How to get from Iceland to Greenland?

Question

I'm planning to go to Iceland this summer. Since I've never been so close to Greenland before (except on a plane), I'm thinking about going to Greenland too. Is there any ferry or plane that goes from Iceland to Greenland? If yes, how much time will this need? How much does it cost?

Answer 1

According to the official Greenland tourism site there are two places you can use as your source. Rejkjavik and Copenhagen. There are 2 airlines servicing the island: Air Iceland and Air Greenland. The price Air Iceland is currently quoting for destinations in Greenland is 161 EUR (Kulusuk) and 193 EUR (Nuuk). I guess the further north the more expensive it gets since you will probably need a helicopter ride.

Could not find the ferries but there are cruises from Europe that will take you around Northern sites including Greenland.

There are multiple sites referring to that but they may be exactly the same cruise:

• http://www.polarcruises.com/arctic
• https://www.cruisenorway.com/explore/greenland-immersions

Answer 2

For flights, you can arrive from three countries:

• From Iceland, through Air Iceland and Air Greenland
• From Copenhagen, Denmark, with Air Greenland.
• from Iqaluit, Canada with Air Nunavut.

By boat to/from Nuuk (the capital): - Arctic Umiaq Line has a passenger terminal to Maniitsoq-Sisimiut-Aasiaat-Uummannaq and Paamiut-Qaqortoq-Narsaq-Narsarsuaq.

• Royal Arctic Line and Blue Water are cargo-boat companies operating out of Nuuk.

(Reference)

Answer 3

As of 2024, there are three airports in Iceland with direct flights to Greenland:

• From Keflavík (Iceland's main international airport, sometimes marketed as Reykjavík-Keflavík), you can fly to Kulusuk (Icelandair), Nuuk (Air Greenland or Icelandair), or Ilullisat (Air Greenland or Icelandair). In some years there may also be (seasonal) flights to Narsarsuaq (Icelandair) (there were such flights in summer 2023).
• From Reykjavík (the small city centre airport), there are flights to Nerlerit Inaat (Norlandair). Flight time is 1 hour 45 minutes. These are the only international flights from Reykjavík.
• From Akureyri, you can fly to Nerlerit Inaat (Norlandair). At less than 600 km, this is the shortest flight to Greenland. Flight time is 1 hour 30 minutes.

Please note that Nerlerit Inaat is a very remote airport serving a community with only 15 inhabitants. Most travellers probably continue to Ittoqqortoormiit, serving a settlement with 345 inhabitants, or join cruises or expeditions from Nerlerit Inaat. Neither Nerlerit Inaat nor Ittoqqortoormiit have direct connections to the rest of Greenland (only via Iceland), unless you fancy crossing the ice cap on foot (more than 1,000 km)...

Until November 2024, the "major" Greenlandic airport was Kangerlussuaq, and you might find old information describing it as such. Since November 2024, the enlarged Nuuk Airport has opened and Nuuk now has direct flights to Copenhagen with Air Greenland (year round) and SAS (seasonal).