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.

Train times, fares, tickets & information...

London to Tallinn - a summary of the options

London to Tallinn via Cologne, Copenhagen & Stockholm

London to Tallinn via Harwich, Esbjerg & Stockholm

London to Tallinn via Berlin, Rostock, Helsinki

London to Tallinn overland by train & bus via Warsaw

Train service within Estonia

Tallinn to Riga by train or bus

Tallinn to Moscow by train

Tallinn to St Petersburg by train or bus

Useful country information

Sponsored links...

Route map:  London to Scandinavia, Estonia & Latvia by train & ferry...

Useful country information

London to Tallinn

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

• By Eurostar, sleeper train to Copenhagen, train to Stockholm & ferry to Tallinn.  Take Eurostar to Brussels, a sleeper train to Copenhagen & train to Stockholm (all shown in red on the map above), then the overnight Tallink ferry from Stockholm to Tallinn.  This takes 3 nights outward (including a night & day in Stockholm, but only 2 nights on the return.  Runs daily.  Times, fares, information for this option.

• By DFDS ferry to Denmark, train to Stockholm, then ferry to Tallinn.  Take the 3 times a week DFDS Seaways cruise ferry from Harwich to Esbjerg & train to Copenhagen (shown in yellow on the map above), overnight train to Stockholm (shown in red), then the overnight Tallink cruise ferry from Stockholm to Tallinn (shown in pale blue).  This takes 3 nights, including a day exploring wonderful Stockholm.  Times, fares, information for this option.

• By Eurostar, sleeper train to Germany, then ferry to Helsinki & on to Tallinn.  This is a straightforward and comfortable option, shown in dark blue on the map above.  You take Eurostar to Paris, the overnight sleeper to Berlin and connecting train to Rostock, then a Finnlines ferry from Rostock or Travemünde to Helsinki and another ferry on to Tallinn.  The whole trip takes 3 nights, which includes a day spent exploring Berlin.  Times, fares, information for this option.

• Overland all the way by train and bus via Brussels, Berlin, Warsaw, Vilnius and 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 by Eurostar & sleeper via Copenhagen & Stockholm

The outward journey takes 3 nights, with a night and day to explore in Stockholm.  Departures are daily.  The return leg is faster, only taking 2 nights from Tallinn to London.  On the route map above it's the red line from London to Stockholm, then the pale blue dotted line to Tallinn.

London ► Tallinn

• Travel from London St Pancras to Stockholm as shown on the Sweden page, taking a lunchtime Eurostar to Brussels on day 1, connecting train to Cologne, the overnight City Night Line sleeper train Borealis to Copenhagen, and a daytime X2000 high-speed train from Copenhagen to Stockholm, arriving around 17:30 on day 2.  This is just too late to make that evening's overnight ferry to Tallinn, so spend the night and day 3 in Stockholm.

• Day 3, sail from Stockholm to Tallinn overnight by luxurious cruise ferry with Tallink.  Tallink's ferries sail from Stockholm Värtahamnen terminal every day at 17:45, arriving in Tallinn at 10:45 next morning (day 4 from London), with a range of comfortable en suite cabins.  You can check sailing dates, times and 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 (please check these times with Tallink).  Alternatively, the Värtahamnen terminal is an easy 550 metre walk from Gärdet metro station.  A taxi from Central Station to the terminal will cost about £15.  Map of Tallinn showing ferry terminal.

Tallinn ► London

• Day 1, sail from Tallinn to Stockholm on the daily Tallink cruise ferry, leaving Tallinn D-Terminal daily at 18:00 and arriving in Stockholm Värtahamnen at 10:00 next morning.  A range of comfortable cabins is available.  In Stockholm, take a taxi from the port to central station.

• Day 2, travel from Stockholm to London as shown on the Sweden page, leaving Stockholm daily except Saturdays at 12:14 on an X2000 high-speed train to Copenhagen, the overnight City Night Line sleeper train Borealis from Copenhagen to Cologne, a high-speed train to Brussels & Eurostar back to London, arriving in London St Pancras at either 11:57 or 14:03 on day 3.  It's a tight connection in Stockholm, you may prefer to spend the day and night there.

How much does it cost?

• London to Stockholm by train starts at €138 one-way including a couchette, see the London to Sweden page for full details.

• 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 online at www.tallinksilja.com or use the Seat61 Ferry Shop.

• Tips for using www.tallinksilja.com:  Underneath 'Book a trip' click 'International (English)'.  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.

Introducing the City Night Line sleeper train Borealis from Cologne to Copenhagen...

The Cologne to Copenhagen overnight train is one of the German Railway's excellent City Night Line sleeper trains with a choice of sleepers, couchettes & seats.  The modern Comfortline sleeping-car offers proper beds in 1, 2 or 3-berth deluxe compartments with shower & toilet, or 1, 2 or 3-berth economy compartments with washbasin.  All sleepers have power-points for laptop computers, hotel-style cardkey locks, and there is a shower at the end of the corridor.  The air-conditioned couchette car offers simple flat padded berths with a rug & pillow in shared 4 & 6-berth compartments.  There are also ordinary seats in 6-seater compartments, but you should always book a couchette.  A bistro car is attached between Hamburg and Copenhagen in both directions.  The train actually starts its journey in Amsterdam.  More pictures & information about this City Night Line train. 

Dinner in Cologne before you board?  For a traditional German meal in Cologne before boarding your sleeper, try the Brauhaus Sion (www.brauhaus-sion.de), 5 minutes walk from Cologne hauptbahnhof, or the Malzmuehle restaurant (www.muehlenkoelsch.de), 10-15 minutes walk from Cologne Hauptbahnhof, or there's a restaurant inside the Hauptbahnhof itself at the Schweinske, www.schweinske.de.  Feedback is always appreciated!

1, 2 or 3 bed sleeper: The most comfortable option, economy with washbasin or deluxe with shower & toilet.		4-berth couchettes:  Ideal for families, much more space per person than 6-berth couchettes.		6-berth couchettes:  The budget option, far more comfortable than a seat for just a few euros more...		A Comfortline sleeping-car on the Cologne-Copenhagen City Night Line sleeper train Borealis. More pictures & information about City Night Line

... and the 125mph X2000 trains from Copenhagen to Stockholm.

An X2000 train from Copenhagen to Stockholm, at Copenhagen station....		2nd class seating on the X2000.  All seats have power sockets for laptops & mobiles...		Self-service buffet car on the X2000.  More information about X2000 trains

...Then cruise overnight from Stockholm to Tallinn aboard the 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.

Option 2:  London to Tallinn by ferry to Denmark, train to Stockholm, then ferry...

This is a comfortable and leisurely option, with departures 3 times a week (4 times a week in summer).  It takes 3 nights in either direction.  If you'd prefer less sea travel or need a daily departure, see option 1.  On the map above, it's the yellow route to Copenhagen, the red line on to Stockholm & dotted pale blue ferry to Tallinn.

London ► Tallinn

Tallinn ► London

• Day 1, sail from Tallinn to Stockholm on the daily Tallink cruise ferry, leaving Tallinn daily at 18:00 and arriving in Stockholm Värtahamnen at 10:00 next morning.  A range of comfortable cabins is available.  Left luggage lockers are available at the port and station.  Spend day 2 exploring Stockholm.

• Day 2, travel from Stockholm to Copenhagen overnight, leaving Stockholm daily except Saturdays at 22:23 by sleeper train and arriving Malmö Central at 06:17 next morning.  A connecting local Öresund link train leaves Malmö every 20 minutes, with one at 06:42 arriving Copenhagen at 07:16.  The sleeper train has seats, couchettes (6 bunk) and sleepers (1 & 2 bed compartments).  Alternatively, on Mondays-Saturdays there is a X2000 high-speed tilting train leaving Stockholm at 05:55 (06:14 Saturdays) arriving Copenhagen at 10:40 (11:23 Saturdays), allowing you to spend the night in Stockholm and travel next day (day 3) to make a same-day connection to Esbjerg for the ferry to England.  Check times and days of running at http://bahn.hafas.de.

• Day 3, travel from Copenhagen to Esbjerg by modern air-conditioned InterCity train, leaving Copenhagen at 12:28 and arriving Esbjerg at 15:26.  You can check times at http://bahn.hafas.de.  Take a bus or taxi to the ferry terminal, bus number 5 runs from the station to the port every 20 minutes.

• Day 3 evening, sail from Esbjerg to Harwich aboard DFDS Dana Sirena, leaving Esbjerg ferry terminal at 18:45 on Tuesdays & 17:15 on Saturdays (also 18:45 on Thursdays in summer), arriving Harwich at either 11:30 (on Sundays) or 12:00 (other days) next day.  Sailings may be increased to every second day in June, July & August.  See www.dfds.co.uk for sailing dates.

• Day 4, travel from Harwich to London by train, leaving Harwich at 12:33, changing trains at Manningtree and arriving London Liverpool Street at 13:55.  The train service runs hourly, you can check times at www.nationalrail.co.uk.

On board DFDS Seaways Dana Sirena from Harwich to Esbjerg...

The Dana Sirena is a modern and well-run ship, built in 2002.  All passengers travel in cabins, and all cabins have a private shower & toilet.  Facilities on board include the 7 Seas buffet restaurant, the Blue Riband à la carte restaurant, Café Lighthouse (with WiFi access for laptops), Columbus Lounge, and shop. The ship is child-friendly, with children's play area, child restraints for cabin berths available from reception, and highchairs available in all restaurants and lounges.  Cabins come in three classes:

• Seaways class: 1-6 berths with private shower and toilet;

• Sirena class: 1 or 2 berth with private shower and toilet, TV (BBC World, BBC Prime), complimentary minibar, breakfast included;

• Commodore Deluxe: Hotel-style rooms with double bed or two single beds, TV (BBC Prime, BBC World), small sitting area, private shower and toilet.  Commodore cabins are on their own deck with exclusive access to the Commodore Lounge which has sea views, complimentary tea, coffee, snacks, beer and (in the evening) free wine and spirits, PC with internet access and WiFi access if you have your own laptop.  Commodore Deluxe is like travelling to Denmark aboard a floating hotel, highly recommended!

Crossing the North Sea aboard the Dana Sirena...		Commodore class cabin with double bed.		Sirena class cabin.

The exclusive Commodore Class lounge, with complimentary tea, coffee, wines & spirits.  If you can afford Commodore, you won't regret it!		The Dana Sirena's restaurant for dinner, available to all passengers.  A world away from the budget airline experience...		A lazy day at sea...

On board the Tallink ferry from Stockholm to Tallinn...

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

How much does it cost?

• London to Harwich by train starts at just £8 each way if you pre-book a cheap Advance ticket (no refunds, only valid on the specific train you book at these prices).  If you buy tickets at the station on the day of travel, the cost is £33.80 for an Off-Peak 1 month return, or £30 one-way.  No reservation is necessary with these fares, you just turn up, buy a ticket, and hop on the next train.

• Harwich to Esbjerg by ferry starts at around £144 one-way for two people sharing a 2-bed inside cabin with private toilet and shower (= £72 each) or £144 one-way for one person with sole use of a cabin.  To check sailing dates, times and fares for different types of cabin, visit www.dfds.co.uk.  DFDS Seaways has an airline-style pricing system so prices vary, book early and avoid peak times to get the cheapest fares.  Children under 16 travel at reduced fare.  Unfortunately, DFDS won't now let solo passengers share cabins, the whole cabin must be booked.

• Esbjerg to Copenhagen by intercity train costs 358 Kr (£43) one way, 716 Kr (£86) return for adults, or 179 Kr (£21) each way for children, 269 Kr for seniors over 65.  Advance reservation is possible but not necessary, tickets can be bought at the station on the day and you can just hop on.  You can check fares at www.dsb.dk (Danish Railways), but only on the Danish version.

• Copenhagen to Stockholm by sleeper train costs around SEK 560-860 (£56-£86) each way per person travelling in 6-bunk couchettes, or SEK 955-1610 (£95-£160) each way per person travelling in a 2-bed sleeper, booked online at www.sj.se.  The price varies, book ahead for the cheapest rates.

• Stockholm to Tallinn by ferry:  The fare depends on cabin type and season.  Fares start at around £30 one way, £60 return.  Check fares and book online at www.tallink.ee.

How to buy tickets

• Step 1:  Buy your Harwich-Esbjerg ferry tickets online at www.dfds.co.uk (no booking fee) or by calling DFDS Seaways on 0871 522 9955, although there's a £20 fee for phone bookings.  Phone lines are open 09:00-17:30 Mondays-Fridays, 09:00-17:00 Saturdays, closed Sundays.

• You can buy your London-Harwich & Esbjerg-Copenhagen train tickets at the station on the day of travel.  No reservation is necessary, and there's no price advantage in buying tickets in advance.  But if you want to save queuing at the ticket office, you can buy the London-Harwich ticket online at www.nationalrail.co.uk and the Esbjerg-Copenhagen ticket (with seat reservation) at www.dsb.dk, the Danish Railways website.  This is in Danish, but it's not difficult to work out how to use it if you're familiar with the way such booking systems work.  You pay by credit card then print out your own ticket.  remember that Copenhagen in Danish is 'Kobenhavn'.  Alternatively, if you book by phone, DFDS can add both UK and Esbjerg-Copenhagen tickets to your ferry fare, including making a seat reservation on the Esbjerg-Copenhagen train.  Ask DFDS about special cheap train fares from other UK stations to Harwich, too.

• Step 2:  Buy the Copenhagen-Malmö-Stockholm sleeper tickets online at either www.sj.se (no booking fee, see this step-by-step advice on using it) or www.bokatag.se (English button is bottom right, booking fee added, accepts all credit cards through 3-D secure system, you may have to fake a Swedish phone number).  If you have any problems booking Copenhagen to Stockholm inn one go, split the journey into Malmö-Stockholm & Copenhagen-Malmö.  If you can't get your credit card to work, call SJ telesales on +46 771 75 75 75 (touch tone 6 for English).  Bookings open 90 days before departure.  Using either www.sj.se or www.bokatag.se (or SJ telesales) you pay online and collect tickets from the Swedish Railways (SJ) ticket machines installed at Copenhagen main station or any Swedish station including Stockholm or Malmö or you can be emailed a 'print your own' ticket in .pdf format.  This is the cheapest option as there are no booking fees.

• Step 3:  Buy the Stockholm-Tallinn ferry tickets online at www.tallink.ee.

Option 3:  London to Tallinn by sleeper to Germany and ferry to Helsinki...

• See the Finland page for full details of journeys from London 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.

Option 4:  London to Tallinn overland via Brussels - Berlin - Warsaw - Vilnius - Riga:

The overland option from London to Tallinn via Brussels, Berlin, Warsaw, Vilnius and Riga takes about 4½ days.  It can only be booked from the UK as far as Warsaw, where you will need to buy a ticket for Vilnius, then you will need to re-book again in Vilnius for the bus or train to Riga and in Riga for the bus to Tallinn.  See the London to Latvia page for information on the journey from London as far as Riga.  Riga and Tallinn are linked by regular buses, taking 4½ hours and costing between €16 & €27, see www.luxexpress.eu for times & fares.  You can also use local trains between Riga & Tallinn, with one change at the border, see details here.

Train travel within Estonia

Local trains run by Edelaraudtee link Tallinn with many Estonian towns, including Pärnu, Viljandi, Valga, Tapa & Tartu.  For times & fares, see www.edel.ee - Click 'English' then your browser 'back' button then 'Sõiduplaanid ja-hinnad' at top left.  For a route map, click 'Kaart' at the top.

The website www.elektriraudtee.ee only has info for the suburban electric trains to the Tallinn suburbs.

Tallinn to Riga, St Petersburg or Moscow

Tallinn ► Riga by train...

At last some good news from the Baltic States!  As from August 2011, Estonian and Latvian railways have co-ordinated their timetables and it's possible once more to travel between Tallinn and Riga on a fairly comfortable and cheap daily train service, with one simple change of train at Valga on the border.  It must be stressed that both the Estonian and Latvian trains are local services rather than anything fancy, and it takes a few hours longer and is less frequent than the bus (the train service runs only once a day), but it's cheap, easy to use, and you may find it an interesting and more enjoyable alternative to a long bus ride.

Fares:  Tallinn to Valga costs €10 (£8.50).  Valga to Riga costs 3.95 Lats (£4.50 or €5) for the 168 km.

How to buy tickets: There's no need to reserve, indeed you can't.  Just turn up at Tallinn station, buy a ticket to Valga and get on the train.  You'll need to buy the Valga-Riga ticket when you get to Valga, if necessary on board the Latvian train.

How to check these times and fares:  You can check the Estonian train times and fares at www.edel.ee.  Click 'Eng' top right for English, then use the journey planner. For a timetable in .pdf format, leave it in Estonian and click 'Sõiduplaanid ja-hinnad'.  For a network map, again use the Estonian version and click the 'Raudteekaart' map graphic on the left.  You can check times for the Latvian train times and fares at www.ldz.lv, click 'English' then 'Passenger traffic'.

The modernised interior of the Latvian train from Valga to Riga.  Photo courtesy of Jan Špaček		The Valga to Riga train, a classic Soviet-era design.  Photo courtesy of Jan Špaček

Tallinn ▶ Riga by bus...

Tallinn is linked to Riga by regular buses with a range of departures daily.  Journey time about 4½ hours, fare between €16 & €27 one-way.  See www.luxexpress.eu.

Tallinn ▶ Moscow by train...

There is a safe and comfortable overnight train between Tallinn & Moscow run by GoRail (www.gorail.ee, formerly EVR Ekspress).  The Tallinna Ekspress (pictured right) runs daily, with 1st class 'Spalny Wagon' 2-berth compartments, 2nd class 'kupé' 4-berth compartments, ordinary seats and a restaurant car.

On board accommodation:  Spalny vagon 2-berth sleepers, kupé 4-berth sleepers, reclining seats, restaurant car.

Tallinna Express:  The Tallinn-Moscow sleeper train...

Fare:  Tallinn-Moscow costs around €59 in a reclining seat (not recommended), €130 one-way travelling in a 2nd class 4-berth sleeper (recommended for most travellers), or €233 in a 1st class 2-berth sleeper.

How to buy tickets from Moscow to Tallinn:  You can buy tickets at the station in Moscow or you can easily book online using the Real Russia online booking form here.  You pay online and collect tickets at the station in Moscow using the e-ticket option, or collect them at Real Russia's offices in Moscow.

How to buy tickets from Tallinn to Moscow:  You can buy tickets at the station in Tallinn or you can easily book tickets online using the Real Russia online booking form here (a 15-23% mark-up is included in the fares shown, and tickets will have to be sent to you for an extra courier charge as they cannot be collected in Tallinn and the e-ticket option does not work there).  However, the cheapest way to buy tickets is to email GoRail's associated travel agency, www.gotravel.ee (click 'transportation' at top right, then click 'train'). 

Traveller Tomas Ersson booked by email through the GoRail website:  "I just made an inquiry via their website and received a quote and a from to fill out as an attachment.  The fare was relatively cheap, about 60 euros per person in a 4-berth sleeper.  I filled in the form with names, passport & visa card number, signed it, scanned it and emailed it back. One or two days later I received an email attachment which I printed & used as our ticket.  At the station in Tallinn, I just showed them the print out and got on to the train!  We were already on the passenger list and the train departed as planned, hassle-free for us."

How to use the GoRail website:  You can check times and fares at www.gorail.ee, though there's no online booking.  The English version isn't very useful, so leave it in Estonian.  'Sõiduplaanid' means timetable, 'Piletihinnad' means prices.  On the prices page, 'Istevagun' means seat, 'kupee' means 4-berth sleeper, 'SV' means 2-berth sleeper.

Tallinn ▶ St Petersburg by train...  New train service from 27 May 2012.

This train route has had its ups and downs.  The original overnight train was withdrawn in 2004, a victim of bus competition.  Then a new daytime train was introduced in March 2007 run by GoRail (www.gorail.ee, formerly EVR Ekspress).  This was then replaced by an overnight train once more in October 2007, but this was itself withdrawn in August 2008, due to higher track-usage fees and fuel costs.  There were no trains at all between Tallinn and St Petersburg between August 2008 and May 2012, and you had to endure a 7 hour bus journey.  At least the communists knew how to run a proper train service!  But at last there's some good news.  Two bits of good news, in fact:

GoRail will resume a daily Tallinn-St Petersburg train as from 26 May 2012, see www.gorail.ee/?id=1671 (in Estonian, so use Google Chrome's built-in translation facility) .  It's also reported that bus operator Lux Express is building new trains and intends to start its own Tallinn-St Petersburg train service from the first half of 2015.  It's business has apparently grown to the extent where buses cannot cope and it wants to switch to trains.  Meanwhile, here's the timetable for the new GoRail Tallinn to St Petersburg train:

Fares:  Tallinn to St Petersburg on this new train costs €23 in a 2nd class seat, €29 in a 1st (business) class seat.

What's the new Tallinn-St Petersburg train like?  It's a refurbished diesel train with 1st & 2nd class seats and a bar car serving drinks and snacks and (according to their website) renting out 'the latest multimedia devices'.  There's also on-board WiFi promised!

The Russian border point on this train is Ivangorod.

For alternative bus services see www.luxexpress.eu, bus fare around €29.

For direct trains between London and Moscow or St Petersburg, see the London to Russia page.

Tallinn ▶ Helsinki by ferry...

Tallinn is linked to Helsinki by a variety of shipping lines, operating both conventional ships (2½ hours) and fast ferry (1½ hours).  Services run  daily.  Operators include Tallink, Silja Line, Nordic Jet Line, Eckero Line, Linda Line.

The Thomas Cook European Timetable

The Thomas Cook European timetable has train & ferry times for every country in Europe plus currency & climate information.  Published since 1873, it costs £14.99.  It's essential for any serious traveller and an inspiration for armchair travellers.  Still not convinced you need one?  More information on what the Thomas Cook Timetable contains.  You can buy the latest monthly edition online at www.thomascookpublishing.com with worldwide delivery or buy it in person from selected UK branches of Thomas Cook (ask at the bureau de change), or from W H Smiths in Victoria station in London.  Or buy the twice-yearly independent traveller's edition with laminated cover from Amazon.co.uk:  Winter/Spring 2012/13 edition (Dec 2012 to June 2013) or (when available) Summer/Autumn 2013 edition (June to Dec 2013)

The Thomas Cook Rail Map of Europe is the best and most comprehensive map of train routes right across Europe, from Portugal in the west to Istanbul, Moscow & Ukraine in the east, from Finland in the north to Sicily & Crete in the south.  High speed & scenic routes are highlighted.  Highly recommended!  Buy online at www.amazon.co.uk (worldwide delivery).  See an extract from the map.

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 & the Baltics...

Travel insurance & health card...

Get travel insurance, it's essential...

Never travel without insurance from a reliable travel insurer with at least £1m or preferably £5m medical cover.  It should also cover loss of cash (up to a limit) & belongings, and cancellation. An annual multi-trip policy is usually cheapest even for just 2 or 3 trips a year (I have an annual policy myself).  Don't expect travel insurance to bail you out of every missed connection, though, see the advice on missed connections here.  Here are some suggested insurers, Seat61 gets a little commission if you buy through these links, and feedback from using insurance for rail & ferry travel is always welcome.

In the UK, use www.confused.com to compare prices & policy features across major insurance companies.

If you have a pre-existing medical condition or are over 65 (no age limit), see www.JustTravelCover.com.

        If you live in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland or the EU, try Columbus Direct's other websites.

   If you live in the USA or Canada, try Travel Guard USA.

Get an EU health card, it's free...

If you're a UK citizen travelling in Europe, you should apply for a free European Health Insurance Card, which entitles you to free or reduced rate health care if you become ill or get injured in many European countries, under a reciprocal arrangement with the NHS.  This replaced the old E111 forms as from January 2006.  The EHIC card is available from www.ehic.org.uk.  It doesn't remove the need for travel insurance, though.

Get a spare credit card, designed for foreign travel with no currency exchange loading & low/no ATM fees

Taking out an extra credit card costs nothing, but if you keep it in a different part of your luggage you won't be left stranded if your wallet gets stolen.  In addition, some credit cards are better for overseas travel than others.  Martin Lewis's www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-travel-money explains which UK credit cards have the lowest currency exchange commission loadings when you buy something overseas, and the lowest cash withdrawal fees when you use an ATM abroad.

You can avoid ATM charges and expensive exchange rates with a Caxton FX euro currency Visa Card, or their multi-currency 'Global Traveller' Visa Card, see www.caxtonfx.com for info.

Get an international SIM card to save on mobile data and phone calls...

Mobile phones can cost a fortune to use abroad, and if you're not careful you can return home to find a huge bill.  Consider buying a global pre-paid SIM card for your mobile phone from www.Go-Sim.com, which can slash costs by up to 85%.  Go-Sim cuts call costs in 175 countries worldwide, and you can receive incoming calls and texts for free in 75 countries.  It's pay-as-you-go, so no nasty bills when you get home.  It also allows cheap data access for laptops & PDAs.  A Go-Sim account and any credit on it doesn't expire if it's not used between trips, unlike some others, so a Go-Sim phone number becomes your 'global phone number' for life.