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

Travelling to Estonia by Plane

The largest international airport in Estonia is located in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, with direct flights from many major European cities. Information on airlines, schedules and customs is available on the website of Lennart Meri Tallinn Airport. Tartu can currently be reached by direct flights from Helsinki (for more information see the website of Tartu Airport).

Travelling to Estonia by Boat

Ferries link Tallinn with Stockholm and Helsinki. 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. More information is available on the website of the Port of Tallinn.

Travelling from Tallinn to Tartu

Tartu can be reached by bus or train. Buses leave directly from Tallinn airport or more frequently from Tallinn bus terminal. 

•  From Tallinn airport to Tartu: At Tallinn airport the bus stops are located on floor 0. Long-distance (incl. Tartu) buses depart and arrive at stop 2. Buses from the Lux Express Estonia AS bus company travelling from Tallinn to Tartu call at the airport every hour. Bus line no. 158 also calls at the airport at 23:05 on its way to Tartu. 
•  From Tallinn airport to Tallinn bus terminal and the city centre: At Tallinn airport the bus stops are located on floor 0. From bus stop 1, bus routes no. 2 and K90 depart towards the city centre. Tallinn bus terminal is situated quite close to the airport and is readily accessible by taxi or bus. Bus No. 2 from the airport stops close to the bus terminal (the “Autobussijaam” stop), which can be reached by crossing the main road. A ticket on Tallinn public transport costs about 1.60 € if you buy it from the bus driver, please be prepared to have the exact money or at least 2 € coin, that you can change in R-kiosk inside the terminal. Route K90, which takes you directly from the airport to the city centre, is served by Hansabuss in cooperation with Tallinn Airport and Estonian Air. In the buses, there is space for luggage, free WiFi is provided and the buses have a recognisable airplane logo. If you buy the ticket on the bus, it costs about 2 €.
• From Tallinn sea port to the bus terminal: 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.
•  From Tallinn bus terminal to Tartu: buses leave almost every 30 minutes from 06.10 until 23.00. Tickets cost approximately 12 € and can be purchased from a ticket office inside the bus station or from the bus driver. The trip to Tartu takes 2.5 hours. Buses are comfortable and some provide free WiFi. You can find most Estonian bus lines and timetables on the website www.tpilet.ee/en (in English).

• Getting to Tartu from Tallinn by train. 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.

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.