Local Transport in Estonia

BUS

Public transport in Estonia is extensive, buses and trams operate
regularly from 6:00 to 23:00 across the country.

Make sure that you either have a valid ticket before getting on public transport or that you buy one from the driver immediately upon entering. If you need to buy a ticket, enter at the front door; tickets are only sold at stops, not while the vehicle is moving.

Note that tickets bought from the driver are more expensive (15 EEK or £0.65) than those bought at a newsstand (10 EEK or £0.43). At newsstands you can also buy a 10 ticket package for 85 EEK or £3.70.

Punch your ticket right after entering at a machine located throughout the vehicle. Passengers travelling without tickets will be fined.

Tallinn public transport offers also 1 and 2-hour tickets as well as 1 and 3-day tickets. These tickets can be bought only at newsstands and not from the driver. A 1-hour ticket costs 15 EEK and a 2-hour ticket 20 EEK. A day ticket (24 h) costs 45 EEK and a 3-day (72 h) ticket 85 EEK. Electronic devices for registering these tickets are situated at the second door of the vehicle and will print the time and the date of validity on the ticket. The Tallinn Card holders may use unlimited public transportation free.

TAXI

Taxi stands are located at major intersections and in front of bigger hotels. Passengers can choose from any of the available taxis at a taxi stand. Taxis can be also ordered by phone or hailed on the street.

The price list for taxi services is determined by the taxi operator; that is, prices are not uniform for all taxis. In order to avoid misunderstandings, be sure that the approximate cost of the trip to your destination is clear in advance.

Before entering the taxi, take a look at the price list for the taxi service located on the window of the back righthand door. The price list will also be on the dashboard of the taxi.

The price list includes: the flag fare, the per-kilometre charge and the waiting charge. The per-kilometre charge is either a day (from 6 am to 11 pm) or night charge (11 pm to 6 am). The waiting charge is only used when the taxi is actually standing.

Always make sure that the taximeter is turned on. The passenger pays for the ride according to the reading on the taximeter, and the driver is not allowed to ask for more than what is shown on the meter. The driver must be paid in kroons (EEK), Estonia's official currency.

At the end of your ride, ask the taxi driver for a receipt from the meter's printer. If the taximeter or printer is out of order, the driver should not have been allowed to be in service and you have the right to refuse to pay the fare.

It is illegal for the taxi driver to smoke or to allow others to smoke in the taxi.

The taxi driver must hold an operator’s card (a white plastic card with the driver’s photo and name) in the middle of the dashboard where it is visible to the passenger.

TRAINS

Estonia offers only a very small international train schedule, train travel in Estonia has not gained the popularity it has elsewhere in Europe. The only real connections are to points east (Moscow and beyond), and forget about taking the train to Riga or Vilnius. For the most part, what trains there are mainly connect people to some out-of-the-way rural places in Estonia. Inter-city travel by train within Estonia is also possible, but may not be practicable, as the train stations in Pärnu and Tartu are farther from the centre than the bus stations, making an extra taxi trip necessary. Three companies cover Estonia’s train system: EVR Ekspress handles international, Edelaraudtee’s trains are inter-city, and Elektrikraraudtee does the local electric trains.

CONCLUSION

The bus service, both inner city and to outlaying areas is very good, the trains are not worth considering from Western travellers and taxi's should be used with caution.

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