Across Estonia With Extra Summer Bus Services
Text Timo Raussi Photos Lux Express
Lux Express, which clearly dominates long-distance bus connections between Estonian cities, is increasing the number of daily departures for the summer season from Tallinn to Pärnu, Kuressaare on Saaremaa, Haapsalu, and the towns of Ida-Virumaa that are currently enjoying a small boom in Finnish tourists. To Tartu, the company already operates an almost continuous service from Tallinn’s bus station from early morning until midnight, either every 30 or 60 minutes.
For June, July and August, Lux Express will also route one daily bus directly from Tallinn Harbour to Haapsalu and further to Rohuküla harbour, the departure point for ferries to Hiiumaa. In Tallinn, the departure point is right in front of the Tallink D-terminal under the tourist bus canopy, and it is easily accessible from A-terminal, used by Eckerö Line and Viking Line via a pedestrian bridge.
“Last summer our buses departed from in front of D-terminal to Pärnu at certain times, which in the tourism sector sparked interest in routing other popular holiday destinations to Tallinn Harbour as well,” says Lux Express Group CEO Ingmar Roos. Roos notes that Finns make up around 10% of passengers on routes from the capital to Pärnu, Haapsalu, and Kuressaare during the summer. However, on those Pärnu–Tallinn services that continued from the Tallinn bus station to the harbour terminal, Finns accounted for up to a third of passengers.
The timetable for the Tallinn Harbour–Haapsalu–Rohuküla service from 1 June to 31 August is:
13:00 Tallinn Harbour, 13:30 Tallinn Bus Station, 15:10 Haapsalu, 15:30 Rohuküla harbour. From there, the ferry departs at 16:00, and once it arrives at Heltermaa harbour, the local bus on the island departs towards Kärdla according to the timetable site peatus.ee immediately, once all ferry passengers have boarded. On the island, the bus ticket costs €1.50 using the value on a Ühiskaart travel card, and is valid for 90 minutes with transfer rights.
In the opposite direction, the journey starts with Lux Express from Hiiumaa, from Kärdla at 07:30 in the morning. After the ferry crossing, the bus arrives in Haapsalu at 10:05, at Tallinn Bus Station at 11:45, and at Tallinn Harbour at 12:05.
The direct connection between Tallinn Harbour and Haapsalu is welcome news for spa hotel staff in Haapsalu. “It offers holidaymakers arriving from Finland an environmentally friendly and comfortable way to travel from the harbour straight to Haapsalu: directly to the sea, pine forests, and well-being,” said Maret Sukles, marketing director of Fra Mare Thalasso Spa. The bus schedule is conveniently aligned with hotel check-in times.
As part of summer travel services, additional direct routes will also be added from 12 June on Lux Express schedules, connecting Tartu, Pärnu and Viljandi with Kuressaare on Saaremaa. On these services, the ferry ticket from the mainland to the island, or vice versa, is included in the bus fare. More information on timetables and free bicycle transport for passengers is available here. Tickets can also be purchased there with flexible change conditions, even several months in advance.
To learn more about this and similar topicsBicycle bus travel Haapsalu Hiiumaa Kärdla Lux Express Tallinn Harbour Travel
