Estonia is a small country — Tallinn to Tartu is under two hours by bus, and from almost anywhere in Estonia you can reach Tallinn for specialist care within a half day. But knowing what's available locally first can save time and money.
Tartu — Southern Estonia
Tartu is Estonia's second city and university town. The sexual health infrastructure here is anchored by the university hospital.
Tartu University Hospital — Infectious Disease Department
Kliinikumi tee 6, 50406 Tartu kliinikum.ee | Phone: +372 731 8211
The Tartu University Hospital is a full tertiary care centre. The infectious disease department here offers:
- HIV testing and treatment
- STI panel testing (request three-site: throat, rectal, urethral)
- PrEP initiation and management
- PEP (via the emergency department — open 24/7)
This is the equivalent of the Tallinn Nakkuskliinik for southern Estonia. Book via the Patient Portal (digilugu.ee) or by phone.
For PEP in Tartu: Go to the emergency department (EMO) at Kliinikumi tee 6 and say you need PEP. The infectious disease team handles urgent PEP requests around the clock.
Narva and Ida-Virumaa — Eastern Estonia
Narva is Estonia's easternmost major city, on the Russian border. Ida-Virumaa county has Estonia's highest HIV rates — a legacy of the 1990s–2000s epidemic. The primary resource for gay and bisexual men here is Linda Kliinik.
Linda Kliinik
Linda 4, 20306 Narva Phone: +372 35 74 455
Full guide: Testing in Narva — Linda Kliinik
Linda Kliinik is the most important sexual health resource in eastern Estonia for HIV/STI testing, treatment navigation, and harm reduction. Primarily Russian-language but Estonian and some English spoken.
For PEP in Narva: Linda Kliinik during clinic hours; for out-of-hours emergencies, Tallinn is the nearest 24/7 PEP access point (~2 hours by car/bus). Call the clinic and/or 112 for guidance.
Pärnu — Western Estonia
Pärnu is a popular summer resort city on Estonia's west coast.
Pärnu Hospital (Pärnu Haigla) Ristiku 1, 80010 Pärnu | Ph: +372 447 3300 | ph.ee
The hospital has an internal medicine and infectious disease unit that can handle HIV testing and referral. For PEP, the emergency department is available. However, for PrEP initiation or complex sexual health needs, the Tallinn Nakkuskliinik is more appropriate — Pärnu to Tallinn is about 1.5 hours by bus.
The Digital Advantage
Estonia's Digilugu system means that even if you're seen in Tartu or Pärnu, your records are available to your Tallinn infektsionist instantly. A prescription written in Tartu can be filled at an apteek in Tallinn or anywhere else in Estonia. This makes moving between cities much smoother than in most countries.
Smaller Towns and Rural Areas
For sexual health in smaller Estonian towns:
- Your perearst (GP/family doctor) can order HIV tests and refer you to an infektsionist
- Synlab private labs have testing locations in most Estonian towns — find them at synlab.ee
- Digilugu means you can have initial tests locally and see an infektsionist in Tallinn for follow-up
- For PEP: Go to the nearest hospital EMO (emergency department); call 112 if unsure which hospital to attend
The Nakkuskliinik hotline (+372 651 2000) can advise on options from anywhere in Estonia.