Pärnu

During the Great Northern War, the University of Tartu was relocated to Pärnu from 1699-1710. Tartu University still has a branch campus there.

Pärnu is an ancient Hanseatic town, where a medieval festival and an arts and crafts fair are held every summer.

It is also a popular place for conferences, theatre performances and concerts. In 1838 the first spa was opened and nowadays Pärnu is a health resort of international stature.

Tourist Information Centre, Uus 4, ☏ +372 447 3000, parnu@visitestonia.com.

See Estonia#Get around for bus and train schedules.

By bus:

Buses arrive at the small 1 bus station on the border of the old town. This bus station feels like a big bus stop because the terminal building is somewhat hidden on the opposite side of the street. The nearby fast-food kiosk opens early in the morning and caters to morning travellers while the whole city is still sleeping.

Buses from Tallinn depart every hour and reach Pärnu in about two hours. You can also travel from Viljandi (1 hr) and Tartu (2½-3 hr), Kuressaare (3 hr), and Valga (2½ hr). There is one daily bus from Saint Petersburg in Russia with a stop in Narva (5 hr). Check the schedules at here.

Pärnu is a major stop in the middle of the Tallinn–Riga route. Buses run every 1-2 hours and connect you to the Latvian capital in 2½ hr. Pärnu can be an excellent stopover on your away between the Baltic capitals.

Selected bus services to Pärnu depart from the Port of Tallinn.

By train:

Pärnu's train connection to Tallinn was closed permanently in 2018. Rail travellers will have to change to buses in Rapla and Lelle. The upcoming Rail Baltica will restore the train connection.

2 Pärnu railway station (Pärnu kaubajaam).

By car:

Pärnu has road connections from Tallinn (128 km), Haapsalu (108 km), Tartu (174 km), as well as to Riga in Latvia (184 km). The major artery of the Baltic states, Via Baltica, passes near Pärnu.

By plane:

3 Pärnu airport (EPU IATA) (is 4 km north-west of the city). It has some regular flights from Helsinki and Stockholm, but you are more likely to use this airport for continuing your journey from Pärnu rather than for traveling to the city. Diamond Sky operates flights to the islands of Ruhnu (regular) and Kihnu (on request only). The Ruhnu flight continues to Kuressaare and costs about €25 for each flight segment. (updated Oct 2026)