Tallinn: Getting there & around

Tallinn airport is on the Tartu road 3km (1.8mi) southeast of the centre, and you can catch a bus or taxi from there to the city centre. There is a regular helicopter service between Helsinki and Tallinn.

Most buses to places within 40km (25mi) or so of Tallinn go from the local bus station beside the train station. The Central train station is just outside the northwest edge of the Old Town and has two ticket areas: the one at ground level sells tickets to destinations within Estonia and upstairs in the main hall tickets are sold for destinations outside Estonia. The twice-weekly Tallinn-Minsk train passes through Riga and Vilnius.

Tallinn's two main ferry terminals are at the eastern end of Sadama tänav about 1km (.6mi) northeast of the Old Town. Only Linda Line hydrofoils to Helsinki leave from the Linnahall terminal. The main Passenger Port is divided into four terminals and handles all other boat traffic.

Tallinn's Old Town is best explored on foot, but buses, trams and trolleybuses will take you everywhere else from 05:00 or 06:00 to about 24:00 . Few of the suburban rail services from the central station in Tallinn go to places of much interest in the city except for one southbound line that may be useful for trips to Nõmme, Pääskula and Laagri.

Routetaxis (minibuses with a flat fare) operate from early morning until late evening and drop passengers anywhere along their fixed routes out to the suburbs. Regular Tallinn taxis are the best and most numerous in the Baltics; drivers use their meters and adhere to prices agreed upon beforehand for longer journeys. There are ranks at the bus and train stations.