The Vadlaheidargong tunnel in North Iceland

What you need to know

If you are traveling on the ring road through North Iceland you will have the option of driving through the brand new, 7,5 km Vadlaheidargong tunnel. The tunnel shortens the ring road by about 16km. It also helps keep the road open during difficult winters where the Víkurskarð mountain heath can often be closed due to difficult road conditions. 

Photo from a brochure about the tunnel.

 
The price for the tunnel

The photo below shows the two prices;  if you pay within 3 hours of using the tunnel the price is 1.500 ISK but if you wait and pay after 3 hours the price jumps up to 2.500 ISK. Please note that if you skip the payment, Iceland car rental will be notified and will charge your credit card for the 2.500 ISK tunnel fee plus a 5.000 ISK service fee, a total of 7.500 ISK. For details, you can read all about the pricing on the Vadlaheidargong tunnel website.  

  
Our advice is to skip the tunnel if possible

If you are traveling the ring road in good weather and road conditions, there really is no reason to drive through the tunnel. Driving Víkurskarð mountain passage takes about 6 minutes longer and has beautiful views driving to or from Akureyri. However, if you are traveling in heavy winter and the road conditions, then the tunnel is your best option. 

For more information, check out the Vadlaheidi tunnel FAQ section. 

 

From the management of Valdaheiði tunnel:

HOW TO PAY ONLINE THE TOLL ROAD:

You have two options to pay the tunnel: before and after passing through

I want to register BEFORE going through the tunnel:
Go to www.tunnel.is and register your car for the period you will be driving through the tunnel. Thereby, you will be charged the regular fee of 1.500kr for each trip you do during your registration.

Be aware of:

-We don’t charge you for registering the car. You will be charged only for the trips you do.

-You must drive through the tunnel during your registration period.

-Don´t register your car later than your rental car period ends or the next user could use your account.

 

I want to register AFTER going through the tunnel:
Go to www.tunnel.is within the next 3 hours of your trip if you want to pay the regular fee of 1.500 ISK.

Be aware of:

-If you go through the tunnel and you don´t register your car in the next 3 hours, car rentals will be notified and will charge your credit card for the tunnel fee plus their own service fee.

 

 There are free WIFI points on the east entrance of the tunnel and in the gas station N1 in the west, that you can use to register and pay the toll.

The tunnel shortens the Ring Road by 16 km (10 miles), saving drivers up to 12 minutes in good weather conditions. Information about weather and road conditions is found at www.safetravel.is.