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#visittartu

Official tourism site of Tartu and Tartu County

Arrive & depart

By car

Tartu, the second largest city in Estonia, is the biggest centre in South Estonia and at the same time the junction of the main national roads. Tallinn-Tartu-Luhamaa (E263), Jõhvi-Tartu-Valga and Piibe roads run through Tartu, and the roads from Viljandi and Räpina as well as the connecting roads of other nearby towns and settlements also lead here. Bigger roads are in good condition and signposted with relevant traffic signs. The distance from Tartu to Tallinn is 186 km, to Pärnu 170 km, and to Narva 182 km, and the drive takes less than 2.5 hours.

 

City traffic in Tartu is calm and friendly, smaller traffic jams may occur during morning and evening rush hour times, but are definitely not comparable to bigger cities during similar hours. When travelling by caravan, the closest convenient parking places can be found 1.7 km and 6 km from the city centre. Information about local transportation and parking can be found under the section Local transportation.

Last updated: 29.06.2023

  • By plane

    By plane

    As of March 31, 2024, Finnair airline will start operating the Tartu–Helsinki air connection. 

     

    There are 12 trips a week between Tartu and Helsinki Airports. Flights to Helsinki depart from Tartu at 06:00 am and at 15:00. Flights to Tartu depart from Helsinki at 13:50 and 23:55. The approximate duration of a one-way flight is 45 minutes. The flights to Helsinki ensure convenient connecting flights to nearly a hundred destinations worldwide. 

     

    See the exact flight schedule and purchase tickets from the Finnair website.    

     

    Tartu Airport is located 10 kilometers (about 6.21 mi) from the center of Tartu. Tartu city centre and the airport are conveniently connected by bus and taxi connections, and there is an unattended parking lot free of charge at the airport.  
    More information about getting to the airport can be found on the Tartu Airport website.  

     

  • By bus

    By bus

    Tartu Bus Station is located in the city centre, and there are comfortable direct bus connection to Riga. In one direction, more than 50 buses run between Tallinn and Tartu per day, most of which also stop at Tallinn Airport. Comfortable Lux Express buses are a perfect fit for longer rides as they are equipped with a toilet, free Wi-Fi and power outlets as well as a coffee machine.

     

    The price of the bus ticket depends mainly on the time of the purchase as well as on the demand. When the trip is planned in advance, the probability of getting a price discount is higher. Due to dynamic pricing, the highest price applies to a ticket bought on board the bus from the driver or from customer service representative. On the other hand, a ticket bought through the pre-sale may be acquired for less than half the price.

     

    Information about discounts, timetables, and bus routes within Estonia can be found at www.tpilet.ee. Information about international bus routes at www.luxexpress.eu.

  • By train

    By train

    Tartu Railway Station is located in a historical station building 1.5 km from the city centre, and daily train service operates on the routes to Tallinn (incl. Jõgeva, Tapa, Aegviidu), Valga (incl. Elva) and Koidula (incl. Põlva and Piusa). By catching a connecting train, you can travel to Tartu for instance from Narva and Jõhvi as well as from Riga through Valga and Valka.

     

    The fast and modern diesel trains are spacious, child- and cyclist-friendly, with various extra comforts, and provide the passengers with two options in the form of different price classes. In addition to the standard comforts, wider seats with adjustable backrests await the first class passengers. However, it is important to keep in mind that various discounts and the rights established by law that entitle to free rides do not fully apply in first class cars. The right to ride for free only applies to a single person entitled to a free ride if they are accompanying a regular first class passenger and the ticket has been booked through the pre-sale. Second class cars are spacious and roomy, but you are not guaranteed a seat. The number of passengers in these cars is higher than usual on Friday and Sunday nights. Tickets can be purchased online, aboard the train, and from the Baltic Station sales kiosk in Tallinn. Additional information and tickets here.

     

    From the railway station, the city center can be reached by catching regular busses No 3 or No 25. You can also take a taxi, however, a healthy stroll or riding with our Smart Bike also presents the opportunity to do some sightseeing on the way. 

  • By car

    By car

    Tartu, the second largest city in Estonia, is the biggest centre in South Estonia and at the same time the junction of the main national roads. Tallinn-Tartu-Luhamaa (E263), Jõhvi-Tartu-Valga and Piibe roads run through Tartu, and the roads from Viljandi and Räpina as well as the connecting roads of other nearby towns and settlements also lead here. Bigger roads are in good condition and signposted with relevant traffic signs. The distance from Tartu to Tallinn is 186 km, to Pärnu 170 km, and to Narva 182 km, and the drive takes less than 2.5 hours.

     

    City traffic in Tartu is calm and friendly, smaller traffic jams may occur during morning and evening rush hour times, but are definitely not comparable to bigger cities during similar hours. When travelling by caravan, the closest convenient parking places can be found 1.7 km and 6 km from the city centre. Information about local transportation and parking can be found under the section Local transportation.

By plane

As of March 31, 2024, Finnair airline will start operating the Tartu–Helsinki air connection. 

 

There are 12 trips a week between Tartu and Helsinki Airports. Flights to Helsinki depart from Tartu at 06:00 am and at 15:00. Flights to Tartu depart from Helsinki at 13:50 and 23:55. The approximate duration of a one-way flight is 45 minutes. The flights to Helsinki ensure convenient connecting flights to nearly a hundred destinations worldwide. 

 

See the exact flight schedule and purchase tickets from the Finnair website.    

 

Tartu Airport is located 10 kilometers (about 6.21 mi) from the center of Tartu. Tartu city centre and the airport are conveniently connected by bus and taxi connections, and there is an unattended parking lot free of charge at the airport.  
More information about getting to the airport can be found on the Tartu Airport website.  

 

Last updated: 03.06.2024

By bus

Tartu Bus Station is located in the city centre, and there are comfortable direct bus connection to Riga. In one direction, more than 50 buses run between Tallinn and Tartu per day, most of which also stop at Tallinn Airport. Comfortable Lux Express buses are a perfect fit for longer rides as they are equipped with a toilet, free Wi-Fi and power outlets as well as a coffee machine.

 

The price of the bus ticket depends mainly on the time of the purchase as well as on the demand. When the trip is planned in advance, the probability of getting a price discount is higher. Due to dynamic pricing, the highest price applies to a ticket bought on board the bus from the driver or from customer service representative. On the other hand, a ticket bought through the pre-sale may be acquired for less than half the price.

 

Information about discounts, timetables, and bus routes within Estonia can be found at www.tpilet.ee. Information about international bus routes at www.luxexpress.eu.

Last updated: 06.06.2023

By train

Tartu Railway Station is located in a historical station building 1.5 km from the city centre, and daily train service operates on the routes to Tallinn (incl. Jõgeva, Tapa, Aegviidu), Valga (incl. Elva) and Koidula (incl. Põlva and Piusa). By catching a connecting train, you can travel to Tartu for instance from Narva and Jõhvi as well as from Riga through Valga and Valka.

 

The fast and modern diesel trains are spacious, child- and cyclist-friendly, with various extra comforts, and provide the passengers with two options in the form of different price classes. In addition to the standard comforts, wider seats with adjustable backrests await the first class passengers. However, it is important to keep in mind that various discounts and the rights established by law that entitle to free rides do not fully apply in first class cars. The right to ride for free only applies to a single person entitled to a free ride if they are accompanying a regular first class passenger and the ticket has been booked through the pre-sale. Second class cars are spacious and roomy, but you are not guaranteed a seat. The number of passengers in these cars is higher than usual on Friday and Sunday nights. Tickets can be purchased online, aboard the train, and from the Baltic Station sales kiosk in Tallinn. Additional information and tickets here.

 

From the railway station, the city center can be reached by catching regular busses No 3 or No 25. You can also take a taxi, however, a healthy stroll or riding with our Smart Bike also presents the opportunity to do some sightseeing on the way. 

Last updated: 06.03.2024

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+372 744 2111

info [at] visittartu.com

All Contacts

Tartu Information Centre

Town Hall, 50089, Tartu

 

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