The old city walls, Tallinn. |
UK to Estonia without flying
There's no need to fly to reach Estonia. You can travel to Estonia by train+ferry via Copenhagen & Stockholm, or by Eurostar and connecting trains to Rostock in Germany then cruise ferry to Helsinki and on to Tallinn, or overland all the way by train+bus via Brussels, Berlin, Warsaw, Vilnius & Riga. The journey from London to Tallinn takes 3 nights, and is a great adventure with lots to see on the way.
London to Tallinn - what are the options?
London to Tallinn via Copenhagen & Stockholm
London to Tallinn via Rostock & Helsinki
London to Tallinn via Berlin, Warsaw, Vilnius
On other pages
Tallinn to Riga by train or bus
Tallinn to St Petersburg & Moscow by train
Useful country information
London to Tallinn
There are several options for travel between the UK and Estonia:
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Option 1, by Eurostar & onward trains to Hamburg, train to Stockholm, ferry to Tallinn. Take Eurostar & connecting trains to Hamburg on day 1, stay overnight, then take a train to Copenhagen and onwards train to Stockholm on day 2. Enjoy a night & day in Stockholm, then take the overnight Tallink ferry from Stockholm to Tallinn arriving in the morning of day 4. This takes 3 nights, including a night & day in Stockholm. Runs daily. Times, fares, information for this option.
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Option 2, by Eurostar & onwards trains to Rostock in Germany, ferry Rostock to Helsinki & ferry Helsinki to Tallinn. This is a straightforward and comfortable option, shown in dark blue on the map above. You take Eurostar & onward trains to Rostock, then a Finnlines ferry from Rostock or Travemünde to Helsinki and another ferry on to Tallinn. The whole trip takes 3 nights. Times, fares, information for this option.
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Option 3, overland all the way by train & bus via Brussels, Berlin, Warsaw, Vilnius & Riga. This involves long bus journeys in parts of the Baltic states where there are now no trains, and one or two overnight hotel stops making it the longest journey, at least 4 nights. But you get to see a lot on the way. Information for this option.
Option 1: London to Tallinn via Copenhagen & Stockholm
The journey takes 3 nights, with a night and day to explore in Stockholm. Departures are daily. On the route map above it's the red line from London to Stockholm, then the pale blue dotted line to Tallinn.
London ► Tallinn
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Days 1-3, travel from London St Pancras to Stockholm as shown on the Sweden page.
You can leave London on any afternoon or evening Eurostar you like on Day 1, stay overnight in Brussels, take daytime trains to Hamburg on Day 2 then the SJ EuroNight sleeper to Stockholm, arriving in the morning of Day 3. Or use any other option shown on that page.
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Day 3, sail from Stockholm to Tallinn by overnight ferry run by Tallink, sailing from Stockholm Värtahamnen terminal every second day at 17:30, arriving in Tallinn at 10:45 next morning (day 4 from London).
A range of comfortable en suite cabins is available. You can check sailing dates, times & fares at www.tallinksilja.com.
To reach the Värtahamnen terminal in Stockholm, take a transfer bus from the Cityterminal (the bus station next to Stockholm Central Station). Buses leave at 14:45 and 15:50 to connect with the ship (check these times with Tallink). Alternatively, the Värtahamnen terminal is an easy well-signed 1km 12-minute walk from Gärdet metro station. A taxi from Central Station to the terminal will cost about £20. Map of Tallinn showing ferry terminal.
Tallinn ► London
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Day 1, sail from Tallinn to Stockholm by Tallink cruise ferry, leaving Tallinn D-Terminal every second day at 18:00 and arriving in Stockholm Värtahamnen at 10:30 next morning (day 2).
A range of comfortable cabins is available. You can check sailing dates, times and fares at www.tallinksilja.com.
In Stockholm, take a taxi from the port to central station or walk 550m to Gärdet metro station for the metro to Central Station. Enjoy a few hours in Stockholm. You now have the rest of day 2 free to explore Stockholm.
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Day 2 & 3, travel from Stockholm to London as shown on the Sweden page, leaving Stockholm in the early evening on the SJ EuroNight sleeper to Hamburg then taking daytime trains to Brussels & London arriving in the evening of Day 3.
How much does it cost?
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For fares between London & Stockholm, see the London to Sweden page.
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Stockholm to Tallinn by overnight ferry with bed in shared 4-berth cabin costs from €39 one-way.
How to buy tickets
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See the London to Sweden page for detailed step-by-step instructions on how to buy train tickets from London to Stockholm.
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Then book the Stockholm to Tallinn ferry at www.tallinksilja.com or use the Direct Ferries website.
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Tips for using www.tallinksilja.com: If you want the cheapest option, one bed in shared 4-berth or 2-berth cabins, you'll need to open the 'shared places' section when the cabin choice page appears. (1/4) means 1 berth in a 4-berth cabin. You'll be offered lots of optional meals and hotels, just click through unless you want to pre-book dinner and breakfast on board - not a bad idea! You'll be issued a self-print ticket.
What's the journey like?
1. London to Brussels by Eurostar
Eurostar trains link London & Brussels in just 2 hours, travelling at up to 300 km/h (186 mph). There are two bar cars, power sockets at all seats and free WiFi. Standard Premier and Business Premier fares include a light meal with wine (or breakfast, on departures before 11:00). There's a 30-minute minimum check-in as all border formalities are carried out before you board the train. More about Eurostar & check-in procedure. St Pancras station guide. Brussels Midi station guide & short cut for changing trains in Brussels.
2. Brussels to Cologne by ICE3
Germany's superb ICEs have a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. In 1st class, food & drink orders are taken at your seat. 50 minutes after leaving Brussels the ICE calls at Liège, where you can admire the impressive station designed by celebrity architect Santiago Calatrava. As you approach Cologne Hbf you'll see the twin towers of Cologne Cathedral on the right, next to the station. More about ICE3 trains. Brussels Midi station guide. Cologne Hbf station guide.
3. Cologne to Hamburg by ICE4
ICE4s have a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, and are capable of 265 km/h (165 mph). Immediately after leaving Cologne Hbf, Cologne-Hamburg trains cross the Hohenzollern bridge over the Rhine, then pass through the industrial Ruhr. More about ICE trains. Hamburg Hbf station guide.