Culture Night - Information

This year, Culture Night is happening on August 23, 2025, and the program runs from 12pm to 10pm.

The festival area is the entire city center, stretching from Langahlíð in Austurbær to Hagatorg in Vesturbær and extending to Grandi.

The formal program concludes with a fireworks display at Arnarhóll at 10pm.

In consultation with the Reykjavík Metropolitan Police, parts of the city center will be closed to driving to ensure the safety of Culture Night attendees.

A map of closure areas will show the area closed to vehicular traffic. No exceptions will be made.

Map of the street closures.

Street closures will generally be in effect from 7am on Saturday, Aug. 24, until 1am after midnight, unless otherwise specified.

Please note that Sóleyjargata, Fríkirkjuvegur and Lækjargata will be closed at 4pm on Friday, Aug. 23.

Please note that the Íslandsbanki Reykjavík Marathon takes place from 8:40am to 4:10pm on Culture Night. Reykjavík Sports Association is organizing the race, which will cause additional traffic disruptions. More information about the race, routes, and timings can be found at www.rmi.is.

Remember, traffic laws apply every day of the year! The police will fine anyone who parks illegally. Vehicles that are parked illegally and/or obstruct the access of police, fire service, or ambulances will be removed and towed to Vaka. This is to ensure emergency services' access in emergency situations.

Yes, there will be a fireworks display as the final event of Culture Night. The display begins at 11pm or immediately after the end of the concert at Arnarhóll.

You can get to the city center in various ways: by public transport, walking, cycling, on an electric scooter, or driving.

Strætó Public Transport will take passengers from all city districts from morning to evening at the normal price. Travel frequency will increase, and everyone is encouraged to check all trip information and more on the Strætó website.

After 10:30pm, regular routes will not be driven and all buses will be directed to Sæbraut near the Sun Voyager, where they will begin taking people home after the fireworks display. Strætó buses are free while the city center is being cleared, from 11pm to 12:30am.

Strætó pick-up will only be available from Sæbraut from 10:30pm to 1am. Routes will be available to all neighborhoods in the capital area.

Night bus service starts at 1am at the normal price.

People wanting to drive their own cars to the city center should note parking will be limited. It's ideal to park in Laugardalur or Borgartún and get a free ride to the festival area in the city center. This way, everyone can reach the festival area quickly and safely. Shuttles run from 7:30am to 12:30am from Laugardalshöll Arena, stopping at bus stops on Borgartún, then directly to Hallgrímskirkja. Shuttle stops will be clearly marked.

There are many bike racks across the city center, such as by Austurbæjarskóli, Lækjartorg, City Hall, Harpa Concert Hall, and the Technical College.

Here is information on bike parking in the city center.

The electric scooter zones are in the following areas:

• At BSÍ
• In Vatnsmýri, below the University of Iceland.
• At Spennustöðin, Barónstígur.
• Tjarnargata 4.
• Skúlagata 6.

Parking or stopping will not be permitted in other areas of the city center.

A portion of the city center will be closed off to all car traffic to ensure pedestrian safety, with no exceptions. However, every effort will be made to ensure full access for everyone to the festival area.

Map of street closures and services for disabled people

Wheelchair platforms will be in front of the stage at the concerts in Hljómskálagarður and on Arnarhóll to ensure accessibility for everyone to the concerts.

Parking for disabled people

Parking spots for disabled people are located at the following places:

• In front of Skúlagata 6, a designated area will be used exclusively for accessible parking of cars with the P-badge.
• At the Technical College, part of the spaces will be used for accessible parking with the P-badge.
• The following parking garages have designated spots for disabled people:
  • The city hall parking garage will be open from 7am to 11:30am and from 4pm to midnight.
  • Vesturgata 7.
  • Vitatorg, Lindargata (accessible from Hverfisgata)
  • Stjörnuport, Laugavegur 94, 3pm to midnight.
  • Harpa, from 2pm to 9pm. From 9pm, exit will only be permitted via Kolagata and westward along Geirsgata.

Sensory space

A sensory space for people with sensory processing issues will be located in the Fríkirkjan church hall in Reykjavík at Laufásvegur 13. The sensory space will be open from 3pm to 8pm.

Pant, driving services for disabled people

You can book a ride online or by phone at 540 2727.

Services operate from 7:30am to 1am
The last trip departs at 1am

• On Saturdays, general operating hours are from 10am to 2pm.
• Before 10am and after 2pm, you can only book single trips, cancel trips, or receive responses to urgent matters.
• You can book a trip with two hours' notice on Culture Night as usual.
• Passengers are kindly asked to make reservations in advance to facilitate travel arrangements.

The driving service will stop at the following places to drop off and pick up passengers:

• Skólavörðuholt – parking lot by Hallgrímskirkja
• N1 Hringbraut – parking lot by N1
• Túngata – parking lot at the corner of Suðurgata
• The Ministry of Fisheries – parking lot by Skúlagata 4
• NO stops will be made at City Hall

Some delays may occur due to traffic. Passengers are asked to show patience and understanding.

Restroom facilities

Restroom facilities for disabled people are located at the following places:

• By Arnarhóll (next to the Central Bank's parking garage),
• On Miðbakki
• In Hljómskálagarður
• At the Technical College parking lot
• Hverfisgata 23 (by Lýðveldisgarður)
• In City Hall – open until 7pm
• In Harpa - open until 10pm
• In Reykjavík Art Museum, Hafnarhús - open until 10pm

People are always encouraged to use their bikes to reach the city center on Culture Night if they are able to do so. However, due to the crowd, it may be hard to navigate on a bike so you are encouraged to lock your bicycle at any of the many bike racks around the city center, for instance at Austurbæjarskóli School, Harpa Concert Hall, in Pósthússtræti, on Lækjatorg, in Hafnarstræti, and at the Technical College.

Here is detailed information on bike parking in the city center.

People are strongly encouraged to use electric scooters, an environmentally friendly mode of transportation to get to and from the city center on Culture Night.

In coordination with the electric scooter companies, the maximum speed of the electric scooters will be reduced in the city center on Culture Night. In addition, journeys can only be started or ended in certain spots in the center.

The electric scooter zones are in the following areas:

• At BSÍ
• In Vatnsmýri, below the University of Iceland.
• At Spennustöðin, Barónstígur.
• Tjarnargata 4.
• Skúlagata 6.

Parking or stopping will not be permitted in other areas of the city center.

Strætó Public Transport will take passengers from all city districts from morning to evening at the normal price. Travel frequency will increase, and we kindly ask people to check out the bus schedule on Culture Night.

After 10pm, the route system will be disrupted and all buses will be directed to Sæbraut by the Sun Voyager. Strætó Public Transport will be free while transporting people home after the fireworks show. The bus will only be available from Sæbraut after 10:30pm until 12:30am. Routes will be available to all neighborhoods in the capital area.

Night bus service starts at 1am at the normal price.

For those who prefer to drive to the city center, please note that parking will be limited in the area on Culture Night. However, a special Strætó shuttle service will run free for those who want to reach the festival area quickly and safely. You can park at Laugardalur or Borgartún. The shuttle buses will run from 7am to 1am from Laugardalshöll Arena, with stops at Strætó bus stops in Borgartún, before heading directly up to Hallgrímskirkja. The shuttle stops will be specially marked.

You may get to the city center by taxi, but driving taxis within the closed-off area is forbidden. Therefore it's recommended to plan accordingly.

Taxi stands will be available at four locations on the periphery of the festival area: near Hallgrímskirkja, on Skúlagata, by BSÍ and on Túngata at the Landakotskirkja parking lot. Additionally, taxis can take you anywhere outside the closed area.

There will be limited parking available in the city center on Culture Night. The following parking garages will be open:

• City Hall, 7-11am and 4pm to midnight
• Vesturgata, 7am to midnight
• Vitatorg, 7am to midnight
• Stjörnuport, 3pm to midnight
• Höfðatorg, 7am to midnight
• Underground parking at Harpa and Hafnartorg, 1-9pm.

The Bergstaðir, Traðarkot, and Kolaport parking garages will be closed on Culture Night.

Standard fees apply.

Park closer to get further!

Respect the residents of the city center and avoid parking in private parking spots or obstructing residents’ driveways.

For those who prefer driving to the city center, note that Strætó's shuttle service is available to quickly and safely reach the festival area. Cars can be parked at Laugardalur and Borgartún. The shuttles will run non-stop from 7am to 1am from Laugardalshöll Arena with stops at Strætó Public Transport stops on Borgartún, then straight to Hallgrímskirkja. Shuttle stops will be clearly marked.

Remember, traffic laws apply every day of the year!

The police will fine anyone who parks illegally. Vehicles that are parked illegally and/or obstruct the access of police, fire service, or ambulances will be removed and towed to Vaka. This is so that emergency services' access in emergency situations can be ensured.

All events held on Culture Night are free of charge. It isn't possible to guarantee unlimited access to all events as they are held in different places. Some places have to consider capacity limit but everyone should be able to find something to suit their interests on Culture Night.

Several toilets will be made available throughout the city center so people don't need to go into restaurants to use the bathroom.

There will be toilets for both disabled and non-disabled people including:

• By Arnarhóll (next to the Central Bank's parking garage),
• At Skúlagata
• In Hljómskálagarður
• At the Technical College parking lot
• Hverfisgata 23 (by Lýðveldisgarðurinn)
• Mæðragarður
• Hverfisgata
• In City Hall – open until 6pm
• In Harpa - open until 10pm
• In Reykjavík Art Museum, Hafnarhús - open until 10pm
• ...and other places.

In consultation with the Association of Travel Service Providers and emergency responders, there will be parking facilities for buses on Culture Night at Túngata, Hallgrímskirkja, and Skúlagata. These spots are only for picking up and dropping off passengers.

• Túngata below Landakotskirkja: Facilities for smaller buses.
• Parking at Hallgrímskirkja, on Eiríksgata side: Facilities for smaller and larger buses. Access at the intersection of Eiríksgata and Snorrabraut. Exit back via Njarðargata.
• Skúlagata (west of Olís): Facilities for larger buses. Access at the intersection of Snorrabraut and Hverfisgata, and down Barónstígur and Skúlagata. From 2pm to 9pm, you may enter via Skúlagata from Sæbraut. The exit is through the same route back. While the marathon is ongoing, there is an open route via Borgartún to Snorrabraut/Hverfisgata.

Only cars specially marked by authorized travel service companies may use the services mentioned above.

Drop-off spots 

• No. 2 and 3 will be inactive from 4pm on Friday, Aug. 23.
• No. 1, 4, 5 and 6 will be inactive from 7am Saturday, Aug. 24, until 1am Sunday, Aug. 25.
• No. 15 will be inactive from 7am to 4pm on Saturday, Aug. 24.

Here is the street closure map for Culture Night 2024.

Pant, the driving service for disabled people, will operate on Culture Night

You can book a ride online or by phone at 540 2727.

Services operate from 7:30am to 1am
The last trip departs at 1am

• On Saturdays, general operating hours are from 10am to 2pm
• Before 10am and after 2pm, you can only book single trips, cancel trips, or receive responses to urgent matters.
• You can book a trip with two hours' notice on Culture Night as usual.
• Passengers are kindly asked to make reservations in advance to facilitate travel arrangements.

The driving service will stop at the following places to drop off and pick up passengers:

• Skólavörðuholt – parking lot by Hallgrímskirkja
• N1 Hringbraut – parking lot by N1
• Túngata – parking lot at the corner of Suðurgata
• The Ministry of Fisheries – parking lot by Skúlagata 4
• NO stops will be made at City Hall

Some delays may occur due to traffic. Passengers are asked to show patience and understanding.

The Reykjavík Sports Association is the organizer and executor of the Reykjavík Marathon, and all information can be found on the Reykjavík Marathon website.