Huge holiday hotspot in Europe doesn't have a single public train or station

17 January 2024 , 12:03

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Half of the country's population live in the small city of Reykjavik (Image: Getty Images)

One of the largest countries in Europe doesn't have a single public train line and never has.

Despite being the same size as Bulgaria or Hungary, Iceland seemingly has no need for any train stations or railway lines. The country's last major rail project shut its doors in 1928, meaning the public there have not experienced the joy of travelling across their country on the rails for close to a century.

The northern nation's 300,000-strong population have to rely on alternative methods to navigate their homeland’s icefields and plateaus, the Express reports.

Cars, bus, or inter-city flights are the way most Icelanders get about. The most used and arguably most important road on the island is Route 1, which circles the perimeter of the whole nation. Sigur Ros produced an ambient album to accompany a video of them driving the lengthy route that showed off some of the starkly bleak and dramatic views on offer in Iceland.

Part of the reason rail investment hasn't taken place is the country’s extreme weather. Snowstorms are commonplace, adding further complexities to the challenge of maintaining a line on difficult terrain.

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The country is massive and full of natural wonders (Andy Commins / Daily Mirror)

Any public rail network would have the challenge of navigating massive mountains and volcanic eruptions. Another issue is the relative sparseness of Iceland. So few people on such a large landmass means any significant rail network would struggle to get enough passengers to run without enormous subsidies.

Another problem is that those rail projects which have taken place have encountered issues. The most significant line built in the country - 12km of track constructed to help in the construction of Reykjavik Harbour - saw vandals derail one of the trains by placing a train across the track.

Another train on the line was involved in a genuine accident when a section of track gave way beneath the engine thanks to rotten sleepers. Meanwhile in 2004 a smaller line built specifically for builders working on a hydroelectric power plant saw a train filled with people meet a train carrying cement head-on, injuring three construction workers.

This inglorious history has left Icelanders with a bad taste in their mouth when it comes to trains. While there have been numerous attempts to get a line off the ground in the 20th Century, plans have always fallen through.

Speculation is swirling that the Icelandic government intends to build a high-speed railway from its capital, Reykjavik, to the country’s main airport in Keflavik. Named the “Lava Express” in a nod to Iceland’s volcanic activity, the line would make it easier for international tourists to traverse the tricky terrain.

Construction was due to begin in 2022, with the first passengers being welcomed on board in 2025. However, it seems that spades will break the ground in the near future. Iceland Review reports that there are funding problems post-Covid and that "the project will not start any time soon."

Milo Boyd