Practical Information
Time
Estonia is in the Eastern European time zone, two hours ahead of GMT.
Public Holidays
The majority of shops, banks and government offices are closed on public holidays. The most important public holidays are:
1 January - New Year's Day
24 February - Independence Day
March/April - Good Friday
1 May - May Day
May/June - Pentecost
23 June - Victory Day
24 June - St. John’s Day
20 August - Re-Independence Day
24 December - Christmas Eve
25 December - Christmas Day
26 December - Boxing Day
Currency
Estonia’s currency is called the kroon. It is abbreviated to EEK. Kroons are divided into cents: 1 kroon = 100 cents (senti).
The Estonian kroon is tied to the euro: 1 euro = 15.646 kroons (krooni).
Foreign currency is easily exchanged in banks and currency exchanges, as well as in larger hotels and when entering the country at the airport, at ports or at border crossings.
Credit Cards and Traveller’s Cheques
Visa and MasterCard/Eurocard are accepted in the majority of larger accommodation, catering and shopping establishments. When paying by card you are required to provide proof of identity.
The most widely accepted traveller’s cheques are Amex, Thomas Cook and Eurocheque.
Banking Hours
Estonia’s biggest banks are Hansapank and SEB, although various foreign banks also have branches and subsidiaries here.
Banks are open, as a rule, from Monday to Friday, 9.00 am to 4.00 pm. Many banks are closed on Saturdays and Sundays.
ATMs can be used round the clock and will take all recognised bankcards.
Post Offices
Post offices are open during normal working hours from Monday to Friday and on Saturdays.
Prices for sending letters and postcards vary according to destination, but these can be checked in any post office. Mail sent to somewhere inside Estonia will generally be delivered within a day, while to the other Baltic States and Scandinavia it can take from 1-3 days. It rarely takes more than a week for mail to reach countries further away.
Telephone Services
When calling Estonia you must first dial the country code, 372.
To phone out from Estonia, dial 00 + country code + telephone number.
You only need to dial the phone number when making local calls.
Phone cards can be bought from the majority of kiosks, shops, hotels and post offices.
Mobile phones and talk time should be purchased from reliable local operators such as EMT, Tele2 and Elisa.
You can use your own mobile in Estonia too, as the country’s leading operators have roaming agreements with most of the important foreign service providers.
Directory enquiries:
The Ekspress Hotline is an English-speaking information service serving all over Estonia. The number for the Hotline is: 1182 and homepage is www.1182.ee.
1188 Info is another information line available all over Estonia. The information lines can help you with phone numbers and addresses of companies and private persons. Dialling these short numbers is only possible within Estonia.
Safety
Estonia is generally a very safe destination for visitors. Still, it pays to be vigilant if you’re walking the streets alone at night, and you should keep an eye (or preferably a hand) on your purse or wallet and personal items when you’re in crowded areas.
Emergency Telephone
Emergency numbers in Estonia are free of charge regardless of the phone you’re calling from.
The number for ambulance and fire is 112.
Call for police assistance using the short number 110.
Insurance
Before coming to Estonia it is recommended that you take out travel and health insurance covering potential medical costs, theft and other such problems.
Entering the country at border crossings, you may be required to show that you have such insurance.
Medical Care
No vaccinations or medical certificates are required to enter Estonia. OverO-the-counter medicines are available from all chemists, but it is a good idea in any case to bring your own personal supplies with you for your time in Estonia.
Electrical Appliances
The electricity supply in Estonia is 220 volts AC, 50 Hz. European-style 2-pin plugs are in use.
Taxis
You should always take marked taxis and ask the driver for an approximate price before beginning your journey. The per-kilometre price in the majority of taxi companies is 6-7 kroons, added to the initial flag fall of 20-30 kroons.
It is a good idea to order a taxi, because the flag falls for taxis waiting on the street (particularly at night) can be as much as 100-150 kroons.
Value for money
Prices in Estonia in comparison with Scandinavia and Central Europe are relatively low. Your average lunch in a pub will set you back about 50 kroons, while in a restaurant you’ll likely pay upwards of 150-200 kroons. Fast food prices are in the 40-50 kroon bracket.
Beer (0.5 litres) generally costs around 30-50 kroons in Tallinn, with prices elsewhere in Estonia between 20-40 kroons.
Accommodation in budget hotels will run to between 300-600 kroons, with prices up to 3000 kroons in higher-class establishments.
Public transport ticket costs remain below the European average.
Tipping
A 10% tip is the norm in Estonian cafés and restaurants.