For those coming from Tallinn, Estonia’s shiny, orange trains offer a fast and comfortable way to reach Tartu at roughly the same price as the buses. Eleven trains make the trip from Tallinn's Baltic Station (Balti Jaam) train station each day (info at www.elron.ee). Rides take about 2 to 2.5 hours, depending on whether it's an express train. The trains have free WiFi throughout. First-class sections have comfier seats, more legroom and guarantee you a table as well as a place to plug in your gadgets. There's no food service aboard, so bring your own snacks. Booking your seats in advance is also recommended as the trains tend to fill up, especially on Fridays and Sundays. See Train Station listing for more details.

Getting to town: Tartu's train station, located at Vaksali 6, is about 1.5km from the centre, so walking isn't out of the question. A taxi should only cost about €4-5. Buses N°3 and 25 will also get you there.