Instructions for using the HSL card

You can buy a personal HSL card from a service point. Please bring with you a driver’s license, passport or an ID card. A card charge of 5 euros is charged for a new card. If you live permanently in the HSL area, you can buy season tickets that are less expensive than season tickets available with multi-user cards.

A child's next of kin can purchase a personal HSL card for a child. The child does not need to be present at the service point, but the next of kin must be able to provide the child's personal identity code and some specific information (e.g. a local address). The parent's/next of kin's identity will be verified.

Please write your name on the back of the card in case you lose your card. This allows the card can be returned to you from the Lost & Found service.

The sale of multi-user HSL cards ended on 31 December 2023 and the cards will be discontinued in the fall.

You can top up your HSL card with a season ticket valid for 14, 30, 60, 90, 120, etc. 270 days or 360 days. Day tickets are valid for 1 to 13 days. You can load between 5 euros and 400 euros on your HSL card and use the balance to pay for single fares at card readers.

You can top up your HSL card with a season ticket, day ticket or value at all HSL sales and service points as well as at some HSL ticket machines.

Show your HSL card or debit/credit card to the card reader when you board a bus. You do not need to press any buttons.

On commuter trains, the metro, trams and on orange trunk route buses you do not need to show your card unless a ticket inspector or conductor asks you to do so.

Buy a single ticket with contactless payment or with value on your HSL card at the start of your journey, when you board a vehicle or before you take the escalator down to the metro platform.

1 Select the zones

Use the arrow button to move between the views, if need be.

Use the arrow button to go to the second view if the appropriate ticket is not on the first one.

2 Pay with your HSL card or debit/credit card

You can buy tickets for one or several people travelling with you. You can use your adult HSL card or debit/credit card to buy tickets for other adults, a child HSL card to buy tickets for children.

You cannot buy several tickets one after another, e.g. first for yourself and then for others. You must buy all tickets in one go.

1 Select the zones

Use the arrow button to move between the views, if need be.

Use the arrow button to go to the second view, if the appropriate ticket is not on the first one.

2 Press the “Add passengers” button

3 Select the number of tickets and press OK.

If you have a valid season or day ticket, buy tickets only for those who do not have one. Do not include yourself in the count.

4 Pay with your HSL card or debit/credit card

If you have a valid season ticket, you can expand your travel area by buying a zone extension ticket. If you have a season ticket on your HSL card, you can only buy zone extension tickets using the card. 

1 Select the zones

Include all the zones you will travel through, also the zones of your season ticket. Use the arrow button to go to the second view, if the ticket you want to purchase is not on the first one. See the instructions for buying single tickets with value on the HSL card.

2 Pay with your HSL card

The price of the zone extension ticket will be charged to your card.

3 A screen with green borders indicates that your purchase was successful.

You can check the tickets and value balance on your HSL card by holding your card on the card reader. The following information will show up on the display after about five seconds:

• value balance on the card;
• season ticket, if you have one, and its expiry date;
• valid value ticket(s); and
• the expiry time of the value ticket transfer time.

You can also check your HSL card information at the large HSL ticket machines.  

Enquiries, refunds and claims relating to HSL cards are dealt with at HSL and municipal service points. When visiting a service point, you need to show proof of identity. Refund must be claimed within two months from the date when the grounds for the claim first arose.

Refunds are only available for tickets purchased with a personal HSL card or with a multi-user HSL card with the owner’s personal data or company’s business ID. Personal data or a business ID can be stored on a multi-user card at a service point when the card is purchased.

If your card does not work as it should, please contact a service point.

For detailed instructions for season ticket and value refunds, see the HSL Public Transport Conditions of Carriage and Ticket Terms and Conditions.

Sales points (R-kiosks and other retailers) try to correct their errors themselves. Tickets and value purchases can be cancelled at the sales outlet where the purchase took place within 12 hours from the purchase, however on the same day.

You can get a new personal card from a service point.  Please bring with you a driver’s license, passport or an ID card. A fee of EUR 5 is charged for the new card. Any season ticket and value remaining on the lost card can be transferred to the new card. A service fee of EUR 8 will be charged for the transfer.

Value loaded on a multi-user card can be refunded at the service point if the card is linked to a personal identity code or a business ID. A service fee of EUR 8 will be charged for the refund.

Sale of multi-user HSL cards will end on 31 December 2023, and these cards will be phased out in the fall. Read more here. You can switch to the HSL app, which provides an easy way to buy single tickets. Read more about the app. If you prefer to continue to use an HSL card, you can buy a personal HSL card.

You can also purchase day tickets online on your HSL card for journeys in Tallinn or Tartu. Go to https://tallinn.pilet.ee/buy or https://tartu.pilet.ee/buy or https://tartu.pilet.ee/tickets/personalcode and enter the number of your HSL card on the service. In addition, you can also purchase tickets with contactless payment and view all the tickets you have bought at the following address: https://tallinn.pilet.ee/tickets/personalcode