Estonia is one of the European countries with a high rise in tourists. Being on the shores of the Baltic sea and in the middle between the Scandinavian peninsula and the great Russian state, it is country with a lot of history and great importance for this part of the continent.
If you’re one of the people who’s about to visit this country and the capital – Tallinn, you should know some details about this. First, the best way to get there is by plane especially if you’re traveling from some of the places that are not nearby.
Sightseeing and getting around is best done by car. The roads are excellent and there’s something to see every mile or so. A lot of people speak English here so it’s going to be easy for you to get around, ask for directions or help if that’s needed.
To do such sightseeing, you’ll need to rent a car, of course. In this article, we’re going to talk about how to rent a car in the capital of Estonia – Tallinn. Read and learn more about this!
Get one from the city’s agencies
When you first land on the airport, you’ll see a ton of agencies all offering this kind of service. Everyone coming to Estonia is advised to rent a vehicle so you won’t be the first one aware of this moment.
However, instead of getting one right there, take the shuttle bus and get to Tallinn. Renting the car there is much more affordable than right on the spot at the airport. You save a lot of money just by spending an hour more of your time.
Learn everything there is about driving in Estonia
If you’re coming from Australia or the UK, be aware of the fact the people here drive on the other side of the street. The rules are the same and the signs are the same just like everywhere else in the world. Still, if you’re coming from a different part of the world it will be better if you pay some attention to this moment.
Tips about renting
As you can see in more detail on https://extralargeaslife.com/rent-best-cars-in-tallinn-car-renting-guide/ renting can have a lot of tiny tricks that you need to be aware of. One of the most important issues you need to have in mind is insurance.
Make sure the vehicle you’re about to get has a good insurance policy. Always get a vehicle from a company that is well recognized, has a good review score on the internet and people recommend it. Don’t go for some cheap shot options where people will give you something almost free but when an accident happens you’ll have to pay for the entire car.
Mentioning this, it’s good to know that every single problem you have personally is something you’ll have to deal with on your own. Companies will help you by getting the proper help while you’re on the road but this is something that is going to come from your pocket.
Don’t expect to get stuck somewhere and the renting agency to come to help you. No, they’ll just give you a phone number from a towing company and you’ll have to deal with them. The problem here might be that these guys often have special prices for foreigners so it’s best to pay attention and get into trouble. Make sure you stay on the asphalt especially when it’s rainy and try not to get lost.
Age differences
If you’re coming from the USA you know that even minors can drive when they turn 16. It’s not like that in Estonia. Even though kids here seem to be much more responsible than the American children based on statistics, the law says a person can have a driving license only after they turn 18.
After this, they have special rules until they turn 19 or at least one year of experience behind the wheel. The rent-a-car agencies have the age of 25 as a limit where you as a person can freely rent a vehicle. That means if you’re younger than this limit you’ll have to fill in some more forms and claim to be responsible.
Another important thing here is that even if you’re older than this age, you’ll still have to pay some extra money for assigning another driver. If you’re 26 and your partner is 25, well, it will be better for you to be the only driver because you’ll be stuck with paperwork and you’ll pay a lot more for having that additional driver right.
One good thing is, when kids are in question, that you’re not obligated to carry child seats so this is up to you. You’re the one that decides if you’ll pay extra attention to the safety of your children.
Gas rules
Like in most countries around the world, the gas rule is – return the tank as you got it. If you got the tank half-empty that’s how you’ll have to return it.
The catch here is that if you forget to visit the gas station before you return the vehicle, no one will make a problem out of it. The company will be happy to fill in for you but for this, they’ll charge you double or even three times more than the standard gas price. In other words – don’t forget to return the car as you took it.
Conclusion
Hopefully, these few tips are going to be very helpful for your trip around Estonia. Remember that this country is a part of the Schengen zone so you can visit some of the neighboring countries too without the need to pass any borders. Russia though is not in this zone.
Follow these tips and have some great fun in Tallinn and around the neighborhood. Don’t forget to visit every piece of the coastline and admire the beauties of the Baltic area. Take care of yourself, the car, and you can be sure that you’ll have some amazing time while you’re there.