Seyðisfjörður cruise port guide: town walks and Egilsstaðir

Quick answer: Ships berth at the Ferjubakki pier by the ferry terminal, about 400 m from the centre, so you walk off and into town in five minutes. Everything in town, including Rainbow Street and the Blue Church, is on foot; Egilsstaðir is 27 km away over the Fjarðarheiði pass on Strætó Route 93, about 35 minutes, with only a few buses a day. Be back on board 60 minutes before all-aboard, or 125 minutes before if you take the bus to Egilsstaðir.

Seyðisfjörður is a small town of wooden houses at the head of a long, steep-sided fjord in East Iceland, and the cruise pier is beside the Norröna ferry terminal on the edge of the centre. The town is easily walked in a morning, with short hikes to a sound sculpture and a waterfall straight from the streets. The only road out climbs over a mountain pass of about 600 m to Egilsstaðir, and public buses are sparse, so most longer trips here mean a tour. Since 1 January 2025 Iceland charges cruise ships ISK 2,500 per passenger per day in port, and call numbers have fallen, but busy weeks still happen: twelve ships were due in the week of 15 July 2026.

When to leave Seyðisfjörður

Times include the way back

All aboard (ship time) Ship’s clock Extra margin

Seyðisfjörður town centreOn foot, about 5 min to the Ferjubakki pier 16:30
Tvísöngur sound sculptureWalk down the gravel track, 15–20 min 16:10
GufufossOn foot along the road, about 45 min 15:45
EgilsstaðirStrætó Route 93 over the Fjarðarheiði pass, about 35 min 15:25

Times are port time, the time your phone shows ashore.

Plan this day to my ship

Where the ship docks

Ferjubakki pier and ferry terminal · 0.4 km to the centre
Shared with the Smyril Line ferry Norröna. Tourist information is in the ferry terminal building. The Technical Museum's open-air exhibitions are in the harbour area nearby.

Can you walk? Yes, about 5 min. Flat, short walk into the centre. Rainbow Street and the Blue Church are 5–10 minutes from the pier. Tvísöngur is a 15–20 minute uphill walk on a gravel track and Gufufoss is about 3 km (45 minutes each way). Egilsstaðir, Hengifoss and Stuðlagil are not walkable.

Dock or tender: Ships normally berth at the Ferjubakki pier and passengers walk straight ashore. One cruise guide notes that larger ships may anchor in the fjord and tender to a landing near the centre; check your ship's daily programme.

Getting to town

On foot (town)

Free5–10 min to Rainbow Street and the Blue Church

Walk from the pier along the harbour into the centre. All the town sights are within a short walk.

Strætó Route 93 bus to Egilsstaðir

Fare not confirmed for 2026; check straeto.isAbout 35 minutes each way

Crosses the Fjarðarheiði pass. Buses are few and run mainly on weekdays, with no service on Sundays or public holidays. An extra trip runs on Thursdays from 4 June to 3 September 2026 (Seyðisfjörður 10:00, Egilsstaðir 10:35; back 11:00, arriving 11:35), timed for the Norröna ferry. Check the full timetable on straeto.is and fix your return bus before you leave.

Taxi

Agree the fare before you goSimilar to the bus, about 35 minutes to Egilsstaðir

Taxis are few and are mostly used for short trips, such as to nearby waterfalls. Do not count on finding one for a return trip without booking.

Hire car

Varies; book well aheadSimilar to the bus, about 35 minutes to Egilsstaðir

Europcar, Avis, Budget and Hertz operate in the area; ask for delivery to the port terminal. The pass road can be closed or slow in bad weather.

When to head back

Be back on board 60 minutes before all-aboard (16:30 for a 17:30 all-aboard). If you go to Egilsstaðir by bus, be on a bus that gets you back 125 minutes before all-aboard.

The only way back from Egilsstaðir is over the Fjarðarheiði pass, which snowstorms can close, and buses are hours apart. Missing one return bus can mean missing the ship.

If you are running late: If you miss the return bus, ask tourist information or your hotel or restaurant to call a taxi, and phone the port agent number on your daily programme straight away. Port office: +354 472 1551.

Where people go wrong: Taking the sparse Route 93 bus to Egilsstaðir without a confirmed return bus, or expecting taxis to be available.

Seyðisfjörður is one day. Time the whole cruise.

Ships do not wait.

In March 2024, eight Norwegian Dawn passengers on a private tour came back to the pier in São Tomé more than an hour after all-aboard. Getting back on board took six days, seven countries and over $5,000. The details
The ship charges for the easy part.

Carnival sells a coach to Rome for US$129.99 a person. The train is from €9.20 return. PortTrip tells you which train, and the last one that gets you back. The details
On the day, it watches the clock.

Google Maps travel time from where you stand back to the pier, with alerts at 30, 15 and 0 minutes. The details

Cruise Pass

€14.99 once

Up to 10 ports of one sailing, timed to your all-aboard in port time and ship time. Live mode and alerts on the day. An offline copy for when the signal drops.

Get the Cruise Pass

Pay once, nothing renews. 30-day full refund.

Or plan Seyðisfjörður free first

A day in Seyðisfjörður

Assumes the ship docks at 08:00 and all-aboard is 17:30.

08:15Walk ashore. Pick up a map at tourist information in the ferry terminal.
08:30Walk to the Blue Church and along Rainbow Street, 5–10 minutes from the pier.
09:15Take the gravel track opposite the Brimberg fish factory up to Tvísöngur, 15–20 minutes, and try the domes' acoustics.
10:15Back in town. Coffee, then walk out along the fjord road to Gufufoss, about 45 minutes each way.
12:30Lunch at Skaftfell Bistro, Austurvegur 42, and see the gallery upstairs.
14:00Wooden houses and the harbour, including the Technical Museum's open-air exhibition near the ferry terminal.
15:30Last coffee in the centre.
16:30Back on board, 60 minutes before all-aboard.

Re-time this day to your ship

What to see

Blue Church (Seyðisfjarðarkirkja)

Pale blue wooden church from 1922 at the end of Rainbow Street, used for concerts and exhibitions.

20–30 minutesFree to see

The summer Blue Church concert series is on Wednesday evenings, after most ships have sailed.

Rainbow Street (Regnbogagata)

The painted street through the centre leading to the Blue Church.

15 minutesFree

Photograph it early, before tour groups arrive.

Tvísöngur sound sculpture

Five linked concrete domes by German artist Lukas Kühne, opened in 2012, set on the mountainside above town.

1 hour including the walkFree

The gravel track starts opposite the Brimberg fish factory. It can be slippery; go in dry weather and wear proper shoes.

Gufufoss

A 27 m waterfall about 3 km from town.

1.5–2 hours on foot returnFree

About 3 km each way; the walk passes Rainbow Street.

Skaftfell Art Center

Contemporary art centre with changing exhibitions, with the Skaftfell Bistro on the ground floor.

45 minutesCheck on arrival

Combine with lunch.

Technical Museum of East Iceland (open-air exhibitions)

The museum lost most of its buildings to the December 2020 landslide and now runs outdoor exhibitions in the harbour area while a new building is built near the ferry terminal, due to open in 2029.

30 minutesFree outdoors

A short stop between the pier and the centre.

Stuðlagil canyon

Basalt column canyon with columns up to 30 m high.

5–7 hours by tourTour prices vary

About 75 km and 1.5 hours each way. The west side has stairs to a viewing platform; the east side needs a 4–5 km return hike.

Hengifoss

A 128 m waterfall, one of Iceland's tallest.

7 hours or more as a tourTour prices vary

About 60 km from port, then a 2.5 km walk each way with about 400 m of climbing.

What to eat

Modern Icelandic dishes with local fish and lamb · Skaftfell Bistro, Austurvegur 42
Sushi made with locally caught fish · Norð Austur Sushi & Bar at Hótel Aldan (summer only; book ahead)
Coffee and cake · Cafés along Rainbow Street

On your own or a ship excursion?

Skip the ship's tour for Seyðisfjörður itself: the town, the Blue Church, Tvísöngur and Gufufoss are all reachable on foot. Book a tour, from the ship or a local operator, for Stuðlagil canyon (about 75 km, 5–7 hours), Hengifoss (about 60 km plus a steep 2.5 km walk each way) or Vök Baths, because buses do not serve them at useful times and taxis are scarce. Egilsstaðir by public bus is possible only if the timetable gives you a return with a wide margin.

What	Ship	On your own	Saving
Town, Tvísöngur and Gufufoss	Varies by line; check your cruise planner	Free on foot	The whole cost of a town tour
Stuðlagil canyon or Hengifoss	Varies by line; check your cruise planner	No practical public transport	Not calculated

Common mistakes

Taking a bus to Egilsstaðir without checking the return times.
Route 93 runs only a few times a day and not on Sundays or public holidays. Fix your return bus before you go, or take a tour.
Expecting taxis at the pier.
Taxis and hire cars are scarce. Book in advance or stay in town.
Dressing for the forecast in town only.
Weather in the fjord changes quickly and the pass is colder. Bring a waterproof jacket and warm layers even in summer.
Trying to fit Stuðlagil and Hengifoss into one short call.
Each takes most of a day. Pick one, on a tour with a guaranteed return.
Climbing to Tvísöngur in rain in town shoes.
The gravel track is slippery when wet. Wear walking shoes or skip it in heavy rain.

Safety, access and bad weather

Safety: Seyðisfjörður is a very safe small town. The risks are natural: fast-changing weather, slippery tracks on the hill walks, and the mountain road over the Fjarðarheiði pass, which snowstorms can make impassable. The town was hit by a large landslide in December 2020; obey any closed paths or warning signs on the slopes. Check the Icelandic Met Office forecast (vedur.is) before any walk out of town. Emergency number: 112.
Scams to know: No scams specific to Seyðisfjörður were found in the sources checked. The practical money risk is a taxi or tour arranged on the spot without an agreed price or return time, so confirm both first.
Accessibility: The pier, ferry terminal and centre are close together on flat ground, and Rainbow Street and the Blue Church are an easy level walk. Tvísöngur is reached by an uphill gravel track and is not suitable for wheelchairs. If your ship tenders, ask whether wheelchair users can transfer.
If it rains: In rain, stay in town: Skaftfell Art Center and Bistro, the cafés on Rainbow Street and the Blue Church if open. Skip Tvísöngur and the hill walks. Low cloud often hides the pass road views, so a tour to Egilsstaðir loses much of its scenery.
Crowds: The town is tiny, so even two ships fill Rainbow Street. On 15 July 2026 four ships arrived on one day. Walk to Rainbow Street first thing, then head up to Tvísöngur or out to Gufufoss while the tour groups are in the centre, and return to town for a late lunch.

Seyðisfjörður cruise port FAQ

Is Seyðisfjörður walkable from the cruise port?

Yes. The centre is about 400 m from the pier, and Rainbow Street and the Blue Church are 5–10 minutes' walk.

Is Seyðisfjörður a tender port?

Usually not. Ships berth at the Ferjubakki pier by the ferry terminal and passengers walk ashore. Check your daily programme in case a larger ship anchors.

How do I get from Seyðisfjörður to Egilsstaðir?

Strætó Route 93 crosses the Fjarðarheiði pass in about 35 minutes, but runs only a few times a day and not on Sundays or public holidays. A hire car or tour is more flexible.

What can I do in Seyðisfjörður in one day from a cruise ship?

Rainbow Street, the Blue Church, the walk up to Tvísöngur, the walk to Gufufoss and lunch at Skaftfell. For Stuðlagil or Hengifoss, book a tour.

How far is Stuðlagil canyon from Seyðisfjörður?

About 75 km, roughly 1.5 hours each way. Tours take 5–7 hours.

Is there a cruise passenger tax in Iceland?

Yes. Since 1 January 2025 cruise ships pay ISK 2,500 per passenger for each day in an Icelandic port; it is billed to the cruise line.

Is Seyðisfjörður safe?

Yes. Take care with the weather and on slippery tracks.

Not yet confirmed

2026 Route 93 fare and the regular weekday departure times (only the Thursday extra trip times were confirmed).
Taxi fare to Egilsstaðir (an undated Skaftfell page gives about ISK 12,000).
Whether larger cruise ships still anchor and tender in 2026 (one guide says so; another says all ships berth).
Skaftfell Art Center admission charge.
Vök Baths prices and opening hours.

Sources

Checked October 2026. Spotted something out of date? Email hello@porttrip.com.

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