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Tips for first-time Visitors
Welcome to Estonia!
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| Tallinn, the capital of Estonia |
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Over time, the culture of Tallinn has been shaped by its many rulers from east and west. Today the dynamic life of the city pays tribute to its various historical influences. Tallinn’s Old Town, belonging since 1997 to UNESCO´s World Heritage List, is a magnificent blend of a medieval streetscape and modern convenience with cafes, restaurants, shops and street fairs all easily accessible inside the impressive city walls. The old town’s web of winding cobblestone streets and properties, from the 11th to 15th centuries, is preserved nearly in its entirety. All the most important state and church buildings from the Middle Ages have been preserved in their basic original form, as well as many citizens’ and merchants’ residences, along with barns and warehouses from the medieval period. Modern Tallinn City has evolved around the Medieval Old Town and is a blend of modern and Soviet style urban apartment blocks and a thriving city centre with a mix of businesses, restaurants, hotels and cafes that you would expect in any European capital. Most buildings in modern Tallinn are 20th or 21st century but, a relatively small number of, 19th century wooden buildings are still standing.
In 2011 Tallinn will be the European Capital of Culture. |
What do you know about this fascinating Baltic country? Don't worry, if it was not too much before you joined TiSSA. Our colleagues from the TiSSA host university are providing much more than some basic facts & figures.
Location |
Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, is located in Northern Europe in the north-eastern part of the Baltic Sea region. Area of Tallinn is 159.2 km² (Estonia 45 227 km²).
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Climate |
The climate in Tallinn is characterized by a fairly cold winter, a cool spring with little precipitation, a moderately warm summer and a long and rainy autumn. However, some summers have weeks at a stretch of temperatures around +30°C, and a warm, sunny summer can keep autumn at bay until mid-October. Average temperature in July +16,7°C; in February -4°C. Weather forecast in the internet: www.weather.ee/tallinn
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local Time |
Estonia is in the Eastern European Time Zone: GMT + 2 hours. In summer: GMT + 3 hours.
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Population |
The population of Tallinn is 405 562 (01.09.2009). Nationalities: Estonian 52.3%, Russian 38.5%, Ukrainian 3.9%, other 5,3%. The population of Estonia is 1 340 021 (01.01.2010).
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| Religion |
The largest denomination is Lutheran (30%) followed by Russian Orthodox (28%), and Catholic (3%). However, only about 20% of Estonians practice any religion.
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Language |
Estonian's official language is Estonian. Russian, Finnish, English and German are also understood and widely spoken.
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| Visa Regulations |
As of 21st December 2007, Estonia is a part of the Schengen visa area. Nationals of EU and EEA member states are free to enter Estonia, the required travel document for entry is a national ID card or passport.
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| Currency & Exchange |
National currency: Estonian kroon (EEK) = 100 cents. Fixed exchange rate: 1 EUR= 15.65 EEK. Exchange rates can be found from the Bank of Estonia’s webpage (http://www.eestipank.info/frontpage/en).
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Electricity |
The electrical current is 220V AC, 50Hz. European plugs are in use. |
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Getting there...
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Located 4 km from the Tallinn City centre you can find the Lennart Meri Tallinn Airport. Information service in Departure Hall is opened according to the flight schedule 2 hours before the first flight and closed after the last arriving flight (ph. +372 605 8888, fax +372 605 8433, http://www.tallinn-airport.ee/eng).
Bus no. 2 leaves the airport for the city centre and port every 30 minutes, and operates from 7 AM until midnight. The price is 25 EEK; tickets can be bought from the driver. The airport bus stop can be found in front of the departure hall. The downtown bus stop is located on Laikmaa Street, between the Tallink Hotel and the large Viru Centre, attached to the Sokos Hotel Viru. A Taxi stand is also just outside the departure hall. The fare from the airport to the city centre is about 120 EEK.
There are direct flights to Tallinn from Amsterdam, Berlin, Brussels, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, Gothenburg, Helsinki, Kiev, Lappeenranta, London, Milan, Minsk, Moscow, Munich, Oslo, Prague, Riga, Stockholm, Saint Petersburg, Turku and Vilnius. A list of the airlines operating in Tallinn can be found from the airport’s homepage (http://www.tallinn-airport.ee/eng/info/airlinesattallinnairport). Alternateviely, Tallinn can be reached by Ferry via Helsinki, which is easy to reach by plane.
For getting to Tallinn by sea, bus or train see http://www.tourism.tallinn.ee/fpage/travelplanning/arrival
Größere Kartenansicht
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... getting around in Tallinn
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Buses, trolleys and trams operate in Tallinn regularly from 6 a.m. to 23 p.m. Bus, trolley and tram tickets can be purchased at newsstands for 15 EEK or from the driver for 25 EEK. You can also buy a 10 ticket package for 100 EEK. The Tallinn Card holders may use unlimited public transportation free. If you need to buy a ticket from a driver, 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 than those bought at a newsstand. Also punch your ticket right after entering at a machine located throughout the bus, trolley or tram.
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 16 EEK and a 2-hour ticket 21 EEK. A day ticket (24 h) costs 70 EEK and a 3-day (72 h) ticket 115 EEK. Electronic devices for registering these tickets are situated at the first and second door of the vehicle and will print the time and the date of validity on the ticket. Information about bus, tram and trolley lines and timetables are available at City of Tallinn web site.
There are also minivans, for a ride on a minivan pay the driver as you get in.
TiSSA locations in Tallinn The venue of the 8th TISSA PreConference of the PhD-Network and Plenum will be Tallinn University, Mare building, Uus-Sadama street 5. More information about Tallinn University is available at university’s homepage http://www.tlu.ee/?LangID=2. The map of the university campus: http://www.tlu.ee/?LangID=2&CatID=4599
... and keeping in touch!
To call Tallinn from abroad, dial your international access code and 372 for Estonia and then the telephone number. Within Estonia, you can make local and international calls from card-operated public payphones. Telephone cards costing 50 and 100 EEK are sold at newsstands and post offices. Calling abroad, dial 00 and the country code. The GSM mobile phone system is available; please check compatibility with your operator.
Public internet access points have been set up all over Estonia. They are located in local libraries and post offices. There are over 100 free wireless internet zones around the country, many of them in rather unexpected places - beaches, Old Town squares, stadiums, and concert halls. There is a free wireless internet zone also all over the Tallinn University campus.
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