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~~ Iceland megathread ~~

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    #452
    Darksoul
    Registered Users Posts: 284 ✭✭Darksoul


    Cheers guys for the responses,ya I actually don't mind camping and trekking,I just think it's easier to give the camping a skip because of the April timeline,doesn't mean I will rule it out in future tho. Any ideas what taxi price roughly they charge for a 10 min trip anywhere? Do they use the plugs that we use in Ireland?


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    #453
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Darksoul wrote: »
    Cheers guys for the responses,ya I actually don't mind camping and trekking,I just think it's easier to give the camping a skip because of the April timeline,doesn't mean I will rule it out in future tho. Any ideas what taxi price roughly they charge for a 10 min trip anywhere? Do they use the plugs that we use in Ireland?

    I've never had to take a taxi while over there, but I'm lead to believe that they are quite expensive. From a quick search online, it could cost the equivalent of €20 euro to travel 2kms within the city, and about €35 to travel 8kms within the city. I worked this out from the info on this page.

    The airport you'll fly into, Keflavik, is about 45 kilometers from Reykjavik city. People who don't rent a vehicle at the airport generally get the Fly Bus from the airport to Reykjavik centre. It's reportedly a good service, and considerably cheaper than a taxi.

    As for plugs, they use the standard EU connection, which is NOT what we use in Ireland. You will need one of these, but if you have been to places like Germany, France or Netherlands before, you might have one of these already.

    There is an Iceland megathread in this forum. Even just flicking through the last few pages of it might help you further.


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    #454
    uck51js9zml2yt
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,268 ✭✭✭✭uck51js9zml2yt


    Airport to keflavik town cost me 30 e. It was a 10 minute trip


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    #455
    Fireball81
    Registered Users Posts: 412 ✭✭Fireball81


    RIP cheap trips to Iceland when Wizzair went bust.

    The state owned Iceland Air is a rip off.


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    #456
    Mike3549
    Registered Users Posts: 933 ✭✭✭Mike3549


    Fireball81 wrote: »
    RIP cheap trips to Iceland when Wizzair went bust.

    The state owned Iceland Air is a rip off.

    A bit off topic, but Wizzair is a Hungarian airline and is still operating. I think you meant Wow air, which unfortunately is gone.


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    #457
    Fireball81
    Registered Users Posts: 412 ✭✭Fireball81


    Mike3549 wrote: »
    A bit off topic, but Wizzair is a Hungarian airline and is still operating. I think you meant Wow air, which unfortunately is gone.

    Sorry you are correct, that's what I meant.


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    #458
    Suckler
    Registered Users Posts: 2,209 ✭✭✭Suckler


    Darksoul wrote: »
    Basically anyone know of any good package deals going and what trips are worth doing? Myself and a friend heading for 5 days,as you know it's a expensive country so once off,and plan to do stuff on the cheap.

    The only thing I can see at the cheapest is groupon.ie if anyone else has any other sites let me know thanks.

    I found mountaineers of Iceland brilliant


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    #459
    cdeb
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 7,156 Mod ✭✭✭✭cdeb


    Fireball81 wrote: »
    RIP cheap trips to Iceland when Wizzair went bust.

    The state owned Iceland Air is a rip off.
    In fairness, it can hardly be a rip-off if all it's doing is paying its bills, which WowAir couldn't.


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    #460
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    I've had two return trips with Icelandair so far and really haven't got any complaints about them. I will say though that I think competition on the DUB-KEF route is only a good thing for us consumers.

    When Wowair went bust almost a year ago, at the time I was price-watching flights for our second trip to Iceland for September 2019. The day before Wowair stopped operating, flights on Icelandair were €450 return for the pair of us. The day after Wowair went bust, those same flights had gone up to €850 return for the pair of us.

    That was in the immediate aftermath of Wowair's collapse though. A month later, we managed to purchase those same flights with Icelandair for €525. Things settled out and Icelandair aren't exactly gouging customers.

    Now I'm planning our third trip and the flights I'm watching are currently at €440 return for the pair of us. I'm probably going to book those and that will mean over our 3 trips with Icelandair, flights cost the following...

    2018: €425
    2019: €525
    2020: €440

    As you can see, the cheapest year was 2018 when Wowair was operating and there were two different airlines operating a DUB-KEF route, but there is only a range of €100 between prices. Also, all these Icelandair prices include 23Kg of luggage per person and a few other frills, it isn't the cheapest ticket on offer.

    Competition is good, but Wowair's business model was poor on a few levels. Never mind the sustainability of the airline, but pushing low cost flights to one of the world's most expensive countries? That's a joke. I've read so many depressing stories from people who jumped at the chance to get to Iceland with cheap flights, but couldn't afford to do anything once they got there. I've heard and read stories from Icelandic natives about broke tourists showing up on their doorsteps and farms expecting salvation. Don't get me wrong, I'm not exactly Jeff Bezos myself, but I wouldn't set foot in a country just because the flights were cheap and I wanted to get there.

    Presently there are business people and former employees of Wowair trying* to forge a new airline out of the ashes of Wowair. If there is to be competition, it'll have to be a lot more sensible than that previous failed venture.

    *They've been teasing it on social media and there have been a few statements, but the best is 'coming soon' and there doesn't seem to be much substance.


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    #461
    jimmii
    Registered Users Posts: 14,810 ✭✭✭✭jimmii


    Have people looked at flying via Edinburgh? Return it cost us £180.94 for 2 and flights between Edinburgh and Dublin are normally pretty cheap.


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    #462
    cdeb
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 7,156 Mod ✭✭✭✭cdeb


    Deleted User wrote: »
    When Wowair went bust almost a year ago, at the time I was price-watching flights for our second trip to Iceland for September 2019. The day before Wowair stopped operating, flights on Icelandair were €450 return for the pair of us. The day after Wowair went bust, those same flights had gone up to €850 return for the pair of us.
    Really good post in fairness.

    Don't airlines have algorithms built into their websites to increase cost at times of high demand? I wonder did WowAir going bust spark a lot of people to start looking at IcelandAir, and caused the algorithms to go a bit haywire?


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    #463
    Nigel Fairservice
    Registered Users, Moderators, Regional Abroad Moderators Posts: 2,184 Mod ✭✭✭✭Nigel Fairservice


    jimmii wrote: »
    Have people looked at flying via Edinburgh? Return it cost us £180.94 for 2 and flights between Edinburgh and Dublin are normally pretty cheap.

    I always look at flying to anywhere fom the UK if it's mad expensive from here. A flight to the UK can be picked up cheaply and the connectivity to somewhere like London is excellent. You can get the times to match up well.
    The savings can make it worthwhile


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    #464
    jimmii
    Registered Users Posts: 14,810 ✭✭✭✭jimmii


    Nigel Fairservice wrote: »
    I always look at flying to anywhere fom the UK if it's mad expensive from here. A flight to the UK can be picked up cheaply and the connectivity to somewhere like London is excellent. You can get the times to match up well.
    The savings can make it worthwhile

    Yeah for sure. With the timings of our flights to keflavik would have meant very little waiting around time. Only thing I would say is if you have weather issues don't expect to hear from EasyJet we were stuck at Keflavic for 18 hours and in their comms were beyond terrible!


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    #465
    Fireball81
    Registered Users Posts: 412 ✭✭Fireball81


    Nigel Fairservice wrote: »
    I always look at flying to anywhere fom the UK if it's mad expensive from here. A flight to the UK can be picked up cheaply and the connectivity to somewhere like London is excellent. You can get the times to match up well.
    The savings can make it worthwhile

    Absolutely, quite often we get ripped off for the Dub-UK element when booked through a travel agent or airline.

    Just give yourself enough time between flights as if you miss the connection as you won't be on a through ticket you will be out of pocket.


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    #466
    retalivity
    Registered Users Posts: 14,047 ✭✭✭✭retalivity


    cdeb wrote: »
    Really good post in fairness.

    Don't airlines have algorithms built into their websites to increase cost at times of high demand? I wonder did WowAir going bust spark a lot of people to start looking at IcelandAir, and caused the algorithms to go a bit haywire?

    Most definitely. Theres a whole business in it, which is rapidly evolving. Coming soon - target pricing based on demographic information


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    #467
    eire4
    Registered Users Posts: 6,638 ✭✭✭eire4


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/94754721#Comment_94754721

    Iceland is right near the top of my list of places to visit. Some great ideas there thank you.



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    #468
    shano_88
    Registered Users Posts: 3,237 ✭✭✭shano_88


    Hi, just digging up this thread, I don't see anything more recent.

    Heading to Iceland in mid April for 5 night. We are renting a car and driving the golden circle and down to Vik and some of the areas down south. My question is is it worth going for a 4x4 at this time of year or will it be ok with a mid sized car?

    We are planning on not doing any tours and doing all the exploring ourselves. However, I would love to go up on Langjökull glacier. Has anyone been up and done the snowmobiling? And is it worth it?


    Any other tips also welcome. Thanks!



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    #469
    SouthWesterly
    Registered Users Posts: 6,504 ✭✭✭SouthWesterly


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118801488#Comment_118801488

    Get a 4x4 and get fully insured.

    Prepare to hand over your credit card and not worry about the cost of anything you buy. 😁



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    #470
    hargo
    Registered Users Posts: 491 ✭✭hargo


    Hi I have just come across this thread and myself and my wife are in the process of planning a trip to Iceland. Our plan is to hire a 4x4 on arrival and drive the ring around the island Currently we have booked accommodation with free cancellation in the following locations but we have not booked flights yet. Looking at travelling out on the 12/9 and returning on the 24/9 but at this stage are very flexible. We sort of based our tour on fly drive packages but doing it ourselves. My question is from those who have done similar is are we doing it too quickly, is there places we are better staying longer at. We are an active retired couple so interested in hiking and if I can persuade herself snowmobile at the end.

    Reykjavik

    Haukadalur

    Skaftafell

    Hofn

    Egilsstadoir

    Myvatn

    Akureyri

    Dalakot Budardal

    Hellnar

    Fossatuni

    Reykjavik (x 2 nights)

    Thanks



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