Arrival and accommodation

Tartu is situated in Southern Estonia and has international access via Tartu Airport, Lennart Meri Airport in Tallinn, and Riga Airport in Latvia. Tallinn, the capital, is located 186 km from Tartu — a two-hour train ride or about two and a half hours by express bus or car.

VENUE

EJTA Teachers’ Training 2025 takes place in Tartu. The venue is the Institute of Social Studies of the University of Tartu, located in the centre of town, at the address Lossi 36. All hotels are within a 10 to 15-minute walking distance from the venue.

FLYING TO TALLINN

Tallinn Airport has direct air links to numerous cities.
To travel from Tallinn airport to Tartu, you have a choice between a bus and a train. We strongly recommend taking a bus.

Bus from the airport

To reach the bus terminal at the Tallinn Airport, turn right as you exit the customs, and follow the signs. We recommend LuxExpress buses. Tickets can be bought online. Tickets are available from the driver, too, but please note that buses tend to be full. In Tartu, the bus station is located in the city center.

Train from the airport

The station closest to the airport is Ülemiste, around 15 minutes on foot. Trains run about 10 times per day. To reserve a seat, please purchase a first-class ticket.

Please note that in autumn 2025, due to roadworks, the Tallinn-Tartu trip may be 40 minutes longer than usual. The trip should be approximately two hours in May 2026 (info will be updated in spring 2026).

FLYING TO TARTU

Finnair is providing a direct flight from Helsinki Airport to Tartu. Currently, this is the only international plane route to Tartu.

Express bus No. E1 operates between Tartu Airport and Tartu city. Detailed timetables and stops are provided here.

Using a taxi to get to the airport is easy and convenient: taxis can drop you off and pick you up right in front of the airport terminal.

Only Forus Taxi is permitted to park and wait for passengers at the designated taxi stand in front of the Tartu Airport passenger terminal. All other taxis may drop off passengers and make short stops in the public car park area.

OTHER CONNECTIONS

You can also reach Tartu from Riga airport, about 250 km from Tartu. Bus connections are provided by LuxExpress.

From Stockholm and Helsinki, there are also ferry connections to Tallinn. From Helsinki there are multiple departures with different companies. The ferry line to Stockholm is overnight.

Estonia can also be reached by bus (LuxExpress; Flixbus) from major cities in Poland, the Baltic countries, Germany, and other countries.

CALLING A TAXI

In Estonia, most people use smartphone apps like Uber and Bolt for taxi services.

Regarding Tallinn, some of the most common taxi companies include Forus Takso (1200, +372 6 120 000) and Amigo Takso (+372 777 1111 or +372 524 7777).

Regarding Tartu, the taxi companies are listed here. We recommend Elektritakso (1918, +372 588 588 00) or Forus Takso (1200, +372 7 300 200).

Debit cards are preferred everywhere, but bus drivers and train conductors also accept cash. Most taxis accept cards but some don’t, so cash is the safest option. Tips are not required.

ACCOMMODATION

Tartu offers a broad range of accommodation options, most of which are within easy walking distance of the conference venue and the historical city centre. We have listed some of them below, but many additional options can be found using any of the booking sites, such as Booking.com or Airbnb.

Hotel options:

Hotel Lydia is a 4 star superior hotel located in the very heart of Old Town. The hotel also features a small spa and a restaurant, which has been repeatedly nominated as one of the best restaurants in the Nordics by White Guide Nordic. Distance from the venue: 400 m.

Hotel Antonius is an elegant and luxurious boutique hotel located in the heart of Tartu’s historic quarter, right in the city centre, opposite the main building of Tartu University. Distance from the venue: 400m

V Spa & Conference Hotel is a spa hotel with superior and deluxe rooms conveniently located in the city centre. It features a sauna and wellness centre. Distance from the venue: 800m

Dorpat Hotel is situated on the banks of the Emajõgi River, and has a spacious a la carte restaurant & relaxing Herb Spa. It is adjacent to the bus station. Distance from the venue: 1,1 km

Art Hotel Pallas offers comfortable accommodation in the downtown of Tartu. The interior is inspired by the artists of the Pallas art school. Paintings in abundant colour palettes cover all the hotel walls and even the ceilings of some selected hotel rooms. Distance from the main conference venue: 800m

Hotel Tartu is located conveniently close to the bus station and offers affordable accommodation in modern-style rooms. Distance from the main conference venue: 1.1km