LOCAL INFO

Travel information

 

Estonia can be reached by plane, ferry, bus or train. Travel document requirements for visitors are available on the website of the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

 

• Travelling by Plane

Tartu can currently be reached by direct flights from Helsinki http://www.tartu-airport.ee/eng

 

The largest international airport in Estonia is located in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia (https://www.tallinn-airport.ee/en/). Busses between Tallinn and Tartu go almost every half an hour (from 5:40 to 23:00) and they all go via airport, see schedule at https://www.tpilet.ee/en. Travel time is 2.5 hours, ticket costs 8-15 euros and can be purchased in advance at https://www.tpilet.ee/en or from the driver. Beware that busses may be full on Friday and Sunday evenings.

 

One more possibility is to fly via Riga, the capital of Latvia (http://www.riga-airport.com/). However, bus connection between Riga airport and Tartu is much less frequent, check at https://luxexpress.eu/en and https://ecolines.net/international/en and buy your tickets in advance.

 

• Travelling by Boat

Ferries link Tallinn with Stockholm and Helsinki. See schedules at http://www.ts.ee/passenger_ship_schedule.php. The main ferry operators are Tallink/Silja Line, Viking Line and Eckerö Line. 

 

The port of Helsinki, Finland, is 80 km from Tallinn and the journey takes less than 2 hours by ferry. During the summer season (from May to September) ferries depart every few hours.

 

The port of Stockholm, Sweden, is 380 km from Tallinn, and there is a daily ferry (an overnight journey) in both directions. 

 

• Travelling by bus

Several European cities are connected with Tartu by coach, see https://luxexpress.eu/en and https://ecolines.net/international/en.

 

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• Travelling from Tallinn to Tartu

Tartu can be reached by bus or train. 

 

From Tallinn airport to Tartu bus station: Buses from Tallinn bus terminal to Tartu all go via Tallinn airport. You will find schedule and tickets at https://www.tpilet.ee/en. Buses leave almost every 30 minutes from from 5:40 until 23:00. Tickets cost approximately 8-15 € and can be purchased from the bus driver or from internet. The trip to Tartu takes 2.5 hours. Buses are comfortable and most of them provide free WiFi. 

 

From Tallinn bus station to Tartu bus station: Buses leave almost every 30 minutes from from 5:40 until 23:00. Tickets cost approximately 8-15 € and can be purchased from a ticket office inside the bus station, from internet at https://www.tpilet.ee/en or from the bus driver.

 

From Tallinn train station (Baltic Station) to Tartu train station. Trains from Tallinn to Tartu operate 3-4 times a day, and take a little more than 2 hours to reach Tartu. The train station is situated just outside the Tallinn Old Town and near the sea port. It can be reached by taxi or tram No. 2 from the sea port (“Balti jaam” stop). Trains are comfortable and you can use WiFi in the first class compartment. Tartu train station is situated just outside the city centre. Tou will find schedules and tickets at http://elron.ee/en/. Some of the Tallinn - Tartu trains continue further to Valga with a stop in Tõravere. Tickets can be purchased at the website, from a ticket office inside the train station or on the train.

 

From Tallinn sea port to the Tallinn bus station: It takes a little more time to get to the bus terminal from Tallinn sea port. Tram No. 2 (towards Ülemiste) or bus No. 2 takes you to Tallinn bus terminal (the “Autobussijaam” stop) from the port; alternatively it can be easily reached by taxi. A ticket on Tallinn public transport costs about 1.60 € if you buy it on the bus or tram. 

 

If you arrive in Tallinn late in the evening you may need to spend the night in Tallinn. The closest hotel to the airport is the Ülemiste Hotel, although there are many other hotels and hostels in Tallinn.

 

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ESTONIA

 

Official name: Republic of Estonia

Area: 45 227 km2

Location: North East Europe

Population: 1.3 million

Capital city: Tallinn

Official language: Estonian

For more information please visit www.visitestonia.com.

 

• Climate: The climate in Estonia is temperate, characterized by warm summers and fairly severe winters. The weather is often breezy and humid due to the proximity of the Baltic Sea. Average temperatures range from + 20.9° C in summer to – 8° C in winter. Occasionally the temperature may exceed to 30° C in summer or drop below –30° C in winter; however this is very unusual at our latitude.Weather forecast
• Language: Estonian language that belongs to the Finno-Ugric language group. English, Finnish and Russian are widely spoken.
• Religion: Predominantly Protestant (Lutheran) but there also exists a large Russian Orthodox community.
• Local time during conference: Eastern European Summer Time, GMT +3 hours.
• Currency: The official currency in Estonia is the Euro (EUR, or €).
• Credit cards: Major credits cards are accepted at hotels, restaurants, shops and the banks.
• Opening hours: Banking hours Monday-Friday 09.00AM-04.00PM. Most banks are closed on Saturdays and Sundays. Currency exchange offices are open from Monday to Friday 09.00AM-06.00PM and on Saturdays 09.00AM-03.00PM. Shops are open Monday-Friday 09.00AM-07.00PM and Saturday 09.00AM-04.00PM. Some remain open until 08.00PM; 09.00PM or 10.00PM and some are open on Sundays.
• Telephone: IDD system is available at all hotels. GSM net are in wide operation.
• Electricity: 230 V AC, 50 hertz, European-style 2-prong plugs (Type F and C) are in use.
• Taxi: All licensed taxis charge according to the meter.
• Tax-free: Tax-free purchasing is available at the airport upon departure. The shops have a reasonable selection of goods.