Transport in Estonia

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Transport in Estonia relies mainly on road and rail networks.

Contents

Roads

Estonian main and E-roads Main roads of Estonia.svg
Estonian main and E-roads

National roads

National roads form the core of Estonian road network. Their total length is 16,489 km (or 28% of all roads), 67% of them are paved. [1] They are divided into 4 classes according to importance:

Main roads in Estonia
Number E-road RouteLength (km)Notes
M1-EE.svg T1 Tabliczka E20.svg E20 TallinnNarva 211expressway for 80 km out of Tallinn and 7 km between Kukruse and Johvi.
Continues to Saint Petersburg as Russian M11
M2-EE.svg T2 Tabliczka E263.svg E263 Tallinn – TartuVõruLuhamaa 291expressway for 63 km out of Tallinn and 6 km near Mäo.
Crosses Estonia in southeast direction from Tallinn to join national road 7
M3-EE.svg T3 Tabliczka E264.svg E264 Jõhvi – Tartu – Valga 216continues from Valga to Riga as Latvian A3
M4-EE.svg T4 Tabliczka E67.svg E67 Tallinn – PärnuIkla 193expressway for 14 km out of Tallinn
continues from Ikla to Riga as Latvian A1
M5-EE.svg T5 Pärnu – RakvereSõmeru 184from Pärnu via Paide to join national road 1 near Rakvere
M6-EE.svg T6 Valga – Uulu 125from Pärnu via Kilingi-Nõmme to Valga
M7-EE.svg T7 Tabliczka E77.svg E77 RigaPskov 22short section in southeast Estonia via Misso, continues as Russian A212 and Latvian A2
M8-EE.svg T8 Tabliczka E265.svg E265 Tallinn – Paldiski 49via Keila, Keila-Paldiski section is part of E 265, which continues on ferry to Kapellskär
M9-EE.svg T9 ÄäsmäeHaapsaluRohuküla 81ferry connection from Rohuküla to Hiiumaa
M10-EE.svg T10 RistiVirtsuKuivastuKuressaare 144ferry between Virtsu and Kuivastu (Muhumaa)
M11-EE.svg T11 Tabliczka E265.svg E265 Tallinn ring road38
M92-EE.svg T92 Tartu – ViljandiKilingi-Nõmme 130

Electric vehicle network

Estonia is the first country in the EU and in the world to introduce a nationwide, publicly serviced charging system for charging the batteries of electric vehicles. [2] The 165 fast charging stations are equipped with connectors of the CHAdeMO standard. They are located throughout the entire country, including the islands, and have a maximum distance of 40–60 km in between. The charging stations can also be navigated via a smartphone app (currently only for Android). The relatively dense network and 30 minute quick charges are built to enable a country-wide electric vehicle network. The system offers a unitary booking service and several different tariffs, some of which appear attractively low priced. [3] The charging station network puts Estonia at the forefront in Europe even though Norway actually has a higher penetration of electric vehicles. Estonia has a rate of 1 electric vehicle per 1,000 capita, whereas Norway has 4 EVs per 1,000 capita. [2]

Railways

As of 2023, the Rail Baltica project to link a high speed line through Latvia and Lithuania to Poland, is scheduled for completion in 2030, with a start of services on some of the sections in 2028. [4]

Light rail

Train in Tallinn in 2006 Train in Tallinn 2006.jpg
Train in Tallinn in 2006

There has been a growing tram network in Tallinn, 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 Czechoslovakian-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 2018, there are four lines: 1 (Kopli-Kadriorg), 2 (Kopli-Ülemiste), 3 (Tondi-Kadriorg) and 4 (Tondi-Lennujaam (Airport)). 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).

Ports and harbours

Estonia has 45 ports in the State Port Register. With a few exceptions, all of them are on the Baltic Sea.

Largest ports are Muuga (near Tallinn), Tallinn (comprises several ports), Paldiski, Kunda, Pärnu and Sillamäe.

Merchant marine

Since 2014, there have been no vessels over 500gt on the Estonian register. About 60 merchant vessels are beneficially owned in Estonia, with most of them registered in Malta. The government has started a drive to bring more of these vessels back into the Estonian register. [5]

Airports

Airports – with paved runways

Lennart Meri Tallinn Airport is the largest airport in Estonia.

Pipelines

Waterways

Currently operating water transport routes:

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saaremaa</span> Largest island in Estonia

Saaremaa(also called Ösel [ˈøːsel] ) is the largest and most populous island in Estonia. Measuring 2,673 km2 (1,032 sq mi), its population is 31,435. The main island of the West Estonian archipelago, it is located in the Baltic Sea, south of Hiiumaa island and northwest of the Gulf of Riga. The administrative centre of the island, and of the Saare County, is the town of Kuressaare, which in January 2018, had 13,276 inhabitants.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aegna</span> Island in Estonia, and subdistrict of Tallinn, Estonia

Aegna is an Estonian island in the Bay of Tallinn in the Baltic Sea. Administratively it is part of the city of Tallinn, the capital of Estonia and is a sub district of the Kesklinn district.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">European route E67</span> Road in trans-European E-road network

European route E 67 is an E-road running from Prague in the Czech Republic to Estonia and by ferry to Finland. It goes via Prague, Wrocław, Warsaw, Kaunas, Panevėžys, Riga, Tallinn, Helsinki.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ruhnu</span> Island in Estonia

Ruhnu is an Estonian island in the Gulf of Riga in the Baltic Sea. Its territory of 11.9 square kilometres (4.6 sq mi) is administratively part of Saare maakond (county). Ruhnu lies geographically closer to the coast of Courland on the mainland of Latvia than it is to any point in the rest of Estonia. With less than 150 official residents, the Ruhnu vald (parish) has the smallest population of Estonia's 79 municipalities. Before 1944, it was for centuries populated by ethnic Swedes and traditional Swedish law was used.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kihnu</span> Island in Estonia

Kihnu is an island in the Baltic Sea. With an area of 16.4 km2 (6.3 sq mi), it is the largest island in the Gulf of Riga and the seventh largest island of Estonia. With a length of 7 km (4.3 mi) and width of 3.3 km (2.1 mi), the island's highest point is 8.9 metres (29.2 ft) above sea level.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ruhnu Parish</span> Municipality of Estonia

Ruhnu Parish is a municipality in Saare County, Estonia. It encompasses the island of Ruhnu in the Gulf of Riga, together with a number of uninhabited islets. Its population is the smallest of any of Estonia's 79 municipalities, the parish being exempt from the usual minimum population size of 5000. There are 60 permanent inhabitants during winter time; in summer the number increases to 150. In 2015 the parish council approved Ado Tuuga's designs for the municipality's flag and coat of arms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pärnu Airport</span> Airport in Estonia

Pärnu Airport is an airport in Estonia. The airport is situated 2.4 nautical miles northwest of Pärnu.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">5 ft and 1520 mm gauge railways</span> Railway track gauge

Railways with a railway track gauge of 5 ft first appeared in the United Kingdom and the United States. This gauge became commonly known as "Russian gauge", because the government of the Russian Empire chose it in 1843. Former areas and states of the Empire have inherited this standard. However in 1970, Soviet Railways re-defined the gauge as 1,520 mm.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kilingi-Nõmme</span> Town in Estonia

Kilingi-Nõmme is a town in Pärnu County, southwestern Estonia. It is the administrative centre of Saarde Parish. It is located on the intersection of Valga–Uulu and Tartu–Viljandi–Kilingi-Nõmme roads, about 11 km (7 mi) from the Estonian border with Latvia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rail transport in Estonia</span>

The rail transport system in Estonia consists of about 1,200 kilometres (750 mi) of railway lines, of which 900 kilometres (560 mi) are currently in public use. The infrastructure of the railway network is mostly owned by the state and is regulated and surveyed by the Estonian Technical Surveillance Authority.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bogie exchange</span> System for operating railway wagons on two or more gauges

Bogie exchange is a system for operating railway wagons on two or more gauges to overcome difference in the track gauge. To perform a bogie exchange, a car is converted from one gauge to another by removing the bogies or trucks, and installing a new bogie with differently spaced wheels. It is generally limited to wagons and carriages, though the bogies on diesel locomotives can be exchanged if enough time is available.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rail transport in Latvia</span>

Rail transport in Latvia is done on 1,520 mm Russian gauge. The main railway company is the state-owned Latvijas dzelzceļš (LDz), with its subsidiary Pasažieru vilciens (PV) providing passenger services.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rail Baltica</span> Railway network across the Baltic states

Rail Baltica is an under-construction rail infrastructure project that is intended to integrate the Baltic states in the European rail network. Its purpose is to provide passenger and freight service between participating countries and improve rail connections between Central and Northern Europe, specifically the area southeast of the Baltic Sea. It is also intended as a catalyst for building the economic corridor in Northeastern Europe. The project envisages a continuous rail link from Tallinn (Estonia) to Warsaw (Poland), consisting of links via Riga (Latvia), Kaunas, and Vilnius (Lithuania). Its total length in the Baltic States is 870 kilometres (540 mi), with 213 kilometres (132 mi) in Estonia, 265 kilometres (165 mi) in Latvia, and 392 kilometres (244 mi) in Lithuania. Rail Baltica is one of the priority projects of the European Union (EU). It is part of the North Sea–Baltic Corridor of the Trans-European Transport Networks (TEN-T).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Public transport in Tallinn</span> Public transport in Tallinn, Estonia

Public transport in Tallinn consists of bus, tram, trolleybus, train, and ferry services. Tallinna Linnatranspordi (TLT) operates bus, tram and trolleybus routes, Elron operates train services, and Spinnaker OÜ operates the ferry service to Aegna Island on the high speed craft Vegtind. Tallinn is the only city in Estonia to have ever used trams or trolleybuses. Use of trolleybuses has decreased since their peak operation in 1988. Since 2024, diesel busses have started to be replaced by compressed gas–powered and battery electric buses.

Estonia mainly uses a track gauge of 1,520 mm or 1,524 mm, inherited from the Russian Empire times.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of rail transport in Estonia</span>

The history of rail transport in Estonia starts in 1870 when a railway line was opened connecting Paldiski, Tallinn, Tapa and Narva; the line extending all the way to Saint Petersburg in Russia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tallinn–Tapa railway</span> Railway in Estonia

The Tallinn–Tapa railway is a 77.8-kilometre (48.3 mi) long double track partly electrified railway line in Estonia, connecting the cities of Tallinn and Tapa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trams in Tallinn</span> Overview of the tram network in Tallinn, Estonia

The Tram System of Tallinn is the only tram system in Estonia. Together with the four-route trolleybus network (et), the four tram lines, with a total length of 19.7 km arranged in a roughly cross-shaped layout, provide a backbone for the public transport network in the Estonian capital. All the routes meet up at Hobujaama stop in the city center. Trams are unidirectional, one-sided and single-person operated, and much of the network runs on segregated two-way track.

<i>TS Laevad</i> Company based in Estonia

TS Laevad is an Estonian ferry company which operates two routes between the Estonian mainland and the islands of Hiiumaa and Muhu in the Baltic Sea. Muhu is connected by a causeway to Estonia's largest island, Saaremaa.

<i>Kihnu Veeteed</i> Estonian ferry company

Kihnu Veeteed is a ferry company which operates six scheduled routes in Estonia. It is registered on the island of Kihnu in the Gulf of Riga, and runs a fleet of seven passenger ferries.

References

  1. "Annual Report 2013" (PDF). Estonian Road Administration. Retrieved 2013-12-19.
  2. 1 2 "Lihtne ja mugav elektriauto laadimine kõikjal".
  3. "Lihtne ja mugav elektriauto laadimine kõikjal".
  4. Rail Baltica – Project of the Century" on the Rai Baltica official website, accessed on 26 April 2023.
  5. "Baltic Course". 27 November 2018. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
  6. "The World Factbook".
  7. Abruka transport Lääne-Saare Parish.