🇪🇪 Same-country drive · Estonia
Driving from Rakvere to Tartu
Practical driving advice for the route from Rakvere to Tartu via roads 22 and 39, covering road conditions, local rules, and landscape tips.
- Drive time
- 1h 52m
- Distance
- 123 km
- Same day?
- Yes, half day
- under 4 h
- Fuel cost
- ≈ €17
- petrol · diesel ≈ €14
- Tolls
- Toll-free
- no charges en route
- EV charging
- Plenty fast
- 16 of 16 ≥50 kW
On this page
Route map
Route options
Other paths OSRM found between the two cities — handy when traffic, tolls, or scenery matter more than raw speed.
Alternative
+8m- Distance:
- 130 km (+7 km)
- Duration:
- 2h 0m
Via: 21 · 3
How else can you make this trip?
Driving is the focus of this guide; here's how cycling, coach, and (soon) train and plane stack up for the same pair.
1h 52m
123 km · €17 fuel
See details ↓
6h 40m
137 km · Climb 325 m
52.5 km on EV11 East Europe Route
See details ↓
No direct service
Our coach data (FlixBus + BlaBlaCar) doesn't list a direct service for this pair. National operators (e.g., National Express in the UK, Eurolines feeders) may still cover it — check their site directly.
2h 50m
ELRON
See details ↓
What the drive is like
Drafted from the route's computed data on July 28, 2026 and reviewed against the route summary card. Read our methodology.
You depart Rakvere heading south on road 22, leaving the town's dense residential grid for the flat, open farmlands of Lääne-Virumaa. This stretch is straightforward but requires constant vigilance for wildlife, as the road cuts through dense forest segments where elk and deer are common hazards, especially during the low-light hours of dawn and dusk. The asphalt is generally well-maintained, but expect a standard two-lane layout that occasionally narrows as you traverse the rolling rural landscape toward the border of Jõgeva County.
Transitioning onto road 39 toward Tartu brings a noticeable increase in regional traffic. As you approach the outskirts of Estonia's intellectual capital, the pace of the drive shifts from the quiet solitude of the forest tracks to the more structured environment of the city’s ring roads. While Estonia has no national tolls or vignettes to worry about, be mindful that speed limits drop significantly as you enter built-up areas. Local drivers are generally disciplined, but the 110 km/h motorway limits only apply to specific sections of divided highway elsewhere in the country; stick to the posted signage on these secondary roads to avoid automated speed camera penalties.
The entire route keeps you on level, manageable terrain, making this a relaxing drive if you avoid the heavy peak-hour clusters near Tartu’s university district. Keep your headlights on at all times, as is legally required in Estonia regardless of the season or sky conditions. Fuel stations are distributed well enough along the route, though you will find the most competitive prices in Rakvere before you set out. Entering Tartu, the city navigation can be tricky due to one-way streets near the historic center, so have your offline map ready as the motorway-style signage ends abruptly at the city limits.
Route highlights
- The dense forest passages between Rakvere and Jõgeva which are frequent crossing points for local wildlife.
- The transition into the academic atmosphere of Tartu, signaled by the change from open farmland to suburban university infrastructure.
- The efficient, toll-free experience of driving on well-maintained regional roads 22 and 39.
Trip plan
How to think about the drive: one day, split, or overnight.
Short hop
Under two hours behind the wheel. Grab a coffee, set the playlist, done before lunch.
- Distance:
- 123 km
- Duration:
- 1h 52m (free-flow, no traffic)
Key moves
Things to know before you set off — borders, sides of the road, tolls.
Long rural stretch on 39 Tartu — Jõgeva — Aravete
Plan for about 24 km of two-lane country roads. Slower than motorway, but often the pretty part — fewer overtakes after dark.
Long rural stretch on 22 Rakvere — Väike-Maarja — Vägeva
Plan for about 24 km of two-lane country roads. Slower than motorway, but often the pretty part — fewer overtakes after dark.
Must-know before you go
The things a driver from another country wouldn't think to ask about — fines, stickers, payment cards, opening hours.
Fuel stations
Contactless cards work at virtually every motorway pump
TipMajor brand stations (Shell, Total, BP, Repsol, Cepsa, OMV, Eni, Esso) take Visa and Mastercard contactless without an issue. American Express and Diners are spotty south of the Alps. A €100 pre-authorisation hold is normal — it releases within 5 days. Carry €50 cash for the rare independent station.
Money & connectivity
EU roaming covers calls, texts and data at no extra cost
TipYour home EU SIM works at home rates across every EU member, plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. The "fair use" cap on data only applies if you're abroad more than four months. For a 2-week road trip, just use your phone normally — but switch off "data roaming" if you're leaving the EU into UK / CH for any segment.
Emergency & breakdown
112 works everywhere in the EU and continental neighbours
TipSingle number for police, ambulance, fire — works from any phone, any network, any country. On motorways, the orange SOS pillars every 2km connect direct to the regional traffic control centre and pinpoint your location. Use them over your phone if you can — it speeds the response.
Rules, fees, and thresholds change. Always verify against the official source the day before you drive — this page is a checklist, not a legal reference.
Main roads
The highways this route spends the most kilometres on.
-
39 Tartu — Jõgeva — Aravete64 km
-
22 Rakvere — Väike-Maarja — Vägeva46 km
Route character
How much of the drive is motorway vs. secondary vs. rural.
Rural-road drive — narrow roads, small towns, patience required.
- Motorway
- 0%
- Secondary
- 0%
- Other / rural
- 100%
Drive difficulty
At-a-glance feel: how demanding is this drive for one driver?
Overall
Easy
Straightforward drive. One driver, one day, little to worry about beyond fuel and a toilet stop.
- About 108 km on non-motorway roads where speeds and conditions vary.
Elevation profile
Highs, lows, and the total climb / descent along the route.
- Lowest point
- 39 m
- Highest point
- 130 m
- Total ascent
- ↑ 89 m
- Total descent
- ↓ 128 m
Fuel & tolls
Rough cost expectation for a typical EU passenger car. Treat as an estimate — pump prices change weekly.
Petrol (RON 95)
≈ €17
9.2 L × €1.81 / L · 7.5 L/100 km
Diesel
≈ €14
7.4 L × €1.88 / L · 6 L/100 km
Electric (DC fast)
≈ €9
22 kWh × €0.43 / kWh · 17.5 kWh/100 km
Public DC fast charging — slower AC charging at home or hotels typically costs about half.
Prices last refreshed 2026-08-03.
Fuel and EV charging along the route
Stations within a few kilometres of the road, sampled at evenly-spaced waypoints.
EV charging
16 at 50 kW or above (fast / ultra-fast).
Fastest first
- Rakvere-1 — Rakvere 50 kW
- Rakvere-2 — Rakvere 50 kW
- Rakvere-3 — Rakvere 50 kW
- Väike-Maarja — Väike-Maarja vald 50 kW
- Jõgeva — Jõgeva 50 kW
- Tabivere — Tabivere 50 kW
- Tartu-6 — Tartu 50 kW
- Tartu-4 — Tartu 50 kW
- Tartu-3 — Tartu 50 kW
- Tartu-1 — Tartu 50 kW
- Tartu-7 — Tartu 50 kW
- Tartu-2 — Tartu 50 kW
Weather by month
Average daytime high / overnight low and typical monthly rainfall, over the past five years.
🇪🇪 Rakvere
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
-2°
-6°
|
-1°
-6°
|
5°
-2°
|
10°
1°
|
16°
6°
|
20°
11°
|
22°
14°
|
21°
13°
|
19°
11°
|
9°
4°
|
4°
0°
|
1°
-3°
|
| 69mm | 38mm | 39mm | 51mm | 42mm | 97mm | 78mm | 83mm | 61mm | 64mm | 66mm | 58mm |
hot mild cold
🇪🇪 Tartu
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
-1°
-5°
|
-1°
-5°
|
5°
-2°
|
11°
2°
|
17°
6°
|
21°
11°
|
23°
14°
|
22°
13°
|
19°
11°
|
10°
4°
|
4°
1°
|
1°
-3°
|
| 71mm | 34mm | 33mm | 54mm | 45mm | 80mm | 132mm | 80mm | 35mm | 66mm | 65mm | 49mm |
hot mild cold
Next 5 days at Tartu
Live forecast — refreshes every few hours.
-
Thu 13
⛅
15° / 15°
—
-
Fri 14
⛅
21° / 14°
—
-
Sat 15
⛅
25° / 15°
—
-
Sun 16
⛅
24° / 18°
—
-
Mon 17
⛅
21° / 15°
—
Forecast: MET Norway
Directions
Turn-by-turn summary of the main manoeuvres, generated by OSRM.
Show all 14 manoeuvres
- C. R. Jakobsoni 0.3 km
- Ringtee (5)
- Rakvere — Väike-Maarja — Vägeva (22)
- Rakvere — Väike-Maarja — Vägeva (22) 12 km
- Rakvere — Väike-Maarja — Vägeva (22) 10 km
- Rakvere — Väike-Maarja — Vägeva (22) 24 km
- Tartu — Jõgeva — Aravete (39) 21 km
- Tallinna mnt (39)
- Tartu — Jõgeva — Aravete (39) 24 km
- Jõgeva tee (39) 2 km
- Tartu — Jõgeva — Aravete (39) 7 km
- Tartu — Jõgeva — Aravete (39) 9 km
- Vene
- Vabaduse pst (40)
Cycling from Rakvere to Tartu
Touring-pace bicycle route generated by BRouter, with elevation gain and matched against the EuroVelo cycle network.
- Distance
- 137 km
- vs 123 km driving
- Riding time
- 6h 40m
- Touring pace; experienced riders cut this 20–30%.
- Total climb
- ↑ 325 m
Routed on the BRouter trekking profile — balanced for paved leisure tourers; gravel and fast-bike profiles produce different lines.
On the EuroVelo network
Sections of this route follow signed EuroVelo cycle routes — well-maintained, signposted, and bike-friendly:
- EV11 East Europe Route · 52.5 km
Total: 52,5 km on EuroVelo (38% of the route).
Show route on map
By train from Rakvere to Tartu
Fastest cross-border rail itinerary from the public Transitous planner. Times reflect a typical Monday-morning departure on the next available service-day.
- Fastest journey
- 2h 50m
- 2 changes
- Lead operator
- ELRON
- Alternatives
- 4
- Itineraries returned by the planner.
Trains on the fastest itinerary
- E35
Show route on map
Routing via the public Transitous OTP planner (community-run MOTIS instance). Cached 24 hours; verify on the operator's site before booking.
Frequently asked
Do I need a vignette to drive in Estonia?
No, there are no road tolls or vignettes required for passenger cars on Estonian roads.
What is the drink-drive limit in Estonia?
Estonia enforces a strict blood alcohol concentration limit of 0.2 mg/ml.
Are headlights mandatory during the day?
Yes, dipped headlights must be switched on at all times while driving in Estonia.
How this page is built
Compiled by COD Solutions Oy from open European data — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for the route geometry, BRouter for the bicycle route, EuroVelo GPX (ODbL) by the European Cyclists' Federation for the cycle-network overlay, Open-Meteo for monthly climate normals, OpenTopoData SRTM 30m for elevation, Open Charge Map for EV charging stations, and Google Gemini drafts the narrative and FAQ from the computed route data. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.