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

  Useful country information

On other pages...

  Train service within Estonia

  Tallinn to Riga by train or bus

  Tallinn to St Petersburg & Moscow by train

  Tallinn to Helsinki by ferry

Route map:  UK to Scandinavia & Baltics by train & ferry

Useful country information

London to Tallinn

There are several options for travel between the UK and Estonia:

• 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, the take a train to Copenhagen and onwards train to Stockholm next day, 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.

• 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.

• 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

• 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, staying overnight in Brussels, taking 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.

• Day 3, sail from Stockholm to Tallinn by overnight ferry run by Tallink, sailing from Stockholm Värtahamnen terminal every 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

• Day 1, sail from Tallinn to Stockholm by daily Tallink cruise ferry, leaving Tallinn D-Terminal daily at 18:00 and arriving in Stockholm Värtahamnen at 10:15 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.

• 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?

• For fares between London & Stockholm, see the London to Sweden page.

• Stockholm to Tallinn by overnight ferry with bed in shared 4-berth cabin costs from €39 one-way.

How to buy tickets

• See the London to Sweden page for detailed step-by-step instructions on how to buy train tickets from London to Stockholm.

• Then book the Stockholm to Tallinn ferry at www.tallinksilja.com or use the Direct Ferries website.

• 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 at London St Pancras (45-minute minimum in Paris, Brussels & Amsterdam) as all border formalities are carried out before you board the train.  More information about Eurostar including check-in procedure.  St Pancras station guide.  Brussels Midi station guide & short cut for changing trains in Brussels.

A Eurostar e320 at St Pancras.  More about Eurostar.		Standard Premier/Business Premier.  Larger photo.

Standard class seats.  Larger photo.		One of two cafe-bars, in cars 8 & 9.  Larger photo.

2. Brussels to Cologne by ICE3...

Germany's superb ICEs have a bistro-restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  In 1st class, bistro 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 information about ICE3.  Brussels Midi station guide.  Cologne Hbf station guide.

An ICE3M to Cologne at Brussels Midi.  More information about ICE.  Advice on changing trains in Brussels.

2nd class seats on an ICE3M.  Larger photo.		1st class seats on an ICE3M.  Larger photo.

Proper china & metal cutlery.  I recommend the Erdinger Weissbier! See  current month's menu.		Restaurant car:  This is the small 12-seat restaurant on an ICE3M...  Larger photo.

3. Cologne to Hamburg by Intercity train...

Germany Intercity trains travel at up to 200km/h (120mph), with power sockets at all seats and a bistro car serving tea, coffee, wine, beer, snacks and hot dishes.  On the Cologne to Hamburg route you'll find some departures are operated by high-speed ICEs (usually ICE1) rather than Intercity trains, although the ICEs are no faster than ICs on this section of line.  More information about Intercity trains.  Hamburg Hbf station guide.

A German Intercity train.  More information about Intercity trains.

Dinner in the bistro.  The beef ribs were delicious...		Bistro car.  See current month's menu...

2nd class seating is usually in open-plan saloons like this, most seats unidirectional, but with some tables for 4.  Sometimes you'll find 2nd class compartment cars with side corridor and ten 6-seat compartments  Larger photo.

4. Hamburg to Copenhagen by Intercity train

Hamburg-Copenhagen trains are operated by Danish IC3 trains like this, shown in the timetable as IC for Intercity.  See more photos, tips & information about the Hamburg to Copenhagen journey.  Copenhagen station guide.

An IC3 Intercity train at Copenhagen.  More information about the Hamburg-Copenhagen journey.

2nd class seats on a IC3 train.  Larger photo.		1st class seats on an IC3 train.  Larger photo.

Crossing the Little Belt (Lillebælt in Danish) from Jutland (mainland Denmark) to Funen, the island on which Odense is located.

5. Copenhagen to Stockholm by X2000. 

These Swedish 200km/h (125mph) tilting trains link Copenhagen & Stockholm in just a few hours, centre to centre.  They cross from Denmark to Sweden over the Oresund Link, a combined tunnel and bridge.  On the bridge section you seem to be flying just feet above the water. More information about X2000.

Copenhagen to Stockholm by tilting 200km/h X2000, seen at Stockholm Central.  More about X2000 trains.

1st class on an X2000.  Larger photo.		2nd class on an X2000.  Larger photo.

Bistro seating on an X2000 train. Larger photo.		Bistro on an X2000 train. Larger photo.

Crossing the impressive Öresund bridge from Denmark to Sweden...

6. Then cruise overnight from Stockholm to Tallinn by Tallink ferry.

The ferry Baltic Queen sails from Stockholm to Tallinn.  Photo courtesy of Tallink.		A cabin on the Baltic Queen.  Photo courtesy of Tallink.

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Option 2:  London to Tallinn via Rostock-Helsinki ferry

• See the Finland page for details of journeys from London to Helsinki via the Finnlines ferry from Rostock to Helsinki.

• Then take any of the regular ferries from Helsinki to Tallinn.  Operators include www.tallinksilja.com and www.vikingline.fi, Helsinki to Tallinn is a 2 hour crossing and costs around €29.

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Option 3:  London to Tallinn via Berlin, Warsaw, Vilnius, Riga

• This is the all-overland option, London to Tallinn via Brussels, Berlin, Warsaw, Vilnius and Riga.

• Days 1-3, see the London to Lithuania page for information on the journey from London to Vilnius

  It's possible to leave London in the early evening on Day 1, staying overnight in Berlin & Warsaw, reaching Vilnius early evening on Day 3.

• Day 4, it's then possible to go from Vilnius to Riga and Riga to Tallinn by bus in a day, check times & buy tickets at Omio.com.

  Or see the Vilnius to Riga by train page and the Riga to Tallinn by train page.

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Train travel within Estonia

• See the Trains & ferries from Tallinn page...

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Moving on from Estonia

• See the Tallinn to Riga page for travel from Tallinn to St Petersburg, Moscow, Helsinki, Stockholm, Riga or Vilnius...

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European Rail Timetable & maps

The European Rail Timetable (formerly the Thomas Cook European Timetable) has train & ferry times for every country in Europe plus currency & climate information.  It is essential for regular European train travellers and an inspiration for armchair travellers.  Published since 1873, it had just celebrated 140 years of publication when Thomas Cook decided to pull the plug on their entire publishing department, but the dedicated ex-Thomas Cook team set up a private venture and resumed publication of the famous European Rail Timetable in March 2014.  You can buy it online at www.amazon.co.uk (UK addresses) or www.europeanrailtimetable.eu (shipping worldwide).  More information on what the European Rail Timetable contains.

Rail Map Europe is the map I recommend, covering all of Europe from Portugal in the west to Moscow & Istanbul in the east, Finland in the north to Sicily & Athens in the south.  Scenic routes & high-speed lines are highlighted.  See an extract from the map.  Buy online at www.europeanrailtimetable.eu (shipping worldwide) or at www.amazon.co.uk (UK addresses).

make sure you invest in a good guidebook.  For the serious independent traveller this means either the Lonely Planet or the Rough Guide.  Both books provide a similarly excellent level of practical detail and cultural and historical background.  You won't regret buying one..! 

Click the images to buy online at Amazon.co.uk...

My own book, an essential handbook for train travel to Europe based on this website called "The Man in Seat 61", was published in June 2008, and is available from Amazon with shipping worldwide.

Find hotels in Tallinn

Backpacker hostels...

www.hostelworld.com:  If you're on a tight budget, don't forget about backpacker hostels.  Hostelworld offers online booking of cheap private rooms or dorm beds in backpacker hostels in Paris and most other European cities at rock-bottom prices.

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Travel insurance & VPN

Always take out travel insurance...

You should take out travel insurance with at least £1m or preferably £5m medical cover from a reliable insurer.  It should cover trip cancellation and loss of cash & belongings up to a reasonable limit.  These days, check you're covered for covid-19-related issues, and use an insurer whose cover isn't invalidated by well-meant but excessive Foreign Office travel advice against non-essential travel. An annual policy is usually cheapest even for just 2 or 3 trips a year, I use an annual policy myself.  Don't expect travel insurance to bail you out of every missed connection, see the advice on missed connections here.  Here are some suggested insurers, I get a little commission if you buy through these links, feedback always welcome.

  www.staysure.co.uk offers enhanced Covid-19 protection.

  You can use www.confused.com to compare prices & policy features across major insurance companies.

  If you live in the USA try Travel Guard USA.

Curve card saves foreign transaction fees...

Banks often give a poor exchange rate, then charge a currency conversion fee as well.  A Curve MasterCard means no foreign transaction fees and gives you the mid-market exchange rate, at least up to a certain limit, £500 per month as I write this.  The balance goes straight onto one of your existing debit or credit cards.  And you can get a Curve card for free.

How it works:  1. Download the app for iPhone or Android.  2. Enter your details & they'll send you a Curve MasterCard - they send to most European addresses including the UK.  3. Link your existing credit & debit cards to the app.  4. Now use the Curve MasterCard to buy things online or in person or take cash from ATMs, just like a normal MasterCard. Curve does the currency conversion and puts the balance onto whichever of your debit or credit cards you choose.  You can even change your mind about which card it goes onto, within 14 days of the transaction.

I use a Curve Blue card myself - I get a little commission if you sign up to Curve, but I'm recommending it here because I think it's great.  See details, download the app and get a Curve card - they'll give you £5 cashback through that link, too.

Get a VPN for safe browsing.  VPNs & why you need one explained...

When you're travelling you often use free WiFi in public places which may not be secure.  A VPN means your connection to the internet is encrypted & always secure, even using unsecured WiFi.  In countries such as China where access to Twitter & Facebook is restricted, a VPN gets around these restrictions.  And lastly, you can select the geographic location of the IP address you browse with, to get around geographic restrictions which some websites apply - for example one booking site charges a booking fee to non-European visitors but none to European visitors, so if you're not located in Europe you can avoid this fee by browsing with a UK IP address using a VPN.  VPNs & why you need one explained.  ExpressVPN is a best buy and I use it myself - I've signed up as an ExpressVPN affiliate, and if you go with expressvpn.com using the links on this page, you should see a special deal, 3 months free with an annual subscription, and I get a small commission to help support this site.

Carry an Anker powerbank...

With tickets, reservations, vaccination records and Interrail or Eurail passes now often held digitally on your mobile phone, it's vital to keep it charged.  I recommend carrying an Anker powerbank which can recharge your phone several times over if you can't get to a power outlet when you're on the move.  I never travel without one.

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