Digital Organization and Navigating E-Estonia – Elfi (Azerbaijan)

So you’ve just made it to Estonia and you are scrambling around to sort your life out. Slowly but surely, you are getting around to organizing everything around you; your residence permit documents, your TRP application, your dorm keys, etc. All this is good and dandy, however a key point many students miss is that organization starts with something you already owned before traveling to Estonia: your smartphone.

As a highly digitized country, you can access many things using your smartphone. For starters, you will need the Smart-ID app for after you receive your TRP. You can get a Smart-ID account at your bank or at any laptop which has an ID-card reader.

Smart-ID.com

Speaking of banks, be sure to always download the bank app of your bank of choice! Banks such as LHV offer digital ISIC cards, which is another efficient way to ensure student discounts apply.

As for transport around Tartu, the Tartu Bussiajad has all bus schedules, routes and stops marked and clearly shown. However, if you choose to use the bikes, be sure to download the Tartu Smart Bike app. For taxis, Bolt is highly recommended due to cheaper fares and quick waiting times. Waze is the app for you if you have a car and give you detailed information while driving. Discounts in supermarkets are mainly obtained with their loyalty cards, but in stores such as Lidl, Selver, and Kaubamaja their respective apps can be used as such (Lidl Plus and Partnerkaard). Rimi also has an app which has weekly offers, together with an option to scan your groceries with your phone camera.

ResQ-Club.com

Well, if you’re not too skilled around the kitchen, don’t worry, because now the Päevapakkumised app is here to the rescue! Just select your region of choice, and it will show all the meals which are at discounted offers in your local town. Other than that, there is the ResQ club app which shows where you can pick up discounted food around your town. Save money and help reduce food waste at the same time! However, if ordering in is your preference, the top 3 apps are Wolt, Bolt Food and Fudy. Bon Appetit!

Bolt.eu

Okay, but what if you want to take a short trip around Estonia? The T-Pilet app shows you tickets for all sorts of transport, and is a great way to start planning your journey. LuxExpress has an app where you can book bus rides. With very comfortable seats, toilets and free hot beverages, Luxexpress is very popular in the Baltic regions. If trains is your mode of transport, the Elron app is sure to guide you on the ticket purchase process.

Luxexpress.eu

Overall, if you want to be aware of whats going on in Estonia, the ERR news app has all articles in English for your use. That being said, keep your eyes on your Facebook account, since most events, parties and concerts are always announced there. Another helpful app for leisure time would be the Apollo Kino app. With an Apollo card you can watch movies in theater at a discounted price.

News.ERR.ee

Remember to use your phone to its maximum capabilities and use all resources available to you when navigating E-Estonia! We wish you a very smooth and successful stay in Estonia!

We are International Student Ambassadors of the University of Tartu. Through our experience, you can start planning your studies at the University of Tartu. We hope you enjoy our blog.