August 2009

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Tallinn Airport to the Centre

August 14, 2009 in Transport | No comments

One of the most daunting aspects about travel is getting from the airport to the centre of town and the place where you will be putting your head on a pillow. Even for a seasoned traveler, it can be tough to know where you’re going in the first few minutes of being in a country.

The bad news about Tallinn is that there is no shuttle bus from the airport to the centre of town. The good news is that the airport is very central. If you’re looking to keep your expenses to a minimum, jump on the number two bus. Take it to the final stop (Linnahall) and you should be a short walk from your hotel, depending on where that is. Buy your ticket from the “R Kisok” at the end of the terminal.

The easiest way is to catch a taxi. You don’t have to take the first taxi in the rank, and make sure to look at the prices displayed in the window, as each company charges a different rate. If you’re bold enough you could negotiate a set rate before you start, but because most airport cabs are from reputable companies they may resist. If you pay more than 100 Crowns then you’ve probably been ripped off.

Make sure you ask your hotel if they do transfers. Some do it for free, and often it can be the hassle free option,particularly if you are a bigger group.

How Much to Tip?

August 4, 2009 in Tips | No comments

One of the most common questions I’m asked is how much should I leave for a tip in Estonia? It’s a good question, as tipping is different form culture to culture. You don’t want to look like a stupid rich foreigner, but you don’t want to look like a cheapskate either!

In Estonia tipping isn’t considered mandatory. Some people say 10% if the service is good, others say round up the bill. Given that Estonia has more notes than coins, many people usually throw in their unwanted two, five and maybe even ten crown notes,whatever that adds up to. As a tourist I suggest you work on around 10%, as long as your loose change covers such an amount. Give more if the service is really good, we need to encourage great customer service. Americans please note: we don’t like your culture of compulsory tipping. If you get bad service, please don’t leave a tip. We don’t want hopeless waiters expecting tips from us because American tourists all give them something out of habit. In summary, 10% is for satisfactory service, give more if it was better than expected and give nothing if it was bad.

We highly recommend you read this very humorous article about tipping in Estonia before you visit us. It was this article that inspired us to write this post.

Oh, remember that tour guides should be tipped at least 500%!!!!! ;)

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