Arrival and Housing
Are you wondering how to get to Tartu and where to stay?
Tartu is the second biggest city in Estonia and is, therefore, quite easily reachable. Tartu is famous for its sustainable transportation methods which make moving around the city very quick, cheap and convenient. In the City of Education there are many options of accommodation. You'll get to choose between a cheap stay at the dormitory with other international students or pick a fancier option in a hotel or apartment.
We have gathered all of the information that you may need to arrive in Tartu without complications and secure your stay as early as possible. Please find information about arrival and housing down below.
Important to know
- Please note that participants of the summer programme are responsible for their travel arrangements to the city where the programme starts as well as departure from the city where the programme ends. Please check the arrival information to Tartu.
- Participants of the programme are expected to notify the UniTartu Summer School team as soon as they have finalised their travel arrangements regarding their time and place of arrival.
- Organised travel during the programme is covered by the programme fee and organised by the UniTartu Summer School. Students are asked to follow the travel arrangements they provide.
- Travel in Tartu is the responsibility of the students via designated public transportation or other possible options unless charter service is provided.
- It is recommended to arrive on July 28 as the study work begins on July 29 in the morning.
- After being accepted to the programme, each participant will receive a form about accommodation. The UniTartu Summer School team will help you to book rooms in the dormitory, all of the other accommodation needs to be booked by the student. You are expected to fill in the form either way, indicating whether you need help from the UniTartu Summer School or you'll book your own accommodation.
Information about the student dormitory:
The address of the dormitory is Raatuse 22, Tartu. It is near the city centre and most of the study buildings. You can choose between a shared room (17,5 EUR per night) or a single room (30 EUR per night). In the dormitory, there are shared bathrooms and a kitchen. The dormitory does not serve breakfast. Free WiFi is available throughout the property, and there is free private parking on site. In your spare time you can play table tennis. The hostel has a 24-hour reception.
Please note that the students are responsible for their travel arrangements. The travel costs are not included in the course fee. The UniTartu Summer School Organisation Team does not help the students with booking their tickets.
We are happy to help if you have any questions about the details of getting to Tartu, however, the University of Tartu does not cover any of your travel costs.
Getting to Tartu by air travel: Tallinn Airport
Express buses pick up passengers from Tallinn Airport on their way to Tartu. The airport bus station has a self-service ticket dispenser. The machine accepts card payments, but it is advisable to buy your ticket in advance as Tallinn-Tartu buses are often full. You can buy your ticket here.
If you arrive around midnight or you wish to enjoy your ride directly to or from your doorstep, then you can use Tallinn Airport-Tartu shuttle bus Tartaline. NB! The Airport Shuttle only operates between Tallinn and Tartu when pre-ordered. In case of delays, the shuttle will wait for all booked passengers whose flights land before 1:00 am.
You can find the flight schedule and more information here or call +372 605 8888 (04:30-01:00).
Getting to Tartu by air travel: Tartu Airport
Tartu Airport is located 11 km from the city centre. There are regular flights between Tartu and Helsinki. A shuttle bus operates between the airport and city. It takes passengers to the airport in the early mornings and to the city centre late in the evenings.
You can find the flight schedule and more information here or call +372 605 8888 (04:30-01:00).
Getting to Tartu by air travel: Riga Airport
You can also easily reach Tartu from Riga Airport (245 km from Tartu).
LuxExpress buses operate from Riga airport to Tartu.
Getting to Tartu by train
Tartu railway station is located in a historical station building 1.5 km from the city centre. Daily train service operates on the routes to Tallinn (incl. Jõgeva, Tapa, Aegviidu), Valga (incl. Elva) and Koidula (incl. Põlva and Piusa). By catching a connecting train, you can travel to Tartu, for instance, from Narva and Jõhvi, as well as from Riga through Valga and Valka. There is Wi-Fi available on the trains. It takes 2- 2.5 hours to get to Tartu from Tallinn, depending on the train. Tickets can be purchased online, aboard the train, and from the Baltic Station sales kiosk in Tallinn. Find additional information and tickets here.
Getting to Tartu by bus
Tartu bus terminal is located near the city centre and is close to the University of Tartu dormitories as well as the town hall square.
Buses between Tallinn and Tartu leave almost every 30 minutes and tickets can be purchased online or from the ticket office inside the bus station. To get a student discount, you need to present your International Student Card (ISIC). NB! It is advisable to buy your ticket in advance as Tallinn-Tartu buses are often full. It takes 2.5 hours to reach Tartu. The buses are comfortable, and most of them are equipped with WiFi. Express buses also have touch screens, and you can watch movies (we advise you to bring your own headphones, but you can also purchase a pair from the bus driver for 1.5-2 EUR, depending on the bus).
Tartu has great connections with all of the biggest towns in Estonia as well as Riga, Warsaw, etc. More information about international connections can be found here: Luxexpress, Ecolines and Eurolines.
Please note that the students are responsible for organising their own accommodation. The housing costs are not included in the course fee.
University of Tartu International Summer University organisation team helps the students to book their rooms in the dormitories, but the payment must be done by the student upon their arrival. If you choose to stay in the dormitory, please do not book any rooms yourself but let us know and we will book it for you. Any other bookings (hostel, hotel, Airbnb etc.) must be done by the student themselves.
Once you have been accepted to the program, you will be sent a form about your accommodation preferences. It is mandatory to fill it in even if you do not need assistance from University of Tartu International Summer University team with the bookings.
Accommodation in a student dormitory
University of Tartu has a few dormitories which accommodate international and local students during the school year as well as in the summer for short-term stays.
For the period of Summer University the dormitory on the address Raatuse 22 will accommodate the participants of the summer courses. This is very close to the city centre and most of the study buildings, being the cheapest and the most convenient options for the students. Please see the link down below for more information.
If you choose to stay in the dormitory, please do not book any rooms yourself but let us know and we will book it for you.
Accommodation in a hostel
In Tartu there are several hostels for a good price. As there are many events in Tartu during the summer, it is important to book the rooms in advance. You can book the rooms through Booking.com. You can also book the rooms through the websites of the hostels. See some options down below.
Accommodation in a hotel
If you prefer to stay in a fancier place with breakfast included, we suggest booking rooms in one of the hotels in Tartu. You can book the rooms through Booking.com. You can also book the rooms through the websites of the hotels. Please see some options below.
Accommodation in apartments
If you wish to share a room with one of your study pals or enjoy a quiet evening alone, you can also book an apartment through Airbnb.com. You can find some very interesting places to stay for a lower price. This is a great option if you are travelling with a friend or partner and wish to see how the locals live.
Moving around with bikes
The best way to move around the city in the summer is to rent a smart bike. You can choose between a regular bike or an electric one. The city is full of bike docs to take and park the vehicle easily. For prices and instructions see the website ratas.tartu.ee.
Moving around with electric scooters
You can also rent an electric scooter for a very low price to get to your destination quickly. You just need your phone to unlock the scooter and you are ready to go! Read all about this service on the Bolt website.
Moving around by buses
You can very easily use public transport to get to your destinations. If you have the tapping option on your card or phone, you can buy a ticket with just one swipe. All of the information about public buses in Tartu can be found on the website tartu.ee.
Moving around by taxi
There are several taxi services in Tartu, but the easiest, quickest and cheapest is to use the same Bolt app which unlocks the electrical scooters. Learn about the fastest way to order a taxi on the Bolt website.
Moving around by car
If you prefer to drive around yourself but have no way of bringing your own car, the City Bee is the perfect option for you. You need your phone and driver's licence and you are ready to go! To see how to rent a car in Tartu, please see the CityBee website.