Bicycling in Estonia Is a Fun Way to See the Country
Text Stewart Johnson, Photos Toolbox Estonia: Peeter Järvelaid, Ken Mürk, Rekola Bikesharing
Renting bicycles is quick and easy in the cities, and sometimes you only need an app.
Find the best routes in the city and countryside, where to rent bikes and e-bikes, and how to travel by train through the countryside
Exactly 25 years ago when I lived in Tartu, the city proudly announced the creation of its first bicycle lane inside the city. It went down Riia Street, which is on a hill, and turned left at a 90-degree angle, just after going down a staircase. Yes, you read that right. Today however, Estonia’s bicycle culture is flourishing. In other words, it’s come a long way, much farther than anyone could travel in a single day on the hundreds of kilometers of dedicated bike lanes in cities.
Biking in Tallinn—downtown lanes are abundant, and more are added each year
Cycling inside Tallinn gets easier and more enjoyable each year. There are currently well over a hundred kilometers of dedicated bicycle lanes in the city, and they are easily discernible by their red colour. Cycling in the Old Town is not a trend for obvious reasons, but in the rest of the immediate downtown area the network takes you almost everywhere you want to go. Some of these lanes however are on the sides of busy roads and have no physical barriers between you and traffic, so be very careful on these routes.
What’s more, Google Maps added cycling routes for Tallinn just a couple of months ago. Planning your route should be easy, but keep in mind that sometimes these routes don’t have dedicated bike lanes.
Renting a bicycle
In Tallinn, the most popular bicycle rental is City Bike Tallinn. Day rates are €8 for a city bike, and for trekking €10. They also offer several other bicycle types, including tandems and “fat bikes”, as well as gear, such as trailers. Rental prices include a helmet, repair kit, and a lock.
Rekola is an app-based bicycle rental service in Tallinn that offers half-hour and day rates of €1.50 and €13, respectively. They also offer a monthly subscription that offers unlimited 30-minute rides. With no unlocking fee, just scan the bike with the app, and return it to one of the specific holding areas.
Bolt, an Estonian startup that exists internationally now, offers e-scooters, as well as e-bikes. This is also an app-based service but you pay by the minute, typically 22 cents per minute.
If you’re in Tartu, check out Tartu Smart Bike, another app-based service. This one has over 750 bicycles, and two-thirds of their “bike fleet” are e-bikes. With over a hundred stations in the city, this is the perfect way to explore everything Tartu has to offer.
Baltreisen in Pärnu offers individual bike rentals but specialises in group rentals. Just show up at their office in the centre of the city and choose the bike you want from their fleet.
On Saaremaa, bicycle rentals are all centred in Kuressaare. Active Life Bike Rental offers bicycles as well as transfers if your chosen route is a little too long to handle. Hotel Staadioni Bike Rental offers hourly, six-hour, and daily rentals for very affordable prices. SAAReBIKE offers e-bicycles for two and three-hour rentals at €20 and €25, as well as multi-day rentals from €28 to €40 a day, depending on how long your rental is.
Traveling by train with a bicycle
Estonia’s national rail service, Elron, offers bicycle storage on most trains. However, space is generally limited to ten bikes per train, and space fills up quickly in the summer. It is highly recommended to buy your ticket in advance, and be sure to include a spot for your bike, which will be guaranteed. The price for a bike is generally half the ticket price for a regular seat.
You can also try to just hop on board with a bike, but if there are no free bike spots, you will be refused. Your best bet is to try to avoid traveling by train with a bicycle on Friday and Sunday evenings, and always aim for the middle of the day. You’ll have better chances of finding a free spot.
Where can you go in the Estonian countryside by bicycle?
The short answer is: Anywhere. As earlier mentioned, Google Maps can help plan a route, but if you go to Komoot, the international bicycle planning website, and use Visit Estonia’s profile, you’ll find 76 saved routes throughout the country. These routes range from just a few kilometers, to a whopping 1147-kilometer long route.
For the lazy but adventurous
I personally have an e-scooter that has a rather long battery life. I’ve found it very enjoyable to take overnight camping trips with it. The only caveat is that you will need to charge for a few hours overnight. While Estonia’s national RMK campsites don’t offer electricity, there are several private campsites throughout the country, including for caravans, that offer electricity for a modest fee. Just make sure to carefully plan your distance, so you don’t end up walking the last few hours.
If you start in the city centre, there is an excellent bicycle route of about 30 kilometers that goes all around the city. Almost the entire route is on dedicated bike lanes. Head out to Kopli, make your way to Stroomi Beach, then from there go to Kõrgepinge Street. Continue straight or turn onto Kitsarööpa Street, also a long bike lane but a little shorter, and eventually you’ll arrive at the Nõmme Market. Continue until the route changes names to Kurni, and eventually you’ll get to a viaduct called Liiva. On the other side, choose your own route back to town, but the Järve route is recommended.
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