Travel

If you are flying to Tallinn, you can take the coach to Tartu directly from the airport. There is no need to go to the bus station, most of the coaches heading to Tartu have a stop at the airport. You can buy the tickets online at https://luxexpress.eu/en/. Just type in Tallinn Airport as the departure station. You can also buy the ticket from the coach driver, but usually, the coaches are fully booked, so it is better to get the ticket ahead.

Alternatively, you can take the train from Tallinn to Tartu. The train station Ülemiste is a 15-minute walk from the Tallinn airport. If you are staying in Tallinn for longer or arriving by ferry, it would be better to take the train from the main station called Balti jaam. You can check the schedule and buy the tickets from https://elron.ee/en. On Sunday evening the train may be quite full, but on the train you can get a ticket with a fixed seat only in the first class which is not very expensive but is often sold out early. In the second class there is free seating and at times it may be difficult to find a free spot.

The ride from Tallinn to Tartu takes approximately 2.5 hours. In Tartu most of the hotels are in 10 minute walking distance from the bus station and 20 minute walking distance from the train station. In the city transportation in Tallinn and Tartu you can pay for the ride by sweeping your credit card. If you need to take a taxi in Tallinn or Tartu you can use the Bolt app.

If you are flying to Tartu from Helsinki with Finnair, there is a shuttle bus to the center (https://tartu.ee/en/airport-shuttle) or you can take a taxi (using the Bolt app).

Estonia uses Euro. In most places, you can pay by card, and often, there is no cash payment option.

From Helsinki there is a daily direct flight to Tartu operated by Finnair. The Tartu Airport is situated in Ülenurme. The Airport Shuttle bus takes you to to the center for 5 euros, the ride takes about 20 minutes. The tickets for the flight from Helsinki to Tartu and back are available from 31.03.24.

It is possible to travel to Tartu from Riga by bus but the travel time is longer than travelling from Tallinn – approximately 3.5 to 4.5 hours depending on the traffic etc. For additional information see http://www.luxexpress.eu/en. The buses are quite comfortable and there’s free drinks and toilet on board.

If you have any other questions regarding issues not included in this letter, do not hesitate to contact us at isaph2024@ut.ee.