Estonia Transport

Coming and Going

There are direct flights between Tallinn and Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Helsinki, Kiev, London, Minsk, Moscow, Brussels, Frankfurt, Berlin, Paris, Barcelona, Oslo, Milan, Riga, Vilnius and Stockholm. Tallinn airport is 3km (2mi) southeast of the city centre. There are no departure taxes when leaving Estonia.

The bus is the cheapest mode of transport to and from Estonia, and Eurolines links Tallinn with western and Scandinavian Europe.

A train runs each night between Tallinn and Moscow.

The number of ferries servicing the region has mushroomed since 1990, enabling travellers to sail directly between Estonia and Finland, Sweden or Germany. A fleet of varied shapes and sizes now ferries 2 million passengers a year across the Gulf of Finland between Helsinki and Tallinn.

Getting About

Driving is the best means of getting around Estonia. The roads are good, traffic is light and nothing's very far from anything else. There are major rental agencies in Tallinn. You'll need a passport and either an International Driving Permit or, if a European citizen, a regular licence. Drive on the right.

If you don't mind taking your time to get around, Estonia has good bus and train services. Since the terrain is flat, bicycling is another excellent way to see the countryside, at least in summer. The islands are especially good for cycling.

Domestic air travel is inexpensive. Avies links Tallinn with the island destinations of Kuressaare and Kärdla, while the rare charter flight operate between Tartu and Tallinn. Sometimes, flights are operational between Pärnu and the small islands of Kihnu and Ruhnu.

You can get around the larger towns and cities via a variety of trams and buses, although both get frighteningly crowded. Taxis are plentiful and cheap.