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PTG Tours · Escorted tour

Railways of the Baltic States – Part 2 – Estonia

Nine-day escorted rail journey through Estonia and Latvia with PTG Tours.

Illustration of Railways of the Baltic States – Part 2 – Estonia

PTG Tours operates this nine-day escorted journey through Estonia and Latvia for railway enthusiasts and history lovers. The tour departs from Tallinn and ends in Riga, with a local tour manager named Petras guiding the group. Every passenger railway line in Estonia is travelled, including the Tallinn tramway on a chartered car, branch lines to coastal and inland towns, visits to the national railway museum and railway workshops, and an international train crossing into Latvia. Nights are spent in Tallinn (five), Tartu (two), and Riga (one); most meals are provided. The pace is relaxed, with time to walk through the medieval old town of Tallinn, explore Haapsalu's imperial-era railway station and Lavassaare's narrow-gauge museum railway, visit Tapa's 1870 station, and spend a morning in Riga before flying home. Flights from major UK airports are included in the from-price of 1495 GBP, making this a complete package for those seeking a deep dive into Baltic railway history without the logistics of independent travel.

What to know before you look closer

  • Only one departure is listed: August 2026.
  • Day 2 includes a 'to be confirmed' visit to the main railway works and depot; confirm this detail with PTG Tours before booking.
  • Flights are included in the from-price of 1495 GBP, with flights alone available at a lower deposit; verify whether all flight routes offered match your preferred departure airport and time.

Day by day

  1. Day 1overnight: Tallinn

    Fly to Tallinn

    Direct flight options from Stansted (Ryanair, 17:15) and Luton (Wizzair, 15:40); indirect via Riga from London Gatwick; also possible to fly from Birmingham, Manchester and Edinburgh via Stockholm.

  2. Day 2railovernight: Tallinn

    Old Tallinn walking tour

    Relaxing morning for own exploration, then a welcome lunch at 1pm followed by a walking tour of old Tallinn. Late afternoon visit to the main railway works and depot (to be confirmed).

  3. Day 3railovernight: Tallinn

    Tallinn tramway and western branch lines

    Charter tramcar to explore the whole Tallinn tramway system. Early afternoon rail trip west to the branch lines to Kloogaranna and Paldiski (13:45 Tallinn–Paldiski, 15:00 Paldiski–Keila, 15:59 Keila–Kloogaranna, 16:27 return to Tallinn arriving 17:14).

  4. Day 4railovernight: Tallinn

    Haapsalu and Lavassaare

    09:05 train to Turba, then coach to the historic Haapsalu railway station (built for Russian imperial family visits) and its railway museum, with lunch in Haapsalu. Continue to Lavassaare, Estonia's only narrow-gauge railway museum, for a short train ride (approx. 25 minutes). Coach back to Turba to catch a train back to Tallinn.

  5. Day 5railovernight: Tallinn

    Narva

    Express train to the town of Narva (dep 11:33, arr 14:12), returning at 16:02 (arr Tallinn 19:00).

  6. Day 6railovernight: Tartu

    On to Tartu

    10:15 train south to Tartu, with a break and early lunch at Tapa, Estonia's oldest station (dating from 1870), continuing at 12:45 to Tartu. Dinner at a brewery with a tasting of three beers.

  7. Day 7railovernight: Tartu

    Koidula branch

    10:49 train south to Koidula, the terminus of the line (arr 12:07), with time to explore and have lunch before the 15:01 return, arriving back in Tartu at 16:20.

  8. Day 8railovernight: Riga

    On to Riga

    International train at 12:42 from Tartu, arriving at the Estonian border town of Valga at 13:45, changing to a Latvian Railways train at 14:15 through to Riga, arriving 16:37.

  9. Day 9

    Riga; fly home

    Free morning to explore Riga before meeting at the hotel at 13:00 for the bus transfer to the airport. Flight departures at 15:40 (Gatwick) and 17:45 (Stansted); also possible to fly at 15:45 to Birmingham, Manchester or Edinburgh via Copenhagen.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 3Day 3: Charter tramcar explores the entire Tallinn tramway system, including loops and unusual curves, ending at the depot.
  • Day 4Day 4: Visit to Haapsalu railway station, built for Russian imperial family visits, and a short ride on Estonia's only narrow-gauge museum railway at Lavassaare.
  • Day 6Day 6: Stop at Tapa, Estonia's oldest railway station (dating from 1870), with lunch and an onward train to Tartu.
  • Day 8Day 8: International train from Tartu crosses the Estonian border at Valga and continues on Latvian Railways to Riga.

Questions travellers ask

Is all the train travel included in the price?
Yes. The from-price of 1495 GBP includes all rail travel, flights from major UK airports, accommodation, and most meals.
Is this tour guided or independent?
It is escorted. PTG Tours provides a local tour manager, Petras, who leads the group throughout the nine days.
Which trains and railway lines are covered?
The tour travels all passenger railways in Estonia: the Tallinn tramway, branch lines to Kloogaranna, Paldiski, Haapsalu, Lavassaare, Narva, and Koidula, plus the main line to Tartu. The journey ends on an international train from Tartu through Valga to Riga on Latvian Railways.
Where do we stay?
Five nights at Hestia Hotel Ilmarine in Tallinn, two nights at Dorpat Hotel in Tartu, and one night at Wellton Riga Hotel & Spa in Riga.
When does the tour run?
PTG Tours has one confirmed departure in August 2026 at the from-price of 1495 GBP.
How much walking is involved?
There is a walking tour of old Tallinn and time to explore towns and museums on foot. Most branch-line logistics are handled by coach transfers, which carry luggage to the next hotel.

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