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Dear friends,
Here is some further practical information for the 14th ISFNR Congress guests.
How to get to Tartu.
International flights arrive at Tallinn Airport. The easiest way to get from Tallinn to Tartu (the distance between the two is 186 km) is by bus, which usually leave every 30 minutes (the last bus leaves the Tallinn Central Bus Station at 23:59). You can get to the Central Bus Station by taxi. In Tallinn taxis charge you 7-10 EEK per km, which makes the trip from the airport to the Central Bus Station be ca 40 EEK. A bus drive from Tallinn to Tartu takes about 2.5 hours and costs 70-85 EEK. Ask the booking office if there is a coffee and toilet available in the bus. There are free toilet facilities available at the airport and harbour.
You can get to Tartu also by train from the Tallinn Railway Station. The ticket costs about 70-120 EEK. Trains depart from Tallinn three times a day (at 6:30, 14:30, and 16:47).
If you choose to arrive at Tartu via Riga (Republic of Latvia), the bus to Tartu departs at 19:00 and arrives at the Tartu Central Bus Station at 23:15. The low-fare airline RyanAir flies to Riga Airport (www.ryanair.com).
Car rental is available in both Tartu (see the website of Tartu http://www.tartu.ee/) and Tallinn.
NB! If you wish us to meet you at the airport, bus or train station, we need to be informed of your arrival/departure as soon as possible.
Getting around in Tartu.
Tartu is a relatively small town with population at about 100 000 and the main sights are located near town central, so you can reach many of these on foot. The main means of transportation around Tartu are taxis and buses.
Money.
In Estonia you can only use Estonian Kroons, so make sure you have some. Currency exchange services are open at the airport, bus station, harbour and in all banks. The exchange rate is 1 EUR = 15,5-15,6 EEK (Estonian Kroon). All major credit cards are widely accepted. Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs) are open 24 hours. Banking hours are usually 09:00 - 18:00. Banks are not open on Saturdays and Sundays.
Time Zone.
GMT/UTC +2
Electricity.
230V, 50Hz
Dial code.
372
Language.
The official language in Estonia is Estonian. English is generally understood and older generation also understands German.
Internet.
The Internet is widely used and available. Conference guests will have Internet access.
Safety.
Estonia is as safe as any other European country. However, beware of pickpockets in crowded areas such as bus or railway stations, or in crowded buses, although the chance that you would be attacked is low.
Weather.
July is the warmest month with average daily temperatures reaching 20-30° C. The weather tends to be rather moody, so be prepared for the sunny summer days as well as cloudy weather and thunderstorms. You can find a 4-day forecast at: http://www.emhi.ee/prognoos/4prognooseng.php3 and a 7-day forecast at: http://apollo.aai.ee/~marko/ilm.html
Photos, maps.
Some photographs of Tartu and the Literary Museum is available on www-page http://www.folklore.ee/SEAC. The official homepage of Tartu is: http://www.tartu.ee/?lang_id=2. For travelling information see: http://www.visitestonia.com/; www.lonelyplanet.com/destinations/europe/estonia. You can find humorous (but also true) information about Estonia and Estonians on: http://www.einst.ee/publications/12/
With best regards,
Organizing Committee
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