'm guessing just taking a break at the streetlane would be quiet irresponsible... but driving while admiring the view is also pretty dangerous.... So do I have to drive like (for example) 50km til I find a village or something to leave the car for a moment? Because also it seems impossible to leave the road and even if it would be possible, I wouldn't dare because I would be afraid of damaging the icelandig moss. Just want to know beforehand, so I don't plan like 5 hours rides between two villages for nothing and instead find a small village or something to leave the car and plan more hours for walking. Also would have an effect on what types of clothes I would take with me. Thanks in advance
Yes the groceries are more expensive at the gas station. Most places we drove you could pull off safely to take in the view. Enjoy!
@@amybradley5821 Thank you very much for your answer!
do they offer different grades of gas like in the US - or just one and done?
Is Costco gas cheaper? I know there is one in Reykjavik.
How much is a gallon (or liter) of gas?
Unfortunately, not all cards with pin will be accepted at the pump. I have a card with 4 pin and it was rejected at pump. It seems the card company will not accept such transactions, hence need to check with the card company before you leave for Iceland. Lucky for me, there was another pump nearby which has a supermarket that I could buy the gas card and use that to pump.
I had the same problem. My card wouldn't work at the pump but no problem in the store.
Does Iceland have law enforcement, like a state local police? Do have or require a driver's license?
Hello I’m confused about the PIN number my credit cards don’t have PINS. My debit card does will that work? I’m a Costco member psi is that a good option I’m staying in The Viking Village so It’s nearby
Most credit card companies will allow you to request a PIN for your card if you are traveling abroad, you just have to call them to request it.
Is there a difference in availability between gasoline and diesel in more remote regions?
Is there a charge to use the bathrooms in gas station?
Helpfull video! How do you get a receipt?
Thanks for watching! If you're not prompted to have a receipt printed or it doesn't print automatically ask the attendant.
If you buy a gas card can you use at any gas station in Iceland?
Hi! Please your clarification, with credit card Pin you mean the credit card code that comes with the credit card? Or an additional code that the bank needs to provide? Thanks
It's best to contact the card issuer and ask them about how to establish a PIN for your card. Most issuers handle this differently, (some issue them with the card, others do not).
Are you able to us Apple Pay instead of the credit card?
🤔...Price!!! Man it's expensive
Where to find gas stations with restrooms around the Golden circle will be greatly appreciated. 😊☺️
How much does the 98 Oct cost?
Does the US not have a fill up option that puts a hold on your card???? We have that in Canada...
Not typically. If you want to spend only a certain amount, you need to go to the attendant and pre-pay your specific amount or squeeze the trigger until you reach the amount. To fill up you squeeze the trigger until it clicks back to you, notifying you that the tank is full.
Maybe it's a silly question, but what do you mean when you say a card with a pin? like debit/credit card? or like a prepaid gas points?
credit cards generally don’t have a pin but debit cards do. She is advising you to bring debit cards for gas fill-ups.
@@danib942 European credit cards have chips and PIN number
Do they offer the same time of gasoline like 87 and 89?how much for using restroom?thank you.
It's mostly 95 and diesel. Some restrooms are free, some you have to be a paying customer to use, some toilets at attractions cost a few dollars, there are a variety of toilet rules - BUT, thankfully, I've put in all the off-the-beaten-path toilet locations in my digital maps (icelandwithaview.com/product-category/diy/)!
Jeannie, you mentioned that it is important to have a credit card with a PIN for one of your cards. Will the pumps accept Bank Debit cards that have a PIN?
I'm from Iceland and they accept our debit cards, but I can't say for sure about foreign cards.
When we were there my bank card would not work. Where to you check to see if your bank card will be accepted?
This would be a great question to ask in our Facebook group. facebook.com/groups/icelandtravelteam/
I didn't know of the fill up button and credit card gave a fraud alert. I canceled the card and lost use of card.
Can you pay in a gas station in Iceland with your phone,for example with Revolut app?
Hmm, great question! I'm not sure so don't count on it. And keep in mind that some gas stations are pumps ONLY that may or may not have a phone reader/scanner thing.
Some gas stations use magnetic stripe, no chip, no NFC... be prepared.
So if you select 10000 kroner and you only are able to fill up half that amount, what exactly happens?
Yes I would like to know this too! I wish she answered questions :(
AAA isn't available there so if u stuck forget them.
Can I use a debit card in Iceland rather than a credit? 😊
Hi Kelly! Yes! I often use the term "credit card" to mean both credit and debit card. Just be aware that your debit card is more than likely to have a foreign transaction fee whereas some credit cards do not.
They're like truck stops