Travel Tips Estonia for planning and on the go

Communications

Post offices (postkontor) are open Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm and Saturday 9am to 3pm. Users of mobile phones from EU counties should find call and data charges no more expensive than at home. Those with non-EU phones should consult their provider about roaming charges, and consider buying a local SIM card plus top-up talk time. There are few internet cafés due to the proliferation of free wi-fi hotspots: free wi-fi is available in most cafés and restaurants, and in all accommodation options in this chapter.

Emergencies

Theft and street crime are at relatively low levels. The police (politsei) are mostly young and some speak English.

Emergency health care is free and, in Tallinn at least, emergency operators speak English.

Emergency numbers

Police t 110; Fire & ambulance t 112.

Information

Tourist offices can be useful for booking B&Bs and hotel rooms, as well as good-quality free maps; most bookshops also have good map sections. The In Your Pocket guides are excellent listings guides, available from tourist offices and kiosks for €2.50, or they can be downloaded free from their website.

Money and banks

The Estonian currency is the euro (€). Bank (pank) opening hours are Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm, with most also open on Saturday from 9am to 2pm. ATMs are widely available. Credit and debit cards can be used in most hotels, restaurants and stores, but outside urban areas cash is preferred.

Opening Hours and Holidays

Most shops open Monday to Friday 10am to 6pm and Saturday 10am to 3pm, but many larger ones stay open later and are also open on Sundays. Public holidays, when most shops and all banks are closed, are: January 1, February 24, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, May 1, Pentecost (50 days after Easter), June 23 and 24, August 20, December 24, 25 and 26.