Public Transport in Tallinn

If you’re planning a trip to Tallinn, the capital city of Estonia, getting around the city can be easy with the city’s efficient public transport system. With several modes of transport available, including buses, trams, trolleys, and trains, you can explore the city easily and at an affordable cost.

Public transport card system – The Green Card

At the beginning of 2013, Tallinn was the EU’s first capital to provide its citizens with free public transport. More than 1 Million Green Cards are activated by now to use the Tallinn public transport or other integrated services. Although we were not citizens, we also used the Green Card to move around Tallinn.

Where to buy the Green Card 

If you are arriving by plane as we did, you can buy the card directly at the airport at the Kiosk stand. The lady will sell it to you with ease. You have two options for buying it – with credit or a specific number of days you want (like 24-hour, 48-hours, etc.).

We recommend getting credit on your card as this is the cheapest option. The day passes are overpriced, and you can waddle everywhere in Tallinn most of the time. The deposit for the card is 2 € which you will get back when you return the card.
We charged our cards (bought two) and on each card both a credit for 10 €. We were in Tallinn for four days, and the credit was enough. We didn’t even manage to use it all. When we returned our card (at the airport, the same place we bought it), they returned the deposit and what was left of the credit.

Further away from the Kiosk, there are also machines where you can buy individual tickets, but not the Green Card.

Ticket Prices

You can buy the following hour and day tickets for Tallinn’s public transport network:  

• One-hour ticket (60 min): 1.50€ 
• One-day ticket (24h): 4.50€ 
• Three-day ticket (72h): 7.50€ 
• Five-day ticket (120h): 9€ 
• 30-day ticket: 30€ 
• Tallinn Card (includes free entries to museums and sights) (24h/48h/72h): 16€ – 64€  

As mentioned, we had credit on our transport cards, and each journey we took cost us 1.50€.

How to use the Green Card 

It is very straightforward to use it. As you enter a public transport vehicle, find the orange validator and put the card against it. The credit will be deducted from the card, and you can see how much you have left on the validator.

The ticket system works on a random-inspection basis: you don’t have to show anything to the driver. Remember to validate each entry at one of the orange validators (or risk a €40 fine). It is not necessary to re-validate your ticket when exiting the vehicle.

The App for Tickets

If you want to buy only tickets and know you will use the card less, you can also download their app – Tallinna Transport. 

It’s easy to use, and you can buy one-use tickets, check the schedule, etc. 

Free travel

The following passengers can travel for free in Tallinn: 

• Children under seven years old
• Passengers traveling with children under the age of three (applicable to one adult per child)
• Registered Tallinn residents (using a personalized Ühiskaart and carrying an ID).
• Penguins. 

What kind of public transport is available in Tallinn?

One of the most popular modes of public transport in Tallinn is the city’s network of buses. The bus system covers almost every part of the city and offers a convenient and affordable way to travel. The buses are clean and comfortable and frequently run throughout the day and night, making it easy to get around the city at any time.

Another option for getting around Tallinn is the tram system. Tallinn has an extensive tram network that connects different parts of the city. The trams are modern and offer a comfortable ride. They also run frequently throughout the day. And you can even take a tram from the airport to the city, which takes about 20 minutes.

In conclusion, the city’s efficient public transport system makes getting around Tallinn easy and affordable. Whether you travel by bus, tram, trolley, or train, you can easily explore the city cheaply. And as mentioned, the city can be explored on foot.

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