Son of former Estonian president misses train due to early departure; Elron explains

Luukas Kristjan Ilves, son of former Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves, expressed frustration on Facebook after missing a train with his children due to an early departure. The train, scheduled to leave Ülemiste station at 13:43 on June 14, departed a minute ahead of schedule.

Ilves shared a screenshot showing the scheduled departure time and a timestamp from his phone indicating the train left at 13:42:15. He sarcastically thanked Elron, the state railway company, for leaving them behind.

The post sparked a lively debate in the comments section. Many users advised arriving at the station earlier, emphasizing that trains do not wait. Others questioned the purpose of a timetable if trains do not adhere to it. Some shared their own strategies for avoiding lateness, such as setting watches ahead.

Endel Maas, a passenger information specialist for Elron, explained that an error in the train's information system had incorrectly listed the departure time as 13:42. While the train driver checked mirrors before departing and did not see anyone on the platform, Maas stated that Elron would review its information system to prevent similar incidents.