Street Closures Q&A
The Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Council of Europe will be held in Reykjavík on May 16 to 17, 2023. For security reasons, the streets around Harpa Conference Centre will be closed to vehicular traffic during the Summit, but the area will be accessible on foot and by bicycle. However, the area nearest to the Conference Centre Harpa (see map) will be completely closed off to the public.
Additionally, some traffic disruptions can be expected all over the capital area, due to transportation of the delegations to and from Keflavík airport and Reykjavík airport during these days, with the most widespread effects taking place in the afternoon of Tuesday and Wednesday.
Here is a map of the area that will be closed off to vehicular traffic during the Summit.
Please note that information about measures to accommodate people with disabilities will be posted as soon as possible.
Local inhabitants who own parking spaces within the area are kindly asked to contact us at [email protected].
The closures will be lifted at 6 pm Wednesday, 17 May.
However, there will also be some traffic disruptions and possibly shorter closures of streets or lanes from Saturday, 13 May, until Thursday, 18 May, when the traffic barriers are being set up and taken down.
All deliveries of goods within the closed area must be completed by 11 am on Monday, 15 May, and vehicular deliveries of goods will not be possible within the area until after 6 pm on Wednesday, 17 May.
It has been decided to extend the time that goods can be delivered in the vicinity of the closed area, on Laugarvegur and Skólavörðustígur, until 6 pm on Monday, 15 May. Therefore, it is recommended that suppliers be directed to start deliveries of goods in Kvosin on the morning of May 15. The time for the delivery of goods on Friday, 19 May, has also been extended until 6 pm.
If it is necessary to have supplies delivered inside the area while the closures are in effect, please note that pedestrian traffic is permitted and it will be possible to use trolleys or carts.
General information on deliveries of goods in Reykjavík: https://reykjavik.is/en/vorulosun
No public transports will operate within the closed area. The city buses will operate on altered routes during the closure, i.e. from 9 pm on Monday, 15 May, until 7 pm on Wednesday, 17 May.
For further information on the bus schedule, please visit the straeto.is website.
From Reykjavík City Hall, people will use other means of transportation depending on the circumstances.
Residents who have a parking space within the closed area are offered temporary access cards to the parking garage at City Hall, which also remains open to public traffic.
For approved recipients of the driving service, another vehicle will be provided at City Hall for longer journeys.
It will not be possible to drive through or park in the closed area from 11 pm Monday, 15 May. Heavy traffic delays can be expected in the area from May 13.
The parking garages at Harpa, under Hafnartorg and Kalkofnsvegur, will be closed from 11 pm on Monday evening, 15 May, until 6 pm on Wednesday, 17 May. In addition, the parking garages at Traðarkot, City Hall and Vesturgata will only be open to subscription holders.
Employees have to allow for longer times to get to and from work. Although the street closures will only be in Kvosin, traffic will be heavy in the entire capital area during these days, as traffic restrictions on Sæbraut, and elsewhere, will have a domino effect throughout the capital area.
There will be no public transport within the closed area. The city buses will operate on altered routes during the closure, i.e. from 9 pm on Monday, 15 May, until 7 pm on Wednesday, 17 May. Because of this, routes 1, 3, 6, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 55 will take detours around the city centre, and route 16 will take a detour through Vatnagarðar instead of Sundagarðar. Please note that there will be unforeseen disruptions to timetables across the city during this period. Further information can be found at https://straeto.is/en
It will not be possible to drive or park E-scooters within the closed area.
