Overland Estonia Travel
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Contents
- 1 Visiting Estonia
- 2 Entering Estonia with a Car or Motorbike
- 3 Driving in Estonia
- 4 Gas and Diesel price in Estonia
- 5 Safety and Security Considerations
- 6 Camping in Estonia
- 7 Navigation
- 8 Special Overland Travel interests
- 9 Vehicle Maintenance
- 10 Buy or sell a car or motorbike in Estonia
- 11 References
- 12 Helpful External links
Visiting Estonia
Estonia is a pocket country. Very small but very friendly. For EU citizens there is no border, for others you might encounter a stray customs officer on the EU land border. There are very tightly controlled border checkpoints on the Russian border and sea and airports have all the usual EU border controls. The country as a whole is exceedingly safe. Don't be stupid and don't act like a drunken savage and you will have a good time. There is zero tolerance to drugs of any kind, cannabis and weed included. Sightseeing is easy, distances are small. For details of what to see, check out the Estonian tourist board site. Just google that...
Entering Estonia with a Car or Motorbike
Correct as of: (date last confirmed correct)
Required Paperwork
(To check if you need a travel Visa for Estonia, application instructions and fees see: Estonia Visa online application at VisaHQ.com)
List the paperwork required to enter with a vehicle, including number of copies
Process at border
Briefly describe the process at the border to enter with a vehicle
Cost of entry
State the cost for a vehicle to enter
Permitted length of stay
State the permitted length of entry for the vehicle
Extension of stay
Describe the process to extend the permitted length of entry for the vehicle, if possible.
Storing a vehicle and temporarily leaving the country
Describe if/how a vehicle can be stored, and for how long.
Also mention if the owner / temporary importer can leave the country while the vehicle is in storage.
Exiting with a vehicle
Describe the paperwork requirements and process at the border to exit.
Driving in Estonia
Recommended books for Overlanding in Estonia
Travel insurance for Estonia
World Nomads offer the most flexible Travel Insurance at the best prices for multi-country / multi-year trips. You can buy, extend and claim online, even after you've left home.
Vehicle insurance requirements
Yes or No if insurance is mandatory, and what kind is acceptable.
Cost of vehicle insurance
State the price of insurance and a time period.
Where to purchase vehicle insurance
Describe where insurance can be purchased.
Driving license
State the kind of driving licenses required. i.e. International Driving Permit.
Driving side of road
Right.
RHD vehicles can be driven and registered with the local authorities.
Mandatory items in vehicle
Warning triangle, wheel chocks, first aid kit, fire extinguisher, high vis. vest.
Roads
General Road quality
Roads vary. In towns and cities they are ok to excellent. Tarmac but can be broken/heavily repaired. Outside the towns and cities gravel roads are common. One way streets are common in towns and cities.
Road signs
Road signs are very good. Road markings can be poor, the hard winters destroy the painted markings fast.
Toll roads
There are none, unless the winter ice road to the offshore islands is counted.
Bribery in Estonia
Bribery is very uncommon, If it should occur it is as likely to be a police sting as it is a real shakedown. DON'T offer bribes and make clear that you are recording interaction if you feel the opportunity is being offered. Estonia is very proud of it's low levels of corruption.
Checkpoints
Rare, but can occur. Usually alcohol checks for drunk drivers. There will be 5-10 police officers strung along the road, they will flag down the cars approaching, check licence, id, insurance sometimes and breathalyze you. Note: driving with any blood alcohol level is illegal. Zero tolerance. Attempting to drive through or turning around and driving away will result in a very fast Subaru with flashing blue lights getting all up on top of you. Police are armed. If it isn't the Subaru it will be a tuned Skoda. The trained drivers love any chance to show what their cars can do. Don't be that guy...
Traveling with pets
A current pet-passport is required for EU travelers. Non EU travelers will have their animals quarantined.
Gas and Diesel price in Estonia
Last updated: September 2016
Currency and unit to display:
| Gasoline Grade | Price |
|---|---|
| Unleaded | €1.00 EUR per Liter[1] |
| Diesel | €1.02 EUR per Liter[1] |
Gas and Diesel Availability / Frequency
Highly available, gas stations (tankla) are all over the place, even smaller towns and villages will have one. Maximum distance between gas stations less than 40km.
Gas and Diesel Quality
Gas is unleaded (benzin) usually 98. Diesel is clean. All gas stations will have winter diesel available from November to April.
Safety and Security Considerations
Driving at night
Driving at night is fine. Keep a close eye open for drunks walking home and cyclists. Cycle lights are not required by law. Pedestrians are legally required to have a reflective arm band or tag visible when walking at night.
Vehicle parking
Parking rules are generally signed. If you are on a highway or local road then pull off to the side as far as possible.
Special driving considerations
Look out for wildlife, moose will give you a very very bad day, boar will do the same. Deer are plentiful, as are foxes, rabbits etc. Many local roads are gravel surfaced and can be full of pot holes after rain.
Security advisories and information
- Country Specific Information - U.S. Department of State
- Travel Reports and Warnings - Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
- Travel advice by country - Foreign and Commonwealth office (U.K.)
- Travel Advice for Estonia - Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Camping in Estonia
Describe if organized "pay" camping is common. List the facilities commonly found at these campsites.
List the approximate average price range of camping in organized campgrounds.
Also discuss the possibility of "wild" or "roadside" camping. How common is it? Is it considered safe, or a bad idea.
Camping guide books
List and link to books specifically for camping.
Drinking water
This will depend on the area. If unsure drink bottled water. Some parts of Eastern Estonia have very iron rich water. It is unpleasant to drink although unlikely to do any damage. Bottled water will range from 0.5€ to 5% for 500ml.
Paper maps
Reise Know-How are among the best paper maps. Purchase paper maps before arriving in Estonia
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GPS Maps of Estonia
Review different GPS companies, quality and coverage (Tomtom, Garmin, OSM, Tracks4Africa). (with links to each).
GPS co-ordinates for camping, propane, gas, repairs, etc. in Estonia
- iOverlander is a website and iPhone application designed by Overlanders, for Overlanders. It contains GPS co-ordinates and reviews for camping, hotels, propane, water, mechanics, borders and much more.
Link to sites that have a list of GPS co-ordinates (or directions) for camping locations (including "wild" campsites), propane filling, gas stations, repair shops, places of interest, etc.
Special Overland Travel interests
List any special items / places that are popular with Overlanders
Vehicle Maintenance
Dealers
4x4s / Trucks
- Toyota Global Dealer Locator
- Land Rover International Dealer Locator
- Mercedes Benz International (select country on bottom right)
- Jeep International site locator
Motorbikes
Local Garages
Add known good mechanics here.
Buy or sell a car or motorbike in Estonia
Buy
Describe how a foreigner can buy a vehicle.
List any difficulties or limitations on where the vehicle can be driven.
Sell
Describe how a foreigner can sell a foreign-plated vehicle, or list not possible.'
References
Links to the source of any information - blogs or discussion forums, etc.
Helpful External links
Add any helpful external links here.
- Estonia: Visa and Passport requirements | World Travel Guide
- Health Information for Travelers to Estonia - Center for Disease Control and Prevention
- Estonia travel guides at wikivoyage
- Estonia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
