- Emergency contraception
- Over the counter
- Emergency number
- 112
Updated July 2026 · Sources cited: guidetoiceland.is, icelandmag.is
Good to know
Good to Know
- Call 112 for any emergency in Iceland (police, medical, fire) — operators can connect you to interpretation services and to specialized sexual-assault resources.
- You can go directly to the Emergency Room for Sexual Abuse at Landspítali's Fossvogur site without first reporting to police, and the visit and your identity are kept confidential.
- Stígamót is the main free, specialized counseling center for survivors of sexual violence in the capital area and welcomes people of all genders, but it's located in the Höfðabakki area, roughly a 15-20 minute trip from downtown, so plan travel time.
- General guidance suggests emergency contraception may be purchasable over the counter at Icelandic pharmacies without a prescription, but confirm this directly with a local apótek pharmacist since this could not be independently re-verified at the time of research — regular birth control pills, IUDs, and implants all require a doctor's involvement (prescription and/or in-clinic insertion).
- Iceland has one of the most liberal abortion laws in the world: it's available on request up to 22 weeks, with no need to give a reason or get anyone's approval.
- If you have an Icelandic kennitala and have been registered with the national health insurer for 6+ months (or are a registered refugee), the procedure is free; otherwise expect to pay out of pocket, and pricing is meaningfully higher for a surgical procedure than a medical one.
- The main practical booking route in Reykjavík is Landspítali's Kvennadeild — call ahead rather than walking in, and expect a callback within a few business days rather than an instant appointment.
- We could only confirm one specific named women's-health provider in central Reykjavík (the public hospital's Kvennadeild) at the time of research — private gynecology clinics do exist in the city but we couldn't verify current names/contact details, so double-check locally (e.g. via your accommodation or the Sjúkratryggingar Íslands site) before assuming a specific private clinic.
Street, Night and Taxi Safety
Street Harassment Is Rare
Multiple sources describe street harassment and catcalling as rare to virtually non-existent in Iceland, a point several guides connect to the country's strong culture of gender equality. This holds for day-to-day life in Reykjavík rather than being limited to any one neighborhood.
Walking Alone at Night
A national survey by the Social Science Research Institute found that the large majority of Icelanders feel safe walking alone at night in their own neighborhood, though women reported feeling less secure than men. The same study found a notable gap specifically in downtown Reykjavík on weekend nights, when bars stay open until 3 or 4am: roughly half of women surveyed said they felt unsafe walking alone there at that time, compared with far fewer men. Outside of those late weekend hours, the well-lit stretch of downtown between Hallgrímskirkja and the harbour is generally described as populated and comfortable to walk even late in the evening.
Late-night Nightlife Areas Need More Caution
The main documented risk for women is not street crime but intoxicated behavior around the downtown bar district on weekend nights, including unwanted attention from drunk strangers and drink-tampering concerns in bars and clubs. Quieter side streets right after venues close late at night are flagged as the point to be a bit more careful, rather than the city generally.
Taxis and Ride-hailing
Iceland does not have Uber; locals and visitors commonly use the Hopp app, which offers both taxi-style rides and electric scooters, as a ride-hailing alternative. Traditional taxis are a reliable option too, though sources note they are expensive compared to other European capitals.
Practical Precautions
Recommended precautions focus on nightlife hours: stick to busier, well-lit streets or take a taxi or ride-hailing option once bars close, keep an eye on your drink in bars and clubs, and let someone know your route if you're walking home alone late from the downtown bar area. If someone is being persistent or overly drunk, moving toward staffed venues or asking bar staff for help is the suggested response.
Abortion Law And OB-GYN
- Legal Status Summary
- Legal on request, no reason required, up to the end of the 22nd week of pregnancy (21 weeks + 6 days).
Practical Notes
- Counselling
- All patients undergoing abortion in Iceland are required to receive counselling both before and after the procedure, including education about contraceptive use, under the legal framework in place before 2019; some counselling/aftercare contact remains standard practice.
- Rural Access Caveat
- Guaranteed access to abortion services across all healthcare regions in Iceland is legally assured only up to the end of the 12th week of pregnancy; people needing the procedure later, especially outside Reykjavík, may need to travel to the capital.
- Later Pregnancy Procedure
- Terminations performed after 12 weeks may require higher medication doses or additional rounds of medication, and the process involves a hospital stay for monitoring.
Abortion Time Limits
- Legal History
- The current on-request framework dates to a 2019 law; before that, abortion after the 16th week required approval on specified medical/social grounds, and a national committee reviewed cases from roughly the 12th to 16th week.
- On Request Limit
- Abortion in Iceland is legal on request until the end of the 22nd week of pregnancy, with no requirement to state a reason or obtain approval from a committee.
Access Route Residents
- Entry Point
- Access starts through Landspítali's Kvennadeild (the National University Hospital's Women's Clinic/Department) in Reykjavík, which handles the majority of terminations nationally.
- How To Book
- To book an appointment with Kvennadeild, call 543 3600; you leave your name, kennitala (Icelandic ID number) and phone number and a nurse calls back, typically within three business days.
- Cost Residents
- Abortion is a free service for anyone with an Icelandic kennitala already registered with Sjúkratryggingar Íslands (the national health insurer), a status that applies automatically six months after registering residence; it is also free for registered refugees regardless of how long they've been in the country.
- Procedure Type
- The majority of abortions carried out in Iceland are medical: one pill is taken orally at the Kvennadeild in the presence of a doctor or nurse, followed by four more pills inserted vaginally 48 hours later at home, with the process shifting to include hospital observation after about nine weeks of pregnancy.
Named OB-GYN Options In Reykjavik
Landspítali – Kvennadeild (National University Hospital, Women's Clinic)
- Role
- Primary public entry point for abortion care, pregnancy care, and general gynecology in the capital region; also offers pre-natal screening.
- Type
- Public hospital women's/gynecology department
- Contact
- Phone 543 3600 to book
Access Route Non Residents Or Uninsured
- Who This Applies To
- Visitors, new residents not yet six months into residency, and anyone not yet registered with the national health insurance system are liable to pay out of pocket.
- Cost Medical Abortion
- ISK 150,000
- Cost Surgical Abortion
- ISK 500,000
Specialized Assault Support Services
Stígamót (Counseling and Information Centre on Sexual Violence)
- Phone
- +354 562 6868
- Type
- Free specialized counseling center for survivors of sexual violence
- stigamot@stigamot.is
- Address
- Höfðabakki 9, 110 Reykjavík
- Languages
- Services are offered in Íslenska, English, dansk, norsk, svenska, with language and sign language interpretation available.
- Who It Serves
- Stígamót offers free individual counseling for survivors of rape, sexual molestation, sexual harassment, pornographic exploitation, and prostitution, and services are also extended to family members and loved ones of survivors.
- Notes
- It should be noted that men are equally welcome at Stígamót and approximately 10-15% of those who seek assistance there are men, and services are available regardless of how long ago the abuse occurred.
- Location Note
- Located in the Höfðabakki business/office district, roughly a 15-20 minute drive or bus ride from the downtown Reykjavik core — noted honestly here as it is the primary dedicated sexual-violence support center serving the whole capital area, with no closer central equivalent.
Fossvogur Site of Landspítali, on Bústaðavegur, Reykjavík
- Phone
- Main switchboard 543-1000; Emergency reception dispatch 543-2094; Daytime Emergency Reception 543-2085 (Áfallamiðstöð / Trauma Center)
- Name
- Emergency Room for Sexual Abuse — Landspítali National University Hospital (Fossvogur)
- Type
- Hospital-based forensic and medical emergency care for sexual assault
- Confidentiality
- The identity of everyone who goes to the ER for Sexual Abuse remains anonymous, and that applies to the entire process.
- Services Offered
- Available services include a consultation with an ER nurse, a medical examination and treatment based on individual needs, a forensic examination where evidence is collected and injuries evaluated, and referral to a crisis team.
- Description
- The Emergency care for sexual assault assists anyone who has been raped, experienced attempted rape, or any other sexual abuse, and it is best to go as soon as possible after an assault, both for health reasons and for any potential investigation.
- Reporting Note
- You do not need to report to police to access care, though if you decide to press charges, the first 72 hours after the incident are noted as very important for evidence.
Bjarkarhlíð
- Type
- One-stop support and advice center for victims of violence in the Reykjavík capital area
- Location
- Reykjavík capital area
- Description
- A center where victims of violence, including sexual violence, can access counseling, advice, and information, along with a police presence, listed alongside Stígamót and Aflið as a core capital-area referral point for survivors of sexual offences.
The Women's Shelter (Kvennaathvarfið)
- Type
- Emergency shelter and counseling
- Location
- Reykjavík
- Description
- The shelter is for women and their children when they cannot stay at home due to emotional or physical violence, and also offers free legal assistance and social counseling.
Samtökin '78
- Type
- LGBTQ+ specific support
- Location
- Reykjavík
- Description
- Samtökin '78 is the National Queer Organisation of Iceland, and among other things, they offer counseling for queer people who have experienced abuse in close relationships.
Contraception And Emergency Contraception Access
- System Overview
- Iceland has a public healthcare system supplemented by private clinics and community pharmacies (apótek); female-method contraception (the pill, hormonal/copper IUD, implant) and emergency contraception are all legally and medically available, but access pathways differ by method.
Implant
- Status
- Fully legal and regulated
- Pricing
- Not independently verified at the time of research — flagged for follow-up.
- Access Notes
- Available by prescription/insertion through a doctor or gynecologist, similar pathway to IUD placement.
IUD Hormonal Or Copper
- Status
- Fully legal and regulated
- Pricing
- Not independently verified at the time of research — flagged for follow-up.
- Access Notes
- Insertion is a medical procedure performed by a doctor or gynecologist, generally requiring a clinic appointment; publicly available through the health system but often faster via a private women's health clinic.
Emergency Contraception
- Status
- Fully legal and regulated
- Pricing
- Not independently verified at the time of research; travelers/nomads should confirm current price directly with a local apótek (pharmacy) pharmacist, who can also advise same-day.
- Access Notes
- Widely reported to be available directly over the counter from Icelandic pharmacies without a doctor's prescription, similar to other Nordic countries, though this specific detail could not be independently re-confirmed via a dedicated Iceland-specific source at the time of research.
Oral Contraceptive Pill
- Status
- Fully legal and regulated
- Pricing
- Not independently verified at the time of research — cost varies by brand and whether the visit is at a public health center or private clinic; flagged for follow-up.
- Access Notes
- Requires a prescription from a doctor (a GP, women's health clinic, or gynecologist); prescriptions can typically be arranged through a healthcare center (heilsugæsla) visit or a private clinic appointment.
Emergency Number
- Number
- 112
- Description
- Iceland's single national emergency number for police, ambulance, and fire; the 112 service also acts as a directory to specialized abuse/assault support organizations and can arrange interpretation.
AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026
Sources cited for this category
These are the sources cited in this women's health & safety research for this city. Individual figures may not each trace to one of them.
More About Reykjavík
Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.