North America > 🇬🇱 Greenland
The city by city Car or no Car advice for Greenland can be broken down into three similar questions - do you need a car in Greenland; is it worth it (based on costs), and ultimately - should you rent one? (a balance of the two).🚆 🚌⛴️ Do we need to rent a car in Greenland?
These scores are based on the quality of public transport and other travel options. If these are good enough to see the main points of interest for a typical holiday/vacation, then you don’t strictly need to rent a car.
💰💶💳 Is it worth hiring a car in Greenland?
These scores reflect the practical factors that affect whether renting a car is convenient, good value, and stress-free.
🏙️ Main Cities in Greenland
| CITY | IATA | Should 25 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ❄️ | Nuuk | GOH | 9 |
The short answer is almost always no, because Greenland simply doesn’t have an interconnected road network. Towns sit hundreds of kilometres apart, separated by glaciers, fjords, and the ice sheet. However, renting a car can still make sense within a few individual towns, depending on your plans.
🚫 Why renting a car in Greenland rarely makes sense
🛣️ No roads between towns
Greenland’s settlements are completely isolated from one another. There is no road linking Nuuk to Ilulissat, Sisimiut, Kangerlussuaq, or Qaqortoq. The interior ice sheet makes road construction impossible.
Because of this, you cannot drive between towns the way you might in Iceland, Norway, or Canada.
✈️ Travel happens by plane or boat
To move around the country, travellers rely on:
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✈️ Air Greenland flights between major towns
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⛴️ Coastal ferries operated seasonally
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🚁 Helicopter transfers in remote areas
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🚤 Small boats for fjords and local excursions
Consequently, a rental car will not help you see more of Greenland as a whole.
🚗 When renting a car can make sense
Although you can’t travel between towns by road, several settlements do have small local road networks where a rental car becomes useful.
🚙 1. Kangerlussuaq
The town sits inland and has Greenland’s only long runway capable of taking big aircraft. It also has the longest road network in the country, including a rough road leading toward the Russell Glacier. A 4×4 gives access to:
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Russell Glacier
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Ice Sheet viewpoints
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The surrounding tundra
This is the one place where a rental car is truly practical for sightseeing.
🚕 2. Nuuk
Greenland’s capital has taxis, buses, and some car rental options. A small car can help you reach:
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Suburbs and viewpoints
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Trailheads outside town
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Supermarkets and hotels
However, Nuuk is compact, so a car is convenient rather than essential.
🚘 3. Ilulissat
A few roads link the town centre to hotels, the airport, and UNESCO-listed Icefjord viewpoints. Renting a car speeds up access to walking trails but isn’t strictly necessary.
🛶 Alternatives to renting a car in Greenland
Because Greenland is built around sea and air transport, most travellers get around by using:
✈️ Flights
The only way to cross long distances quickly. Almost all visitors use internal flights at least once.
⛴️ Coastal ferries
Seasonal ferry routes offer slow, scenic travel between towns. They’re perfect for photography and relaxed exploration.
🛥️ Boat tours
Ideal for:
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Icebergs
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Fjord cruising
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Whale watching
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Access to remote settlements
🚶 Hiking
Greenland is a dream destination for hikers, especially near Ilulissat, Sisimiut, and Kangerlussuaq.
⚠️ Practical notes about driving in Greenland
If you do rent a car:
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Roads are short and sometimes unpaved
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Winter driving can be extremely challenging
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Fuel is limited to specific towns
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Prices are higher than mainland Europe
Most tourists hire a car for half a day or one full day rather than an entire trip.
🧭 Summary — Should you rent a car in Greenland?
✔️ Yes, if…
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You are staying in Kangerlussuaq and want to reach the Ice Sheet
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You prefer complete independence for short-distance travel
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You like to explore viewpoints and trailheads quickly
❌ No, if…
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You hope to drive between towns
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You want to travel across Greenland
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You plan to rely on flights, ferries, and organised tours
Conclusion: Greenland is a spectacular place, but it simply isn’t a “car country.” Renting a car only makes sense in a few towns, and even then, only for short excursions. Most travellers explore by plane, boat, and foot — and they don’t miss out on anything.
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🚗 ✅ ❌ Summary Table
This summary score brings together taxis*, how much you really need a car, whether it’s worth it, driver options, local driving rules, and an overall recommendation. *Taxis act as a hybrid between private cars and public transport, so they aren’t counted in the overall public-transport or non-car scores. 🚕
👍🏾 / 👎🏻 Would You Rent a Car in Greenland?
Would you rent a car in Greenland, or would you rely on public transport instead? 🚗🚄 Everyone travels differently, and the right choice often depends on where you’re going, how long you’re staying, and what kind of trip you’re planning.
Hopefully this page has given you a quick, practical overview of the pros and cons of renting a car in Greenland, and whether it’s really necessary or not. Maybe it’s helped you make up your mind — or maybe you’ve already visited and have insights to share.
We always welcome comments, questions, and comparisons with other countries 🌍 All feedback is read, and any questions or clarifications are usually replied to within 24 hours.