Harju County’s Small Towns by Trains

Located west of Tallinn, Keila is just a 30-minute train ride away and makes an ideal to visit as a day trip. With a population of around 13,000, the town offers cafés, shops, and pleasant green spaces for walking. Keila Park connects the town centre with its distinctive modern song festival grounds. Major song and dance festivals are held here every few years, while smaller concerts take place throughout the summer. The local museum is housed in a former outbuilding of Keila Manor. Visitors can also enjoy a wide range of sports and outdoor activities, including a swimming pool, disc golf courses, cross-country skiing and running trails, and a tubing hill during the winter months.

Paldiski is around one hour from Tallinn by train. Home to approximately 4,000 residents, it remains an important commercial and military port and provides a regular ferry connection to Kapellskär in Sweden. The town’s rich history spans the era of the Coastal Swedes, the naval base established by Peter the Great, and its decades as a closed Soviet military town. Allow at least a couple of hours to explore Paldiski. Coastal hiking trails, a lighthouse, museum, eateries, and second-hand shops offer plenty to discover, while an audio guide provides an excellent introduction to the town’s history.

Turba is unique as the current western terminus of the railway line. The railway once continued all the way to Haapsalu, and today the former railway embankment has been transformed into a walking and cycling trail. From Turba, visitors can follow this scenic route on a bike for around 40 kilometres towards Haapsalu. Near the railway station stands the town’s distinctive striped colour community house. Also worth seeing is the former Ellamaa Power Station, dating back to the early 20th century, with its carefully maintained ornamental garden in front of the building.

South of Tallinn lies Saku, around 30 minutes away by trains and home to approximately 5,000 people. The town is best known for its elegant neoclassical manor and its long brewing tradition. The histories of Saku Manor with its huge park around and the local brewery are closely connected, with brewing traditions dating back to the early 19th century. Today, visitors will find cafes, grocery stores, and well-maintained walking paths throughout the town.

Travelling east from Tallinn, Aegviidu can be reached in around 50 minutes by train. Place’s name literally means “to spend time,” reflecting both the area’s history and its present-day appeal. Once a popular summer resort for Estonians, Aegviidu is now known as Estonia’s hiking capital thanks to its outstanding natural surroundings and hiking trails. A network of hiking trails of varying lengths begins directly at the railway station, which also marks the intersection of several long-distance hiking routes crossing the country. In winter, the area offers extensive cross-country ski trails, while cycling routes are popular during the snow-free season. If you do not have your own equipment, sports gear can be conveniently rented at the station.