Transport in Estonia
Encyclopedia
Transport in Estonia relies mainly on road and rail network. For transport in the Soviet Union, see Transport in the Soviet Union
.
– yes – same gauge Russia
– yes – same gauge
, Estonia
since 1888, when traffic was started by horse-powered trams. The first line was electrified on October 28, 1925. The first electric trams were built by Dvigatel, Ltd., in Tallinn before World War II
and for some years after that, the last one in 1954. In the 1920s and 1930s gas-powered trams were also used. Since 1955 to 1988 German
-built trams were used. In total, there were 20 LOWA T54-B54 trams (in use from February 1955 to March 1977), 11 Gotha T57-B57 (in use from January 1958 to June 1978), 5 Gotha T59E-B59E (in use from June 1960 to February 1980), 14 Gotha T2-62 and B2-62 (in use from 1962 to 1981) and 50 Gotha G4 trams (in use from January 1965 to October 1988) trams. The first Czechoslovakia
n-built ČKD Tatra T4SU arrived in 1973. The T4SU trams were in use from May 1973 to September 2005 and there were 60 of them. The first KT4SU
arrived in Tallinn in 1981 and was first in use on March 10, 1981. In 2007, there are 56 KT4SU, 12 KTNF6 (rebuilt KT4SUs, 10 local, one from Gera
and one from Erfurt
) and 23 KT4D (12 from Gera, 6 from Cottbus
, 1 from Frankfurt (Oder)
and 5 from Erfurt) in use. As of 2007, there are four lines: 1 (Kopli
-Kadriorg
), 2 (Kopli-Ülemiste), 3 (Tondi-Kadriorg) and 4 (Tondi-Ülemiste). There have also been lines 5 (Kopli-Vana-Lõuna, shut down in 2004 because of small usage) and 6 (Kopli-Tondi, temporarily used in time of repairs). In the future, approximately 2010, there is going to be a light rail line from one of the suburbs, Lasnamäe
, to the city center.
.
Largest ports are Muuga
(near Tallinn), Tallinn
(comprises several ports), Paldiski
, Kunda, Pärnu
and Sillamäe
.
Lennart Meri Tallinn Airport is the largest airport in Estonia.
Transport in the Soviet Union
Transport in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was an important part of the nation's economy. The economic centralisation of the late 1920s and 1930s led to the development of infrastructure at a massive scale and rapid pace. Before the Soviet Union's collapse in 1991, there were a wide...
.
Roads
- total: 57,565 km (including 16,465 of national roads)
- paved: 12,926 km (including 99 km of limited-access roadLimited-access roadA limited-access road known by various terms worldwide, including limited-access highway, dual-carriageway and expressway, is a highway or arterial road for high-speed traffic which has many or most characteristics of a controlled-access highway , including limited or no access to adjacent...
s)
National roads
National roads form the core of Estonian road network. Their total length is 16,465 km (or 29% of all roads), 59% of them are paved. They are divided into 3 classes according to importance:- main roads (1,601 km)
- basic roads (2,391 km)
- secondary roads (12,425 km)
| Number | E-road International E-road network The international E-road network is a numbering system for roads in Europe developed by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe . The network is numbered from E 1 up and its roads cross national borders... |
Route | Length (km) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tallinn Tallinn Tallinn is the capital and largest city of Estonia. It occupies an area of with a population of 414,940. It is situated on the northern coast of the country, on the banks of the Gulf of Finland, south of Helsinki, east of Stockholm and west of Saint Petersburg. Tallinn's Old Town is in the list... – Narva Narva Narva is the third largest city in Estonia. It is located at the eastern extreme point of Estonia, by the Russian border, on the Narva River which drains Lake Peipus.-Early history:... |
212 | expressway for 80 km out of Tallinn and 7 km between Kukruse and Johvi. Continues to Saint Petersburg Saint Petersburg Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea... as Russian M11 M11 highway (Russia) Russian Route M11, also known as Narva Highway is a Russian federal highway from St.Petersburg to Ivangorod up to the border with Estonia by the Narva River, with the Estonian city of Narva on the opposite bank, which explains the name of the highway. It is part of the European route E20.... |
||
| Tallinn – Tartu Tartu Tartu is the second largest city of Estonia. In contrast to Estonia's political and financial capital Tallinn, Tartu is often considered the intellectual and cultural hub, especially since it is home to Estonia's oldest and most renowned university. Situated 186 km southeast of Tallinn, the... – Võru Võru Võru is a town and a municipality in south-eastern Estonia. It is the capital of Võru County and the centre of Võru Parish.-History:Võru was founded on 21 August 1784, according to the wish of the Empress Catherine II of Russia, by the order of Riga Governor general count George Browne, on the... – Luhamaa Luhamaa Luhamaa is a settlement in Misso Parish, Võru County in southeastern Estonia, which is also a part of Setomaa.... |
286 | expressway for 26 km out of Tallinn and 6 km near Mao. Crosses Estonia in southeast direction from Tallinn to join Highway 7 |
||
| Jõhvi Jõhvi Jõhvi is a town in north-eastern Estonia, and the capital of Ida-Viru County. The town is also an administrative centre of Jõhvi Parish. It is situated 50 km from the Russian border.... – Tartu – Valga |
219 | continues from Valga to Riga Riga Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,... as Latvian A3 A3 road (Latvia) The A3 is a national road in Latvia connecting Inčukalns to Estonian border . The road is part of European Route E264, and part of TEN-T road network of Latvia. After the border, the road turns into Estonian National Highway 3, which leads to Jõhvi in northeastern Estonia. The length of A3 in... |
||
| Tallinn – Pärnu Pärnu Pärnu is a city in southwestern Estonia on the coast of Pärnu Bay, an inlet of the Gulf of Riga in the Baltic Sea. It is a popular summer vacation resort with many hotels, restaurants, and large beaches. The Pärnu River flows through the city and drains into the Gulf of Riga... – Ikla Ikla Ikla is a village in Häädemeeste Parish, Pärnu County, Estonia. The village lies on the Via Baltica , on the Estonian–Latvian Border, opposite the Latvian town of Ainaži.... |
193 | expressway for 14 km out of Tallinn continues from Ikla to Riga Riga Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,... as Latvian A1 A1 road (Latvia) The A1 is a national road in Latvia connecting Riga to Ainaži. The road is part of European route E67 and Latvian TEN-T road network. Ainaži is Latvian border city with Estonia, after Ainaži the road then crosses the border and turns into Estonian National Road 4. A1 was almost completely... |
||
| Pärnu – Rakvere Rakvere Rakvere is a town in northern Estonia and the county seat of Lääne-Viru County, 20 km south of the Gulf of Finland.-History:The earliest signs of human settlement dating back to the 3rd-5th centuries AD have been found on the present theatre hill. Probably to protect that settlement, a wooden... – Sõmeru Sõmeru Sõmeru is a village in Kiili Parish, Harju County in northern Estonia.... |
184 | from Pärnu via Paide Paide Paide is the capital of Järva County, Estonia.A castle built by the Livonian Brothers of the Sword is located here. The town was formally founded 30 September 1291 by Halt, master of the Livonian Order.... to join Highway 1 near Rakvere |
||
| Valga – Uulu Uulu Uulu is a village in Tahkuranna Parish, Pärnu County, in southwestern Estonia.... |
125 | from Pärnu via Kilingi-Nõmme Kilingi-Nõmme Kilingi-Nõmme is a town in south-western Estonia. It is a centre of Saarde Parish in Pärnu County.Kilingi-Nõmme borough became a town in 1 May 1938.... to Valga |
||
| Riga Riga Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,... – Pskov Pskov Pskov is an ancient city and the administrative center of Pskov Oblast, Russia, located in the northwest of Russia about east from the Estonian border, on the Velikaya River. Population: -Early history:... |
22 | short section in southeast Estonia via Misso Misso Misso is a small borough in Võru County, South East Estonia. It is the administrative center of Misso Parish.It is situated on the European route E77.-References:*... , continues as Russian A212 and Latvian A2 A2 road (Latvia) The A2 is a national road in Latvia connecting Riga to Estonian border , also known as Vidzeme highway in Latvia. The road is part of European route E77 and Latvian TEN-T road network. After the border, the road turns in to Estonian National Highway 7, and then in Russia to A212 leading till Pskov.... |
||
| Tallinn – Paldiski Paldiski Paldiski is a town and Baltic Sea port situated on the Pakri peninsula of north-western Estonia. Originally a Swedish settlement known as Rågervik, it became a Russian naval base in the 18th century. The Russians renamed it Балтийский Порт Paldiski is a town and Baltic Sea port situated on the... |
47 | via Keila Keila Keila is a town and an urban municipality in Harju County in north-western Estonia. It is also the administrative centre of the surrounding rural municipality – Keila Parish.-History:... , Keila Keila Keila is a town and an urban municipality in Harju County in north-western Estonia. It is also the administrative centre of the surrounding rural municipality – Keila Parish.-History:... -Paldiski Paldiski Paldiski is a town and Baltic Sea port situated on the Pakri peninsula of north-western Estonia. Originally a Swedish settlement known as Rågervik, it became a Russian naval base in the 18th century. The Russians renamed it Балтийский Порт Paldiski is a town and Baltic Sea port situated on the... section is part of E 265 European route E265 European route E 265 is a B-class E-road, part of the inter-European road system. It connects Tallinn, Paldiski, and from Paldiski on ferry to Kapellskär. In Estonia, E 265 follows the Estonian National Road 11 and part of Estonian National Road 8 . In Sweden, it continues as European... , which continues on ferry to Kapellskär Kapellskär Kapellskär is a port about north of Stockholm, in Sweden. It is located by the Baltic Sea, in Norrtälje Municipality, Stockholm County and is served by frequent passenger ferry services to Mariehamn, Åland, Finland, operated by Viking Line, with 3 services per day and direction during peak season... |
||
| Ääsmäe Ääsmäe - External links :*... – Haapsalu Haapsalu Haapsalu is a seaside resort town located on the west coast of Estonia. It's the administrative centre of Lääne County and has a population of 11,618 .... – Rohuküla Rohuküla Rohuküla is a village in Ridala Parish, Lääne County, in western Estonia.... |
81 | ferry connection from Rohuküla to Hiiumaa Hiiumaa Hiiumaa is the second largest island belonging to Estonia. It is located in the Baltic Sea, north of the island of Saaremaa, a part of the West Estonian archipelago. Its largest town is Kärdla.-Name:... |
||
| Risti Risti, Estonia Risti is a small borough in Lääne County, Estonia. It's the administrative centre of Risti Parish.-External links:*... – Virtsu Virtsu Virtsu is a small borough in Hanila Parish, Lääne County, Estonia. It lies on the Western coast of continental Estonia, and a location of the main port for traffic to and from Saaremaa, the largest island of Estonia. The corresponding port on Saaremaa's side is Kuivastu, located on the island of... – Kuivastu Kuivastu Kuivastu is a village in the eastern coast of the island of Muhu and a seat of the primary port of Saaremaa, the biggest island of Estonia. The corresponding port on the continental side is Virtsu. Muhu and Saaremaa are distinct islands, but are connected with the largest bridge in Estonia, the... – Kuressaare Kuressaare Kuressaare is a town and a municipality on Saaremaa island in Estonia. It is the capital of Saare County. The current population is about 14,706 Kuressaare is a town and a municipality on Saaremaa island in Estonia. It is the capital of Saare County. The current population is about 14,706... |
144 | ferry between Virtsu and Kuivastu (Muhumaa) | ||
| Tallinn ring road | 38 | |||
| Tartu – Viljandi Viljandi Viljandi is a town and municipality in southern Estonia with a population of 19,150 . It is the capital of Viljandi County. The town was first mentioned in 1283, upon being granted its town charter by Wilhelm von Endorpe.... – Kilingi-Nõmme Kilingi-Nõmme Kilingi-Nõmme is a town in south-western Estonia. It is a centre of Saarde Parish in Pärnu County.Kilingi-Nõmme borough became a town in 1 May 1938.... |
123 |
Railways
- total: 900 km common carrier lines only (1200 km including dedicated industrial lines)
- broad gauge: 900 km or gauge (133 km electrified)
Railway links with adjacent countries
LatviaTransport in Latvia
- Railways : total:2,347 kmRussian gauge:2,314 km gauge narrow gauge:33 km gauge - Rail links with adjacent countries :* Russia - yes* Lithuania - yes* Belarus - yes* Estonia - yes- Highways :...
– yes – same gauge Russia
Transport in Russia
The transport network of the Russian Federation is one of the world's most extensive. The national web of roads, railways and airways stretches almost from Kaliningrad in the west to the Kamchatka Peninsula in the east, and major cities such as Moscow and Saint Petersburg are served by extensive...
– yes – same gauge
Light rail
There has been a growing tram network in TallinnTallinn
Tallinn is the capital and largest city of Estonia. It occupies an area of with a population of 414,940. It is situated on the northern coast of the country, on the banks of the Gulf of Finland, south of Helsinki, east of Stockholm and west of Saint Petersburg. Tallinn's Old Town is in the list...
, Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
since 1888, when traffic was started by horse-powered trams. The first line was electrified on October 28, 1925. The first electric trams were built by Dvigatel, Ltd., in Tallinn before World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and for some years after that, the last one in 1954. In the 1920s and 1930s gas-powered trams were also used. Since 1955 to 1988 German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
-built trams were used. In total, there were 20 LOWA T54-B54 trams (in use from February 1955 to March 1977), 11 Gotha T57-B57 (in use from January 1958 to June 1978), 5 Gotha T59E-B59E (in use from June 1960 to February 1980), 14 Gotha T2-62 and B2-62 (in use from 1962 to 1981) and 50 Gotha G4 trams (in use from January 1965 to October 1988) trams. The first Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
n-built ČKD Tatra T4SU arrived in 1973. The T4SU trams were in use from May 1973 to September 2005 and there were 60 of them. The first KT4SU
Tatra KT4
Tatra KT4 is the name of an articulated tramcar developed by the Czech firm ČKD Tatra. The first pre-production vehicles entered service in Potsdam in 1975, with the first production vehicles in 1977. A total of 1747 units were built, with initial deliveries to East Germany and later The USSR and...
arrived in Tallinn in 1981 and was first in use on March 10, 1981. In 2007, there are 56 KT4SU, 12 KTNF6 (rebuilt KT4SUs, 10 local, one from Gera
Gera
Gera, the third-largest city in the German state of Thuringia , lies in east Thuringia on the river Weiße Elster, approximately 60 kilometres to the south of the city of Leipzig and 80 kilometres to the east of Erfurt...
and one from Erfurt
Erfurt
Erfurt is the capital city of Thuringia and the main city nearest to the geographical centre of Germany, located 100 km SW of Leipzig, 150 km N of Nuremberg and 180 km SE of Hannover. Erfurt Airport can be reached by plane via Munich. It lies in the southern part of the Thuringian...
) and 23 KT4D (12 from Gera, 6 from Cottbus
Cottbus
Cottbus is a city in Brandenburg, Germany, situated around southeast of Berlin, on the River Spree. As of , its population was .- History :...
, 1 from Frankfurt (Oder)
Frankfurt (Oder)
Frankfurt is a town in Brandenburg, Germany, located on the Oder River, on the German-Polish border directly opposite the town of Słubice which was a part of Frankfurt until 1945. At the end of the 1980s it reached a population peak with more than 87,000 inhabitants...
and 5 from Erfurt) in use. As of 2007, there are four lines: 1 (Kopli
Kopli
Kopli is a subdistrict of the district of Põhja-Tallinn in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. It has a population of 7,405...
-Kadriorg
Kadriorg
Kadriorg is a subdistrict in the district of Kesklinn , Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. It has a population of 3,333 . Kadriorg means "Catherine's Valley" in Estonian, this derives from the Catherinethal, a Baroque palace of Catherine I of Russia.-External links:**...
), 2 (Kopli-Ülemiste), 3 (Tondi-Kadriorg) and 4 (Tondi-Ülemiste). There have also been lines 5 (Kopli-Vana-Lõuna, shut down in 2004 because of small usage) and 6 (Kopli-Tondi, temporarily used in time of repairs). In the future, approximately 2010, there is going to be a light rail line from one of the suburbs, Lasnamäe
Lasnamäe
Lasnamäe is the most populous administrative district of Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. The districts' population is about 115,000, the majority of which is Russian-speaking. Local housing is mostly represented by 5-16 stories high panel blocks of flats, built in the 1970-1990s. Lasnamäe is...
, to the city center.
Ports and harbours
Estonia has 45 ports in the State Port Register, with a few exceptions all of them in the Baltic SeaBaltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
.
Largest ports are Muuga
Port of Muuga
The Port of Muuga is the largest cargo port in Estonia, located on the southern coast of the Gulf of Finland, 13 km northeast of the capital Tallinn, in Maardu. It is one of the few ice-free ports in northernmost Europe....
(near Tallinn), Tallinn
Tallinn
Tallinn is the capital and largest city of Estonia. It occupies an area of with a population of 414,940. It is situated on the northern coast of the country, on the banks of the Gulf of Finland, south of Helsinki, east of Stockholm and west of Saint Petersburg. Tallinn's Old Town is in the list...
(comprises several ports), Paldiski
Paldiski
Paldiski is a town and Baltic Sea port situated on the Pakri peninsula of north-western Estonia. Originally a Swedish settlement known as Rågervik, it became a Russian naval base in the 18th century. The Russians renamed it Балтийский Порт Paldiski is a town and Baltic Sea port situated on the...
, Kunda, Pärnu
Pärnu
Pärnu is a city in southwestern Estonia on the coast of Pärnu Bay, an inlet of the Gulf of Riga in the Baltic Sea. It is a popular summer vacation resort with many hotels, restaurants, and large beaches. The Pärnu River flows through the city and drains into the Gulf of Riga...
and Sillamäe
Sillamäe
Sillamäe is a town in Ida-Viru County in the northern part of Estonia, on the southern coast of the Gulf of Finland. It has a population of 16,183 and covers an area of 10.54 km²...
.
Merchant marine
- total: 50 ships (with a volume of or over) totaling /
- ships by type: (1999 est.)
- bulk carrierBulk carrierA bulk carrier, bulk freighter, or bulker is a merchant ship specially designed to transport unpackaged bulk cargo, such as grains, coal, ore, and cement in its cargo holds. Since the first specialized bulk carrier was built in 1852, economic forces have fueled the development of these ships,...
3 - cargo shipCargo shipA cargo ship or freighter is any sort of ship or vessel that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's seas and oceans each year; they handle the bulk of international trade...
20 - combination bulk 1
- container shipContainer shipContainer ships are cargo ships that carry all of their load in truck-size intermodal containers, in a technique called containerization. They form a common means of commercial intermodal freight transport.-History:...
5 - petroleum tankerOil tankerAn oil tanker, also known as a petroleum tanker, is a merchant ship designed for the bulk transport of oil. There are two basic types of oil tankers: the crude tanker and the product tanker. Crude tankers move large quantities of unrefined crude oil from its point of extraction to refineries...
2 - roll-on/roll-off ship 13
- short-sea passenger 6
- bulk carrier
Airports – with paved runways
- total: 12 (2007)
- over 3,047 m: 1
- 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
- 914 to 1,523 m: 3
Lennart Meri Tallinn Airport is the largest airport in Estonia.