--- title: "Reykjavik Northern Lights Bus Tour, from €65" date: 2026-09-07 canonical: https://toursnorthernlights.com/tours/reykjavik-northern-lights-bus-tour/ --- # Reykjavik Northern Lights Bus Tour - Ticket price: From 65 EUR per person (Prices checked 2026-09-07, prices may vary) - Duration: Approx. 3 to 5 hours (evening) - Best for: Cheapest Reykjavik aurora bus tour - Northern Lights Chases - Check availability: https://www.getyourguide.com/reykjavik-l30/iceland-northern-lights-bus-tour-from-reykjavik-w-hot-cocoa-t67019/?partner_id=D7H7I6M&utm_medium=travel_agent&cmp=toursnorthernlights_com_agent_markdown (GetYourGuide · This site contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission when you book through our links, at no extra cost to you.) - ★ Budget-friendly, from €65 per person - ★ Free retry tour if you do not see the lights - ★ Hot cocoa served during the tour - ★ Guide explains the science behind the Aurora Borealis - ★ Departs central Reykjavík, no self-drive needed ## Our take This is the cheapest way to try for the Northern Lights from Reykjavik, and the free retry policy makes it a genuinely low-risk first attempt: if the sky does not cooperate, you are not out of pocket for a second try. The coach is larger than the premium minibus option, so if you dislike bigger groups or want a more personal pace, the extra cost of the premium tour may be worth it, but for most budget-conscious travelers this covers the basics well. The **Reykjavik Northern Lights Bus Tour** is the budget-friendly way to hunt the Aurora Borealis from Iceland's capital: a coach tour that drives away from Reykjavík's city lights toward wherever the night's forecast points, with hot cocoa served along the way and a free retry included if the lights do not show. ## What makes the Reykjavik Northern Lights Bus Tour a solid first attempt? At around €65 per person, this is one of the most affordable ways to try for the Northern Lights from Reykjavík, and the free retry policy means a cloudy first night does not cost you a second attempt. The format is straightforward: escape the city's light pollution, follow the meteorologist-informed forecast to the clearest patch of sky, and wait with a warm drink in hand. ## What to expect on the Reykjavik Northern Lights bus tour Pickup happens in the evening from central Reykjavík, and the coach heads out toward the countryside, typically in the direction of areas like Mosfellsbær or further, depending on where clouds are thinnest that night. Your guide explains the science behind the Aurora Borealis during the drive, how solar particles collide with gases in Earth's atmosphere to produce the display, and the coach stops at a dark viewing location for photos and watching, with hot chocolate provided to keep you warm. ## Is the Reykjavik Northern Lights Bus Tour worth booking on a budget trip? Yes, particularly as a first attempt. Given the free retry ticket if you do not see the lights, the practical cost of trying is lower than the sticker price suggests, since a cloudy night does not mean you have to pay again to try a second time. ## What is included on the Northern Lights bus tour from Reykjavik? Included: the evening trip itself, transportation, a professional guide, hot chocolate, stops built in for photography, and a free follow-up tour if you do not see the lights on your first attempt. There is nothing separately listed as excluded on this tour, keeping the offer simple and predictable. ## Who should book the Reykjavik bus tour over the premium minibus This suits budget-conscious travelers and anyone comfortable with a larger group on a bigger coach rather than a smaller minibus. If a more intimate group size and vehicle matter more to you than saving roughly €20, the [Reykjavik Premium Northern Lights Tour](https://toursnorthernlights.com/tours/reykjavik-premium-northern-lights-tour/) covers the same essential experience in a smaller minibus. ## Prices and what the Northern Lights bus tour includes Pricing starts from €65 per person, discounted from a €72 list price at the time this page was checked. As always with a live marketplace listing, confirm the current price before booking since it can shift with demand and season. ## Getting there and meeting point The tour departs from a central Reykjavík pickup point confirmed on your booking voucher. Since the actual viewing destination is forecast-dependent, the operator will not confirm an exact route until the day of departure. ## Insider tips for the Reykjavik Northern Lights bus tour I would book the retry option mentally into your plans from the start rather than treating it as a backup: Iceland's weather changes fast, and going in expecting you might need two attempts sets more realistic expectations than assuming one night will do it. Bring your own thermos or hand warmers if you run cold easily, since the hot cocoa is a nice touch but is not a substitute for proper winter layers at an outdoor viewing stop. A phone with night mode photography, standard on most recent models, will capture the display noticeably better than the naked default camera setting. ## How the Reykjavik bus tour compares to other Iceland and Nordic options Against the [Reykjavik Premium Northern Lights Tour](https://toursnorthernlights.com/tours/reykjavik-premium-northern-lights-tour/), this bus tour is the more affordable option with a larger group, while the premium version offers a smaller minibus for a modest price increase. Travelers weighing Iceland against other destinations should also compare the [Tromsø Northern Lights Chase Tour](https://toursnorthernlights.com/tours/tromso-northern-lights-chase/) in Norway, which drives an unlimited distance rather than following a single forecast-led route, and the [Rovaniemi Northern Lights Tour](https://toursnorthernlights.com/tours/rovaniemi-northern-lights-guaranteed-tour/) in Finland, which offers a direct money-back guarantee instead of a retry ticket. ## What's included - ✓ Evening trip to see the Aurora Borealis - ✓ Transportation - ✓ Professional guide - ✓ Hot chocolate - ✓ Stops to take photos - ✓ Free follow-up tour if you do not see lights on your first attempt ## Route and itinerary 1. **Evening pickup in Reykjavík**: Board a coach in central Reykjavík in the evening, leaving the city's bright streets behind. Tip: this is the higher-capacity, lower-cost format compared to the minibus premium tour, so expect a larger group aboard. 2. **Head for the darkest forecasted skies**: The guide directs the driver toward wherever meteorologists have predicted the best conditions that night, since sightings depend entirely on finding genuinely dark sky away from Reykjavík's artificial light. 3. **Learn the science of the Aurora Borealis**: During the drive, your guide explains how the Northern Lights form, the collision of gaseous particles in Earth's atmosphere with charged particles from the sun, giving context before you step out to watch. 4. **Photo stops and Aurora watching**: The coach stops at the chosen viewing location for photos and Aurora watching, with hot cocoa served to keep everyone warm while waiting for the display, if conditions allow it that night. 5. **Return to Reykjavík**: The coach returns you to central Reykjavík once the tour concludes. If the lights did not appear, the tour includes a free retry on another scheduled departure at no extra cost. ## FAQs ### Is the Reykjavik Northern Lights Bus Tour a good option on a budget? Yes, at around €65 per person it is one of the most affordable Aurora Borealis tours from Reykjavík, and the included free retry means a cloudy first night does not require paying for a second attempt. ### What happens if we do not see the Northern Lights on the bus tour? The tour includes a free follow-up tour on another scheduled departure if the lights do not appear on your first attempt, at no additional charge. ### How big is the group on the Reykjavik Northern Lights bus tour? This runs on a standard-capacity coach rather than a small minibus, so groups tend to be larger than on the Reykjavik Premium Northern Lights Tour. If a smaller group matters to you, the premium option is the better fit. ### Does the Reykjavik bus tour include hot drinks? Yes, hot chocolate is served during the tour to help keep guests warm while waiting outside for the Aurora Borealis to appear. ### How far does the bus drive to find dark sky? The exact distance depends on where meteorologists forecast the clearest conditions that night, since Icelandic weather can change the target location significantly from one evening to the next. ### What should I wear on the Reykjavik Northern Lights bus tour? Dress in warm layers with a hat and gloves, since photo and viewing stops happen outside the coach in the Icelandic countryside, which is colder than central Reykjavík. ### Should I book the bus tour or the premium minibus tour from Reykjavik? Both follow the same forecast-led approach and free retry structure. Choose the bus tour to save money and accept a larger group, or the Reykjavik Premium Northern Lights Tour for a smaller minibus at a modest price increase.