Tallinn: Travel Tips
Tallinn is an easy city to visit, safe and compact, but a few practical things save you time and money on a first trip. Here is the essential list, covering money, getting around, and the small etiquette points worth knowing.
Read more: the Tallinn city guide turns these basics into a plan for a two to four day trip.
Money
Estonia has used the euro since 2011, so ignore any source still quoting the old kroon. The city is almost entirely cashless: contactless cards and phones work everywhere, from market stalls to museums, and you rarely need cash at all. If a card machine offers to charge you in your home currency, decline it and pay in euros.
From the airport
Lennart Meri Airport is only about 4km from the Old Town, one of the closest capital airports in Europe. Trams 2 and 4 run to the airport, and bus 2 also serves it, or take a Bolt for 10 to 15 EUR.
Getting around
The Old Town is walkable, and trams, buses, and trolleybuses cover the rest: 2 EUR for a 1-hour ticket, with a day ticket at 5.50 EUR. Bolt, the Estonian ride-hailing app, is cheap and everywhere. If you’re stacking paid sights, the Tallinn Card (45 EUR for 24 hours, up to 78 for 72) bundles transit and entries.
What to book ahead
The KGB Museum in Hotel Viru and the Kiek in de Kok bastion tunnels both sell out and have no reliable walk-up; reserve before you land. In peak summer, book the Helsinki ferry ahead too.
Etiquette and comfort
Estonians are reserved and direct rather than effusive; punctuality is valued, and modest dress is expected in the cathedrals. Wear real shoes, because the Old Town cobblestones and Toompea’s slope are hard on thin soles and wheeled luggage. Tip: cruise ships flood the Old Town by mid-morning in summer, so see the main sights before 10am or after 4pm and let the ships have the middle of the day.
A few more practicalities
Tap water is safe and good, English is widely spoken so you will not struggle to get by, and Estonia ranks among the safest countries in Europe for a visitor. The city is set up for contactless everything, from transit to museum entry to a market snack, and Bolt covers rides and e-scooters cheaply. Tip: keep a contactless card handy rather than hunting for a paper ticket machine, since there is rarely one where you want it, and the same card taps you onto any tram or bus.