Estonia

• 🌍 Lahemaa National Park – On the coast within an hour east (50 km) of Tallinn. Given its size it is the largest park in Estonia and one of Europe's biggest national parks, with 1,000 km² of bogs, trails, and forests.
• 🌍 Soomaa National Park – the second largest national park in Estonia, famous for its "fifth season". A peat bog formed from a glacier melt from around 11,000 years ago.
• 🌍 Matsalu National Park – one of the largest and most important autumn stopping grounds for migratory birds in Europe. Excellent for birdwatchers, due it is rich ornithological species.
• 🌍 Vilsandi National Park – rich in marine fauna, and international bird sanctuary with over 250 recorded bird species, on the west coast of Saaremaa. Covers 238 km², including 163 km² of sea and 75 km² of land, plus 160 islands and islets.
• 🌍 Karula National Park – the hilly landscapes of Southern Estonia. Estonian’s smallest national park between Valga and Võru.
• 🌍 Alutaguse National Park – the newest national park that covers a sparsly populated area in Northeastern Estonia that is south from towns like Jõhvi and Narva. This park was created in order to protect last few habitats of flying squirrels in Estonia itself.
• 🌍 Otepää Nature Park and Lake Pühajärve} – Part of the Otepää recreational region with an area beyond 3,000 km². Trails along the lake and paths in the hilly forests.
• Meenikunno Nature Park – A 5 km hike and wooden trail with an observation platform in the middle of the swamps.

• 🌍 Saaremaa – The largest Estonian and wild seaside character island with castles and fortresses, one perfectly preserved, a beach, a spa and famous mills. Saaremaa is even sometimes called Sparemaa. Furthermore, the island is surrounded by a myriad of tiny islands including Abruka with its nudist camps.
• 🌍 Hiiumaa – The second largest Estonian island. Popular for its lighthouses, ancient churches, historical values and the sense of humour of its inhabitants, but scarcely populated. In winter, it can sometimes be reached by car via an ice bridge on the Baltic Sea.
• 🌍 Kihnu – The southernmost group of islands, Kihnu, is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Cosy and warm yet exotic – folk costumes are worn here every day and the handicraft of older generations remains highly valued.
• 🌍 Muhu – The third largest Estonian island, and a rural municipality connected to the nearby Saaremaa by an artificial embankment, where ferries to the harbour of Virtsu arrive. Has an open air museum, and its locals are known for still sewing woollen clothes. Sleepy fishing villages, working windmills, thatched cottages, plenty of deer, moose and birds.
• 🌍 Ruhnu – The communal territory corresponds to that of the homonymous island, formerly known as Runö.
• 🌍 Vormsi – The fourth largest Estonian island, very close to the mainland. Vormsi is a small island covered with forests and a Swedish community. A unique blend of Soviet and Swedish history mixed with unspoilt nature.
• Osmussaare – A small and mostly inaccessible island in the mouth of the Gulf of Finland, 7.5 km off the mainland, and part of the Noarootsi Parish.
• Pakri – Two islands in the Gulf of Finland: Suur-Pakri and Väike-Pakri (Swedish: Stora Rågö and Lilla Rågö), administratively part of Paldiski.
• Naissaar – An island mostly covered by forest northwest of Tallinn with about 35 residents.
• Prangli – A small island with, harbour (for ferries to Leppneeme on the mainland), mainly fir trees, and a lighthouse from 1923.

See also: Nordic history, Russian Empire, Soviet Union

After seven centuries of German, Danish, Swedish, Polish and Russian rule, Estonia attained independence in 1918. Occupied and forcibly incorporated into the USSR in 1940, it re-gained independence in 1991 through its "Singing Revolution", a non-violent movement that overthrew an initially violent occupation. Since the last Russian troops left in 1994, Estonia moved to promote economic and political ties with Western Europe. It is now one of the more prosperous former Communist states, enjoying a high-tech environment, an open and liberal economy and a transparent government system. On the other hand, it is faced with a fairly low (but growing) GDP per capita and modest long-term population decline. In 2011, the euro was adopted as the official currency.

Estonia is bigger than the Netherlands or Denmark by area, but is one of the least densely populated countries in the EU, with 1.3 million people. Ethnic Estonians make up 69% of the population, and Russians 26%. The heaviest concentrations of Russians are in the north-east (Ida-Viru County) and Tallinn. Most of Estonia's ethnic Russians are stateless permanent residents, being allowed to remain in Estonia, but not eligible to vote in elections or work in government jobs, as the Estonian government requires them to pass tests that prove their fluency in the Estonian language to be eligible for naturalisation. Due to its close cultural and linguistic ties with Finland, many ethnic Estonians consider themselves Nordic, as they are not Balts, and regard Estonia's classification as a Baltic state as mainly a geographical convenience.

Estonia has the least religious population in the European Union: 14% are Lutherans (mostly ethnic Estonians) and 13% are Eastern Orthodox (mostly ethnic Russians, although there is a small Estonian Orthodox population). The native Estonian attitude towards Christianity may differ from the other Europeans attitude (Finns and Russians are good example) since Christianity was forced on native Estonians in 13th century by German crusader conquest and used to consolidate the German nobility's power over native Estonians for the next 700 years.

Climate

Maritime, wet, moderate winters, short and cool summers.

Terrain

Marshy, lowlands; flat in the north, hilly in the south

Highest point

Suur Munamägi (literally Big Egg Mountain) 318 m above sea level, in the south east, 20 km north of the main highway that runs from Riga in Latvia to Russia, close to the borders with both countries. It is the highest point in the Baltic states.

Geography

The mainland terrain is flat, boggy, and partly wooded; offshore lie more than 1,500 islands and islets.

Nature

World War II and the subsequent occupation were devastating on humans, but the destruction and the closure of large areas for military use actually increased Estonia's forest coverage from about 25% before the war to more than 50% by 1991. Wolves, bears, lynx, elk and deer as well as some rare bird and plant species are abundant. Wild animals are exported to some EU countries for forest re-population programmes. Most animals can be hunted, subject to annual quotas.

• National holiday : Independence Day, 24 February; this day in 1918 was the first date of independence from Soviet Russia (20 August 1991 was the date of re-independence from the Soviet Union). Each 24 February, a grand ball is held by the president for the prominent and important members of society and foreign dignitaries. If you happen to be traveling in Tallinn on that particular day, make sure you get to witness the national flag raising ceremony at the Pikk Hermann Tower in the morning and admire the traditional military parade.
• Jaanipäev : St John's Day or Midsummer Day held on the night of 23–24 June. The evening of the 23rd and well into the morning of the 24th is celebrated with bonfires and a traditional festive menu concentrating on barbeques and drinking.
• Võidupüha (Victory Day) : 23 June is celebrated to commemorate the decisive victory over Baltic German forces in 1919 during the War of Independence.
• Taasiseseisvumispäev (Day of Restoration of Independence) : 20 August is celebrated about Estonia's separation from the Soviet Union and the country's restoration of independence in 1991.
• Christmas or Jõulud : Celebrated strictly as a family event.
• New Year's Eve : As a Soviet province, the authorities sought to promote the New Year holiday, as Christmas was all but forbidden for its alleged "religious" and "nationalist" character. After the restoration of independence, the significance of the New Year decreased, but it is still a day off and celebrated. This day is used by the leaders of the country to address the nation.

• Visit Estonia

Estonia is a member of the Schengen Agreement. See Travelling around the Schengen Area for more information on how the scheme works, which countries are members and what the requirements are for your nationality. In summary:

• There are normally no immigration controls between countries that have signed and implemented the treaty.
• There are usually identity checks before boarding international flights or boats entering the Schengen Area. Sometimes there are temporary border controls at land borders.
• A visa granted for any Schengen member is valid in all other countries that have signed and implemented the treaty.

Tallinn (TLL ^IATA) is Estonia's main international gateway. In addition to direct daily flights to/from all major Scandinavian (Stockholm Arlanda, Copenhagen Airport, and Oslo) and Baltic cities (Riga and Vilnius), there are direct flights from many major European hubs like London, Frankfurt Airport, Munich Airport, Brussels and Amsterdam Schiphol, and Warsaw. Eastward connections are from Kyiv (temporarily suspended). AirBaltic provides the majority of the service, with the rest being provided by Finnair, SAS, Lufthansa, LOT and others. Easyjet, Ryanair, and Wizzair provide low-cost options to Tallinn, albeit from far fewer places than most international airports in neighbouring countries.

Close proximity and excellent ferry services with Helsinki allow for combination of open-jaw air travel. Riga is only 2-3 hr bus ride from southern Estonia and may be another good option.

Other Estonian airports are mostly used for domestic services, although Tartu has a daily connection to Helsinki, whereas Pärnu and Kuressaare may have sporadic flights to Stockholm.

Good road connections are to the south (Via Baltica routing Tallinn-Riga-Kaunas-Warsaw) and east (Tallinn-Saint Petersburg, Tallinn-Pskov). Any car travel to Russia involves unpredictable delays at the border. The Narva/Ivangorod border crossing is notorious for its half-day-long queues, so use the southern crossing in Pechory whenever possible and pay special attention to the ticketing system that books you a place in the queue on the Estonian side. Baltic Sea ferries often also take cars.

Lots of good and cheap connections from Riga and Saint Petersburg to Tallinn. Long-distance service from Vilnius, Kaunas, Kaliningrad, and even Warsaw or Kyiv is also available. The most popular regular service provider is Luxexpress Group, others include Ecolines and FlixBus.

Since, the available bus companies might change over time, use bus comparison sites like this one: https://www.busradar.com

Ferry lines connect Tallinn with Sweden (Stockholm) and Finland (Helsinki, Mariehamn). Tallinn-Helsinki is one of the busiest sea routes in Europe and has daily 11 ferry crossings and 6-7 different fast-boat crossings (not during the winter) in each direction. Ferries are operated by Tallink, Viking Line and Eckerö Line. Ferry tickets can be as low as €19 for a single or return (usually the return is free if returning the same day; they want day cruisers who supposedly spend more on board).

Minor international ferry connections include Paldiski - Kapellskär (Sweden) and Paldiski - Hanko (Finland). They are operated by DFDS Seaways.

For information regarding entering Estonia with your own boat, visit State Port Register and the Estonian Maritime Administration webpage for Recreational Craft.

International train services between Tallinn on the one hand and Moscow and Saint Petersburg in Russia on the other have been suspended several times in the past. The Russian Railways (RZD) runs the connection Moscow-Tallinn (via St. Petersburg) with daily night trains. Trains depart from Moscow at 21:20 and arrive in Tallinn at 13.38. Services from Tallinn depart at 15:20 and arrive in Moscow at 09:32. As of 2023, the train service to Russia is suspended. The widely (and somewhat blatantly) advertised Riga-to-Tallinn train connection is anything but reasonable, because it makes a long detour and takes you nearly a whole day for a simple trip between the neighbouring Baltic capitals. However, local trains from northern Latvia to southern Estonia (connection in Valka/Valga) may be useful. Valka/Valga is also the only railway border crossing between Latvia and Estonia. The trains at the border crossing do not connect very well, so be prepared to spend a couple of hours there.

Estonia has a comprehensive bus network all over the country. Nearly every city can be accessed by a direct bus from Tallinn or Tartu. Other big cities have their own bus routes, such as Narva–Pärnu. Beside that, most of the towns and villages have regular bus connections to the nearby larger cities and towns. Smaller places are often only served in the morning or noon, and late afternoon (17:00/18:00). City connections generally operate up to 21:00. Make sure not to miss the last bus, or not to get stuck during daytime in a smaller town or village.

All connections are available online through Tpilet.ee (for long distance connections) and Peatus.ee (for short distances and local connections – enter/choose the exact station name to get meaningful results; e.g. "Tallinna bussijaam" and not "Tallinn"). Load a pilet.ee mobile app to buy local bus tickets. The websites and apps are mostly available in Estonian, English, and Russian. You can always buy tickets from the driver, except in Tallinn public transport.

You can also buy tickets for many connections online with Tpilet.ee or Tpilet bussipiletid app. Sometimes the mobile site does not show the purchase option, and you might want to switch your smartphone web browser to "Desktop mode". It is sometimes more preferable to buy a bus ticket online, especially with Simple Express or Eesti Buss buses. So check ahead, and if there is still time, buy right before the trip, or even in advance if you have a specific plan. This even applies to short distances, where instead of €2.50 the online price is €1.50 (or so) with Simple Express. If the purchase is not displayed with Tpilet.ee, check directly with Eesti Buss or Lux Express.

Nevertheless, tickets bought online are only cheaper with certain companies, like Simple Express, which also allows e-tickets on your mobile. For other companies, online tickets need to be printed and cannot be used on your mobile (like for Go Bus). But there are self-service terminals in the city bus terminal to print out such tickets. Some buses do not have power, in case you want to charge your phone (Simple Express has, Go Bus does not).

Regarding finding the right bus stop, especially for longer distances, buses do not go into each and every town but rather stop at the nearest point along the highway. These stops are denoted with "... tee", like "Loksa tee" instead of Loksa the town. Make sure you know where to enter and where to get off the bus, considering this. Also, an online search for a connection might not come up with any connection because you simple chose the wrong bus stops.

Estonia's train network does not cover the whole country. The quality of railway tracks and services is steadily improving, thanks to substantial EU funding. The old Soviet diesel machines have been replaced with modern European trains.

Since 2014 all domestic passenger rail operations have been taken over by Elron, whose website does offer timetables, journey planner and prices.

Tickets are sold on board. You can buy your ticket after boarding the train from the ticket machines in the train lobbies by paying by debit card (-10% off) or from the conductor. You can also buy them online, at major stations, or in one of the rare ticket machines, but this makes sense mostly for 1st class tickets that are limited in number and may be sold out. All ticket prices are discounted -10% when purchased from the Internet.

For first class numbered seats, you will need an advance ticket purchased online (other passengers can see your reservation by the red seat number instead of the green one above the seat on the edge of the hat rack). A standard fare (2nd class) ticket does not guarantee a seat at peak times (which are usually Friday and Sunday evenings).

Train connection and price information is also available through Peatus.ee.

Ticket prices are fairly low – 1st class travel from Tallinn to Tartu costs €12.60-15.00 one-way.

Most roads have two lanes, but some national highways (Tallinn-Tartu, Tallinn-Pärnu, Tallinn-Narva and Tallinn ring road) have 4 lanes in some segments (mainly closer to Tallinn). All national highways are of very good road quality (wide 1+1 roads with lane markings). The road quality on other roads varies. As of 2019, out of 16,600 km of highways in Estonia, 4,900 km were paved and another 3,600 km were chipsealed.

The speed limit is 90 km/h in the countryside and 50 km/h in cities, unless specified otherwise.

Only in summer is 110 km/h introduced on selected highways (generally dual carriageways with at least 2 lanes in each direction), and the scope is reconsidered every summer. Motorway signs are not present in winter.

Stationary speed cameras are frequent on major highways. Waze mobile app has a decent coverage of speed limits and stationary cameras, which is most helpful on long drives.

Unlike Russia and some other countries, urban areas are always marked with an "urban area" sign. Conversely, a road sign with a settlement name on blue blackground is not necessarily an indicator of an urban area.

Fines for exceeding the limit by 20 km/h is up to €120, for +21-40 km/h up to €400 and risk of license withdrawn; up to €1200 for more. Ignoring red traffic signal is up to €800. Violating the no-overtaking is up to €800.

Drunk driving is not tolerated and has hefty fines. Driving under the influence of alcohol is fined up to €800 for exceeding 0.2‰. Beware of drunk pedestrians, as they are not uncommon.

Lights must always be switched on. All passengers are expected to wear seat belts.

Parking should be paid for in the central areas of bigger cities. In central Tallinn paid parking applies 24/7. Parking is normally paid over phone, either in app (the most convenient method) or by a text message (may not be available on international phone numbers). There is a limited number of pay and display machines available. Prepare coins in advance, as credit cards and paper money are only accepted by parking machines in large indoor parkings, while breaking money can be difficult to find nearby.

Estonia has lots of car rental companies, and the level of English spoken by their representatives is generally very high. Rental is somewhat cheaper than in Western Europe. Smartphone app based car rental services include Bolt Drive and CityBee. ELMO Rent offers minute based car rental.

Driving in Estonia is fairly easy. Drivers are generally polite (with some exceptions so stay alert), and obeying speed limits and other traffic rules.

There isn't very much traffic on the Estonian highways compared to Western Europe or for example Poland. Traffic jams with minimal delays may occur in Tallinn during rush hours.

Taksod.net is a portal about taxis in Estonia.

Ride-hailing is popular in Estonia and the following are the most anticipated providers:

• Bolt. Popular in Estonia and includes many towns. (updated Jul 2020)
• Uber. Works only in the region in and around Tallinn. (updated Jul 2020)
• Forus Taxi (smartphone app)

Hitchhiking in Estonia is generally possible. Where in the past it was more common, people are quite reserved nowadays, especially when seeing tourists that they expect to only speak English, which middle aged or older Estonians may not understand.

Hence, success is very volatile. You might be lucky within 10 min, or you might just wait 1½ hr without anyone stopping, especially in remote areas with less traffic. Do not count on getting picked up eventually, but be sure to know when the last bus departs.

See also: Hitchhiking

Estonia has several domestic flights, mainly between the mainland and islands. Three of the islands have airports: Hiiumaa, Ruhnu & Kuressaare.

The international bicycle project BaltiCCycle may provide you with a lot of information and help.

Estonia has many picturesque 1-3 day hiking trails, like in and around the Lahemaa National Park. For reliable and comprehensive (offline) maps of these trails and full map information, consult OpenStreetMap, which is also used by this travel guide, and by many mobile Apps like OsmAnd (complex with many add-ons) and MAPS.ME (easy but limited).

1. Tallinn's Medieval Old Town, Tallinn, Architecture and History
2. Kadrioru Park, Tallinn, Architecture
3. Lahemaa National Park, North Estonia, Nature
4. Tartu Jaani (St. John's) Church, Tartu, Architecture
5. Pärnu Beach, Pärnu, Recreational
6. Lighthouses, Hiiumaa, Architecture
7. Narva Hermann Castle, Narva, Museum
8. The Kaali meteorite craters, Saaremaa, Nature
9. Setomaa, South Estonia, Culture
10. Otepää Winter Centre, Otepää, Sports

The Old Town of Tallinn is the most intact and best protected medieval city in Europe, and is Estonia's première attraction. Its unique value is its well-preserved (intact) medieval milieu and structure, which has been lost in most of the capitals of northern Europe. Since 1997, the Old Town has been on UNESCO's World Heritage list.

Living under the rule of Scandinavian kings, Russian empire and Teutonic Knights has left Estonia with unique and rich blend of historic landmarks. Over one thousand manors were built across Estonia from the 13th century onwards. Some of the manors have perished or fallen into ruins but a lot have been reconstructed and are favourite attractions with tourists. There are about 200 manor houses under state protection as architectural monuments and 100 in active use.

Estonia has over 1,500 islands. The nature is essentially untouched and offers quite a different beach experience with their remoter rustic feel. Most of the public beaches are sandy and the average water temperature is 18°C in summer. Inland waters and some shallow bays' waters are even warmer.

The largest island is Saaremaa with an intact and well-restored medieval castle in its only city, Kuressaare. Stone fences, thatched roofs, working windmills and home-made beer are all distinctive to Saaremaa. Hiiumaa, on the other hand, is well known for its lighthouses, unspoilt nature, the Hill of Crosses and the sense of humour of its inhabitants. Both islands have an airport and so can be quickly reached from Tallinn.

Other important islands include Kihnu, Ruhnu (with its "singing sand" beach), Muhu and Vormsi, each with its own unique characteristics. Most of the other tiny Estonian islands don't carry much cultural significance, but can be appealing for bird watching, canoeing, sailing or fishing etc.

In July and August, Pärnu, Estonia's summer capital, is the main attraction. The coastline itself has loads of untouched beaches and a tour from Narva-Jõesuu (in the east) towards Tallinn is great for exploring the coastline. Some of the well known places include Toila, Võsu, Käsmu and Kaberneeme.

The Tenet tour is a showcase of the sets of the 2020 film Tenet, most of them being in and around Tallinn.

Tickets for events can be bought online via Piletilevi.ee or the lately established [https://piletitasku.ee/en.

Estonia Tourism maintains a list of various events in Estonia.

• Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF). November/December. The festival combines a feature film festival with the sub-festivals of animated films, student films and children/youth films. 

• Tallinn Music Week, Tallinn. Spring. Showcase festival, aiming to stage the best and most outstanding Estonian talent on two nights in Tallinn's most vibrant live venues, as well as a networking event for the music industry professionals. 
• Tallinn International Festival Jazzkaar. April. In addition to Tallinn jazz concerts also take place in Tartu and Pärnu. 
• Tallinn Old Town Days, Tallinn. May/June. free. 
• The Estonian Song Celebration (In Estonian: Laulupidu), Tallinn. First held in 1869, takes place every five years. In 2009, 35,000 choral singers gathered to perform for an audience of 90,000 people. It is recognised by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. 
• Õllesummer Festival, Tallinn. July. Approx 70,000 people attend the festival each year over the course of 4 days. 
• Viljandi Folk Music Festival, Viljandi. July. The festival runs for 4 days on the last weekend in July. More than 100 concerts take place in Viljandi castle's ruins, churches, and other venues throughout Viljandi County. It is the largest annual music festival in Estonia. Each year the festival draws over 20,000 visitors. 
• Saaremaa Opera Days, Saaremaa. July. 
• Leigo Lake Music Festival, near Otepää. August. Open-air concerts are held in completely natural venues on the hilly landscapes of the Otepää highland. The musicians' stage is on an island in the lake, surrounded by thousands of listeners on the sloping shore. 
• Birgitta Festival, Tallinn. August. Music and theatre festival, held at the ruins of the historical Pirita (St. Bridget's) convent. 

• Simpel Session, Tallinn. Summer/Winter. International skateboarding and BMX event. 

• Medieval Days, Tallinn (in the Old Town), ☏ +372 660 4772, +372 518 7812 (Estonian Folk Art and Handicraft Union), +372 5364 8854 (Costume rental), info@folkart.ee. July. Come and experience the medieval atmosphere of the historic Hanseatic City! You can find workshops and market with traders, participate in tours and witness exciting tournaments. 

Estonia uses the euro, like several other European countries. One euro is divided into 100 cents. The official symbol for the euro is €, and its ISO code is EUR. There is no official symbol for the cent.

All banknotes and coins of this common currency are legal tender within all the countries, except that low-denomination coins (one and two cent) are phased out in some of them. The banknotes look the same across countries, while coins have a standard common design on the reverse, expressing the value, and a national country-specific design on the obverse. The obverse is also used for different designs of commemorative coins. The design of the obverse does not affect the coin's acceptability.

The Estonian kroon (EEK) ceased to be legal tender on 15 Jan 2011, but any kroons you have left over can be changed into euro at the Bank of Estonia at a fixed rate of 15.6466 kroon to €1.

ATMs and currency exchange offices (valuutavahetus) are widely available. You will get the best rates by exchanging only after arrival in Estonia. Avoid changing money in the airport or port as the rates are lower.

Credit cards and debit cards are accepted most of the time, exception are limited with parking machines and rural farms. Contactless payment with credit cards and debit cards are supported by half of card terminals in use.

Tipping has been common in Estonia only after the restoration of independence, and therefore isn't always requested. A 10% tip is usually added to the price in restaurants and taxi drivers often keep the change. Some restaurants and pubs have a jar or box on the counter labelled 'Tip' on it, where customers can put their change.

Estonia is overall much cheaper than Western Europe, but it is no longer the bargain it used to be in 1990s; in touristy areas (like Tallinn's Old Town), prices are comparable to those found in Germany and Scandinavia. It is still possible to spend less when you go off the beaten track.

Here are some prices of regular goods: 1 kg of apples – €0.80, regional dish in a café – €3-5, 30 km (19 mi) by bus – €2, hostel – €10+, local beer at the shop – €1.20. But when it comes to touristy places, suddenly prices sky-rocket: Rakvere Castle – €9, tour to National Park Lahemaa from Tallinn – €55, beer at a touristy bar – €3-4.5. Try to avoid this touristy ripoff – there is enough to see and do even without a big budget.

• Access to wireless, free internet is widespread in Tallinn and Tartu.
• On the open road you will often find petrol stations which offer wireless internet access too
• If you do not have a laptop, public libraries offer free computers
• The number of internet cafes is dropping but you will find several open almost all night in Tallinn and Tartu (expect to pay around €2-3 per hour)
• Most hotels also have a computer with internet access available
• The departure lounge at Tallinn airport has several free internet access points for passengers

• For local calls, dial the 7 or 8 digit number given. There is no "0" dialled before local numbers
• For international calls from Estonia, dial "00" then the country code and number
• For international calls to Estonia, dial "00" from most countries or consult your operator, the country code "372" and the 7 or 8 digit number
• For emergencies and police dial "112"

• "Everyone" has a mobile phone in Estonia
• To ring Estonia from abroad, dial +372 before the number
• Mobile access is available everywhere, even on the smaller islands and at sea
• Prepaid (pay-as-you-go) SIM cards and their top up cards can be bought from R-kiosks (ask for a "kõnekaart" - calling card in English). Popular brands are Super or Simpel on the Telia network, Zen on the Elisa network, or Smart/Tele2. Start-up packages are in a range of €1.55-10. 1GB is typically €1, cheaper in prepaid packages, but Tele2 goes even further by offering truly unlimited data for €20. Note that if you are continuing to another EU/EEA country after Estonia, all Estonian carriers have been exempted from "roam at home" and are thus allowed to charge extra for EU roaming. The only SIM with a surcharge-free roaming allowance in all of its data plans is Simpel. Super requires the Super X plan and charges by usage (€0.002 per MB per day capped at €1for 500MB), while Elisa/Zen and Tele2/Smart offer separate EU/EEA roaming add-ons (Elisa and Zen's EU/EEA roaming packages include the UK and Faroe Islands, which none of the other operators do).

• Within Estonia, the postage cost for a letter up to 250 g (8.8 oz) is €0.65. You can send a letter in a convenient way electronically in the e-service also, in case you have ID-card or Mobile-ID or contract with a Bank (Swedbank, SEB, Danske or Nordea).
• To other EU countries, Norway, Switzerland, Russia, Belarus and Ukraine the cost is €1.40 and to the rest of the world €1.50.
• Be sure to mark all air mail pieces with "Prioritaire/Par Avion" stickers available at the post office, or clearly print it on the mail if needed.
• Stamps are sold at post offices usually open during normal shopping hours, and also at news stands.
• Post offices open on Saturday but for shorter hours than during the week, and are closed on Sundays; locations and opening hours of post offices and parcel machines.

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