Iceland in winter: The savvy traveller’s guide to weather, driving, and surprises they never put in the brochures

How staying connected in Iceland really works

During my last trip just outside Akureyri, I pulled over for what I thought was a quick waterfall photo. Five minutes later, fog rolled in—visibility dropped to nearly nothing. If I hadn’t downloaded the Vedur weather app and checked real-time warnings, I’d have missed news of a road closure ahead. In Iceland, especially midwinter, connection isn’t just a convenience—it’s a safety net. Mobile networks here are reliable—around Reykjavík and main tourist hubs, expect fast 4G, sometimes even 5G. But drive east, say toward Egilsstaðir or the Westfjords, and you’ll quickly find yourself in patchy zones. This matters if you’re using GPS, booking last-minute accommodation, or, frankly, calling for help (the emergency number is 112—always memorise that). Local SIM cards used to be my go-to, but they’re often a faff to buy at the airport after a delayed flight (and not every kiosk is open after 9pm, especially in winter). Roaming on a UK or EU contract? Watch out—charges can hit £6-£10 a day and some providers throttle your data after a token allowance. In my experience, downloading a digital SIM before you land is the best way to dodge both hassle and hidden costs. If you’re planning routes using Iceland’s essential SafeTravel site, or want to post that shot of the northern lights to the family WhatsApp, do yourself a favour and sort out connectivity before you go.

Why eSIMs make sense in Iceland – with real-world advantages

Let’s talk eSIMs. If you’ve never used a digital SIM before, think of it as a way to load a local or regional data plan directly onto your phone—no faffing with fiddly plastic cards or queueing at airport kiosks. I first tried Graba SIM in Iceland in 2024: thirty seconds after scanning a QR code, my iPhone 14 was online and ready to go. The main payoff? You can keep your usual number active for calls (handy for those inevitable texts from your bank or Airbnb host) while running Icelandic data in parallel. No more swapping SIMs or risking losing the one with your home number. Here’s what set Graba SIM apart when I tested it last Christmas:

Data Pulse monitoring: I could watch my usage live, which stopped me burning through my allowance streaming festive Spotify playlists.

Home screen widgets: Real-time data checks at a glance—genuinely useful when you’re trying to judge whether you’ve got enough left for another hour of Google Maps or to upload that dramatic geyser video.

Instant activation: Arrived late, activated my plan in under a minute, standing outside the airport taxi rank (hands freezing, but that’s another story).

24/7 live chat: I once needed help after midnight updating my plan—the agent was awake before I’d even finished typing.

It’s not about a sales pitch. It’s practical. If you’re debating whether to just ‘wing it’ with Wi-Fi, you’ll soon learn that rural guesthouses often have painfully slow connections, and public Wi-Fi is patchy at best. The best way to stay online in Iceland, especially if you’re road tripping, is to have a robust eSIM in your phone.

How to set up and use an eSIM for Iceland: Step-by-step

Road wisdom: What most guides leave out about Icelandic travel

Driving in Iceland during winter is an adventure—sometimes more so than you bargain for. It’s not just the snow; it’s wind gusts strong enough to unseat car doors and sudden stretches of black ice that look exactly like wet tarmac. The trickiest roads aren’t always the mountain passes—the coastal ring roads can be just as treacherous if you’re not prepared. Christmas and New Year bring their own twists: daylight dwindles to a handful of hours (in December, sunrise can be as late as 11am, sunset before 3pm). If you’re hoping to see the Golden Circle or further afield, plan for shorter routes, and don’t trust Google’s driving times—icy conditions can double your journey.

Winter tyres are a must, but ask your rental company specifically for studded tyres. I’ve had friends stuck with summer tyres on a ‘budget’ booking—and ended up calling for roadside assistance before even reaching Thingvellir. Always check the road conditions site each morning. And, as a side note, petrol stations outside towns may only have automated pumps that require chip-and-PIN cards—worth checking with your bank before leaving home.

Real differences: eSIM vs physical SIM, roaming, and Wi-Fi in Iceland

Consider your priorities. If you only need a couple of WhatsApp messages a day, public Wi-Fi might do—but if you’re navigating, checking weather, and trying to upload to Instagram while waiting for your Christmas Eve dinner, a local data plan or eSIM is the only way to guarantee coverage without breaking the bank.

Frequently Asked Questions

A final note from the road