Hitchwiki - User contributions [en]

Hitchgathering/2020

2020-08-01T09:17:47Z

Koendev:

==France==

There is a "Flygathering" after Marcels successful crowdfunding for tandem paragliding equipment, probably in dune de pyla - biscarrosse, France from 1th of August for at least a week.

==Norway==

Alright, so it's confirmed that we can gather in Svullrya, Norway!

Location:

https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=18/60.40181/12.40934

https://norgeskart.no/#!?project=norgeskart&layers=1002&zoom=17&lat=6698949.21&lon=357288.40

How to get here:

In Svullrya just east of the river Rotna you'll find an open air museum called Finnetunet, from there go south on Sundtvegen, a gravel road, for about 2km. You'll get to a small junction with a gravel road going left slightly uphill (this is also where the blue marked hiking trail goes) and on the right side of the road a wooden gate. Go through the gate and walk for about 100m to get to the meadow at the lake!

What's useful to take:

- Staples like rice, pasta and lentils

- Boats/kayaks/rafts to go paddling on the lake

- Berry pickers/scoops

- We'll be able to organise a big cooking pot, so no need to drag it around hitching this time.

Other things to know:

-Like mentioned before there will be some small construction and destruction projects: a compost toilet, a fence, an outdoor sink/washing up station, chopping down some trees.

-Kongsvinger has a Coop extra that's good for dumpsterdiving, in Kirkenaer the Spar works best. Joker in Svullrya itself isn't so bad neither. There are some big shopping malls just across the border in Sweden (In Charlottenberg for example) but I haven't dumpsterdived there myself yet.

-Close by there's an open cabin (on openstreetmap it's marked as Rotneros) which can also be used during bad weather or for sleeping.

==Travel restrictions==

'''Sweden''' (12.07.)

+ No restrictions for EU, EEA, Switzerland, Andorra, Australia, Canada, Japan, Serbia, South Korea, ...

+ up to 50ppl are allowed to gather

source(government): https://www.government.se/articles/2020/04/faqs--entry-to-the-eu-via-sweden-banned

- It's considered a high risk country so coming back from Sweden could mean quarantine or entry denied for some places:

Germany: Travel warning for Sweden lifted, no test/quarantine if you arrive to Germany from Sweden. (14.7.)

source(government, german): https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/de/aussenpolitik/laender/schweden-node/schwedensicherheit/210708

Netherlands: Ppl returning from Sweden are strongly advised to go into seflquarantine. (21.7.)

source(government): https://www.netherlandsworldwide.nl/latest/news/2020/06/15/going-on-holiday-abroad-countries-whose-borders-are-open

France: No restrictions if you come from any EU country (22.6.)

source(government): https://www.gouvernement.fr/en/coronavirus-covid-19

Norway: Officially you can't enter from most provinces of Sweden / have to go to quarantine.

In reality the following things happen:
One couple we met refused entry at the Kirna - Narvik border as they were told they have slept a night in Sweden (even though in a camping car) and can only enter if they provide an adress for quarantine. Same couple crossed at night after 10pm over the (then) unguarded border Another couple crossed the border about 200km south that border wihtout any problem/restriction after telling that they slept 5 nights in Sweden. Another traveler (with car and tent) was told as he slept in Sweden he has to go in quarantine but he wan't registered and he was told he can move freely
during that quarantine. [[user:tobias]]

'''France''' (12.07.)

+No restrictions for Euro zone

+No restriction to gather a large group of people (restriction ended July 11th)

source(government) : https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/actualites/A14175 (in French only)

'''Norway''' (12.7.)

+no restrictions for EEA/Schengen countries unless they have too hight numbers (atm Sweden, Romania, Hungary, Croatia, Portugal need 10 days quarantine)

source(government):

https://www.regjeringen.no/en/aktuelt/changes-to-travel-advice-for-certain-eeaschengen-countries-from-15-july/

https://www.fhi.no/en/news/2020/grenseapning-i-forbindelse-med-covid-19/

https://www.fhi.no/en/op/novel-coronavirus-facts-advice/facts-and-general-advice/travel-advice-COVID19/

Boston

2017-02-01T17:00:25Z

Koendev:

{{IsIn|Massachusetts}}
'''Boston''' [http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=boston&ie=UTF8&z=12&ll=42.359812,-71.060257&spn=0.120249,0.432243&om=1&iwloc=A] is a city in [[Massachusetts]].

== Leaving Boston ==
=== West ===
Eventually, you probably want to get on to I-90 (the Mass Pike). This goes right into downtown Boston, so find a busy onramp downtown.

From South Station there is an on-ramp not too far away with a traffic light and space to pull over. The biggest problem is that there is limited traffic and probably most of it is local. But you should hopefully be able to get to the service plaza in Framingham from here. From the station cross the street (Atlantic Ave.) and keep heading away from it--west. You should go through China town. After a few blocks, turn left (it doesn't matter so much how far you go before you do). That should take you to Marginal Way, which parallels I-90. Turn right, and follow it until it turns into an on-ramp. That's the spot.

If you're in the suburbs already, a tempting spot to start might be by the Riverside MBTA station, but you'll probably find very little traffic going your way. If you can get a short ride just as far as one of the [[rest area|service plazas]], you'll likely have much better luck.

If you're in '''Cambridge''', a good spot is the on-ramp at ''Soldiers Field Rd'' and ''Cambridge St''. Traffic is slow here and has space to stop on the shoulder.

Route 9 is an excellent road to hitchhike on: lots of traffic, plenty of stoplights and [[petrol station hitchhiking|gas stations]], and a decent average speed. You can probably get to [[Worcester]] faster along Route 9 than by taking the Mass Pike.

=== South ===
I-95 is your best bet. There is a service plaza just a block away from the Riverside MBTA station. Try to look as friendly and harmless as possible, as the area (Newton and Wellesly, MA) has a reputation for snobbish people who are likely to be quite cautious about picking up hitchhikers. Expect a medium to long wait in any event.

Also, it should be noted that I-95 will likely only be of use to those headed for [[Rhode Island]]. Those headed for [[Connecticut]] or [[New York City|New York]] should try to hitch west on I-90.

=== Northeast ===
I-95 bypasses the city, so the main highway northeast is US-1. The onramp onto US-1 in Charlestown is fairly busy and sees some longer-distance traffic; the southbound side of Rutherford Ave near Community College MBTA station is a decent spot to hitch onto US-1 towards [[Maine]]. Out in the suburb of Saugus, US-1 stops being a full freeway and it may be feasible/legal to hitch directly along the road there (if you take a bus out that far). Further out than that, US-1 reaches a junction where most longer-distance traffic shifts to the I-95 freeway.

== Around Boston ==
Buses are $2.00 (1.50 with a Charlie Card) including a transfer. Subways (the T) are $2.50 (2.00 with a Charlie Card) and likely faster. Use these to get yourself to a good hitchhiking spot or to your final destination once you're close.

== Links ==
* [http://www.masspike.com/maps.html Map]
[[wikipedia:Arkansas]]
[[trash:Boston]]

[[Category:Massachusetts]]

United States of America

2017-01-13T18:16:52Z

Koendev:

{{Infobox Country
|country = United States of America
|language = English (de facto), Spanish widely spoken in southwest and Florida
|capital = [[Washington D.C.|Washington DC]]
|pop = 317,791,000
|currency = American Dollar ($)
|BW = US
|map= <map lat='39.44525647027036' lng='-98.6623687744132' zoom='3' view='0' />
|hitch = <rating country='us' />
}}
:'''''For specific information on each state please check the links at the bottom of this page.'''''
[[File:Kasper-hitch-nh.jpg|thumb|250px|[[User:guaka|guaka]][http://guaka.org/ site], [[User talk:guaka|wikitalk]] hitching in New England, taken by [[User:Amylin|amylin]], September 2007]]

'''The United States of America''', commonly called '''The U.S.A.''', or simply '''America''' is a country consisting of 50 states. For the convenience of the common hitchhiker, these states are discussed in detail along with their capitals in their individual pages (see below). The US is bordered by [[Canada]] to the north and [[Mexico]] to the south.

Hitching, like everything else in America, varies greatly depending on what type of area and what part of the country you are passing through. In general you can get rides fairly easily if you hitchhike the right way; in fact, often you can find more than just rides, such as offers for free meals, invitations to homes and parties, etc.

__TOC__

== Culture ==

Many Americans have a limited worldview. (I can say this because I am one.) We think there are two places in the world: America and other places. Don't waste your time explaining that "American" is an incorrect demonym. And get used to our senseless system of measurement. It's a part of our culture.

Despite a large number of immigrants all across the country, most Americans are still curious about people from different parts of the world, fascinated by foreign accents, and eager to introduce visitors to American culture. Despite an undercurrent of xenophobia and racism in rural parts of the country, Americans tend to have a pragmatic view towards foreigners: Americans might profoundly dislike your country of origin, but they will rarely hold that against you as an individual.

Relative to other Western countries, people in the rural United States are profoundly religious. People who pick you up might inquire about your religion. If you're not religious, try to deal with it in a positive way and accept the difference. Despite a level of religious intolerance much higher than in Europe, Americans tend to have a pragmatic approach to people of unfamiliar religious backgrounds: Americans tend not to judge you badly even if they might be suspicious of your religion.

More often you will be picked up by really cool people, and often dropped off exactly at the point of your destination, as hitchhiker [[User:Guaka|Guaka]]'s experience shows, for example.

=== Cars ===
:''Driving in the United States is similar to driving in Canada, but very different from driving in Europe. It is not uncommon for Americans to drive more than an hour each way to work, and 77 percent of Americans drive alone to their jobs... Most states allow people to drive unaccompanied once they have reached the age of 16.'' -[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driving_in_the_United_States Wikipedia: Driving in the United States]

There are more than 250 million registered vehicles in the USA, the most of any country. Everyone has a car, and gas is so cheap that people drive everywhere. As a result there are a lot of roads and highways. Sometimes you may need to change your technique to accommodate unfamiliar infrastructure. Sometimes it can be hard to find a place with slow traffic! Although traffic is heavy, hitchhiking is also hard because nobody trusts somebody with no car. (Why don't you have a car? There must be something wrong with you.) It would help to look like a foreigner, but don't go so far as to wave a foreign flag around. Hitchhiking is not as common as in Europe and Latin America, so expect to have to explain yourself, possibly to the police. (See the section on police below).

== Transportation system ==

=== Interstates ===
[[File:2006-interstate-map.png|right|A map of the interstate system in 2006. ]]
An 'interstate', also known as an '''expressway''', '''freeway''', or (confusingly) '''highway''', is a large, multilane road that covers vast distances, and passes through major cities. If you aren't planning on going to the countryside, you probably won't need to stray far from the interstate system.

Interstates are designated on maps by "I-..." and have road signs [http://hitchwiki.org/en/File:InterstateSign.svg#file like this]. Even-numbered routes run from west to east and are numbered from south to north. For example, [[I-10]] runs across the south from [[L.A.]] to [[Jacksonville, FL]], and I-90 across the North from [[Seattle]] to [[Boston]]. Likewise, odd-numbered expressways start with [[I-5]] along the west coast (Seattle to L.A.) and I-95 along the east coast ([[Maine]] to [[Miami]]).

The main interstates have two or three numbers, as in I-8 or I-76. Offshoots or ring roads will have a preceeding digit, for example, I-295, which runs along I-95.

=== License plates ===
Every state issues its own specific car plates, and most states have several different styles. In some states, the license plate will also show the county of residence. This can be helpful if you spot a car that might be going in the same direction as you. It might also be helpful to write down the license plate number in case of foul play.

== Methods for catching rides ==
If you're going for speed over a long distance (3+ hours), then the best bet is to stay on the interstates. Highways are better for shorter or more senic trips.

=== Interstates ===
'''Thumbing it on on-ramps''' is sometimes the best way to hitchhike the interstates. Standing along the shoulder with a thumb or sign can take a few hours so bring something to read. Try to stick to exits that large towns, truck stops, [[rest area|rest stops]] or any other reason for drivers to stop there (restaurants, [[petrol station hitchhiking|gas stations]], hotels, etc.). Ask a driver to drop you off at on on-ramp with plenty of traffic.

For this same reason, be prepared to turn down a ride with someone who's "just going to the next exit". Getting dropped off on a low-traffic exit is the gravest danger when hitching on interstates. It can easily lead to long, long delays of a car every ten minutes and none of them stopping. Eventually you may give up and stand on the highway or walk a few miles to the next exit. Since pedestrians are not allowed along interstates in most states, you are likely to be picked up by a state trooper. In the best case, your ID will be check and you may will be given a lift to the next exit. See the section on police.

When making '''signs''' in the states, it best to use the two-letter state abbreviations, which are universally understood, notable exceptions being OK, HI, and LA. The first two could be confused for words, the last ([[Louisiana]]) could be confused with ([[Los Angeles]]). Additionally:

*"Philly" = [[Philadelphia]]
*"D.C." = [[Washington, D.C.]]
*"N.Y.C." = [[New York City]]
*"S.F" = [[San Francisco]]
*"L.A." = [[Los Angeles]]
*"NOLA" = [[New Orleans]] (not universally understood, but in the South at least)

'''Asking for rides at rest areas or gas stations''', is often one of the quickest ways to get a very long distance ride, but soliciting and loitering is might be prohibited there and sometimes you will be kicked out before finding a ride. A good way to avoid being kicked out is to greet everyone entering the building with a friendly smile and give them a friendly nod, then ask them for a ride as they leave the building. This gives them time to become comfortable with your presence and prevents them from having the opportunity to complain about your solicitation to the employees.

'''Asking for rides at truck stops''' is the same way. As a rule, Love's, Petro, and TA will be the quickest to kick you out. Pilot/Flying J truck stops and smaller locally owned truck stops are generally a lot more lenient. You may even find signs that prohibit you from soliciting a ride, so caution is necessary like asking instead of showing them a sign to your destination.

=== US/State Highways ===
If you are only going a hundred miles or less, you can often make better time on US highways, state highways, or even local roads. Even if you are going long distances, if you aren't concerned about making good time, getting off the interstates can be a very rewarding experience. Local highways will grant you a better picture of what local life is like in that area, and typically offer a greater variety of drivers and scenery. To hitchhike on these highways, it is best to stand at the edge of town right before the speed limit picks up, even walking on the highways also helps as shoulders most of the way are pretty wide. Standing at stop lights outside of towns along these highways is also a great way to catch a ride, even if the speed limit is quite high.

=== Urban and Suburban Short Distance ===
If you are hitchhiking within a large metropolitan area and trying to get to another part of the city, it is best to stay on the interstate on-ramps unless you want to do a lot of walking. Most larger cities have interstates passing through them and often have one or more spur or circumferential interstates surrounding them. These spur and circumferential interstates are designated by a three-digit highway number with signs that look just like normal blue interstate signs. When hitchhiking on these roads, it is best to accept every ride, even if they are only going a mile, as each exit you get to is closer to your destination and you are unlikely to get stranded on any of these ramps due to the amount of traffic.

An alternate method to hitchhiking within urban areas is to walk up to cars stuck at red lights and ask them in person if you can have a ride in the direction they are going. This works best if they already have their window down, but usually people will roll their window down to talk to you if you stand in front of their car trying to get their attention.

Another way is to pay a small amount for public transportation to drop you off outside the city(check your map/GPS).

You may also wish to try asking for rides at smaller local gas stations, but you are unlikely to make as much progress doing this.

== Police/Laws ==
[[File:Unitedstateslaws.jpg|thumb|400px|right|Overview of hitchhiking laws by state. Green: Hitchhiking legal while on the shoulder of the road Yellow: Hitchhiking legal while off the traveled portion of the road, stay in the grass to be safe. Red: Hitchhiking is completely illegal. Gray: Specific laws, check the respective state article(s).]]

The legal status of hitchhiking in the United States is a bit of a difficult topic; laws and their enforcement differ greatly from state to state as does the information available online and in general knowledge. Many people (including police officers) mistakenly believe hitchhiking is illegal anywhere in the US; sometimes you'll get away with holding a cardboard sign but not with holding out your thumb, and sometimes nobody will hassle you even if you stand or walk right on the interstate. The specific articles on states will give you more information on this topic.

=== Police ===

Many police in this country have arrest quotas, not to mention many police (not all!) are assholes. That being said, you may encounter an officer of the law who is a rather enthusiastic about giving you a hard time. Keep in mind that even foreigners have rights, such as the right to refuse being searched. For good information about dealing with the police, check out [flexyourrights.org].

Being in a state which permits hitchhiking does not guarantee that the police will not harass you. Most police don't know the laws and will tell you it is illegal to hitchhike in that state. [[User:Thewindandrain|Thewindandrain]] argues with cops on a regular basis and refuses to stop hitchhiking where it is legal. He has been innocently arrested for this twice, but has remained confident and never been taken to jail even after being cuffed and in the car and continuing to stand up for his rights. They are usually bluffing right to the very end. If you know the law in that state, don't be afraid to tell the police they are wrong!

Frequently when confronted with your response, law enforcement officers will react unprofessionally and occasionally aggressively and even in a discriminatory way if you are not their race (sad but true: white people will have an easier time than blacks or latinos). They may curse, call you names, and/or threaten to arrest you if they see you hitchhiking again and then leave the scene. This is usually a bluff. They may even cuff you then give you a ride out of their jurisdiction. Occasionally they may admit to their mistake and leave you alone. If you are uncomfortable and feel threatened by the officer, you may request to speak to his/her supervisor. Supervisors will show up to talk with you about the law openly and professionally.

=== National laws ===
The only nationwide law (Code of Federal Regulations) that prohibits hitchhiking is 36 CFR 4.31 which states that hitchhiking is illegal on any property under jurisdiction of the Department of the Interior: National Park Service. This includes but is not limited to National Parks, National Scenic Byways, and National Recreation Areas. This law is often amended to allow hitchhiking at the discretion of each park. Check with the park's respective state article for information

=== State and local laws ===
Look to the map pictured above which indicates each state's laws. Most often, the laws state that the hitchhiker may not "solicit a ride" "on a roadway". The word roadway is usually defined in state statute books as "exclusive of a shoulder" or "the traveled portion of the highway", making these statutes easy to circumvent.

In most states it's illegal to hitch from the interstates ([[highway|motorways]]) themselves (though enforcement of this rule varies), but you can typically stand at [[on-ramp]]s (highway entries). That being said, understand that the ramps are still technically considered interstate property and are illegal for pedestrians to be on, although it is almost without exception permitted if you stand in front of the "no pedestrians" sign.

In some areas (such as certain towns or municipal areas) hitching is illegal everywhere, however, it is still allowed de facto. In most cases, hitchhiking is legal or tolerated. There are also many limited-access highways (i.e. with on-ramps and [[off-ramp]]s) that are not part of the interstate system which prohibit pedestrians as well. [[California]] is notorious for prohibiting pedestrians on many of its controlled access highways.

Even in states where hitchhiking is illegal, the law is rarely enforced. Wyoming Highway Patrol reports that in 2010, they approached 524 hitchhikers but only cited eight of them (note that hitchhiking is no longer illegal in Wyoming as of 2013!)

If the police pass you walking or sitting by the side of the road without soliciting in any way, they may still stop to check IDs, but you are not required to identify yourself unless there is suspicion that you could have committed a crime. You may wish to hide your thumb or sign when a police car is approaching to avoid being hassled.

Often, particularly close to major cities, the [[police]] will ask you for photo ID, but as long as you have one with you (such as a passport) there shouldn't be a problem. Most of the time they will be polite when you come up clean, and not too rarely they'll give you a lift out of their area to get rid of you.

Especially in smaller towns and in the countryside, the officer stopping you is likely to never have seen a passport before. If that's your form of ID, bear with the delay caused, help the poor guy out by point out which is your name and your birth date and enjoy the confusion and the hilarious misconceptions that arise.

Tourists who intend to cross into the USA by hitchhiking should note that the US immigration department will log that you have been hitchhiking, should they discover that you are. This log will be visible to any guard who subsequently checks your immigration status. If you decide to leave and enter the USA again, it may make your entry back into the USA more difficult if it is not a hitchhiker friendly state.

== Hitchhiking Books ==

With a long history of vagabonding, the amount of literature on hitchhiking in the USA is extensive. The following list gives an overview, which by all means is not complete.

Jack Kerouac - On The Road 
Bill Bryson - A Walk in the Woods 
Robert Pirsig - Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance 
Jacob Holdt - American Pictures 
Colin Flaherty - Redwood to Deadwood 
Jon Krakauer - Into the Wild 
Tom Robbins - Even Cowgirls Get the Blues 
Richard Grant - Ghost Riders

== Personal Experiences ==

[[File:Unitedstateshitchhiking.jpg|thumb|400px|''Relative Ease of Hitchhiking Each State of America (based on a survey of hitchhikers with 114,000 miles cumulative experience.)''. Green: Easy Yellow: Average Red: Difficult]]

''Haven't hitched extensively there, but where I have, the experiences have been unique. I've hitched Oregon to Mexico along the famous highway 101. I also hitched from Oregon to Chicago on i90 in the dead of winter. Lots of clothes for that one, and a warm place to retreat to at every stop. The most remarkable thing about hitching in the States is that you get picked up by REALLY interesting people. Not all the time. But our beloved weirdos are more common in the US than anywhere else I've hitched. Regardless of what you think about the States, it's easily one of the most interesting places to hitchhike, especially if you LIKE adventure.'' - [[User:Chael777|Chael]]

''Have hitchhiked moderately in US, about 9,000 miles(including ferries and train hopping). Its a diverse country so generalizing a state or even a county(as I have been picked up in the most conservative counties) would not be right. I have been picked up by really awesome people(some of them are now my friends), Friendly cops(who offered me water and money) to discriminatory cops(who just wanted to get rid of me), people who turned out to be gay(asked sexual favors), bored people looking for a good conversation(what you have to do is just listen and and ask question to acknowledge that you are listening), people who saw me as a curious and tired foreigner etc. It was a great experience and helped me learn a lot about the culture here. One thing I learned is that if you are having fun then you get picked up easily as compared to when you are not. My personal favorite states are [[Alaska]] and [[Missouri]].'' - [[User:Keep_trying|Tarun]]

''I have hitchhiked over 100,000 miles in the United States, been through every state, and while I have nothing to compare it to other than Canada, I would say in general that it is easy and fun to hitchhike here. Each state varies greatly in geography and ease of hitchhiking. In the south, for example it is easier to hop freight trains since the hitching is so difficult. My personal favorite states are [[Colorado]], [[California]], [[Texas]] and [[Arkansas]]. I have hitched alone, and with any number of other people. Hitchhiking with two people seems to be the ideal scenario with the shortest waits. '' [[User:Thewindandrain|Thewindandrain]] ([[User talk:Thewindandrain|talk]]) 04:42, 28 October 2012 (CET)

''I hitchhiked from Panama to the US, intending to go through the whole of the US by hitchhiking with my little brother. I cannot recommend to hitchhike in pairs. It takes _days_ to find rides. We looked like regular guys, did 20k+ miles in more than 10 countries. If you do it, do it alone.'' Summer '14

== Links ==

{{Template:States USA}}
{{IsIn|North America}}

[[trash:United States of America]]
[[nomad:United States]]

[[Category:United States| ]]

[[de:Vereinigte Staaten von Amerika]]
[[es:Estados Unidos]]
[[fr:États-Unis d'Amérique]]

{{move_to_nomadwiki}}
{{move_to_trashwiki}}

United States of America

2017-01-13T18:13:21Z

Koendev:

{{Infobox Country
|country = United States of America
|language = English (de facto), Spanish widely spoken in southwest and Florida
|capital = [[Washington D.C.|Washington DC]]
|pop = 317,791,000
|currency = American Dollar ($)
|BW = US
|map= <map lat='39.44525647027036' lng='-98.6623687744132' zoom='3' view='0' />
|hitch = <rating country='us' />
}}
:'''''For specific information on each state please check the links at the bottom of this page.'''''
[[File:Kasper-hitch-nh.jpg|thumb|250px|[[User:guaka|guaka]][http://guaka.org/ site], [[User talk:guaka|wikitalk]] hitching in New England, taken by [[User:Amylin|amylin]], September 2007]]

'''The United States of America''', commonly called '''The U.S.A.''', or simply '''America''' is a country consisting of 50 states. For the convenience of the common hitchhiker, these states are discussed in detail along with their capitals in their individual pages (see below). The US is bordered by [[Canada]] to the north and [[Mexico]] to the south.

Hitching, like everything else in America, varies greatly depending on what type of area and what part of the country you are passing through. In general you can get rides fairly easily if you hitchhike the right way; in fact, often you can find more than just rides, such as offers for free meals, invitations to homes and parties, etc.

__TOC__

== Culture ==

Many Americans have a limited worldview. (I can say this because I am one.) We think there are two places in the world: America and other places. Don't waste your time explaining that "American" is an incorrect demonym. And get used to our senseless system of measurement. It's a part of our culture.

Despite a large number of immigrants all across the country, most Americans are still curious about people from different parts of the world, fascinated by foreign accents, and eager to introduce visitors to American culture. Despite an undercurrent of xenophobia and racism in rural parts of the country, Americans tend to have a pragmatic view towards foreigners: Americans might profoundly dislike your country of origin, but they will rarely hold that against you as an individual.

Relative to other Western countries, people in the rural United States are profoundly religious. People who pick you up might inquire about your religion. If you're not religious, try to deal with it in a positive way and accept the difference. Despite a level of religious intolerance much higher than in Europe, Americans tend to have a pragmatic approach to people of unfamiliar religious backgrounds: Americans tend not to judge you badly even if they might be suspicious of your religion.

More often you will be picked up by really cool people, and often dropped off exactly at the point of your destination, as hitchhiker [[User:Guaka|Guaka]]'s experience shows, for example.

=== Cars ===
:''Driving in the United States is similar to driving in Canada, but very different from driving in Europe. It is not uncommon for Americans to drive more than an hour each way to work, and 77 percent of Americans drive alone to their jobs... Most states allow people to drive unaccompanied once they have reached the age of 16.'' -[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driving_in_the_United_States Wikipedia: Driving in the United States]

There are more than 250 million registered vehicles in the USA, the most of any country. Everyone has a car, and gas is so cheap that people drive everywhere. As a result there are a lot of roads and highways. Sometimes you may need to change your technique to accommodate unfamiliar infrastructure. Sometimes it can be hard to find a place with slow traffic! Although traffic is heavy, hitchhiking is also hard because nobody trusts somebody with no car. (Why don't you have a car? There must be something wrong with you.) It would help to look like a foreigner, but don't go so far as to wave a foreign flag around. Hitchhiking is not as common as in Europe and Latin America, so expect to have to explain yourself, possibly to the police. (See the section on police below).

== Transportation system ==

=== Interstates ===
[[File:2006-interstate-map.png|right|A map of the interstate system in 2006. ]]
An 'interstate', also known as an '''expressway''', '''freeway''', or (confusingly) '''highway''', is a large, multilane road that covers vast distances, and passes through major cities. If you aren't planning on going to the countryside, you probably won't need to stray far from the interstate system.

Interstates are designated on maps by "I-..." and have road signs [http://hitchwiki.org/en/File:InterstateSign.svg#file like this]. Even-numbered routes run from west to east and are numbered from south to north. For example, [[I-10]] runs across the south from [[L.A.]] to [[Jacksonville, FL]], and I-90 across the North from [[Seattle]] to [[Boston]]. Likewise, odd-numbered expressways start with [[I-5]] along the west coast (Seattle to L.A.) and I-95 along the east coast ([[Maine]] to [[Miami]]).

The main interstates have two or three numbers, as in I-8 or I-76. Offshoots or ring roads will have a preceeding digit, for example, I-295, which runs along I-95.

=== License plates ===
Every state issues its own specific car plates, and most states have several different styles. In some states, the license plate will also show the county of residence. This can be helpful if you spot a car that might be going in the same direction as you. It might also be helpful to write down the license plate number in case of foul play.

== Methods for catching rides ==
If you're going for speed over a long distance (3+ hours), then the best bet is to stay on the interstates. Highways are better for shorter or more senic trips.

=== Interstates ===
'''Thumbing it on on-ramps''' is sometimes the best way to hitchhike the interstates. Standing along the shoulder with a thumb or sign can take a few hours so bring something to read. Try to stick to exits that large towns, truck stops, [[rest area|rest stops]] or any other reason for drivers to stop there (restaurants, [[petrol station hitchhiking|gas stations]], hotels, etc.). Ask a driver to drop you off at on on-ramp with plenty of traffic.

For this same reason, be prepared to turn down a ride with someone who's "just going to the next exit". Getting dropped off on a low-traffic exit is the gravest danger when hitching on interstates. It can easily lead to long, long delays of a car every ten minutes and none of them stopping. Eventually you may give up and stand on the highway or walk a few miles to the next exit. Since pedestrians are not allowed along interstates in most states, you are likely to be picked up by a state trooper. In the best case, your ID will be check and you may will be given a lift to the next exit. See the section on police.

When making '''signs''' in the states, it best to use the two-letter state abbreviations, which are universally understood, notable exceptions being OK, HI, and LA. The first two could be confused for words, the last ([[Louisiana]]) could be confused with ([[Los Angeles]]). Additionally:

*"Philly" = [[Philadelphia]]
*"D.C." = [[Washington, D.C.]]
*"N.Y.C." = [[New York City]]
*"S.F" = [[San Francisco]]
*"L.A." = [[Los Angeles]]
*"NOLA" = [[New Orleans]] (not universally understood, but in the South at least)

'''Asking for rides at rest areas or gas stations''', is often one of the quickest ways to get a very long distance ride, but soliciting and loitering is might be prohibited there and sometimes you will be kicked out before finding a ride. A good way to avoid being kicked out is to greet everyone entering the building with a friendly smile and give them a friendly nod, then ask them for a ride as they leave the building. This gives them time to become comfortable with your presence and prevents them from having the opportunity to complain about your solicitation to the employees.

'''Asking for rides at truck stops''' is the same way. As a rule, Love's, Petro, and TA will be the quickest to kick you out. Pilot/Flying J truck stops and smaller locally owned truck stops are generally a lot more lenient. You may even find signs that prohibit you from soliciting a ride, so caution is necessary like asking instead of showing them a sign to your destination.

=== US/State Highways ===
If you are only going a hundred miles or less, you can often make better time on US highways, state highways, or even local roads. Even if you are going long distances, if you aren't concerned about making good time, getting off the interstates can be a very rewarding experience. Local highways will grant you a better picture of what local life is like in that area, and typically offer a greater variety of drivers and scenery. To hitchhike on these highways, it is best to stand at the edge of town right before the speed limit picks up, even walking on the highways also helps as shoulders most of the way are pretty wide. Standing at stop lights outside of towns along these highways is also a great way to catch a ride, even if the speed limit is quite high.

=== Urban and Suburban Short Distance ===
If you are hitchhiking within a large metropolitan area and trying to get to another part of the city, it is best to stay on the interstate on-ramps unless you want to do a lot of walking. Most larger cities have interstates passing through them and often have one or more spur or circumferential interstates surrounding them. These spur and circumferential interstates are designated by a three-digit highway number with signs that look just like normal blue interstate signs. When hitchhiking on these roads, it is best to accept every ride, even if they are only going a mile, as each exit you get to is closer to your destination and you are unlikely to get stranded on any of these ramps due to the amount of traffic.

An alternate method to hitchhiking within urban areas is to walk up to cars stuck at red lights and ask them in person if you can have a ride in the direction they are going. This works best if they already have their window down, but usually people will roll their window down to talk to you if you stand in front of their car trying to get their attention.

Another way is to pay a small amount for public transportation to drop you off outside the city(check your map/GPS).

You may also wish to try asking for rides at smaller local gas stations, but you are unlikely to make as much progress doing this.

== Police/Laws ==
[[File:Unitedstateslaws.jpg|thumb|400px|right|Overview of hitchhiking laws by state. Green: Hitchhiking legal while on the shoulder of the road Yellow: Hitchhiking legal while off the traveled portion of the road, stay in the grass to be safe. Red: Hitchhiking is completely illegal. Gray: Specific laws, check the respective state article(s).]]

The legal status of hitchhiking in the United States is a bit of a difficult topic; laws and their enforcement differ greatly from state to state as does the information available online and in general knowledge. Many people (including police officers) mistakenly believe hitchhiking is illegal anywhere in the US; sometimes you'll get away with holding a cardboard sign but not with holding out your thumb, and sometimes nobody will hassle you even if you stand or walk right on the interstate. The specific articles on states will give you more information on this topic.

=== Police ===

Many police in this country have arrest quotas, not to mention many police (not all!) are assholes. That being said, you may encounter an officer of the law who is a rather enthusiastic about giving you a hard time. Keep in mind that even foreigners have rights, such as the right to refuse being searched. For good information about dealing with the police, check out [flexyourrights.org].

Being in a state which permits hitchhiking does not guarantee that the police will not harass you. Most police don't know the laws and will tell you it is illegal to hitchhike in that state. [[User:Thewindandrain|Thewindandrain]] argues with cops on a regular basis and refuses to stop hitchhiking where it is legal. He has been innocently arrested for this twice, but has remained confident and never been taken to jail even after being cuffed and in the car and continuing to stand up for his rights. They are usually bluffing right to the very end. If you know the law in that state, don't be afraid to tell the police they are wrong!

Frequently when confronted with your response, law enforcement officers will react unprofessionally and occasionally aggressively and even in a discriminatory way if you are not their race (sad but true: white people will have an easier time than blacks or latinos). They may curse, call you names, and/or threaten to arrest you if they see you hitchhiking again and then leave the scene. This is usually a bluff. They may even cuff you then give you a ride out of their jurisdiction. Occasionally they may admit to their mistake and leave you alone. If you are uncomfortable and feel threatened by the officer, you may request to speak to his/her supervisor. Supervisors will show up to talk with you about the law openly and professionally.

=== National laws ===
The only nationwide law (Code of Federal Regulations) that prohibits hitchhiking is 36 CFR 4.31 which states that hitchhiking is illegal on any property under jurisdiction of the Department of the Interior: National Park Service. This includes but is not limited to National Parks, National Scenic Byways, and National Recreation Areas. This law is often amended to allow hitchhiking at the discretion of each park. Check with the park's respective state article for information

=== State and local laws ===
Look to the map pictured above which indicates each state's laws. Most often, the laws state that the hitchhiker may not "solicit a ride" "on a roadway". The word roadway is usually defined in state statute books as "exclusive of a shoulder" or "the traveled portion of the highway", making these statutes easy to circumvent.

In most states it's illegal to hitch from the interstates ([[highway|motorways]]) themselves (though enforcement of this rule varies), but you can typically stand at [[on-ramp]]s (highway entries). That being said, understand that the ramps are still technically considered interstate property and are illegal for pedestrians to be on, although it is almost without exception permitted if you stand in front of the "no pedestrians" sign.

In some areas (such as certain towns or municipal areas) hitching is illegal everywhere, however, it is still allowed de facto. In most cases, hitchhiking is legal or tolerated. There are also many limited-access highways (i.e. with on-ramps and [[off-ramp]]s) that are not part of the interstate system which prohibit pedestrians as well. [[California]] is notorious for prohibiting pedestrians on many of its controlled access highways.

Even in states where hitchhiking is illegal, the law is rarely enforced. Wyoming Highway Patrol reports that in 2010, they approached 524 hitchhikers but only cited eight of them (note that hitchhiking is no longer illegal in Wyoming as of 2013!)

If the police pass you walking or sitting by the side of the road without soliciting in any way, they may still stop to check IDs, but you are not required to identify yourself unless there is suspicion that you could have committed a crime. You may wish to hide your thumb or sign when a police car is approaching to avoid being hassled.

Often, particularly close to major cities, the [[police]] will ask you for photo ID, but as long as you have one with you (such as a passport) there shouldn't be a problem. Most of the time they will be polite when you come up clean, and not too rarely they'll give you a lift out of their area to get rid of you.

Especially in smaller towns and in the countryside, the officer stopping you is likely to never have seen a passport before. If that's your form of ID, bear with the delay caused, help the poor guy out by point out which is your name and your birth date and enjoy the confusion and the hilarious misconceptions that arise.

Tourists who intend to cross into the USA by hitchhiking should note that the US immigration department will log that you have been hitchhiking, should they discover that you are. This log will be visible to any guard who subsequently checks your immigration status. If you decide to leave and enter the USA again, it may make your entry back into the USA more difficult if it is not a hitchhiker friendly state.

== Hitchhiking Books ==

With a long history of vagabonding, the amount of literature on hitchhiking in the USA is extensive. The following list gives an overview, which by all means is not complete.

Jack Kerouac - On The Road
Bill Bryson - A Walk in the Woods
Robert Pirsig - Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
Jacob Holdt - American Pictures
Colin Flaherty - Redwood to Deadwood
Jon Krakauer - Into the Wild
Tom Robbins - Even Cowgirls Get the Blues
Richard Grant - Ghost Riders

== Personal Experiences ==

[[File:Unitedstateshitchhiking.jpg|thumb|400px|''Relative Ease of Hitchhiking Each State of America (based on a survey of hitchhikers with 114,000 miles cumulative experience.)''. Green: Easy Yellow: Average Red: Difficult]]

''Haven't hitched extensively there, but where I have, the experiences have been unique. I've hitched Oregon to Mexico along the famous highway 101. I also hitched from Oregon to Chicago on i90 in the dead of winter. Lots of clothes for that one, and a warm place to retreat to at every stop. The most remarkable thing about hitching in the States is that you get picked up by REALLY interesting people. Not all the time. But our beloved weirdos are more common in the US than anywhere else I've hitched. Regardless of what you think about the States, it's easily one of the most interesting places to hitchhike, especially if you LIKE adventure.'' - [[User:Chael777|Chael]]

''Have hitchhiked moderately in US, about 9,000 miles(including ferries and train hopping). Its a diverse country so generalizing a state or even a county(as I have been picked up in the most conservative counties) would not be right. I have been picked up by really awesome people(some of them are now my friends), Friendly cops(who offered me water and money) to discriminatory cops(who just wanted to get rid of me), people who turned out to be gay(asked sexual favors), bored people looking for a good conversation(what you have to do is just listen and and ask question to acknowledge that you are listening), people who saw me as a curious and tired foreigner etc. It was a great experience and helped me learn a lot about the culture here. One thing I learned is that if you are having fun then you get picked up easily as compared to when you are not. My personal favorite states are [[Alaska]] and [[Missouri]].'' - [[User:Keep_trying|Tarun]]

''I have hitchhiked over 100,000 miles in the United States, been through every state, and while I have nothing to compare it to other than Canada, I would say in general that it is easy and fun to hitchhike here. Each state varies greatly in geography and ease of hitchhiking. In the south, for example it is easier to hop freight trains since the hitching is so difficult. My personal favorite states are [[Colorado]], [[California]], [[Texas]] and [[Arkansas]]. I have hitched alone, and with any number of other people. Hitchhiking with two people seems to be the ideal scenario with the shortest waits. '' [[User:Thewindandrain|Thewindandrain]] ([[User talk:Thewindandrain|talk]]) 04:42, 28 October 2012 (CET)

''I hitchhiked from Panama to the US, intending to go through the whole of the US by hitchhiking with my little brother. I cannot recommend to hitchhike in pairs. It takes _days_ to find rides. We looked like regular guys, did 20k+ miles in more than 10 countries. If you do it, do it alone.'' Summer '14

== Links ==

{{Template:States USA}}
{{IsIn|North America}}

[[trash:United States of America]]
[[nomad:United States]]

[[Category:United States| ]]

[[de:Vereinigte Staaten von Amerika]]
[[es:Estados Unidos]]
[[fr:États-Unis d'Amérique]]

{{move_to_nomadwiki}}
{{move_to_trashwiki}}

Hitchgathering/2016

2016-07-25T14:43:08Z

Koendev:

[[File:Flag of Norway.svg|right|230px]]'''[[Hitchgathering]]''' 2016 in '''Lille Stensrud area in [[Oslo]], [[Norway]]'''

YOU can '''[{{fullurl:{{FULLPAGENAME}}|action=edit}} Edit this page]'''. Get active! Help out! Hitchgathering is self organised.

=====Discussions:=====
* [http://lists.freeactive.net/listinfo.cgi/hitch-freeactive.net the mailing list]
* [https://www.facebook.com/groups/hitchgathering/permalink/1241781002502130/ Initial location proposals] at Hitchgathering Facebook group
* [https://www.facebook.com/groups/hitchgathering/permalink/1360011200679109/ Norway discussion] on FB

====='''Dates:'''=====
* 1/2.8 - [[Hitchgathering/2016/Pre-gathering_in_Lithuania|Pre-gathering]] in Lithuania
* 6.8. - Main gathering starts in Norway — ([http://hitchgathering.org/why-in-august/ Why in August?])

== Location ==
Taken from email transcripts:

The place is close to a squatted area where I live (Warlo). Unfortunately I don't think I'll be here by then (but who knows!) but I can arrange things while i'm here and then pass it on.

Im thinking of the area surrounding this lake:

'''Pictures:'''
[http://www.bonsai.cf/images/thumb/e/e1/005_002.jpg/418px-005_002.jpg],
[https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_AApxGvR_CVk/TEx5E91f-zI/AAAAAAAAAyc/3qvhqLWSx2s/s1600/24072010116.jpg],
[https://2.bp.blogspot.com/_AApxGvR_CVk/TEx5KYiKZJI/AAAAAAAAAyk/3zb8QI2gcgo/s1600/24072010117.jpg]

'''Maps:'''
* [https://goo.gl/maps/rwZKwDAAL8P2 Google]
* [http://www.norgeskart.no/#15/268328/6637804 Norgeskart]
* [http://www.norgeibilder.no/?x=268333&y=6637793&level=16&utm=33&projects=&layers=&planned=0 Norgeibilder]
* [http://kartarkiv.nydalen.idrett.no/show_map.php?user=jorgwulf&map=1989 Orienteering map]

'''About the place:'''
It's a strip of forest that its outside Oslo, 15km south, well connected by bus or bike. bus is 30kr adult and 15kr child (3 euro adult / 1,5 euro child, you can ride with child tickets to get in the bus and if a control comes you just get the fine unless you live in Norway and wanna stay out of trouble). The lake is one of my favorites in Oslo, its a perfect balance between size, warmth and hidden. Mind that there are many other beautiful lakes very close by (short walking distance).
I dont think its a land that its owned by someone and if so, its probably one of those big companies that are trying to turn the forest into block buildings in the next years. I have been squatting in the area for some time, the forest is full with cabins (most of them trashed, some in good shape) that can be used trough the whole year to live in. While squatting, never got any problems. Authorities dont roam around the area as the whole Lille Stensrud area is kind of the white trash / freaks area of Oslo. So I dont promise no problems but I wouldn't expect much. Also, if the authorities come, the lake is half in Oslo district and half in Akershus, which is a different jurisdiction. So if we wanna play legal cool we can just "cross the border" and no more problems with Oslo. Also, good to remember that Scandinavian countries have the every-man's land right, which means you can camp everywhere for a maximum of 2 nights, but that is when you have been spotted by the right authorities and what you do is just move camp and that's it. Also, if you treat the place with respect, even in national parks the authorities are cool with people using the areas.

There was someone mentioning on the email list something about needing an expensive ferry to get to Norway. Well, that would make it much faster as you would avoid Sweden, but I made it many times and its totally doable. Also, if you have had enough slow experiences in Sweden and wanna skip it, there is a Swebus Copenhagen-Oslo connection for 25 euros (although we should rename the gathering to Bus-gathering if too many choose that way!)

=== SeedCamp / Organizers ===

* Warlo | warlo who has an email in riseup and the following thing is a dot and then net | I have been living in the area

=== Pros ===

The place is beautiful, big forest all around

Well connected to Oslo

Very good dumpsters close-by (although that needs to be taken carefully as many squats around live from them). When we gather there with 50-100 people and the dumpsters are already used by other squads, that might become a problem. Especially because buying food in Norway is so fucking expensive.

August is blueberry season! and this time looks like its gonna be a record year!

The lake has a floating platform to paddle your way around it, which sounds silly but its the area's number one favorite entertainment.

Fishing possibilities.

=== Cons ===

It don't seem like any permission can be arranged for the area, so the gathering cannot be "secured" (although the area is huge and there are several spots where we can move and still have a great time)

Except for lake water drinkers, water source is accessible on a somewhat long walk (1.8km)

Remember that Scandinavian countries are somewhat rainy! (we have the option of bringing one or two rather large tents for sleeping and community activities)

Bring anti-mosquito gear and ammo!

==Why not...==
* Croatia: Serious issues with permissions and distance to water source was really long.
* Slovenia: Location proposed wasn't for free.
* Germany: land owner said no.
[[Hitchgathering/2016/location-proposals|See more]]

Hitchgathering/2016

2016-07-08T10:27:36Z

Koendev:

[[File:Flag of Norway.svg|right|230px]]'''[[Hitchgathering]]''' 2016 in '''Lille Stensrud area in [[Oslo]], [[Norway]]'''

YOU can '''[{{fullurl:{{FULLPAGENAME}}|action=edit}} Edit this page]'''. Get active! Help out! Hitchgathering is self organised.

=====Discussions:=====
* [http://lists.freeactive.net/listinfo.cgi/hitch-freeactive.net the mailing list]
* [https://www.facebook.com/groups/hitchgathering/permalink/1241781002502130/ Initial location proposals] at hitchgathering facebook group
* [https://www.facebook.com/groups/hitchgathering/permalink/1360011200679109/ Norway discussion] on FB

====='''Time:'''=====
6.8. — [http://hitchgathering.org/why-in-august/ Why?]

== Location ==
Taken from email transcripts:

The place is close to a squated area where I live (warlo). Unfortunately I dont think I'll be here by then (but who knows!) but I can arrange things while im here and then pass it on.

Im thinking of the area surounding this lake:

'''Pictures:'''
[http://www.bonsai.cf/images/thumb/e/e1/005_002.jpg/418px-005_002.jpg],
[https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_AApxGvR_CVk/TEx5E91f-zI/AAAAAAAAAyc/3qvhqLWSx2s/s1600/24072010116.jpg],
[https://2.bp.blogspot.com/_AApxGvR_CVk/TEx5KYiKZJI/AAAAAAAAAyk/3zb8QI2gcgo/s1600/24072010117.jpg]

'''Maps:'''
* [https://goo.gl/maps/rwZKwDAAL8P2 Google]
* [http://www.norgeskart.no/#15/268328/6637804 Norgeskart]
* [http://www.norgeibilder.no/?x=268333&y=6637793&level=16&utm=33&projects=&layers=&planned=0 Norgeibilder]
* [http://kok-o-maps.com/kartarkiv/show_map.php?user=Marianne&map=2073 Orienteering map 1] and [http://kartarkiv.nydalen.idrett.no/show_map.php?user=jorgwulf&map=2541 2]

'''About the place:'''
It's a strip of forest that its outside Oslo, 15km south, well connected by bus or bike. bus is 30kr adult and 15kr child (3 euro adult / 1,5 euro child, you can ride with child tickets to get in the bus and if a control comes you just get the fine unless you live in Norway and wanna stay out of trouble). The lake is one of my favorites in Oslo, its a perfect balance between size, warmth and hidden. Mind that there are many other beautiful lakes very close by (short walking distance).
I dont think its a land that its owned by someone and if so, its probably one of those big companies that are trying to turn the forest into block buildings in the next years. I have been squatting in the area for some time, the forest is full with cabins (most of them trashed, some in good shape) that can be used trough the whole year to live in. While squatting, never got any problems. Authorities dont roam around the area as the whole Lille Stensrud area is kind of the white trash / freaks area of Oslo. So I dont promise no problems but I wouldn't expect much. Also, if the authorities come, the lake is half in Oslo district and half in Akershus, which is a different jurisdiction. So if we wanna play legal cool we can just "cross the border" and no more problems with Oslo. Also, good to remember that Scandinavian countries have the every-man's land right, which means you can camp everywhere for a maximum of 2 nights, but that is when you have been spotted by the right authorities and what you do is just move camp and that's it. Also, if you treat the place with respect, even in national parks the authorities are cool with people using the areas.

There was someone mentioning on the email list something about needing an expensive ferry to get to Norway. Well, that would make it much faster as you would avoid Sweden, but I made it many times and its totally doable. Also, if you have had enough slow experiences in Sweden and wanna skip it, there is a Swebus Copenhagen-Oslo connection for 25 euros (although we should rename the gathering to Bus-gathering if too many choose that way!)

=== SeedCamp / Organizers ===

* Warlo | warlo who has an email in riseup and the following thing is a dot and then net | I have been living in the area

=== Pros ===

The place is beautiful, big forest all around

Well connected to Oslo

Very good dumpsters close-by (although that needs to be taken carefully as many squats around live from them). When we gather there with 50-100 people and the dumpsters are already used by other squads, that might become a problem. Especially because buying food in Norway is so fucking expensive.

August is blueberry season! and this time looks like its gonna be a record year!

The lake has a floating platform to paddle your way around it, which sounds silly but its the area's number one favorite entertainment.

Fishing possibilities.

=== Cons ===

It don't seem like any permission can be arranged for the area, so the gathering cannot be "secured" (although the area is huge and there are several spots where we can move and still have a great time)

Except for lake water drinkers, water source is accessible on a somewhat long walk (1.8km)

Remember that Scandinavian countries are somewhat rainy! (we have the option of bringing one or two rather large tents for sleeping and community activities)

Bring anti-mosquito gear and ammo!

==Why not...==
* Croatia: Serious issues with permissions and distance to water source was really long.
* Slovenia: Location proposed wasn't for free.
* Germany: land owner said no.
[[Hitchgathering/2016/location-proposals|See more]]

User:Koendev

2016-06-25T11:03:40Z

Koendev:

'''I like:'''
*[[Camping|Wild camping]]
*[[Competitive autostop]]
*Rides in random directions
*[[Driving for your driver|Driving for my drivers]]
*[[Night hitchhiking]]
*Meaningful conversations with drivers
*Combining hitchhiking with exploring the outdoors (''Rural hitching''?)
*[[Dumpster diving|Free food]]
*[[Poland]]

'''I don't like:'''
*Using [[signs]] (no really...!)
*Long waits in hot places (who does?)
*[[Germany|German]] [[Police]]

(to be continued forever...)

== Statistics ==
So far hitchhiked a bit over 100.000km in the [[Netherlands]], [[Germany]], [[Poland]], [[Slovenia]], [[Austria]], [[Slovakia]], [[Switzerland]], [[Belgium]], [[Luxembourg]], [[Czech Republic]], [[Croatia]], [[Bosnia and Herzegovina]], [[Montenegro]], [[Serbia]], [[Hungary]], [[Great Britain]], [[France]], [[Denmark]], [[Sweden]], [[Ukraine]], [[Andorra]], [[Spain]], [[Liechtenstein]], [[Italy]], [[Albania]], [[Macedonia]] and [[Kosovo]].

Template:News

2016-06-25T10:57:03Z

Koendev:

* '''25 June 2016''' A new official hitchhiking spot [http://www.steenwijkercourant.nl/nieuws/steenwijkerland/441966/feestelijke-onthulling-van-liftpaal-met-muziek-en-paal-dans-act.html has been opened] in the [[The_Netherlands| Dutch]] town of [[Oldemarkt]], in response to the insufficient public transport to [[Steenwijk]]. In addition a [https://www.facebook.com/groups/1737994483153113 FB group] was created to encourage ridesharing on this route.

* '''9 April 2016''' [[Tatyana Kozyreva]], a well-known Russian hitchhiker, has passed away on the 3rd of April 2016, at the age of 43 in [[Indonesia]], near Bandar Aceh in a diving accident. Tatyana was known for having written and self-published several books on hitchhiking and related topics under the name Tatyana Yashnikova. The talks she gave drew crowds. In the Russian hitchhiking scene she was the most “famous” of the female solo travellers and hitchhikers. [http://youarealltourists.blogspot.nl/2016/04/an-obituary.html A detailed obituary] {{en}}, [http://www.globestoppeuse.com/aventuriere-russe-rip-tatyana-kozyreva-yashnikova/ blog article] {{fr}} & [https://www.facebook.com/Hitchwiki/photos/a.154040317968626.29310.133644853341506/1109085985797383/ FB] {{en}}

* '''15 January 2016''' Help get [https://gumroad.com/l/PGKmz How to live without money (eBook)] translated in English!

* '''5 December 2015''' New Android [https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=pl.elabo.hitchhikingmaps Hitchhiking Maps] has been released. Offline maps, Street View preview and all of the spots from Hitchwiki: [https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=pl.elabo.hitchhikingmaps Google Play]

* '''25 November 2015''' Release of eBook from hitchhiking baby Petit Bibi's adventure around the world: [http://bibiontheroad.net/buy-the-book/ bibiontheroad.net]

* '''30 April 2015''' An Austrian Hitchhiking Community is forming with the Name [http://www.ausfahrtlinks.wordpress.com Ausfahrt Links] to increase public awareness of people about hitchhiking as a means of transport in Austria. Find more information on the Website, like them on [https://www.facebook.com/ausfahrtlinks Facebook].

* '''24 April 2015''' Miran Ipavec has just announced that he has managed to hitch through 31(!) European countries in just under 10 days.

* '''26th December 2014''' Folks behind Hitchwiki are building a new hospitality exchange community for hitchhikers and other travellers: '''[https://www.trustroots.org Trustroots.org]''' — It's time to join it and spread the word!

<noinclude>
----
== Old News ==

=== 2015 ===

=== 2014 ===

* '''13th December 2014''' Anick-Marie (formerly [[User:Perilisk|Perilisk]] and now [[User:Globestoppeuse|Globestoppeuse]]) made available [[::File:Hitchhiking_-_Neo-nomad.pdf|Hitchhiking]], a 2010 How-to zine including an analysis of the different safety advice with their pros and cons, including women-specific advice

* '''30th October 2014''' We will work on new Hitchwiki for 5-8 weeks in Turkey. [http://donate.hitchwiki.net/ Please help us cover our expenses]! Share/like the page all around! If you have any questions, feel free to ask [[User:Mikael|Mikael]].

* '''25th November 2014''' [http://www.christopherdrifter.com/books/Rules_of_Thumb/ Rules of Thumb: How to Hitch-Hike and Live on the Road], a detailed guidebook on hitch-hiking, has just been released for free, on Kindle, and in Paperback. Aimed at less experienced hitch-hikers about to undertake long-distance journeys.

* '''27th September 2014''' The famous Russian hitchhiker Alexey Vorov intends to race around the world in his new project [http://transglobal-race.org/ 500 HOURS] in order to promote peace and hospitality and to show how small our tiny planet is. [http://transglobal-race.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=40&Itemid=35&lang=en Track his progress here]

* '''06th August - 28th September 2014''' The TravelMakers Project is a journey from Berlin to Istanbul. The project is a combination of hitchhiking throughout Europe, creating street art, volunteering and contributing within urban communities in active social projects, and filming on the way. Learn more about their project and donate to their cause on [https://indiegogo.com/projects/travelmakers-hitchhiking-for-social-projects Travel Makers - Hitchhiking for Social Projects]

* '''21 July 2014''' The registrations for this years "Tramprennen", a hitchhiking race across Europe from Würzburg (Ger) to Lake Ohrid (Macedonia) are open now on [http://tramprennen.org/ tramprennen.org].

* '''19 July 2014''' Sarah Franke's short film about [[User:Prino|Prino]] is now on general release on [http://vimeo.com/86849620 Vimeo].

* '''1 July 2014''' The TravelMakers Project registration channel is open. Check out the project and [http://www.travel-makers.org/ get on board!] This project is the succession project of the [http://www.euroadtrip2012.org Euroadtrip2012 Project].

* '''16 June 2014''' The North German Television NDR shot a [http://www.ndr.de/fernsehen/sendungen/7_tage/ documentary] about the [http://www.tramprennen.org Tramprennen] last year (in German only).

* '''26 May 2014''' The registration for the [http://abgefahren-ev.de/en/ Abgefahren Hitchhiking Championships] is now open. Abgefahren e.V. is looking forward to seeing you!

* '''5 May 2014''' In [http://hitchwiki.org/en/Munster Münster] there was the first screening of an anthropological movie about hitchhiking. The movie "On the way" is now [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=or9zdqZ9G58available on-line here]. The documentary mentions the Hitchwiki project.

* '''5 May 2014''' A new project has come to life in Belgium! You can visit [http://gohitchhiking.tumblr.com/ the blog]. Please tell the world why one should hitchhike [http://gohitchhiking.friendbook.nl/ here] The most creative answers will make the tumblr, thanks!

* '''21 March 2014''' [http://www.lawrenceonboard.org/ Lawrence On Board], a new hitchhiking promotion program in Kansas needs your vote on facebook! They have been selected as semifinalists in the TEDxFulbright Social Innovations Challenge! The winner gets the full support of the TED and Fulbright communities. [http://d1ej5r2t2cu524.cloudfront.net/lawrenceonboard/we-re-in-the-tedxfulbright-challenge/947913-www.facebook.com/fulbrightassociation1/app_515720611858523?c=86ed6ff5-cb96-4cd9-8c06-f220ee872906 Cast your vote on facebook here!]

* '''13 January 2014''' There is a new book about hitch-hiking: [http://www.americaneyeball.com/eye-hitch/the-book/ American Eyeball].

* '''6 January 2014''' [http://www.nederlandlift.nl/ The Dutch site] mentioned below has added tiny portraits of [http://nederlandlift.nl/nieuws/50-en-nog-liften-kan-dat/ seven older-than-average hitchhikers].

=== 2013 ===
* '''21st December 2013''' Due to the Ice Hockey World Championship in Minsk 2014, entering Belarus visa-free from 25th April to 31st May is possible [http://mfa.gov.by/en/hockey/docs/ee83085ebfa40574.html]. A regular [http://www.belarus.by/en/travel/travel-visas visa] costs from 60€ to 160$ . The [http://www.ticketpro.by/jnp/en/wc2014/index.html tickes] are available from 91.000BYR (~7€).

* '''14th December 2013''' [http://www.hitching.it/ Hitching.it] has gone live as of a few hours ago in the intent of replacing [http://www.digihitch.com digihitch.com]. After a long battle of empty promises and sabotage, it is intended to fill the gap that has existed since digihitch began losing features and users since digihitch's original owner, [http://hitchwiki.org/en/User:Salman Salman], passed away in 2010. [http://www.digihitch.com Digihitch], which is now a forum and skeleton of the original site, is expected to shut down for good in early 2014. [http://www.hitching.it Hitching.it] is still a work in progress, but all are encouraged to join the forums and begin submitting content.

* '''1st December 2013''' A new project in the Netherlands has come to life to promote hitchhiking: [http://www.nederlandlift.nl/ www.nederlandlift.nl].

* '''9th November 2013''' We're organizing a [[Foret-Belleville 2014|festive gathering for hitchhikers (and non-hitchhikers) in France next July]]. Are you European and between 18 and 30 years old? If you want to help organize this you can [http://www.bewelcome.org/forums/s9424 apply for an EVS scholarship] that will feed and lodge you and even comes with pocket money.

* '''23rd September 2013''' Started by some of the folks that brought you [[:Trash:|Trashwiki]] and Hitchwiki, '''[[:Nomad:|Nomadwiki]]''' is a new wiki with info and tips for nomads (and other travelling folk) about shoestring budget traveling. Here you'll find out about free camping, no 5 star hotels, ''not for tourists''!

* '''31st August 2013''' - [[User:Guaka|guaka]] ([[User talk:Guaka|talk]]) started '''[[:moneyless:|Moneyless.org]]''', a website with a lot of information about living without or much less money.

* '''30th August 2013''' We had some [[Hitchwiki:Server_crash_2013|severe technical issues last week]]. The wiki is back up and running, but some content got lost unfortunately.

* '''8th August 2013''' Canada begins [http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/the-hitchhikers-guide-to-safety-rcmp-hopes-to-reduce-risk-with-new-posters/article13679908/ distributing thousands of hitchhiking posters] in a new harm reduction campaign hoping to reduce the dangers of hitchhiking and track down those who assault hitchhikers. Among the areas the material will be distributed is the infamous [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highway_of_Tears_murders Highway of Tears].

* '''1st May 2013''' Bence and [[pite]] did a classic route hitchhiking. From some amateur videoshots a [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtBlTg91qqE 2 minute movie] has been made about the [[Moscow]]-Saint Petersburg trip. Hope it will encourage other hitchhikers to do more and more youtube clips about their rides.

=== 2012 ===
'''12th November 2012''' The New York Times [http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/11/opinion/sunday/hitchhikings-time-has-come-again.html is encouraging people to hitchhike]: "''What if we could remake the original landscape of alienation — the highway — into a place where Americans could once again reach out to help one another, to share space and time with a stranger? We might begin to reconnect, not just with one another, but with the idea of ourselves as one people, moving in the same direction.''" — [https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4770997 discussion about the article on Hacker News].



'''1 October 2012''' Hitchwiki has a new design. We hope you like it!

'''23rd September 2012''' The '''[[project:BXL hackathon|BXL hackathon]]''' started when [[User:Mikael|Mikael]] arrived - ''you'' can participate as well, come over to [[Brussels]] or [[Hitchwiki:BXL_hackathon#What_can_you_do.3F|do things]] from wherever

'''18th September 2012''' The widely known hospitality exchange platform Couchsurfing is about to change the Terms of Use against European Law. Please sign the petition, spread the word and use alternatives like [http://www.bewelcome.org bewelcome.org]. [http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/For_a_strong_Community_behind_CouchSurfing Sign Petition]

'''10th September 2012''' Tramprennen 2012 is over. 117 hitchhikers and 54 teams from 14 countries made it to the Surduc Lake in Romania and raised 15230 Euro for a WASH-Project of the German NGO Viva con Agua in India. [http://tramprennen.org/2012/tramprennen-2012-thats-it/ Read the final resumee with some images]

'''6 September 2012''' Thomas Francine has released his documentary [http://gogreatergood.com/hitchhike-doc/ The Greater Good: A Hitchhiker Perspective] free online.

'''18 August 2012.''' Stuart Jameson is currently traveling the world after the death of his parents. The only form of transport allowed while traveling from Europe to India and beyond is hitchhiking. He will be doing this in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support, and details of how to sponsor will be posted soon. Check out his blog at '''www.lookingforstu.com'''

'''10th August 2012''' [http://hitchgathering.org/2012/08/10/gathering-is-over-after-one-week-of-joy-and-fun/ Hitchgathering 2012 is over] after one week of joy and fun! See you next year somewhere!

'''7th August 2012''' Inauguration of the first official hitchhiking spot in Germany: [https://vimeo.com/47056576 Go to video, 2:08 Minutes]

'''25 July 2012''' [[User:Marissa|Marissa]] hitchhiked with her friend Jenny from Mexico City to Guatemala and made a [https://vimeo.com/46308984/ short video] about it.

'''22 June 2012''' - [http://www.tramprennen.org Tramprennen 2012]: The Hitchhiking Hub started today registrations for Tramprennen 2012 - a hitchhike race for drinking water. The race starts August 18th, has 6 routes starting in Bayreuth, Gent, Copenhagen, Dresden, Leipzig and Berchtesgaden. 6 stages for each route will lead to a final common meeting point in Romania.

'''11 June 2012''' - [[User:jaredjestes22|jaredjestes22]] - a short time user and contributor to this website is now on his hitchhiking trip from Port Angeles, WA to Los Angeles, Yosemite, Yellowstone, Billings, MT, with his lovely wife, Anna Rose.

'''1 May 2012''' - [[User:Paluch|Paluch]] - a long time user and contributor to this website is now on his hitchhiking trip around the world. Read his latest story about hitching to Cape Verde on his blog called [http://www.roadsideletters.com/ Roadside Letters].

'''12 April 2012''' - Justina & Maarten are filming and interviewing people who "live" on the road (not just hitchhikers) for their project called "[http://www.liveontheroad.tv/ Live on the road]". See their [http://vimeo.com/39414062 intro] and follow their [http://www.liveontheroad.tv/blog/ blog].

'''9 April 2012''' - [[User:Erinmack|Erin]] made a three-week hitchhiking journey to Nordkapp via Finland & her friend Dara made a [http://www.vimeo.com/daram/thistime 90 minute film] of the trip

'''30 March 2012''' - A friendly driver lost his Italian brown leather jacket when he drove a couple from [[Munich]] to [[Stuttgart]] around the 9th of March. The couple was heading to the Netherlands, guy studied architecture and girl was teaching art to children. Maybe you can help? [http://www.couchsurfing.org/group_read.html?gid=12&post=11606682 CS group thread], [http://www.facebook.com/Hitchwiki/posts/357585514280771 FB wall thread]

'''14 March 2012''' - The German hitchhiking club [[Abgefahren e.V.]] is organizing the 5th German Hitchhiking Championships from 25 May - 28 May starting from [[Braunschweig]]. For the fifth anniversary the race is going to be a bit different compared to previous years. For more information check out [http://race.abgefahren-ev.de abgefahren-ev.de], there you can register for the trip and get the latest information! See you on the road!

'''14 March 2012''' - The Polish Club of Adventure [http://www.hitchhikingrace.pl Polski Klub Przygody] has announced their annual hitchhiking race on the first-of-may weekend from 28 April - 2 May: from [[Sopot]] in [[Poland]] to [[Dubrovnik]] in [[Croatia]]. Registration is open from 1 April. Website in Polish only.

'''20 January 2012''' - [[User:Notapalooka|Alyssa]] took nearly two years hitchhiking across Africa, from Morocco to Mozambique via [[Nigeria]] and the [[DRC|Congo]]. Stories and pictures at [http://www.opendestination.ca/ Open Destination].

'''10 January 2012''' - [[User:Chael777|Chael]] Finally arrived at Ushuaia from Oregon after 2 years and 5 months hitching. The narrative and drawings: [http://www.velabas.com/ Velabas]

=== 2011 ===
'''28 November 2011''' - A first Western European [[competitive autostop]] club (''[[DTSG]]'') has been founded in [[DTSG|Germany]]. Next to that, [[PASL]] announced that the [[World Championships]] will be postponed to August 2013, giving more sportsmen the chance to participate in the qualification rounds throughout 2012.

'''31 October 2011''' - Helin and Jan made a hitchhiking documentary of their trip to [[Istanbul]] from [[Berlin]]. Read stories and watch videos at [http://berlin-istanbul.com/ berlin-istanbul.com]

'''28 October 2011''' - We've had some server issues recently. If this happens again, you can still access [http://mirror.hitchwiki.org/ mirror.hitchwiki.org] for a quite recent version of the English Hitchwiki.

'''7 October 2011''' - With [[Imst]] Hitchwiki has now '''2000 Articles''' in English! Thanks a lot, to anyone who ever contributed anything here :)

'''6 September 2011''' - As of today with the article about [[Tuvalu]], Hitchwiki has an entry for every independent nation on this earth. Many of those are only stubs, however, and don't reveal much information - so we need ''your'' help as much as ever! Feel free to start with [[Hitchwiki:Hitchability|rating the country's]] you've hitchhiked in!

'''26 August 2011''' - CouchSurfing has turned into a for profit company, consider using '''[http://www.bewelcome.org/ BeWelcome]''' instead. BW is the only official non-profit organization for general hospitality exchange with an online network!

'''22 July 2011''' - [[User:Halt, Stop! Reudnitz kommt.|Craig]] & Dario hit the road to meet people, see places and go beyond frontiers: '''[http://thumbingasia.blogspot.com/ THUMBING ASIA From West to East]'''. Clips, jokes, 3D-panoramas & Insights.

'''18 July 2011''' - ''On the road to Kara Dere'': Latest news and all important information for the [http://hitchgathering.org/road-lastest-news hitchgathering] in Kara Dere, Bulgaria 5 August 2011.

'''10 July 2011''' - [[PASL]] is currently organizing the first [[Transglobal Autostop Race]] in terms of [[competitive autostop]]. Qualification Rounds are starting soon, for information, see their [http://transglobal-race.org website] {{ru}} (English translation to be added soon)

'''24 June 2011''' - Hitchwiki application for Nokia Symbian 5th edition and Symbian^3 released! You can download app from [http://store.ovi.com/content/143209 OVI Store]. For bugs, suggestions and other technical stuff, please, leave comment in my [http://mindomobile.com/hitchwiki-hits-ovi-store/ blog post]. Cheers!

'''8-15 August 2011''' - To The Fringe with a Farthing - Graham Eccles (AKA The Jack Of Piel) will be hitching from Cornwall to the Edinburgh Fringe with his Ha'Penny Farthing, doing random poetry gigs and weird balloon sculpture along the way. More information on WriteOutLoud [http://www.writeoutloud.net/blogs/grahameccles GrahamEcclesBlogs] and [http://www.facebook.com/groups/133604746715459 To the Fringe with a Farthing] or email thejackofpiel(a)hotmail(d)co(d)uk for details.

'''1 July 2011''' - [http://na.hitchgathering.org North American Hitchhiking Gathering]: [[Portland]], [[Oregon]], [[USA]] has been [http://na.hitchgathering.org/content/where-should-2011-hitchgathering-happen chosen] as the location for the [[Hitchgathering/North-America|North American Hitchgathering]].

=== 2010 ===
'''2 November 2010''' - [[User:Dizinteria|Shai]] started a hitchwiki in '''[[:he:|Hebrew]]'''.

'''17 September 2010''' - [[User:Guaka|guaka]] managed to (finally) fix the [[Special:OpenIDLogin|OpenID login]], now also includes a very easy way to log in from your Google or Yahoo accounts. (But note that you can't use more than 1 OpenID for one Hitchwiki account.)

'''18 Aug 2010''' - Thanks to [[User:Index|Index]] we now have hitchwiki pages in '''[[:ro:|Romanian]]'''. If you speak Romanian, please help us adding some content.

'''16 July 2010''' - Hitchwiki is alive and kicking, now ''1600 + 1'' articles on Hitchwiki in English, with [[Special:Statistics|a staggering total of 134,583 edits]] and an average of 1300 visitors per day and as we speak ''400 - 1'' articles on [[:trash:|Trashwiki in English]] - that makes 2000 pages in total

'''6 July 2010''' - Location of the [[6810|Third European Hitchgathering]] on the 6th of August has been set: [[Sines]]. Also check the [http://hitchgathering.org/press Press-release]

'''8 June 2010''' - Organization has begun for the [http://na.hitchgathering.org North America Hitch Gathering] taking place August 21st, 2010 in Boulder, Colorado. Join the mailing list, get involved, update the wiki and see you this summer!!

'''6 June 2010''' - We started a [[Hitchwiki:Collaboration of the month|collaboration of the month]]! Everybody on hitchwiki is welcome to continue on this idea and add his/her suggestions! The first topic for June 2010 will be '''Portugal''', the destination of the [[6810]] European hitchhiking gathering.

'''14 May 2010''' - [http://www.tomthumb.org/?page_id=27 Hand to Mouth to India] is the tale of how Tom Thumb hitchhiked from England to India with no money. Now you can read it for free online or download the book to share around the world hitching community ([[Media#Books|more books]]).

'''9 March 2010''' - [http://utrecht-europa-en.trekhaakgezocht.nl/ Tjerk Ridder] has been [[hitchhiking with a caravan]].

=== 2009 ===
'''28 December 2009''' - The organization of the third edition of the '''European hitchhiking festival, [[6810|6-8-10]]''', started. The whole hitchhiking community is asked to give a voice to designate a meeting place for 2010. All relevant information can be found on the [[6810]] article.

'''20 December 2009''' - Citizens of [[Serbia]], [[Macedonia]] and [[Montenegro]] can now travel visa-free to all countries that have signed the [[Schengen Agreement]]. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8151518.stm Read more from BBC].

'''11 December 2009''' - We now offer a [[Help:Contents|hitchwiki tutorial]] for all fellow hitchhikers out there who are new to hitchwiki and want to share their knowledge with us, but don't know how. Check it out and get some insights in the world of editing articles and adding hitchhiking spots on hitchwiki!

'''9 December 2009''' - Emil from [[Finland]], age 19 was lost during his trip in Poland. Please check his photo from [http://haveyouseenthisboy.blogspot.com/ website] or [http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=194259723583 Facebook-group].

'''29 November 2009''' - The movie about the [[Viva con Agua]] hitchhiking race is out! It includes English subtitles & 23 minutes of pure hitchhiking! [http://vimeo.com/7858456 Watch the race here]. The editors worked hard to finish the movie and do appreciate feedback in any direction!

'''24 November 2009''' - [[User:G J della Mer|G J della Mer]] started a '''[[:tr:|Turkish Hitchwiki]]'''. Now we have 11 languages

'''27 October 2009''' - You can now use [http://guaka.org/2009/10/26/hitchwiki-everywhere/#comments Hitchwiki everywhere] without internet, through [http://aarddict.org/ Aarddict].

'''21 July 2009''' - We had some technical difficulties the last days/weeks due to a broken hard drive. Everything should work again now. (We have also set up a [http://mirror.hitchwiki.org/en/ read-only mirror] you can use in case the main server is down.)

'''13 July 2009''' - At '''[http://m.hitchwiki.org/ m.hitchwiki.org]''' we've set up a hitchwiki version for mobile phones.

'''10 July 2009''' - [[User:Strzkrzysiek|Strzkrzysiek]] started a '''[[:pl:|Polish Hitchwiki]]'''. Now we have 10 languages :)

'''9 July 2009''' - Thanks to [[User:Mipplor|Mipplor]], we now have a '''[[:zh:|Chinese Hitchwiki]]'''. If you speak Chinese, please help us letting it grow. And if you know someone who speaks Chinese, spread the word.

'''1 July 2009''' - Hitchwiki switched its license to ''[http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ Creative Commons (CC-BY-SA)]''. This means that: 1. it simplifies the distribution of the Hitchwiki's content where only an attribution is required (+ all derivated works require the application of the same CC-BY-SA license); 2. Hitchwiki will be licensed under the same license as other wikis (Wikipedia, Wikitravel, Wikivoyage), sites (OpenStreetMap) and images (Flickr's CC), a strong bond with which helped immensively in building up the content of Hitchwiki.

'''21 June 2009''' - It is now possible to follow all the cool hitchhiking stories from around the world via [http://twitter.com/HitchingPlanet Twitter]. Thanks to [[User:alex|alex]]!

'''9 June 2009''' - The German hitchhiking championship, held on June 12th, can be followed on the [http://sms.hitchwiki.org/ mobile hitchhiking blog] (or via [http://twitter.com/trampen Twitter/trampen]). It's free for all to use (standard rates apply) while on the road, to keep friends and families informed, or just to tell the world how amazing your last ride was!

'''8 May 2009''' - [[User:Guaka|guaka]] made an attempt to improve the layout of Hitchwiki, [[MediaWiki_talk:Monobook.css|comments and suggestions]] are very welcome. Also check [[Hitchwiki:Logo update|the discussion about a possible new logo]].

'''21 January 2009''' - The English version of hitchwiki has a new main page - add your thoughts [[Talk:Main_Page#Frontpage_is_evolving|here]]. We also finally installed the latest ''WordPress'' version at [http://blogs.hitchwiki.org blogs.hitchwiki.org], so now blogging is even finer, including new plugins and themes.

'''6 January 2009''' – [[User:Platschi|Platschi]] initiated a [[:bg:|Bulgarian language version]] of the Hitchwiki!

=== 2008 ===
'''12 December 2008''' - [[Switzerland]] is finally in the [[Schengen Agreement]], and long existed cross-border passport checks are on their way to be abolished. The land border checkpoints are to be closed from this day, though people entering the country would have their passports checked until March 29, 2009, if they originate from a Schengen nation.

'''13 November 2008''' - There is a call for participants for the [[Eurizons 2008: A Call for Climate Justice]]: Hitchhiking Campaign to the COP 14 (5.-6.12.08) and exhibition 'Voices from the South' in Poznan. - Check it out now and join!

'''3 November 2008''' - We now added [[Hitchwiki:To-do list|to-do lists]] for articles. If you think an article needs some cleanup, if you want to request specific information, or other things that could be on a ''todo'' list, then check out this template: [[Template:ToDo|todo template]]. If you want to add a todo-list, just go to the ''Talk'' page of an article (click ''discussion'' on top of the article) and type in <code><nowiki>{{toDo}}</nowiki></code>.

'''30th of October''' - [http://trashwiki.org/ Trashwiki] was started in the week that the English Hitchwiki reached 1000 articles. It has the same free-minded spirit and is focused on [[dumpster diving]] (conceptually similar to hitchhiking). Today we reached 60 articles!

'''19th of October''' - A regional hitchhikers gathering in [[Argentina]] in the weekend of the 10th of October brought together 30 participants [http://www.followtheroad.com/en/hitch-hikers-meeting-in-la-dulce-argentina.html report].

'''16th of October''' - The voting for next year's [[789]] meeting is open now! Log in at the [http://www.hitchwiki.org/forum forum] and vote for your [http://hitchwiki.org/forum/?q=content/where-do-you-want-789-take-place favorite destination].

'''29th of September''' - You can now log in to Hitchwiki with your [http://openid.net/ OpenID]. Let [[User talk:Guaka|Guaka]] know if there are any issues.

'''20th of September''' - Another great story: The first official hitchhiking spot in [[Germany]] has been released in [[Potsdam]] yesterday! For more news, check out [http://www.gruene-potsdam.de/home/newssingle/archive/2008/september/19/bundesweit_erste_tramphaltestelle_in_potsdam_eroeffnet/?cHash=96377ae112 this article]. {{de}}

'''15th of September''' - Hurray! '''[[Random_Roads/Postcards|Postcards]]''' is the '''1000th article''' of Hitchwiki! All this in less than [http://www.hitchwiki.org/stats/reports/EN/ChartsWikipediaZZ.htm 3 years]. Thank you, all of you! We are also sending out a [[Hitchwiki:Press_releases/1000_articles_in_English|press-release]]. [http://guaka.org/2008/09/15/1000-articles-in-hitchwiki/]

'''19th of August''' - Some hitchhikers are currently working on a hitchhiking magazine. If you are interested in participating, check out the wiki brainstorming for [[Random Roads|Whatever the Random Roads]].

'''17th of August''' – Back in the top ten of the Google [http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=hitchhiking search] on hitchhiking.

'''12th of August''' – There is a trailer available for the Viva Con Agua [http://vivaconagua.org/index.htm?post?388 Charity Hitch], have a look here [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_IQu5pqiL4 Trailer Hitchhiking Race]

'''8th of August''' – Around 150 hitchhikers arrived in Paris for the first European Hitchhikers Gathering, the [[888]]-project. Share your [[888/Evaluation|evaluation]] thoughts on the [[888]]-Event

'''31th of July''' – Hitchwiki now has a '''[[:pt:|Portuguese language version]]'''. If you speak Portuguese, you could help a bit. It's maintained by [[User:Ataqlibert|Ataqlibert]].

'''30th of June''' – Finally we launched a [http://www.hitchwiki.org/planet/ Hitchhiking Planet]. It collects blog entries from various hitchhikers around the world. If you want your blog added, contact [http://www.hitchwiki.org/en/index.php?title=User_talk:MrTweek&action=edit&section=new MrTweek].

'''5th of June''' – We now have a [[:fi:|Finnish]] hitchwiki! As Liftari.org, the biggest finnish hitchhiking website, went down, [[User:Mikael|Mikael]] decided to start a Finnish wiki instead. Good luck!

'''8th of April''' – We now have 1295 articles in 5 languages!

'''4th of March''' – Hitchwiki now even has a '''[[:ru:|Russian language version]]''' :) It will be maintained by [[User:Lnx|Lnx]]. If you speak Russian, it would be nice if you could help a bit. And if you know Russian speakers, please help to spread the word!

'''26th of February''' – The German hitchhiking club [[Abgefahren e.V.]] is organizing a hitchhiking competition through [[Germany]] and [[Poland]] from '''22th–25th May 2008!''' For more information check out [http://race.abgefahren-ev.de abgefahren-ev.de], there you can register for the trip and get the latest information! See you on the road!

=== 2007 ===
'''28 December''' – From December 28 till 2nd January there's a ''New Year Hitchhiker Happening'' in Slab City, [[California]]. For more information, have a look [http://gathering.digihitch.com/slabs.php here].

'''14 December''' – We recently launched '''[http://blogs.hitchwiki.org/ blogs.hitchwiki.org]''', where you can start your own hitchhiking blog. Just log in with your hitchwiki user data and you can write your first post right away :) There's also a new feature at some country articles (see [[Germany]] or [[Bulgaria]]) called '''[[Hitchwiki:Hitchability|Hitchability]]'''. With this ''everyone'' can '''rate''' the countries on how good they are for hitchhiking. Want to rate your country? Have a [[Hitchwiki:Hitchability|look here]].

'''5 November''' – We just added a little ''Question? Need Help?'' section to the [[Hitchwiki:Community_Portal#Questions.3F_Need_help.3F|Talk to us]] page. If you have any questions concerning the wiki, if you need city or country-specific information, don't hesitate to [[Hitchwiki:Community_Portal#Questions.3F_Need_help.3F|ask here]]. Whatever, good luck to all hitchhikers!

'''8 October''' – Hitchwiki is [http://en.hitchwiki.org/stats/reports/EN/TablesWikipediaEN.htm growing bigger and bigger]! The only decrease was the number of pictures. Please [[Special:Upload|upload your nice hitch pictures]] from this year's Summer and we'll put them in the relevant articles and if they're really nice, on the Main Page!

'''11 September''' – '''Hitchwiki is going international!''' [[User:SAn|SAn]] from [http://www.autostopargentina.com.ar/ Autostop Argentina] started '''[http://www.autostopwiki.com.ar/ Autostopwiki]''' in Spanish and they already have a lot of information about [[Argentina]].
With support from [[abgefahren e.V.]], we started '''[http://de.hitchwiki.org/ Trampwiki]''' in German and are just starting to translate information from the English wiki.
Due to some general interest, we've also set up a '''[http://fr.hitchwiki.org/ French hitchwiki]'''.
If you speak one of these languages, you are very welcome to contribute. If you have an account here, you can use it in all these wikis, of course.
Oh, and if you want to see hitchwiki in any other language and are willing to help a bit with that, just [[Hitchwiki:Community Portal|let us know]].

'''10 September''' – If you are somewhat active here or interested in the future of hitchwiki, check '''[[Hitchwiki:Organization]]''' and leave your comments, if you have some.

'''6 September''' – We now have more than [[Special:Statistics|500 articles]]! Actually, probably due to some weird technical problem 154 articles weren't counted, so we don't know when we precisely reached 500. Oh well, whatever. Nevermind.

'''18 August''' – We just created an '''IRC-Channel''' called '''[irc://irc.blackened.com/hitchhiking #hitchhiking]''' on EFNet.

'''14 August''' – A German hitchhiking club was founded, called '''abgefahren e.V.'''. They will also organize a hitchhiking camp/gathering near [[Freiburg im Breisgau]] from 6th to 9th of September. Check it out at [http://abgefahren.hitchbase.com/ abgefahren.hitchbase.com].

'''25 July''' – There's now some basic information on '''[[how to pick up hitchhikers]]'''. Feel free to add more!

'''4 July''' – A lot of great info about '''[[Canada]]''' has [http://hitchwiki.org/Category:Canada?title=Special:Recentchangeslinked&target=Category%3ACanada been added during the last days]. If you have them, please [[Special:Upload|upload some pictures]] from your Canadian hitching experiences.

'''15 June''' – The [[Lithuania]]n Hitch-hiking Gathering will take place at June 29 – July 01 in a very natural surrounding of [[Salcininkai]], which is about 30 kilometres south from [[Vilnius]]. [http://www.autostop.lt/events.php?w=38 More info at autostop.lt]

'''29 May''' – [[Special:Listusers|100 users]] have registered since we moved all the stuff to hitchwiki.org. Huge thanks to everyone.

'''22 May''' – London to Paris Competition! There will be a London to Paris competition for young people, starting 2nd or 3rd of June at Trafalgar Square, London and ending that night (hopefully) at the Eiffel Tower, Paris. Buy-in is 10GBP and the winner gets all! If you are on Facebook search for "The Race to Paris" and join the group or leave a message on [[Talk:User:Andrew|Andrews talk page]].

'''08 May''' – There is now a [http://groups.google.com/group/hitchwiki hitchwiki email list], for any discussions related to Hitchwiki, feel free to join.

'''01 May''' – The "BERLIN HOSPITALITY CLUB BEACHCAMP", an international hospitality, backpacker and hitchhiker gathering will happen from May 24th – 28th in Berlin. Check http://www.happy-traveller.de/. You can probably meet other hitchwiki users there.

'''25 April''' – You can now include maps from [[Liftershalte.info]] directly into hitchwiki-articles. [[How to add maps to articles|See how it works]]. Also check [[Mönchengladbach]] and [[Hannover]].

'''24 April''' – A lot of new [[:category:Hitchhikers|people]] have joined during the last months, and there is a lot of new information, check e.g. [[Norway]], [[Romania]], [[Mauritania]] and [[China]].

'''14 February''' – We're number two [http://www.google.com.au/search?q=hitchhiking+wiki&start=0&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official if you Google for "hitchhiking wiki"].

=== 2006 ===
18 December – [[MrTweek]] installed some cool [http://www.hitchwiki.org/stats/reports/EN/Sitemap.htm wiki statistics] software.

15 December – '''Server upgrade''': up to '''6 hours downtime''' one of these days.

7 December – [[User:Amylin|Amylin]] is working on [[Possible_Logo_Re-designs|a logo for the Hitchwiki]]. Please give your comments, or if you can do better: ''do it''! [[Guaka]] has been changing the [[MediaWiki:Monobook.css|general layout]] a little bit. Feel free [[MediaWiki Talk:Monobook.css|to discuss]].

27 November – Let's organize the [[New Zealand hitch course 2007‎]]!

24 November – We've moved to <tt>'''hitchwiki.org'''</tt>! Update your bookmarks and tell your hitchhiking friends!
It seems that Wikia has a different way of counting articles. So we're back to 115 :)

21 November – We ''were'' in the [http://www.google.com/search?q=hitchhiking&num=50 Google top 50 for "hitchhiking"].

16 November – Let's work on a [[Hitchhiking Zine]]!

15 November – New people joined our efforts, with some great contributions, check out [[Poznan]], [[Bulgaria]], [[Granada]], [[Skopje]] and other [[Special:Newpages|new pages]]! Welcome to our growing hitchhiking community!

6 November – [[New Zealand]] is a good country for hitchhiking, and you can start when you arrive at the airport in [[Auckland]].

16 October - [http://www.flurl.com/item/Boys_Be_Aware_of_the_Homosexual_u_192874 Boys Be Aware of the Homosexual], "It looks innocent enough, doesn't it? Lots of young people hitchhike...", a long time ago in the [[United States]]. ''See [[Hitchhiking in movies]]''.

27 September - Help gather some information about [[Hitchhiking in the media]].

24 September - We reached '''200 articles'''. See also [http://www.wikia.com/wikistats/EN/TablesWikiaHITCHHIKING.htm the statistics].

20 September - Hitchhiking from the [[United Kingdom]] to the European mainland isn't too hard at all? Cross the channel in [[Dover]] and find your ride to [[Turkey]] in [[Calais]]. The same trick, for [[Scandinavia]] can be tried in [[Puttgarden]], [[Germany]].

19 August - The Hitchhiking Wiki is now syndicated by the '''[http://couchsurfing.com/wikiguide.html CouchSurfing Guide]'''.

January 2006 - We reached '''100 articles'''.

December 2005 - The Hitchhiking Wiki was moved to Wikia, from <tt>hitchhikingguide.org</tt>, where it was spammed to death.<noinclude>

[[Category:Templates]]
[[de:Vorlage:News]]
[[fi:Malline:Uutiset etusivulle]]
</noinclude>

Template:News

2016-01-29T07:56:33Z

Koendev:

* '''28 January 2016''' [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1YRdKFsT-c Hitchhiking an airplane]

* '''15 January 2016''' Help get [https://gumroad.com/l/PGKmz How to live without money (eBook)] translated in English!

* '''5 December 2015''' New Android [https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=pl.elabo.hitchhikingmaps Hitchhiking Maps] has been released. Offline maps, Street View preview and all of the spots from Hitchwiki: [https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=pl.elabo.hitchhikingmaps Google Play]

* '''25 November 2015''' Release of eBook from hitchhiking baby Petit Bibi's adventure around the world: [http://bibiontheroad.net/buy-the-book/ bibiontheroad.net]

* '''7 November 2015''' Chinese Canadian hitchhiker posts videos of [https://www.youtube.com/user/MrAndkonblack hitch-biking around Europe with a foldable bike] on YouTube.

* '''30 April 2015''' An Austrian Hitchhiking Community is forming with the Name [http://www.ausfahrtlinks.wordpress.com Ausfahrt Links] to increase public awareness of people about hitchhiking as a means of transport in Austria. Find more information on the Website, like them on [https://www.facebook.com/ausfahrtlinks Facebook].

* '''24 April 2015''' Miran Ipavec has just announced that he has managed to hitch through 31(!) European countries in just under 10 days.

* '''20 April 2015''' Youssef Mahou has published a film on YouTube called [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-q6hLK855s Le Maroc en auto stop/ Morocco by hitchhiking]

* '''26th December 2014''' Folks behind Hitchwiki are building a new hospitality exchange community for hitchhikers and other travellers: '''[https://www.trustroots.org Trustroots.org]''' — It's time to join it and spread the word!

* '''13th December 2014''' Anick-Marie (formerly [[User:Perilisk|Perilisk]] and now [[User:Globestoppeuse|Globestoppeuse]]) made available [[::File:Hitchhiking_-_Neo-nomad.pdf|Hitchhiking]], a 2010 How-to zine including an analysis of the different safety advice with their pros and cons, including women-specific advice

<noinclude>
----
== Old News ==

=== 2015 ===

=== 2014 ===

* '''30th October 2014''' We will work on new Hitchwiki for 5-8 weeks in Turkey. [http://donate.hitchwiki.net/ Please help us cover our expenses]! Share/like the page all around! If you have any questions, feel free to ask [[User:Mikael|Mikael]].

* '''25th November 2014''' [http://www.christopherdrifter.com/books/Rules_of_Thumb/ Rules of Thumb: How to Hitch-Hike and Live on the Road], a detailed guidebook on hitch-hiking, has just been released for free, on Kindle, and in Paperback. Aimed at less experienced hitch-hikers about to undertake long-distance journeys.

* '''27th September 2014''' The famous Russian hitchhiker Alexey Vorov intends to race around the world in his new project [http://transglobal-race.org/ 500 HOURS] in order to promote peace and hospitality and to show how small our tiny planet is. [http://transglobal-race.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=40&Itemid=35&lang=en Track his progress here]

* '''06th August - 28th September 2014''' The TravelMakers Project is a journey from Berlin to Istanbul. The project is a combination of hitchhiking throughout Europe, creating street art, volunteering and contributing within urban communities in active social projects, and filming on the way. Learn more about their project and donate to their cause on [https://indiegogo.com/projects/travelmakers-hitchhiking-for-social-projects Travel Makers - Hitchhiking for Social Projects]

* '''21 July 2014''' The registrations for this years "Tramprennen", a hitchhiking race across Europe from Würzburg (Ger) to Lake Ohrid (Macedonia) are open now on [http://tramprennen.org/ tramprennen.org].

* '''19 July 2014''' Sarah Franke's short film about [[User:Prino|Prino]] is now on general release on [http://vimeo.com/86849620 Vimeo].

* '''1 July 2014''' The TravelMakers Project registration channel is open. Check out the project and [http://www.travel-makers.org/ get on board!] This project is the succession project of the [http://www.euroadtrip2012.org Euroadtrip2012 Project].

* '''16 June 2014''' The North German Television NDR shot a [http://www.ndr.de/fernsehen/sendungen/7_tage/ documentary] about the [http://www.tramprennen.org Tramprennen] last year (in German only).

* '''26 May 2014''' The registration for the [http://abgefahren-ev.de/en/ Abgefahren Hitchhiking Championships] is now open. Abgefahren e.V. is looking forward to seeing you!

* '''5 May 2014''' In [http://hitchwiki.org/en/Munster Münster] there was the first screening of an anthropological movie about hitchhiking. The movie "On the way" is now [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=or9zdqZ9G58available on-line here]. The documentary mentions the Hitchwiki project.

* '''5 May 2014''' A new project has come to life in Belgium! You can visit [http://gohitchhiking.tumblr.com/ the blog]. Please tell the world why one should hitchhike [http://gohitchhiking.friendbook.nl/ here] The most creative answers will make the tumblr, thanks!

* '''21 March 2014''' [http://www.lawrenceonboard.org/ Lawrence On Board], a new hitchhiking promotion program in Kansas needs your vote on facebook! They have been selected as semifinalists in the TEDxFulbright Social Innovations Challenge! The winner gets the full support of the TED and Fulbright communities. [http://d1ej5r2t2cu524.cloudfront.net/lawrenceonboard/we-re-in-the-tedxfulbright-challenge/947913-www.facebook.com/fulbrightassociation1/app_515720611858523?c=86ed6ff5-cb96-4cd9-8c06-f220ee872906 Cast your vote on facebook here!]

* '''13 January 2014''' There is a new book about hitch-hiking: [http://www.americaneyeball.com/eye-hitch/the-book/ American Eyeball].

* '''6 January 2014''' [http://www.nederlandlift.nl/ The Dutch site] mentioned below has added tiny portraits of [http://nederlandlift.nl/nieuws/50-en-nog-liften-kan-dat/ seven older-than-average hitchhikers].

=== 2013 ===
* '''21st December 2013''' Due to the Ice Hockey World Championship in Minsk 2014, entering Belarus visa-free from 25th April to 31st May is possible [http://mfa.gov.by/en/hockey/docs/ee83085ebfa40574.html]. A regular [http://www.belarus.by/en/travel/travel-visas visa] costs from 60€ to 160$ . The [http://www.ticketpro.by/jnp/en/wc2014/index.html tickes] are available from 91.000BYR (~7€).

* '''14th December 2013''' [http://www.hitching.it/ Hitching.it] has gone live as of a few hours ago in the intent of replacing [http://www.digihitch.com digihitch.com]. After a long battle of empty promises and sabotage, it is intended to fill the gap that has existed since digihitch began losing features and users since digihitch's original owner, [http://hitchwiki.org/en/User:Salman Salman], passed away in 2010. [http://www.digihitch.com Digihitch], which is now a forum and skeleton of the original site, is expected to shut down for good in early 2014. [http://www.hitching.it Hitching.it] is still a work in progress, but all are encouraged to join the forums and begin submitting content.

* '''1st December 2013''' A new project in the Netherlands has come to life to promote hitchhiking: [http://www.nederlandlift.nl/ www.nederlandlift.nl].

* '''9th November 2013''' We're organizing a [[Foret-Belleville 2014|festive gathering for hitchhikers (and non-hitchhikers) in France next July]]. Are you European and between 18 and 30 years old? If you want to help organize this you can [http://www.bewelcome.org/forums/s9424 apply for an EVS scholarship] that will feed and lodge you and even comes with pocket money.

* '''23rd September 2013''' Started by some of the folks that brought you [[:Trash:|Trashwiki]] and Hitchwiki, '''[[:Nomad:|Nomadwiki]]''' is a new wiki with info and tips for nomads (and other travelling folk) about shoestring budget traveling. Here you'll find out about free camping, no 5 star hotels, ''not for tourists''!

* '''31st August 2013''' - [[User:Guaka|guaka]] ([[User talk:Guaka|talk]]) started '''[[:moneyless:|Moneyless.org]]''', a website with a lot of information about living without or much less money.

* '''30th August 2013''' We had some [[Hitchwiki:Server_crash_2013|severe technical issues last week]]. The wiki is back up and running, but some content got lost unfortunately.

* '''8th August 2013''' Canada begins [http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/the-hitchhikers-guide-to-safety-rcmp-hopes-to-reduce-risk-with-new-posters/article13679908/ distributing thousands of hitchhiking posters] in a new harm reduction campaign hoping to reduce the dangers of hitchhiking and track down those who assault hitchhikers. Among the areas the material will be distributed is the infamous [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highway_of_Tears_murders Highway of Tears].

* '''1st May 2013''' Bence and [[pite]] did a classic route hitchhiking. From some amateur videoshots a [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtBlTg91qqE 2 minute movie] has been made about the [[Moscow]]-Saint Petersburg trip. Hope it will encourage other hitchhikers to do more and more youtube clips about their rides.

=== 2012 ===
'''12th November 2012''' The New York Times [http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/11/opinion/sunday/hitchhikings-time-has-come-again.html is encouraging people to hitchhike]: "''What if we could remake the original landscape of alienation — the highway — into a place where Americans could once again reach out to help one another, to share space and time with a stranger? We might begin to reconnect, not just with one another, but with the idea of ourselves as one people, moving in the same direction.''" — [https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4770997 discussion about the article on Hacker News].



'''1 October 2012''' Hitchwiki has a new design. We hope you like it!

'''23rd September 2012''' The '''[[project:BXL hackathon|BXL hackathon]]''' started when [[User:Mikael|Mikael]] arrived - ''you'' can participate as well, come over to [[Brussels]] or [[Hitchwiki:BXL_hackathon#What_can_you_do.3F|do things]] from wherever

'''18th September 2012''' The widely known hospitality exchange platform Couchsurfing is about to change the Terms of Use against European Law. Please sign the petition, spread the word and use alternatives like [http://www.bewelcome.org bewelcome.org]. [http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/For_a_strong_Community_behind_CouchSurfing Sign Petition]

'''10th September 2012''' Tramprennen 2012 is over. 117 hitchhikers and 54 teams from 14 countries made it to the Surduc Lake in Romania and raised 15230 Euro for a WASH-Project of the German NGO Viva con Agua in India. [http://tramprennen.org/2012/tramprennen-2012-thats-it/ Read the final resumee with some images]

'''6 September 2012''' Thomas Francine has released his documentary [http://gogreatergood.com/hitchhike-doc/ The Greater Good: A Hitchhiker Perspective] free online.

'''18 August 2012.''' Stuart Jameson is currently traveling the world after the death of his parents. The only form of transport allowed while traveling from Europe to India and beyond is hitchhiking. He will be doing this in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support, and details of how to sponsor will be posted soon. Check out his blog at '''www.lookingforstu.com'''

'''10th August 2012''' [http://hitchgathering.org/2012/08/10/gathering-is-over-after-one-week-of-joy-and-fun/ Hitchgathering 2012 is over] after one week of joy and fun! See you next year somewhere!

'''7th August 2012''' Inauguration of the first official hitchhiking spot in Germany: [https://vimeo.com/47056576 Go to video, 2:08 Minutes]

'''25 July 2012''' [[User:Marissa|Marissa]] hitchhiked with her friend Jenny from Mexico City to Guatemala and made a [https://vimeo.com/46308984/ short video] about it.

'''22 June 2012''' - [http://www.tramprennen.org Tramprennen 2012]: The Hitchhiking Hub started today registrations for Tramprennen 2012 - a hitchhike race for drinking water. The race starts August 18th, has 6 routes starting in Bayreuth, Gent, Copenhagen, Dresden, Leipzig and Berchtesgaden. 6 stages for each route will lead to a final common meeting point in Romania.

'''11 June 2012''' - [[User:jaredjestes22|jaredjestes22]] - a short time user and contributor to this website is now on his hitchhiking trip from Port Angeles, WA to Los Angeles, Yosemite, Yellowstone, Billings, MT, with his lovely wife, Anna Rose.

'''1 May 2012''' - [[User:Paluch|Paluch]] - a long time user and contributor to this website is now on his hitchhiking trip around the world. Read his latest story about hitching to Cape Verde on his blog called [http://www.roadsideletters.com/ Roadside Letters].

'''12 April 2012''' - Justina & Maarten are filming and interviewing people who "live" on the road (not just hitchhikers) for their project called "[http://www.liveontheroad.tv/ Live on the road]". See their [http://vimeo.com/39414062 intro] and follow their [http://www.liveontheroad.tv/blog/ blog].

'''9 April 2012''' - [[User:Erinmack|Erin]] made a three-week hitchhiking journey to Nordkapp via Finland & her friend Dara made a [http://www.vimeo.com/daram/thistime 90 minute film] of the trip

'''30 March 2012''' - A friendly driver lost his Italian brown leather jacket when he drove a couple from [[Munich]] to [[Stuttgart]] around the 9th of March. The couple was heading to the Netherlands, guy studied architecture and girl was teaching art to children. Maybe you can help? [http://www.couchsurfing.org/group_read.html?gid=12&post=11606682 CS group thread], [http://www.facebook.com/Hitchwiki/posts/357585514280771 FB wall thread]

'''14 March 2012''' - The German hitchhiking club [[Abgefahren e.V.]] is organizing the 5th German Hitchhiking Championships from 25 May - 28 May starting from [[Braunschweig]]. For the fifth anniversary the race is going to be a bit different compared to previous years. For more information check out [http://race.abgefahren-ev.de abgefahren-ev.de], there you can register for the trip and get the latest information! See you on the road!

'''14 March 2012''' - The Polish Club of Adventure [http://www.hitchhikingrace.pl Polski Klub Przygody] has announced their annual hitchhiking race on the first-of-may weekend from 28 April - 2 May: from [[Sopot]] in [[Poland]] to [[Dubrovnik]] in [[Croatia]]. Registration is open from 1 April. Website in Polish only.

'''20 January 2012''' - [[User:Notapalooka|Alyssa]] took nearly two years hitchhiking across Africa, from Morocco to Mozambique via [[Nigeria]] and the [[DRC|Congo]]. Stories and pictures at [http://www.opendestination.ca/ Open Destination].

'''10 January 2012''' - [[User:Chael777|Chael]] Finally arrived at Ushuaia from Oregon after 2 years and 5 months hitching. The narrative and drawings: [http://www.velabas.com/ Velabas]

=== 2011 ===
'''28 November 2011''' - A first Western European [[competitive autostop]] club (''[[DTSG]]'') has been founded in [[DTSG|Germany]]. Next to that, [[PASL]] announced that the [[World Championships]] will be postponed to August 2013, giving more sportsmen the chance to participate in the qualification rounds throughout 2012.

'''31 October 2011''' - Helin and Jan made a hitchhiking documentary of their trip to [[Istanbul]] from [[Berlin]]. Read stories and watch videos at [http://berlin-istanbul.com/ berlin-istanbul.com]

'''28 October 2011''' - We've had some server issues recently. If this happens again, you can still access [http://mirror.hitchwiki.org/ mirror.hitchwiki.org] for a quite recent version of the English Hitchwiki.

'''7 October 2011''' - With [[Imst]] Hitchwiki has now '''2000 Articles''' in English! Thanks a lot, to anyone who ever contributed anything here :)

'''6 September 2011''' - As of today with the article about [[Tuvalu]], Hitchwiki has an entry for every independent nation on this earth. Many of those are only stubs, however, and don't reveal much information - so we need ''your'' help as much as ever! Feel free to start with [[Hitchwiki:Hitchability|rating the country's]] you've hitchhiked in!

'''26 August 2011''' - CouchSurfing has turned into a for profit company, consider using '''[http://www.bewelcome.org/ BeWelcome]''' instead. BW is the only official non-profit organization for general hospitality exchange with an online network!

'''22 July 2011''' - [[User:Halt, Stop! Reudnitz kommt.|Craig]] & Dario hit the road to meet people, see places and go beyond frontiers: '''[http://thumbingasia.blogspot.com/ THUMBING ASIA From West to East]'''. Clips, jokes, 3D-panoramas & Insights.

'''18 July 2011''' - ''On the road to Kara Dere'': Latest news and all important information for the [http://hitchgathering.org/road-lastest-news hitchgathering] in Kara Dere, Bulgaria 5 August 2011.

'''10 July 2011''' - [[PASL]] is currently organizing the first [[Transglobal Autostop Race]] in terms of [[competitive autostop]]. Qualification Rounds are starting soon, for information, see their [http://transglobal-race.org website] {{ru}} (English translation to be added soon)

'''24 June 2011''' - Hitchwiki application for Nokia Symbian 5th edition and Symbian^3 released! You can download app from [http://store.ovi.com/content/143209 OVI Store]. For bugs, suggestions and other technical stuff, please, leave comment in my [http://mindomobile.com/hitchwiki-hits-ovi-store/ blog post]. Cheers!

'''8-15 August 2011''' - To The Fringe with a Farthing - Graham Eccles (AKA The Jack Of Piel) will be hitching from Cornwall to the Edinburgh Fringe with his Ha'Penny Farthing, doing random poetry gigs and weird balloon sculpture along the way. More information on WriteOutLoud [http://www.writeoutloud.net/blogs/grahameccles GrahamEcclesBlogs] and [http://www.facebook.com/groups/133604746715459 To the Fringe with a Farthing] or email thejackofpiel(a)hotmail(d)co(d)uk for details.

'''1 July 2011''' - [http://na.hitchgathering.org North American Hitchhiking Gathering]: [[Portland]], [[Oregon]], [[USA]] has been [http://na.hitchgathering.org/content/where-should-2011-hitchgathering-happen chosen] as the location for the [[Hitchgathering/North-America|North American Hitchgathering]].

=== 2010 ===
'''2 November 2010''' - [[User:Dizinteria|Shai]] started a hitchwiki in '''[[:he:|Hebrew]]'''.

'''17 September 2010''' - [[User:Guaka|guaka]] managed to (finally) fix the [[Special:OpenIDLogin|OpenID login]], now also includes a very easy way to log in from your Google or Yahoo accounts. (But note that you can't use more than 1 OpenID for one Hitchwiki account.)

'''18 Aug 2010''' - Thanks to [[User:Index|Index]] we now have hitchwiki pages in '''[[:ro:|Romanian]]'''. If you speak Romanian, please help us adding some content.

'''16 July 2010''' - Hitchwiki is alive and kicking, now ''1600 + 1'' articles on Hitchwiki in English, with [[Special:Statistics|a staggering total of 134,583 edits]] and an average of 1300 visitors per day and as we speak ''400 - 1'' articles on [[:trash:|Trashwiki in English]] - that makes 2000 pages in total

'''6 July 2010''' - Location of the [[6810|Third European Hitchgathering]] on the 6th of August has been set: [[Sines]]. Also check the [http://hitchgathering.org/press Press-release]

'''8 June 2010''' - Organization has begun for the [http://na.hitchgathering.org North America Hitch Gathering] taking place August 21st, 2010 in Boulder, Colorado. Join the mailing list, get involved, update the wiki and see you this summer!!

'''6 June 2010''' - We started a [[Hitchwiki:Collaboration of the month|collaboration of the month]]! Everybody on hitchwiki is welcome to continue on this idea and add his/her suggestions! The first topic for June 2010 will be '''Portugal''', the destination of the [[6810]] European hitchhiking gathering.

'''14 May 2010''' - [http://www.tomthumb.org/?page_id=27 Hand to Mouth to India] is the tale of how Tom Thumb hitchhiked from England to India with no money. Now you can read it for free online or download the book to share around the world hitching community ([[Media#Books|more books]]).

'''9 March 2010''' - [http://utrecht-europa-en.trekhaakgezocht.nl/ Tjerk Ridder] has been [[hitchhiking with a caravan]].

=== 2009 ===
'''28 December 2009''' - The organization of the third edition of the '''European hitchhiking festival, [[6810|6-8-10]]''', started. The whole hitchhiking community is asked to give a voice to designate a meeting place for 2010. All relevant information can be found on the [[6810]] article.

'''20 December 2009''' - Citizens of [[Serbia]], [[Macedonia]] and [[Montenegro]] can now travel visa-free to all countries that have signed the [[Schengen Agreement]]. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8151518.stm Read more from BBC].

'''11 December 2009''' - We now offer a [[Help:Contents|hitchwiki tutorial]] for all fellow hitchhikers out there who are new to hitchwiki and want to share their knowledge with us, but don't know how. Check it out and get some insights in the world of editing articles and adding hitchhiking spots on hitchwiki!

'''9 December 2009''' - Emil from [[Finland]], age 19 was lost during his trip in Poland. Please check his photo from [http://haveyouseenthisboy.blogspot.com/ website] or [http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=194259723583 Facebook-group].

'''29 November 2009''' - The movie about the [[Viva con Agua]] hitchhiking race is out! It includes English subtitles & 23 minutes of pure hitchhiking! [http://vimeo.com/7858456 Watch the race here]. The editors worked hard to finish the movie and do appreciate feedback in any direction!

'''24 November 2009''' - [[User:G J della Mer|G J della Mer]] started a '''[[:tr:|Turkish Hitchwiki]]'''. Now we have 11 languages

'''27 October 2009''' - You can now use [http://guaka.org/2009/10/26/hitchwiki-everywhere/#comments Hitchwiki everywhere] without internet, through [http://aarddict.org/ Aarddict].

'''21 July 2009''' - We had some technical difficulties the last days/weeks due to a broken hard drive. Everything should work again now. (We have also set up a [http://mirror.hitchwiki.org/en/ read-only mirror] you can use in case the main server is down.)

'''13 July 2009''' - At '''[http://m.hitchwiki.org/ m.hitchwiki.org]''' we've set up a hitchwiki version for mobile phones.

'''10 July 2009''' - [[User:Strzkrzysiek|Strzkrzysiek]] started a '''[[:pl:|Polish Hitchwiki]]'''. Now we have 10 languages :)

'''9 July 2009''' - Thanks to [[User:Mipplor|Mipplor]], we now have a '''[[:zh:|Chinese Hitchwiki]]'''. If you speak Chinese, please help us letting it grow. And if you know someone who speaks Chinese, spread the word.

'''1 July 2009''' - Hitchwiki switched its license to ''[http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ Creative Commons (CC-BY-SA)]''. This means that: 1. it simplifies the distribution of the Hitchwiki's content where only an attribution is required (+ all derivated works require the application of the same CC-BY-SA license); 2. Hitchwiki will be licensed under the same license as other wikis (Wikipedia, Wikitravel, Wikivoyage), sites (OpenStreetMap) and images (Flickr's CC), a strong bond with which helped immensively in building up the content of Hitchwiki.

'''21 June 2009''' - It is now possible to follow all the cool hitchhiking stories from around the world via [http://twitter.com/HitchingPlanet Twitter]. Thanks to [[User:alex|alex]]!

'''9 June 2009''' - The German hitchhiking championship, held on June 12th, can be followed on the [http://sms.hitchwiki.org/ mobile hitchhiking blog] (or via [http://twitter.com/trampen Twitter/trampen]). It's free for all to use (standard rates apply) while on the road, to keep friends and families informed, or just to tell the world how amazing your last ride was!

'''8 May 2009''' - [[User:Guaka|guaka]] made an attempt to improve the layout of Hitchwiki, [[MediaWiki_talk:Monobook.css|comments and suggestions]] are very welcome. Also check [[Hitchwiki:Logo update|the discussion about a possible new logo]].

'''21 January 2009''' - The English version of hitchwiki has a new main page - add your thoughts [[Talk:Main_Page#Frontpage_is_evolving|here]]. We also finally installed the latest ''WordPress'' version at [http://blogs.hitchwiki.org blogs.hitchwiki.org], so now blogging is even finer, including new plugins and themes.

'''6 January 2009''' – [[User:Platschi|Platschi]] initiated a [[:bg:|Bulgarian language version]] of the Hitchwiki!

=== 2008 ===
'''12 December 2008''' - [[Switzerland]] is finally in the [[Schengen Agreement]], and long existed cross-border passport checks are on their way to be abolished. The land border checkpoints are to be closed from this day, though people entering the country would have their passports checked until March 29, 2009, if they originate from a Schengen nation.

'''13 November 2008''' - There is a call for participants for the [[Eurizons 2008: A Call for Climate Justice]]: Hitchhiking Campaign to the COP 14 (5.-6.12.08) and exhibition 'Voices from the South' in Poznan. - Check it out now and join!

'''3 November 2008''' - We now added [[Hitchwiki:To-do list|to-do lists]] for articles. If you think an article needs some cleanup, if you want to request specific information, or other things that could be on a ''todo'' list, then check out this template: [[Template:ToDo|todo template]]. If you want to add a todo-list, just go to the ''Talk'' page of an article (click ''discussion'' on top of the article) and type in <code><nowiki>{{toDo}}</nowiki></code>.

'''30th of October''' - [http://trashwiki.org/ Trashwiki] was started in the week that the English Hitchwiki reached 1000 articles. It has the same free-minded spirit and is focused on [[dumpster diving]] (conceptually similar to hitchhiking). Today we reached 60 articles!

'''19th of October''' - A regional hitchhikers gathering in [[Argentina]] in the weekend of the 10th of October brought together 30 participants [http://www.followtheroad.com/en/hitch-hikers-meeting-in-la-dulce-argentina.html report].

'''16th of October''' - The voting for next year's [[789]] meeting is open now! Log in at the [http://www.hitchwiki.org/forum forum] and vote for your [http://hitchwiki.org/forum/?q=content/where-do-you-want-789-take-place favorite destination].

'''29th of September''' - You can now log in to Hitchwiki with your [http://openid.net/ OpenID]. Let [[User talk:Guaka|Guaka]] know if there are any issues.

'''20th of September''' - Another great story: The first official hitchhiking spot in [[Germany]] has been released in [[Potsdam]] yesterday! For more news, check out [http://www.gruene-potsdam.de/home/newssingle/archive/2008/september/19/bundesweit_erste_tramphaltestelle_in_potsdam_eroeffnet/?cHash=96377ae112 this article]. {{de}}

'''15th of September''' - Hurray! '''[[Random_Roads/Postcards|Postcards]]''' is the '''1000th article''' of Hitchwiki! All this in less than [http://www.hitchwiki.org/stats/reports/EN/ChartsWikipediaZZ.htm 3 years]. Thank you, all of you! We are also sending out a [[Hitchwiki:Press_releases/1000_articles_in_English|press-release]]. [http://guaka.org/2008/09/15/1000-articles-in-hitchwiki/]

'''19th of August''' - Some hitchhikers are currently working on a hitchhiking magazine. If you are interested in participating, check out the wiki brainstorming for [[Random Roads|Whatever the Random Roads]].

'''17th of August''' – Back in the top ten of the Google [http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=hitchhiking search] on hitchhiking.

'''12th of August''' – There is a trailer available for the Viva Con Agua [http://vivaconagua.org/index.htm?post?388 Charity Hitch], have a look here [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_IQu5pqiL4 Trailer Hitchhiking Race]

'''8th of August''' – Around 150 hitchhikers arrived in Paris for the first European Hitchhikers Gathering, the [[888]]-project. Share your [[888/Evaluation|evaluation]] thoughts on the [[888]]-Event

'''31th of July''' – Hitchwiki now has a '''[[:pt:|Portuguese language version]]'''. If you speak Portuguese, you could help a bit. It's maintained by [[User:Ataqlibert|Ataqlibert]].

'''30th of June''' – Finally we launched a [http://www.hitchwiki.org/planet/ Hitchhiking Planet]. It collects blog entries from various hitchhikers around the world. If you want your blog added, contact [http://www.hitchwiki.org/en/index.php?title=User_talk:MrTweek&action=edit&section=new MrTweek].

'''5th of June''' – We now have a [[:fi:|Finnish]] hitchwiki! As Liftari.org, the biggest finnish hitchhiking website, went down, [[User:Mikael|Mikael]] decided to start a Finnish wiki instead. Good luck!

'''8th of April''' – We now have 1295 articles in 5 languages!

'''4th of March''' – Hitchwiki now even has a '''[[:ru:|Russian language version]]''' :) It will be maintained by [[User:Lnx|Lnx]]. If you speak Russian, it would be nice if you could help a bit. And if you know Russian speakers, please help to spread the word!

'''26th of February''' – The German hitchhiking club [[Abgefahren e.V.]] is organizing a hitchhiking competition through [[Germany]] and [[Poland]] from '''22th–25th May 2008!''' For more information check out [http://race.abgefahren-ev.de abgefahren-ev.de], there you can register for the trip and get the latest information! See you on the road!

=== 2007 ===
'''28 December''' – From December 28 till 2nd January there's a ''New Year Hitchhiker Happening'' in Slab City, [[California]]. For more information, have a look [http://gathering.digihitch.com/slabs.php here].

'''14 December''' – We recently launched '''[http://blogs.hitchwiki.org/ blogs.hitchwiki.org]''', where you can start your own hitchhiking blog. Just log in with your hitchwiki user data and you can write your first post right away :) There's also a new feature at some country articles (see [[Germany]] or [[Bulgaria]]) called '''[[Hitchwiki:Hitchability|Hitchability]]'''. With this ''everyone'' can '''rate''' the countries on how good they are for hitchhiking. Want to rate your country? Have a [[Hitchwiki:Hitchability|look here]].

'''5 November''' – We just added a little ''Question? Need Help?'' section to the [[Hitchwiki:Community_Portal#Questions.3F_Need_help.3F|Talk to us]] page. If you have any questions concerning the wiki, if you need city or country-specific information, don't hesitate to [[Hitchwiki:Community_Portal#Questions.3F_Need_help.3F|ask here]]. Whatever, good luck to all hitchhikers!

'''8 October''' – Hitchwiki is [http://en.hitchwiki.org/stats/reports/EN/TablesWikipediaEN.htm growing bigger and bigger]! The only decrease was the number of pictures. Please [[Special:Upload|upload your nice hitch pictures]] from this year's Summer and we'll put them in the relevant articles and if they're really nice, on the Main Page!

'''11 September''' – '''Hitchwiki is going international!''' [[User:SAn|SAn]] from [http://www.autostopargentina.com.ar/ Autostop Argentina] started '''[http://www.autostopwiki.com.ar/ Autostopwiki]''' in Spanish and they already have a lot of information about [[Argentina]].
With support from [[abgefahren e.V.]], we started '''[http://de.hitchwiki.org/ Trampwiki]''' in German and are just starting to translate information from the English wiki.
Due to some general interest, we've also set up a '''[http://fr.hitchwiki.org/ French hitchwiki]'''.
If you speak one of these languages, you are very welcome to contribute. If you have an account here, you can use it in all these wikis, of course.
Oh, and if you want to see hitchwiki in any other language and are willing to help a bit with that, just [[Hitchwiki:Community Portal|let us know]].

'''10 September''' – If you are somewhat active here or interested in the future of hitchwiki, check '''[[Hitchwiki:Organization]]''' and leave your comments, if you have some.

'''6 September''' – We now have more than [[Special:Statistics|500 articles]]! Actually, probably due to some weird technical problem 154 articles weren't counted, so we don't know when we precisely reached 500. Oh well, whatever. Nevermind.

'''18 August''' – We just created an '''IRC-Channel''' called '''[irc://irc.blackened.com/hitchhiking #hitchhiking]''' on EFNet.

'''14 August''' – A German hitchhiking club was founded, called '''abgefahren e.V.'''. They will also organize a hitchhiking camp/gathering near [[Freiburg im Breisgau]] from 6th to 9th of September. Check it out at [http://abgefahren.hitchbase.com/ abgefahren.hitchbase.com].

'''25 July''' – There's now some basic information on '''[[how to pick up hitchhikers]]'''. Feel free to add more!

'''4 July''' – A lot of great info about '''[[Canada]]''' has [http://hitchwiki.org/Category:Canada?title=Special:Recentchangeslinked&target=Category%3ACanada been added during the last days]. If you have them, please [[Special:Upload|upload some pictures]] from your Canadian hitching experiences.

'''15 June''' – The [[Lithuania]]n Hitch-hiking Gathering will take place at June 29 – July 01 in a very natural surrounding of [[Salcininkai]], which is about 30 kilometres south from [[Vilnius]]. [http://www.autostop.lt/events.php?w=38 More info at autostop.lt]

'''29 May''' – [[Special:Listusers|100 users]] have registered since we moved all the stuff to hitchwiki.org. Huge thanks to everyone.

'''22 May''' – London to Paris Competition! There will be a London to Paris competition for young people, starting 2nd or 3rd of June at Trafalgar Square, London and ending that night (hopefully) at the Eiffel Tower, Paris. Buy-in is 10GBP and the winner gets all! If you are on Facebook search for "The Race to Paris" and join the group or leave a message on [[Talk:User:Andrew|Andrews talk page]].

'''08 May''' – There is now a [http://groups.google.com/group/hitchwiki hitchwiki email list], for any discussions related to Hitchwiki, feel free to join.

'''01 May''' – The "BERLIN HOSPITALITY CLUB BEACHCAMP", an international hospitality, backpacker and hitchhiker gathering will happen from May 24th – 28th in Berlin. Check http://www.happy-traveller.de/. You can probably meet other hitchwiki users there.

'''25 April''' – You can now include maps from [[Liftershalte.info]] directly into hitchwiki-articles. [[How to add maps to articles|See how it works]]. Also check [[Mönchengladbach]] and [[Hannover]].

'''24 April''' – A lot of new [[:category:Hitchhikers|people]] have joined during the last months, and there is a lot of new information, check e.g. [[Norway]], [[Romania]], [[Mauritania]] and [[China]].

'''14 February''' – We're number two [http://www.google.com.au/search?q=hitchhiking+wiki&start=0&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official if you Google for "hitchhiking wiki"].

=== 2006 ===
18 December – [[MrTweek]] installed some cool [http://www.hitchwiki.org/stats/reports/EN/Sitemap.htm wiki statistics] software.

15 December – '''Server upgrade''': up to '''6 hours downtime''' one of these days.

7 December – [[User:Amylin|Amylin]] is working on [[Possible_Logo_Re-designs|a logo for the Hitchwiki]]. Please give your comments, or if you can do better: ''do it''! [[Guaka]] has been changing the [[MediaWiki:Monobook.css|general layout]] a little bit. Feel free [[MediaWiki Talk:Monobook.css|to discuss]].

27 November – Let's organize the [[New Zealand hitch course 2007‎]]!

24 November – We've moved to <tt>'''hitchwiki.org'''</tt>! Update your bookmarks and tell your hitchhiking friends!
It seems that Wikia has a different way of counting articles. So we're back to 115 :)

21 November – We ''were'' in the [http://www.google.com/search?q=hitchhiking&num=50 Google top 50 for "hitchhiking"].

16 November – Let's work on a [[Hitchhiking Zine]]!

15 November – New people joined our efforts, with some great contributions, check out [[Poznan]], [[Bulgaria]], [[Granada]], [[Skopje]] and other [[Special:Newpages|new pages]]! Welcome to our growing hitchhiking community!

6 November – [[New Zealand]] is a good country for hitchhiking, and you can start when you arrive at the airport in [[Auckland]].

16 October - [http://www.flurl.com/item/Boys_Be_Aware_of_the_Homosexual_u_192874 Boys Be Aware of the Homosexual], "It looks innocent enough, doesn't it? Lots of young people hitchhike...", a long time ago in the [[United States]]. ''See [[Hitchhiking in movies]]''.

27 September - Help gather some information about [[Hitchhiking in the media]].

24 September - We reached '''200 articles'''. See also [http://www.wikia.com/wikistats/EN/TablesWikiaHITCHHIKING.htm the statistics].

20 September - Hitchhiking from the [[United Kingdom]] to the European mainland isn't too hard at all? Cross the channel in [[Dover]] and find your ride to [[Turkey]] in [[Calais]]. The same trick, for [[Scandinavia]] can be tried in [[Puttgarden]], [[Germany]].

19 August - The Hitchhiking Wiki is now syndicated by the '''[http://couchsurfing.com/wikiguide.html CouchSurfing Guide]'''.

January 2006 - We reached '''100 articles'''.

December 2005 - The Hitchhiking Wiki was moved to Wikia, from <tt>hitchhikingguide.org</tt>, where it was spammed to death.<noinclude>

[[Category:Templates]]
[[de:Vorlage:News]]
[[fi:Malline:Uutiset etusivulle]]
</noinclude>

Konstanz

2015-11-13T15:15:18Z

Koendev:

{{Infobox German Location
|country = Germany
|map = <map lat='47.663333' lng='9.175278' zoom='11' view='3' />
|pop = 82,608 ''(31. Dez. 2008)''
|state = Baden-Württemberg
|plate = KN
|motorways = [[A7 (Switzerland)|A7]], [[A81 (Germany)|A81]]
|hitchbase = 326
}}
'''Konstanz''' is a city at the Lake Constance in south Germany at the Swiss border.

== Hitchhiking out ==
=== South towards [[Switzerland]], [[A7 (Switzerland)|A7]] ===
To get to any city in Switzerland go to the main border and hold up your sign at the parking lot on the Swiss side. Just a couple of meters behind it the motorway A7 starts.

Many cars go to the next [[petrol station hitchhiking|petrol station]] from there, for petrol is much cheaper in Switzerland than in [[Germany]].

=== East towards [[Meersburg]], [[Ravensburg]], [[Memmingen]], [[Lindau]], [[Munich]] ===
If you want to go to Ravensburg it is best to take the ferry to Meersburg (last stop of Bus No 1). It usually goes 4 times an hour, [[hitchhiking at night|at night]] just once every hour. The ferry is paid per person, price as of november 2015 is E2,90. Payment is done on the ferry, an employee will be walking up to people. That makes it possible to avoid paying if you keep walking around while on the ferry.

Ask the people who drive there either while waiting for the ferry or in the little café on the ship. If it is cold or raining you can wait in a heated waiting room until the ferry arrives. This is definitely the best way to get out heading east. If you are heading to [[Munich]], you should also try here. The roads on the south side of the Bodensee are tiny, take ages and the traffic sporadic. Try and get a ride before getting off the other side, then you don't have to pay at all!

=== West towards [[A81 (Germany)|A81]], [[Singen]], [[Stuttgart]], [[Freiburg]] ===
Going west on the 33 towards the A81 Stuttgart−Singen, the first service area is [[Engen|Rasthof Hegau]] on the A81.

There is a good hitching spot just after the entrance to the Burger King drive thru on the B33 in Konstanz. Take a bus (number 6) to Neuwerk and you will be next to a big orange building. Go behind the building and you will see the main road - this is the B33. Turn right along that road (away from the city centre) and you will see the entrance to the Burger King drive thru. Beyond this, there are many large entrances to the businesses and buildings along the road, which means that there are lots of easy opportunities for cars to stop. Waiting times are fast (normally between 5 and 20mins) and you should wait to get a ride at least to Rasthof Hegau on the A81 as there are not really any other better spots in between. Simply holding a sign saying "Autobahn" works the best and this spot is good because it's where all roads meet that are leading out of the city towards the A81. This means you get the maximum amount of traffic possible going in the right direction but they are not going quickly because about 30m further up the road there are some traffic lights. Most people seem to be travelling in the direction of Freiburg so unless you are lucky, you will need to ask to get out at Rasthof Hegau in order to go further in the direction of Stuttgart.

There is a really good spot if you want to go north via the A 81:
Just take bus number 11 direction Wollmatingen. Go to the very last station. In case of big luggage you can also ask the driver if he could take you 500m further to his turning point, no regular busstop, but you can save some meters of walking :) Then you just have to follow the road to the big crossing (100m).
Cross the streets till you are on the other side of the roads, just straight, where the road makes a small turn to the left.
Also the other road looks far bigger, This is the right one which takes you to the B33 and the motorway. The good thing is that you catch all the cars coming from the villages around and the "ring road" of Konstanz. 50m after the crossing a small fieldtrack leads into the road, a potential stop-area for your ride! Stay a little in front of it, so that the cars waiting at the lights can see you and that they have enough time to see the stop-area.
I´ve hitchhiked fromt there many times, sometimes alone, sometimes with friends, and -no joke- we never waited for more than 5 minutes. It´s quite likely that you can skip Hegau, most of the cars can take you way further (f.e. rest area "Schönbuch",right before Stuttgart)

== Sleep==
If you're desperate you can sleep at the university's library, which is open 24/7 usually. Yo can get there with the bus line 9.

__NOTOC__

[[Category:Germany]]

[[de:Konstanz]]

Konstanz

2015-11-13T15:13:43Z

Koendev:

{{Infobox German Location
|country = Germany
|map = <map lat='47.663333' lng='9.175278' zoom='11' view='3' />
|pop = 82,608 ''(31. Dez. 2008)''
|state = Baden-Württemberg
|plate = KN
|motorways = [[A7 (Switzerland)|A7]], [[A81 (Germany)|A81]]
|hitchbase = 326
}}
'''Konstanz''' is a city at the Lake Constance in south Germany at the Swiss border.

== Hitchhiking out ==
=== South towards [[Switzerland]], [[A7 (Switzerland)|A7]] ===
To get to any city in Switzerland go to the main border and hold up your sign at the parking lot on the Swiss side. Just a couple of meters behind it the motorway A7 starts.

Many cars go to the next [[petrol station hitchhiking|petrol station]] from there, for petrol is much cheaper in Switzerland than in [[Germany]].

=== East towards [[Meersburg]], [[Ravensburg]], [[Memmingen]], [[Lindau]], [[Munich]] ===
If you want to go to Ravensburg it is best to take the ferry to Meersburg (last stop of Bus No 1). It usually goes 4 times an hour, [[hitchhiking at night|at night]] just once every hour. The ferry is paid per person, price as of november 2015 is E2,90. Payment is done on the ferry so it's possible to avoid it if you keep walking around.

Ask the people who drive there either while waiting for the ferry or in the little café on the ship. If it is cold or raining you can wait in a heated waiting room until the ferry arrives. This is definitely the best way to get out heading east. If you are heading to [[Munich]], you should also try here. The roads on the south side of the Bodensee are tiny, take ages and the traffic sporadic. Try and get a ride before getting off the other side, then you don't have to pay at all!

=== West towards [[A81 (Germany)|A81]], [[Singen]], [[Stuttgart]], [[Freiburg]] ===
Going west on the 33 towards the A81 Stuttgart−Singen, the first service area is [[Engen|Rasthof Hegau]] on the A81.

There is a good hitching spot just after the entrance to the Burger King drive thru on the B33 in Konstanz. Take a bus (number 6) to Neuwerk and you will be next to a big orange building. Go behind the building and you will see the main road - this is the B33. Turn right along that road (away from the city centre) and you will see the entrance to the Burger King drive thru. Beyond this, there are many large entrances to the businesses and buildings along the road, which means that there are lots of easy opportunities for cars to stop. Waiting times are fast (normally between 5 and 20mins) and you should wait to get a ride at least to Rasthof Hegau on the A81 as there are not really any other better spots in between. Simply holding a sign saying "Autobahn" works the best and this spot is good because it's where all roads meet that are leading out of the city towards the A81. This means you get the maximum amount of traffic possible going in the right direction but they are not going quickly because about 30m further up the road there are some traffic lights. Most people seem to be travelling in the direction of Freiburg so unless you are lucky, you will need to ask to get out at Rasthof Hegau in order to go further in the direction of Stuttgart.

There is a really good spot if you want to go north via the A 81:
Just take bus number 11 direction Wollmatingen. Go to the very last station. In case of big luggage you can also ask the driver if he could take you 500m further to his turning point, no regular busstop, but you can save some meters of walking :) Then you just have to follow the road to the big crossing (100m).
Cross the streets till you are on the other side of the roads, just straight, where the road makes a small turn to the left.
Also the other road looks far bigger, This is the right one which takes you to the B33 and the motorway. The good thing is that you catch all the cars coming from the villages around and the "ring road" of Konstanz. 50m after the crossing a small fieldtrack leads into the road, a potential stop-area for your ride! Stay a little in front of it, so that the cars waiting at the lights can see you and that they have enough time to see the stop-area.
I´ve hitchhiked fromt there many times, sometimes alone, sometimes with friends, and -no joke- we never waited for more than 5 minutes. It´s quite likely that you can skip Hegau, most of the cars can take you way further (f.e. rest area "Schönbuch",right before Stuttgart)

== Sleep==
If you're desperate you can sleep at the university's library, which is open 24/7 usually. Yo can get there with the bus line 9.

__NOTOC__

[[Category:Germany]]

[[de:Konstanz]]

Netherlands

2015-02-26T09:22:20Z

Koendev:

{{infobox Country
|map = <map lat='52.2' lng='5.2' zoom='6' view='0' country='Netherlands'/>
|language = Dutch, Frisian
|capital = [[Amsterdam]]
|pop = 16,570,613
|currency = Euro (€)
|
|hitch = <rating country='nl' />
|BW = NL
}}
The '''Netherlands''' are a member state of the [[European Union]] as well as the [[Schengen Agreement]].
Hitchhiking in the Netherlands is quite easy, and legal in most places, though not on motorways. The basic idea is that when you're allowed to walk somewhere, you can stand there for hitching too.
Standing on a motorway entrance just in front of the motorway sign is allowed as well as standing on a petrol station along the motorway.
Asking the Dutch people at a service station is faster than waiting while using the thumb for hitchhiking.

[[File:Hitchhiking across the creek.jpg|thumb|250px|There are many creeks in the Netherlands and they can make it hard to get to petrol stations on the motorway]]

Since 1991 Dutch students have a card providing them with free public transport (either on weekends or during the week), so hitchhiking is not as popular as it used to be. In some university towns there are still official [[liftershalte]]s, '''official hitchhiking spots'''. The current government intends to make an end to free public transport for students from the beginning of 2016.

Other good places are petrol stations along the motorways and the entrances to the motorway from larger cities (when there is a stopping space such as an emergency lane). On such a place the average waiting time is 5–45 minutes (same as Germany). A major difference with [[Germany]] is that many lifts are not longer than 50 km.

At petrol stations you should definitely try to talk to people, which will probably work out fine if you don't dress up like a hippie. Many people will not stop their cars if you stand with the board but will take you if you ask them in person (which is a general hitchhiking principle). Try to speak in Dutch or English. French and German often work too, but not as effectively. Most likely the Dutch people will avoid you while speaking in German. In the Netherlands, there are as well a lot of seasonal workers and immigrants. There are particularly a lot of people from Poland and Bulgaria. Thus, it is fairly easy to get a lift for instance straight to Poland if you know the language or are communicative enough to sway Polish people to take you.

Sometimes the petrol stations workers tell you to not ask people in front of the shop directly. You can then hitch at the exit of the station which is mostly just as good but as its disadvantages of course.

=== Useful tips ===
* Download and print [http://www.franknature.nl/hitchhike/hitchhike_cardboards_NL.pdf 42 ready made hitchhiking signs] for easy hitchhiking all accross the Netherlands!
* Use of Internet PCs in every city library, for a small price, Also you can find lots of public wi-fi networks that you can connect your laptop with for using the internet.
* When hitching in the Netherlands for a longer period (or when you're living there), it's advisable to get a ''chipkaart'' This is a lot cheaper than buying a one way-ticket or day-ticket on the bus or tram. See for all info http://www.ov-chipkaart.nl/?taal=en
** '''The old ''Strippenkaart'' isn't be available anymore as of November 2011. The two options now are the new ''chipkaart'' or the new tickets called ''Gemakskaart'', which is are way more expensive than the old ''Strippenkaart''.'''
* Banks and supermarkets often have free coffee and sometimes even cookies.
* 'Lefier' (or local job-centres) have free coffee and sometimes jars of free chocolates and mints.
* Some employees of petrol stations may tell you not to hitch in front of the station, where the pumps are. Finding a ride at the parking lot, or thumbing where the back of the station starts is not a problem. Keep petrol station employees for friends and avoid starting unnecessary discussions. Shell has internal guidelines to only allow customers on their property. A hitchhiker may therefore be asked not to talk with drivers in the forecourt of the station, but this rarely happens.
* When using trains in [[Netherlands|The Netherlands]], you may be able to travel at a discount rate (-40%). Travelling with a printed ticket is no longer possible. Every traveller needs to have an OV-chipcard to use public transportation. You need to active "Samenreiskorting" (travel together reduction) on your OV-chipcard. The procedure is described [http://www.ns.nl/en/travellers/ov-chipkaart/menu-ov-chipkaart/travelling-with-the-ov-chipkaart#travelling-with-an-ns-season-ticket-holder on the website of NS (Dutch railways)]. If you have activated this and checked in with 40% reduction you can travel together with another traveller with an "NS abonnement" (NS season ticket holder), so you need to find somebody who has one, ideally before departure of the train. This is valid on weekdays after 9 AM and during the weekend without limitation (however, there are several types of season tickets nowadays, and some of them do not qualify for discount during the afternoon rush hours).

==== Personal Experiences ====

"I hitch hike a huge amount in the Netherlands and it is almost always successful. As stated above, managers in petrol stations sometimes ask you to leave the main forecourt. This has been happening with increasing frequency to me at Shell stations in particular, but I have not experienced this at any other petrol company (they are usually more than happy if I politely ask where I could stand without being a nuisance). ".

"Having had over 250 rides from Dutch motorway petrol stations, I have been asked not to talk with drivers on the forecourt only once (at a station operated by Esso). Much ore often I have gotten positive gestures from employees and occasionally they offered me a drink, a snack, a ride (!) or cardboard. Staff in Germany is definitely friendlier though.... Respect and politeness are keywords."

== Maps ==

The Dutch road service organisation '''ANWB''' has stores all over the country, mostly in the bigger cities. Here you'll find all sorts of road maps. Most importantly though, they have an excellent road map of the Netherlands available for free. Officially these are exlusively for members, but it won't be hard to persuade them to give a free one to a hitchhiker. This map shows you all the motorways, secondary roads, motorway exits and petrol stations. Don't waste money on a map, get this one! You'll recognise the map by the name '''Routekaart Nederland''' and the ANWB logo.

== License plates ==
In the Netherlands, license plates do not contain any marking about where the car comes from, but it does indicate the age of the car (although not in a straightforward way). Often though, the name and the city of the garage where the car was bought is indicated just under the license plate on the backside of the car. On busy petrol stations this may be useful information to look out for, as it may indicate where people are driving to. A normal license plate has three blocks of black letters or numbers on a yellow background. Every block consists of two letters or two numbers (so in total six letters and numbers). Since 2007 a new series of license plates is in use for the newest vehicles existing of a combination of three letters in the middle. Taxis' license plates have a blue background. The license plate of old timers is very dark blue with white letters. The number of cars with such license plate or yet another kind is very limited.

== Food ==
[[File:HitchDelft.jpg|thumb|left|250px|[[User:Mdsmendes|Mdsmendes]] hitching in the Netherlands]]
The Netherlands are one of the rare countries where you can find a cheap pot of 'Peanut Butter' (''pindakaas''), which is a nutritious item that you can easily carry in your backpack. Also, you can find a tube of 'mayonnaise' and 'ketchup' sauce (''Zaanse saus'') for about 30 cents, which last long without needing to be refrigerated and are great supplements to sandwiches or ''friet'' (as it avoids having to pay the 50 cents sauce at the ''snackbar'' (or sometimes ''frituur'' or ''frietkot'', especially in Belgium) when ordering a snack).

See [http://trashwiki.org/en/Netherlands trashwiki] for info on dumpster diving for free food in the Netherlands.

== Links ==
* [https://www.facebook.com/groups/467054706678994/ Facebook group Hitchhiking in Belgium and the Netherlands]
* [http://www.franknature.nl/hitchhike/hitchhike.htm Hitchhiking in the Netherlands], by [[User:Fverhart|Frank Verhart]].
* [http://www.nederlandlift.nl/ Nederland Lift], campaign to promote hitchhiking as a daily means of transport.
* [[Hitchhiking_in_the_Netherlands_Survey|Survey about hitchhiking in the Netherlands]]

{{hitchbase_country|138}}
{{Highways NL}}
{{Cities Netherlands}}
{{Provinces NL}}
{{Template:Europe/countries}}

__NOTOC__
{{IsIn|Western Europe}}

[[trash:Netherlands]]

[[Category:Western Europe]]
[[Category:Netherlands|*]]

[[de:Niederlande]]
[[es:Países Bajos]]
[[fr:Pays Bas]]
[[nl:Nederland]]
[[pl:Holandia]]
[[ru:Нидерланды]]
[[tr:Hollanda]]
[[nomad:Netherlands]]

Women hitchhiking

2014-12-28T13:09:58Z

Koendev:

[[File:Parnu-riga.jpg|thumb|left|200px|[[User:Amylin|Amylin]] hitching to [[Riga]] in the snow]]

For '''women''', hitchhiking seems to be more risky. Hitchhiking as a woman can be easier though. Often, women stop for other women or girls. Even families (or other usual-not-hitch-hiker-friendly car owners) stop to "save" women from a situation in which they think she could be in "danger".

Do not forget that being a woman you are firstly a human being and you have the same rights as males.
You have a right to be respected and it is not true that while hitchhiking you expose yourself to a risk at your own wish.

== Some precaution you can take as a women hitchhiker ==
Whatever statistics are concerning violence to women (though when it comes to hitchhiking, they're low -- the German Bundeskriminalamt (Federal Police) estimates the chance of a failed attempt at rape at 1-2 out of 10.000 and the chance of a "successful" rape at 1 out of 10.000 lifts), there are some things you can do in order to avoid/go out from difficult situations

=== Choose your driver ===
There are many different ways to get a ride from staying on the side of the road to asking directly to people at [[petrol station hitchhiking|petrol stations]]. It could be better to ask people because you can then have a feeling of who is driving. It is of course difficult to know what kind of person someone could be just from how they look, but that first contact may compel you to avoid guys who already have macho or strange behavior towards you.
If you want to or have to stay on the edge of the road, your attitude will of course attract different people. The 'positive attitude' thing is important but be aware of what you may suggest when standing and smiling. Body language is really important.
I have a friend who almost got raped when hitchhiking in Europe for the first time. I hitched with her a few months later and understood then how this may have happened. She was standing on a half highway road without sign indicating her direction and with a huge smile, a slightly denuded t-shirt and a suggestive attitude. I am not saying we should all wear burka when hitchhiking, some people also use their charm and flirt a little bit with people without any problems. It is just a matter of being aware of how we do it.

Also the car sometimes tells about the owner. I am personally more careful when asking. For example, I flatly turned down a car with a big sound installation and loud music since this can show that the driver gives a lot of importance (and money) into appearance, and probably likes to be seen and to impress. It is not rare that their car is also a tool to flirt and impress girls. This is just an example and there is of course no generality. I have often met really nice people, which at first glance I wouldn't think of as sympathetic. Just follow your feeling and '''don't hesitate to refuse a ride if you don't feel like it'''!

[[User:Marymary|Marymary]] ([[User talk:Marymary|talk]]) 21:54, 19 June 2014 (CEST) says: I didn't write the above, but I'll chime in with my advice: truck drivers seem to be really held accountable with where they are, and they have to regularly get various parts of the truck maintained and pass through checkpoints. And trucks are heavy, so if a guy wanted to murder you he'd have to pull over in the middle of nowhere. In general I feel extremely safe with truckers and hitch from truck stop to truck stop only. They are all given money for food and showers from their companies, and are generally very generous and gentlemanly. I would advise this over getting in cars with random guys. I did meet some skeezy truckers who could have been dangerous, but using common sense (that is, don't engage anyone who makes you feel weird) avoided problems. And don't get in a vehicle with more than one guy; that's asking for trouble. I work in the adult industry and even we don't allow ourselves to be alone with more than one guy if we can help it because it's too dangerous. Some people will do all kinds of messed up stuff if they're high on bro spirit (see: A Clockwork Orange). Don't do it.

=== Listen to your yourself / set up some [[hitchhiker's safety|safety]] rules ===
'''Set up some rules for yourself''' before begining to hitch hike. I personally have this one that if I happen to think/feel something is strange with somebody, I refuse the ride or ask to be dropped as soon as possible, even in the middle of nowhere. This is also valid for your security whith some drivers driving like crazy or really fast because they usually do so or because they want to show you how fast their Audi TT is. It may be better to spend an extra night in the middle of nowhere (which can actually be really nice) than being raped or smashed in a car accident.

=== Protect yourself ===

There are two main ways to protect yourself: Prevention and action. Prevention means taking steps to avoid being in a bad situation in the first place, i.e. steps you ALWAYS take while on the road. Action means defending yourself if your prevention fails and you end up in a bad situation: you have to take action to save yourself.

==== Prevention ====

First and foremost, be assertive. If you are a solo female and choose to accept rides from single or multiple men (which many people say is a big no-no, although many single women do it) you need to be paying attention to how they act and be able to steer the conversation how you want it to go. Don't let them drive the conversation towards sex, partying or dating. If they insist tell them about your fiance - you know, the 250lbs professional boxer you are on your way to visit. They may try to see how easily intimidated you are, "Aren't you scared out here all by yourself, (a pretty girl like you)? Don't you know there are bad people around?" Of course many people will ask you variations of this without ill-intention, but sticking to a general answer along the lines of "yes I know there are bad people, but I believe that there are more good people than bad out there. Many people go out of their way to help me, like ''you''". This invokes guilt if they had bad thoughts, and gives them an honourable way out. You could also mention something meant to be slightly intimidating, but this may be taken as a challenge and work to your disadvantage.

There is a story of a nun who hitchhiked around the United States for many, many years without ever running into any trouble. Her "secret" was that whenever she got into a car, the first thing she said to the driver was: "Thank you so much for picking me up! There is so many crazy, dangerous people out there that I feel I'm really lucky to be picked up by somebody as trustworthy as you are!" -- or something along those lines. People generally seem to find it hard to "disappoint" a trust that has so obviously been placed in them.

Here are other preventative techniques that can be used:
* Having a mobile phone and knowing the important numbers (police, friends, etc) may be useful. Have an emergency code word with a family member so that you do not set off alarm bells with a potential aggressor (this may tempt him to take immediate action against you).
* Keep your bag at your feet if it is not too big, in case you have to leave quickly.
* Some people send a text message to a friend with the license plate number of cars they are about to get into. Always ask the driver first, if they object then don't get in their vehicle. Make sure you tell them it is only a safety precaution you take with all drivers, so that they do not feel you don't trust them (after all, they are trusting ''you'' by letting you into their car.

==== Action ====

If prevention has failed and you find yourself in a situation where you are almost certain you are in danger, it is time to take action. Do not wait. Your chances of escape go down significantly once he has taken you to a back road or isolated area. If you start feeling uncomfortable while on a main road or in a populated area, get out then. Make an excuse to stop: washroom ("that time of the month!"), private phone call etc, and then simply take your stuff and leave. Or jump out at a traffic light or at low enough speeds (see [http://www.wikihow.com/Jump-from-a-Moving-Car/ WikiHow: Jumping out of a moving car]. Better to be safe than sorry. Here are some other self-defence ideas:

* Knife: keep it on your body and accessible, but hidden. A belt or bra-strap are good locations. It may be enough to dissuade your aggressor, but beware that if you don't know how to use it, it may end up being taken and used against you (this is far too common).
* There are [[pepper spray]]s you can find in some specialized shops, thought difficult to use in closed spaces. Take care, in some countries it is illegal to use pepper spray against people (or to use it at all).
* Remember that as the passenger, you ultimately have a lot of control - after all, the driver has to drive. If you have asked the driver to stop and he refuses, or becomes aggressive, be ready to take action. Know where the door handle,lock and window mechanism are (in some vehicles this may be more complicated than one would think). Opening the door while the car is in motion will draw attention, but remember at high speeds this is difficult due to wind resistance. Flailing your arms out the window also draws attention. Pulling the parking break can be the best resort at high speeds. Hopefully he be forced to slow down enough for you to [http://www.wikihow.com/Jump-from-a-Moving-Car jump out]. Pulling out an ignition key and holding outside open window in a moving vehicle can be very effective if successful - guessing which car design allows that is quite hard. ('''Note''': It can also engage the steering lock and disable the power steering and/or power brakes and as such may do more harm than good! [[User:Prino|Prino]] ([[User talk:Prino|talk]]) 10:14, 23 July 2013 (CEST))

We all hope to never be in a situation where such extreme actions are needed, but if such a situation arises, resolve and confidence in your chosen course of action is key.

== Links ==
* '''You can find a specific guide about women hitchhiking at [http://girls.hitchbase.com/ girls.hitchbase.com]!'''
* A scientific article about [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20178293 Hitchhiking women's hair color]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnUBD18tMXM Anick-Marie Bouchard - Women travelling alone - Part I], [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ys7bi7KGl_A II], [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G73vEAQCnMQ III].
* [http://youarealltourists.blogspot.fr/2008/04/hitchhiking-guide-to-turkey-for-girls.html Safety Hitchhiking Guide to Turkey (for Girls)]
* [http://youarealltourists.blogspot.fr/search/label/female%20solo%20travel Stories about female solo hitchhiking blended with feminist theory]
* [https://www.facebook.com/groups/807483619304081/ Facebook group: Feminist Explorers (feminism for travellers, nomads, and backpackers)]
* [[File:Hitchhiking - Neo-nomad.pdf|Hitchhiking - How-to zine written by a woman]]

[[Category:General info]]

[[zh:安全]]

Deventer

2014-11-30T22:08:14Z

Koendev:

{{Infobox Dutch Location
|map = <map lat='52.253' lng='6.183' zoom='12' view='3' />
|country = Netherlands
|state = Overijssel
|pop = 81,250
|motorways = [[A1 (Netherlands)|A1]]
}}
'''Deventer''' is a city in the eastern [[Netherlands]], on the banks of the river IJssel, in the province of [[:Category:Overijssel|Overijssel]].

== Hitchhiking out ==

=== West towards [[Apeldoorn]] and [[Amsterdam]] (A1) ===

Get bus '''56''' to [[Borculo]] or '''81''' to [[Zutphen]], and get out at bus stop '''carpoolplaats A1''' (about a 10 minute ride). Westbound lane is north of the viaduct, eastbound lane (*[http://g.co/maps/3yn83 Streetview]) starts south of the viaduct. The on-ramps are not so great, so as an alternative you can try the BP gas station just before (you pass it with the bus).

=== East towards [[Enschede]], [[Osnabrück]], [[Berlin]] ===

You can either follow the above advice and go to the eastbound on-ramp, or get to a much better on-ramp with a bit longer bus ride and a bit more walking. Get bus '''6''' to Colmschate-Zuid and get off at stop '''Hondsroos'''. You can ask the driver to drop you off a bit earlier, it saves you some walking. As soon as you see [http://goo.gl/maps/RSU8W this place], ask to get off. Walk south along the road, eastbound lane is south of the viaduct and has a nice hard shoulder.

=== North towards [[Zwolle]] (N337) ===

Take bus '''2''' or '''3''' and ride it all the way till the end, busstop ''Platvoet''. Walk around 100m in western direction to the roundabout and turn right. The place to stand is where the parallel road and main road connect, just after the roundabout and literally opposite restaurant ''De Zomertuin''.

=== South towards [[Zutphen]] ===

Route 1) Take bus '''56''' (Zutphen) or '''81''' (Borculo) and get off at ''Het Pessink''. Hitch from the bus stop on the N348. Traffic can be quite fast here, not a very good spot.

Route 2) The alternative, more fun route. From the city center, walk across the ''Wilhelminabrug'', the big bridge over the river. Continue walking untill the crossing of the N344 and N790. Hitch right from the beginning of the N790. The whole walk is around 2,5km.

If you hate walking try the spot at the roundabout called ''Emmaplein'', next to the ''Boreel'' shopping centre. Most traffic from here goes in the direction of [[Twello]] and [[Apeldoorn]], so you'll probably have to get out at the intersection of the N344 and N790, but then you've saved yourself the walk!

Every village you'll pass on the way will have good spots to hitchhike from, where traffic is slow. From Gietelo you won't be following the N790 anymore, but instead the N345.

{{IsIn|Overijssel}}

[[Category:Overijssel]]
[[Category:Route Amsterdam - Berlin]]
[[Category:E30]]

__NOTOC__

Assen

2014-09-05T13:32:30Z

Koendev:

{{stub}}
{{Infobox Dutch Location
|map = <map lat="53.000617119377" lng="6.5560285972912" zoom="11" view="0" />
|country = Netherlands
|state = Drenthe
|pop = 67,200
|motorways = [[A28 (Netherlands)|A28]]
}}
'''Assen''' is a city in the [[Netherlands]]. It's the capital of the most rural Dutch province called [[Drenthe]]. It's located around 30km south of [[Groningen]].

== Hitching out ==

=== North towards [[Groningen]], South towards [[Zwolle]] ===

For both directions the on-ramp 33 ''Assen-Centrum/West'' works best. From the city centre, walk in western direction along the canal. After some time you'll have the northbound on-ramp on your right. For southbound cross under the highway and turn right until you hit the roundabout.



== To Do ==

Around 5km west of the city centre you can find the [http://g.co/maps/f55r7 Fochteloërveen], one of the biggest bog areas still remaining in the Netherlands. At the south side there's a lookout tower from where you have a nice view on the whole area.

{{IsIn|Drenthe}}
{{IsIn|Netherlands}}

[[Category:Drenthe]]
[[Category:Netherlands]]
[[nl:Assen]]

Assen

2014-09-05T13:32:12Z

Koendev:

{{stub}}
{{Infobox Dutch Location
|map = <map lat="53.000617119377" lng="6.5560285972912" zoom="11" view="0" />
|country = Netherlands
|state = Drenthe
|pop = 67,200
|motorways = [[A28 (Netherlands)|A28]]
}}
'''Assen''' is a city in the [[Netherlands]]. It's the capital of the most rural Dutch province called [[Drenthe]]. It's located around 30km south of [[Groningen]].

== Hitching out ==

=== North towards [[Groningen], South towards [[Zwolle]] ===

For both directions the on-ramp 33 ''Assen-Centrum/West'' works best. From the city centre, walk in western direction along the canal. After some time you'll have the northbound on-ramp on your right. For southbound cross under the highway and turn right until you hit the roundabout.



== To Do ==

Around 5km west of the city centre you can find the [http://g.co/maps/f55r7 Fochteloërveen], one of the biggest bog areas still remaining in the Netherlands. At the south side there's a lookout tower from where you have a nice view on the whole area.

{{IsIn|Drenthe}}
{{IsIn|Netherlands}}

[[Category:Drenthe]]
[[Category:Netherlands]]
[[nl:Assen]]

Hoogeveen

2014-09-05T13:27:46Z

Koendev:

{{stub}}
{{Infobox Dutch Location
|map = <map lat="52.722869752002" lng="6.4853102185329" zoom="12" view="0" />
|country = Netherlands
|state = Drenthe
|pop = 38,389
|motorways = [[A37 (Netherlands)|A37]], [[A28 (Netherlands)|A28]]
}}
'''Hoogeveen''' is a city in [[Drenthe]], located at the junction of the motorways [[A28 (Netherlands)|A28]] and [[A37 (Netherlands)|A37]]. The A37 connects to the [[Germany|German]] [[A31 (Germany)|A31]] near [[Meppen]].

== Hitching out ==

=== North towards [[Groningen]] or South/West towards [[Ommen]], [[Zwolle]] ===

Use on-ramp 26 on the A28, located near on the ''Schutstraat''. Northbound is on the eastern side of the highway, south and westbound on the western side.

=== East towards [[Emmen]], [[Germany]] ===

Walk all the way through the city on the ''Meester Cramerweg'' to the eastern on-ramp, no. 1 on the A37.



{{IsIn|Drenthe}}
{{IsIn|Netherlands}}

[[Category:Drenthe]]
[[Category:Netherlands]]

A30 (Germany)

2014-06-06T18:03:32Z

Koendev:

__NOTOC__
The '''A30''' is a short motorway (129 km) in [[Germany]]. It connects the Dutch [[A1 (Netherlands)|A1]] (beginning in [[Amsterdam]]) with [[Germany]] and ends up in [[Bad Oeynhausen]]. It is an important section of the connection between [[Amsterdam]] and [[Berlin]].

The '''A30''' is a part of the [[E30]] from [[Cork]] in [[Ireland]] to [[Ufa]] in [[Russia]].

It crosses the [[A31 (Germany)|A31]] ([[Emden]] - [[Bottrop]]) near Schüttorf, the A1 ([[Heiligenhafen]] - [[Saarbrücken]]) and the A33([[Osnabrück]] - [[Paderborn]]) in Osnabrück. At it's end in [[Bad Oeynhausen]] it is possible to go over to the [[A2 (Germany)|A2]], but you have to cross the whole city. A direct connection ''A30 -> A2'' is planned and seems to be finished in 2015/2016.

The construction of this last part of the A30 began October 2008.

Traveling along the '''A30''' seems different but it's not. Coming from the [[Netherlands]], hitching at the service station [['t Lonnekermeer]] near [[Hengelo]] is easy for getting rides at least towards [[Osnabrück]] or even further. The part between [[Bad Bentheim]] (where the motorway begins) until Osnabrück seems to be a bit more difficult to hitchhike, especially towards the Netherlands the traffic will be a bit less. It might be much easier to ''jump'' between two or three on-ramps (usual traffic: Bad Bentheim, Rheine-Nord, Ibbenbüren) instead of denying cars in hope for longer rides. Enschede-Osnabrück can be done like this within 1,5 hours or even faster. From Osnabrück on towards [[Bad Oeynhausen]] you will find enough traffic.

There is only '''ONE''' petrol station located along this motorway (''Tankstelle Grönegau'') near [[Melle]] between [[Osnabrück]] and [[Bad Oeynhausen]]. A second ''Raststätte'' is located at the border between [[Germany]] and the [[Netherlands]], but without a petrol station. Some maps will tell you that there is a petrol station at ''Brockbachtal'' between [[Ibbenbüren]] and [[Osnabrück]]. That's a goddam joke, but nevertheless a good parking area for hitchhiking, even without a service station.

{|style="margin: 0 auto;"
|<map lat='52.234' lng='7.970' zoom='9' view='0' country='Germany' width='800' height='220'/>
|}
== Hitching the '''A30''' ==
{{legend}}
:: ''--> [[A1 (Netherlands)]]''
* '''(1) Border crossing [[Bad Bentheim]]''' {{average}}
** At the border you'll find a big parking area for trucks, a police station and toilets. There's a bridge to walk over the motorway to a restaurant on the other side of the road and another parking area (for people going into the [[Netherlands]]). Hitchhiking there is quite easy if you prefer trucks. Many trucks stops there and will give you a ride when they start their journey through [[Germany]]. Don't expect too much cars on the parking area, there is no petrol station and many people just don't want to stop because the police is hanging around there. Sometimes they close the border and check every car that is coming into [[Germany]]. If so, ''don't panic'' but be happy, because all cars have to pass the parking area, ideal for hitchhiking. Unfortunately, the police is not announcing the border controls.
[[File:Gildehaus1.jpg|300px|thumb|right|Gildehaus ramp at winter-time]]
* '''(2) {{Ramp}} [[Gildehaus]]''' {{south}} {{average}} -- {{north}} {{average}}
** This is the first [[Germany|German]] ramp behind the border. Next to the ramp you'll find a small industrial park. Hitchhiking on the traffic island is not the best spot ever, but pretty doable. Mostly local traffic going towards [[Nordhorn]], Bad Bentheim or Oldenzaal. Good enough for getting towards one of the better on-ramps nearby, waiting times can differ largely depending on time of day and resp. traffic conditions.
* '''{{Parking}} Bentheimer Wald''' {{average}}
** Just 3 km behind the 1st ramp drivers will recognize a small parking area with a toilet building. Hitchhiking from here is OK, some trucks stopping here and maybe some travellers from the [[Netherlands]] want to make a first stop in [[Germany]]. Just prepare yourself for waiting some 40-50 minutes, the A30 is sometimes very empty and then cars on this parking area are rare. Maybe you can ask one of the many passing border police cars to give you a ride. Questions about you and your stay in the [[Netherlands]] to find out if you have marijuana with you are normal, especially when you are a hitchhiker somewhere on the road from Amsterdam to [[Germany]] :-) Just relax and stay cool, the guys from the border police also do. Mostly. :-)
* '''(3) {{Ramp}} [[Nordhorn]] / [[Bad Bentheim]]''' {{south}} {{Very Good}} -- {{north}} {{average}}-{{bad}}
** Small traffic-island to stand on, some space for cars to stop behind. [[User:platschi|platschi]] was standing here lots of times and got lifts within only some minutes in direction [[Rheine]] or further. Towards the [[Netherlands]], not much traffic going, mostly locals heading towards Oldenzaal, which is a much better place to hitch already. [[User:Platschi|Platschi's]] waiting time eastwards: average 5 minutes, westwards average 40 minutes. A lot of traffic here on weekdays between 3 and 4 pm!
* '''(4) {{Ramp}} [[Schüttorf]]-Nord''' {{south}} {{bad}} -- {{north}} {{bad}}
** This ramp is quite small, there is not much space to stop cars when they go onto the motorway. No hard shoulder to stand on, just a tiny traffic island. But if there is not much traffic (and that seems to be quite often), people can and will stop for you. It is directly at the motorway junction, so take care where people are going to! For the other direction towards ''NL'', you're definitely wrong, though traffic towards Bad Bentheim ramp occurs. Waiting time can differ from 10 minutes to 1 hour.
* '''(5) {{Junction}} [[Schüttorf]] (motorway junction)''' {{senseless}}
** You can't get out here, and if you do so: it's illegal! Take care, often border police driving around this junction. Here the '''A30''' crosses the [[A31 (Germany)|A31]].
* '''(6) {{Ramp}} [[Salzbergen]]''' {{average}}-{{bad}}
** Quite small and tight ramp at the beginning of a little village. Few traffic, but [[User:Platschi|platschi]] had luck in December 2007 and got a ride within 5 minutes towards [[Osnabrück]]. Within this time three cars drove eastwards, but haven't seen any cars direction [[Netherlands]]. In January 2008 he waited for a ride into the other direction (NL) but recognized that 80% of the traffic went into direction [[Osnabrück]]. It seems that only a small bunch of cars is going onto the motorway at all. Expect some longer waiting time. In Sep 08, he got a ride offer from here towards Amsterdam within 5 minutes. Luck?
* '''{{Parking}}{{WC}} Emstal''' {{average}}-{{good}} [[File:ramp_kanalhafen.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Ramp (here: ''[[Rheine]]-Kanalhafen'') with traffic island.]]
** The 2nd parking area along the '''A30'''. It is smaller than the first one, but it seems that more cars stop here. It has no petrol station, only a small toilet building and some space for parking. Nevertheless a good spot to get lifts, especially some cars in direction [[Netherlands]] stop here. In direction Osnabrück, you might be much better off using the next on-ramp in Rheine.
[[File:Rheine dreierwaldea30.jpg|thumb|250px|right|On-ramp Rheine (8) westwards. For the nature lovers.]]
* '''(7) {{Ramp}} [[Rheine]]-Nord''' {{south}} {{bad}} -- {{north}} {{good}}
** This ramp is on a nice spot with traffic lights and much cars passing, but there is no place to stand if going towards Osnabrück. No hard shoulder or anything to let the cars stop for you, only some small space when you walk up the ramp for some meters. The place is doable, though, with waiting times mostly not longer than 10 minutes. For the other direction towards [[Netherlands|NL]] it's good, also with some green for stopping cars. If you want, you can force cars to stop by pushing the button at the traffic lights. Mostly rides towards [[Bad Bentheim]] on-ramp or south direction [[Oberhausen]], waiting time differs from 5 to 40 minutes.
* '''(8) {{Ramp}} [[Rheine]]''' {{average}}
** On-ramp with only a few cars passing by. Waiting could be long, but mostly it's possible to get rides within 15 minutes at least to one of the next on-ramps. Due to lack of traffic it's ok to stand on the side of the on-ramp, though there is no hard shoulder available (see photo). If it's impossible here, try to go around 500m down towards [[Rheine]], there's a traffic light and a restaurant where you can ask people that are stopping.
* '''(9) {{Ramp}} [[Rheine]]-Kanalhafen''' {{average}}
** Small ramp next to a tiny industrial park. Some traffic going on towards [[Osnabrück]], but again not much space to stop cars. Best option is to stand on the traffic island and smile to every passing car saying you want to go out of here. Might help, waiting time depends. Never try on a Sunday, but on normal working days it should be possible to get rides at least towards [[Rheine]]-Nord within 20-30 minutes, sometimes faster.
* '''(10) {{Ramp}} [[Hörstel]]''' {{south}} {{Very Good}} - {{north}} {{good}}
** This ramp is located behind a bridge where mostly some cars are parked, so it is sometimes difficult for you to see coming cars (also for them!) just before they head in the ramp. Best would also be here to stand on the traffic island, make yourself ''visible'' and try to catch some people going to [[Ibbenbüren]], [[Osnabrück]] or further. It's pretty easy. For going towards the [[Netherlands]] it's a bit more difficult, most cars only ride towards [[Rheine]]. Best is to catch a ride to [[Rheine]]-Nord.
* '''(11a) {{Ramp}} [[Ibbenbüren]]-West''' {{average}}-{{bad}}
** This is a new ramp. Not much traffic, mostly from an (not yet existing) industrial park. You can hitchhike on top of the bridge, so cars will recognize you early and can stop while going up the bridge.
* '''(11b) {{Ramp}} [[Ibbenbüren]]''' {{south}} {{Very Good}} - {{north}} {{good}}
** 2 well-known fastfood restaurants next to the ramp, much traffic in both directions. Stand along the hard shoulder of the ramp, there's plenty of space for cars to stop! A sign '''OS''' (for [[Osnabrück]]) might help wonders. For direction [[Netherlands|NL]], just stand at the 3rd exit of the roundabout! Good spot though.
* '''(12) {{Ramp}} [[Laggenbeck]] {{south}} {{average}}
** At this ramp there's enough space to stand on the hard shoulder, hitchhiking is okay, with all traffic going to [[Osnabrück]] anyway.
* '''{{gas}} Service area Brockbachtal''' {{average}}-{{good}}
** Parking area with a petrol station and restaurant, newly opened in may 2014.
* '''(13) {{Ramp}} [[Lotte]]''' {{senseless}}
** Well, enough space for you to stand on, but nearly no traffic.
* '''(14) {{Junction}} [[Lotte]] (motorway junction)'''
[[File:ramp_os_nahne.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Ramp along the A30 (here: ''OS-Nahne'') with hard shoulder.]]
** Here the [[A1 (Germany)|A1]] crosses the '''A30'''. It's of course not allowed to stand here, so if you want to go north towards [[Hamburg]] or south direction [[Münster]] or [[Ruhr Area]], be sure to get off the A30 here!
* '''(15) {{Ramp}} [[Osnabrück|Hasbergen]]-Gaste''' {{average}} - {{bad}}
** This is the ramp where many people go up coming from the nearby IKEA. There's a traffic island where you can stand on inbetween the traffic lights, but it's quite dangerous for cars to stop. No hard shoulder or any grass to stand on. On weekdays there might be a lot of traffic going only to the other nearby ramps of [[Osnabrück]]. Try your luck, [[User:Platschi|platschi]] got a ride on a Sunday after 5 minutes waiting towards the ramp of Nahne. If you get stuck here, it might be also possible to ask people at the parking area of IKEA. A sign might be useful (even if it only says ''OS-Nahne''!) This spot is also an alternative when you can't find a ride onto the A1. Get out here, hitch/walk your way to the roundabout ~500m north, there at the bus station hitch your way towards Atter. Just before Atter the road makes a sharp 90 degree corner, get out there. Walk into the little road northwards and follow it through the forest for some 1,5 km. At the end, just behind the railway crossing, you'll find yourself at a big factory and a service station. Walk up the road and you'll see the on-ramp ''OS-Hafen'' at the A1, where you can easily hitch a ride along the A1 north/south.
* '''(16) {{Ramp}} [[Osnabrück]]-Hellern''' {{north}} {{bad}} -- {{south}} {{bad}}
** For going east: There's a big traffic light, but it's hard to stop traffic there, even the ramp is very small and no hard shoulder to stand on. Only safe possibility is the small way for cars coming from the left side. But anyway, it's possible. [[User:Platschi|Platschi]] hitchhiked here twice and got rides within ~30min towards the next ramp in ''Nahne''. For direction west, it's even harder, traffic ist fast and if they stop, it's dangerous because of drivers coming from behind can't overtake them properly. Also no hard shoulder on the ramp itself.
* '''(17) {{Ramp}} [[Osnabrück]]-Sutthausen''' {{bad}}
** No hard shoulder, quite a lot of traffic, no spot for cars to stop. Only chance is at the traffic light. Better don't get off here, but kindly ask your driver to go to ''Nahne''.
* '''(18) {{Ramp}} [[Osnabrück]]-Nahne''' {{Very Good}}
** Perfect ramp, take a look at the [[Osnabrück]] page for closer information. Nice hard shoulder to stand on! But take care, there are 2 ramps for going eastwards. Best is to take the one for traffic coming out of OS.
* '''(19) {{Junction}} [[Osnabrück]]-Süd (motorway junction)'''
** Here the [[A33 (Germany)|A33]] crosses the '''A30'''. It's not allowed to stand here, so if you want to go south towards [[Bielefeld]], try to get out at the ramp in ''Nahne''!
* '''(20) {{Ramp}} [[Natbergen]]''' {{average}}
** Ramp has enough space to stand on, traffic is normal, mostly going towards [[Melle]].
* '''(21) {{Ramp}} [[Bissendorf]]''' {{average}}
** Not much traffic towards Osnabrück and with police station, seems not very popular for people to stop for you.
* '''(22) {{Ramp}} [[Gesmold]]''' ?
* '''(23) {{Ramp}} [[Melle]]-West''' ?
* '''(24) {{Ramp}} [[Melle]]-Ost''' {{south}} {{very good}}
** Very good for direction east. Just hitch behind the roundabout, there's enough space for cars to stop, and traffic drives slow. Perfect!
* '''{{gas}} Service station ''Grönegau'' {{good}}
** For a long time this was the only service station along the '''A30'''. Your spot for hitching further towards [[Bad Oeynhausen]] or the [[Netherlands]]. Quite good, always some traffic there, many Polish trucks going towards NL.
* '''(25) {{Ramp}} [[Riemsloh]]''' ?
* '''(26) {{Ramp}} [[Bruchmühlen]]''' ?
* '''(27) {{Ramp}} [[Bünde]]''' ?
* '''(28) {{Ramp}} [[Hiddenhausen]]''' ?
* '''(29) {{Ramp}} [[Kirchlengern]]''' ?
* '''(30) {{Ramp}} [[Löhne]]''' ?
* '''(31) {{junction}} Dreieck-[[Löhne]]''' {{senseless}}
** No way!
* '''(32) {{Ramp}} [[Gohfeld]]''' ?

:: -->'' [[A2 (Germany)]]''
{{IsIn|Germany}}

{{Highways DE}}

[[Category:Germany]]
[[Category:Lower Saxony]]
[[Category:North Rhine-Westphalia]]
[[Category:Autobahn]]
[[Category:Motorways]]
[[Category:E30]]
[[Category:A30 (Germany)]]
[[Category:Route Amsterdam - Berlin]]

Category:Route Amsterdam - Berlin

2014-06-06T18:00:37Z

Koendev:

== Route [[Amsterdam]] - [[Berlin]] ==

Hitchhiking the route [[Berlin]] - [[Amsterdam]] (or vice versa) seems to be very popular among hitchhikers. In theory, the route of '''656 km''' (according to [http://g.co/maps/xuewx Google Maps]) can be done in 6 hours and 12 minutes by car. It's possible to hitchhike this route within 7-9 hours, so it's an easy day trip. This if you're lucky, not hitchhiking on a holiday or being in one of the many traffic jams between [[Braunschweig]] and [[Hannover]]. Anyway, then you could try [[traffic jam hitchhiking]].
It is smart to avoid a weekend-hitchhiking from [[Berlin]] to [[Amsterdam]] or vice versa. A lot of German and Dutch people use the weekends to move stuff or do a roadtrip with family. Both activities cause the cars to be full.
Also, truck drivers are not allowed to drive their truck on Sundays in Germany. Most German truck drivers stay off the road on Sundays, even outside Germany.

===From Amsterdam===
From [[Amsterdam]] you will follow the [[A1_(Netherlands)|A1]] towards [[Amersfoort]], [[Hengelo]] and [[Germany]]. Your best chance is to start at the official [[Liftplaats]] near the Amstel Station, or at the Petrol-station 300 meters further down that road. 15 kilometers further the [[A1_(Netherlands)|A1]] you will find a large petrol-station near [[Muiden]] (between exit 2 [[Muiden]] and 3 [[Muiden|Muiderslot]]). You can ask your drivers if they will pass that spot or even go further. The second petrol-station, called De Slaag, is just before the first exit to [[Amersfoort]] (exit 12). You will find also good spots at the entries along the highway as there is often a rather large [[on-ramp]] that you can use to thumb drivers.

<map lat='52.28034161996665' lng='6.85546875' zoom='13' view='2' float='right' /> The last last petrol-station, [[petrol station|'t Lonnekermeer]], before the border is just after Hengelo, right after exit 31. It is a good spot to find rides into Germany, sometimes even all the way to [[Berlin]], [[Bremen]] or [[Hamburg]].

When you crossed the border after [[Hengelo]] it changes into the [[A30_(Germany)|A30]], you will follow that road until you hit Berlin. You follow the road through [[Osnabruck]] and [[Hannover]]. The first petrol station in Germany named Brockbachtal is located just before [[Osnabrück]]. If your driver goes into the direction of [[Bremen]] or [[Hamburg]], you can get off there.

Additionally, the on-ramp 18 ''OS-Nahne'' some kilometers further can be useful if your driver only goes to Osnabrück, lots of traffic from there goes from OS to Hannover. Still, with the newly opened petrol station the on-ramp shouldn't be needed.

===From Berlin===
The best starting point might be the service station [[Grunewald West]], easy to reach with S-Banh #S1, towards Potsdam HBF stop ''Nikolassee''. Just go out of the station to the right, walk on the walking bridge over the highway and right into the path, and you're there. This one is located on highway [[A115 (Germany)|A115]].

Your first choice might be asking people going in direction '''[[A2 (Germany)|A2]]''' ([[Magdeburg]], [[Hannover]]) or even into the [[Ruhr Area]]. Check out car number plates, yellow ones might be Dutch people (jackpot!), or cars with '''H''', '''MD''' or other cities along your route might be the first choice. Anyway, it's also possible to get rides with people who are going towards the south, because there's another great service station, called [[Michendorf Nord]]. From here, a large amount of traffic is going either onto the A2, or the [[A9 (Germany)|A9]]. The second one leads you towards [[Munich|München]]. At the [[Berlin]] article you find more information on how to get to Michendorf directly with a tram.

If you are hitching from the [[A30_(Germany)|A30]] towards the [[A1_(Netherlands)|A1]], be careful when dropped off right at the border. This area is a truckers restaurant and has no petrol station. There is not very much traffic to get picked up.

-> A2
-> [[A30 (Germany)]]
-> [[A1 (Netherlands)]]

[[Category:Routes]]

Het Lonnekermeer

2014-06-06T17:55:35Z

Koendev:

{{Infobox ServiceStation
|in = Overijssel
|highway = [[A1 (Netherlands)|A1]]
|from = Service Station [[Bolder]]
|from direction = [[Deventer]]
|towards = Bentheimer Wald (German border)
|towards direction = [[Oldenzaal]]
|map = <map lat="52.280662281599" lng="6.8528383606951" zoom="16" view="3" float="right" />
|crossing = not available
|facilities = Petrol station, Parking
|hitch = {{very good}}
}}
''''t Lonnekermeer''' is a service station along the [[Dutch]] motorway [[A1 (Netherlands)|A1]].

This is the last service station before the [[Germany|German]] border, making it the perfect place to hitch long rides into Germany and even [[Poland]]. For years there was no [[Raststätte]] between here and the next 130km, but since May 2014 a new petrol station opened on the location of the former parking place [http://www.wn.de/Muensterland/Kreis-Steinfurt/Westerkappeln/1568840-Rast-und-Tankanlagen-Brockbachtal-an-der-A-30-sind-fertiggestellt-Versorgungsluecke-geschlossen Brockbachtal]. This new service station is located just before [[Osnabrück]]. It should make hitching a lot easier, since you now only need a short ride across the German border.

== Access ==

There are multiple possibilities to get to this service station.

== Hitching ==

=== From [[Hengelo]] ===
Take bus 8 or 11 to stop ''Kleine Driene'' and walk around 800m north-east to exit 31 ''Hengelo-Noord''. The service station is located between this and the next exit, so every car turning onto the motorway here will pass the service station. Make sure to signal that you just need a short ride.

=== On foot ===

* Option 1:
Again take bus 8 or 11, but now to stop ''Bovenhoek''. Walk along the ''Noordelijke Esweg'' in south-eastern direction. Turn left at the roundabout and right at the big crossing. Cross the highway on the overpass and climb down towards the service station.

* Option 2:
With bus 8 or 11, get out at stop ''Bruninkshoek'' (one before ''Bovenhoek''). Walk back the road you came from and turn left onto ''Hasselerbaan''. Go straight on the crossing onto the little parallel road called ''Pallastweg''. Follow this all the way until the big hill pops up. Walk either left or right around it, but don't go over it as you will eventually get stuck in brambles and thorns.

=== From [[Enschede]] ===
At the end of the Deurningerstraat in Enschede there's space to stop cars going towards Hengelo or Oldenzaal. It's also easy to reach from University Campus. Hitch a ride for approximately 5 km, until you meet the railway. Just 10m behind the railway is a small bay where drivers can drop you off. Now all you have to do is walk up the bridge and find the "secret" path down and you'll find yourself at the end of the service station (in direction Germany).

[[Category:Route Amsterdam - Berlin]]
[[Category:Petrol station in the Netherlands]]
[[Category:Gas stations]]

User:Koendev

2014-05-26T13:53:19Z

Koendev:

{{CanHostIn|Deventer|the Netherlands}}

24, living in [[Deventer]], the [[Netherlands]], a small city somewhere on the road between [[Amsterdam]] and [[Berlin]]. Hitchhiking since July 2011. Originally saw it as a cheap, flexible and fun way to get around, since I grew tired of having to buy train/plane tickets to my girlfriend all the time and have to stick to that schedule. I also enjoy making drivers think, consider and hopefully decide differently than they're used too ;)

I wrote this in 2012:

"I enjoy beating my own records and trying to hitchhike as fast as possible without making any 'mistakes' which make me lose time. Basically I just love the tactics and strategy behind it all. Although sometimes of course it's nice to just enjoy being out, taking your time and letting luck take over."

I still love fast long-distance hitching, but I started appreciating just standing at the roadside with my thumb up, smiling and waiting for that one great ride. And if it doesn't come, just pitching the tent early for a long night of sleep!

'''I like:'''
*[[Camping|Wild camping]]
*[[Competitive autostop]]
*Rides in random directions
*[[Driving for your driver|Driving for my drivers]]
*[[Night hitchhiking]]
*Meaningful conversations with drivers
*Combining hitchhiking with exploring the outdoors (''Rural hitching''?)
*[[Dumpster diving|Free food]]
*[[Poland]]

'''I don't like:'''
*Using [[signs]] (no really...!)
*Long waits in hot places (who does?)
*[[Germany|German]] [[Police]]

(to be continued forever...)

== Statistics ==
So far hitchhiked '''71.465km''' (May 2014) in the [[Netherlands]], [[Germany]], [[Poland]], [[Slovenia]], [[Austria]], [[Slovakia]], [[Switzerland]], [[Belgium]], [[Luxembourg]], [[Czech Republic]], [[Croatia]], [[Bosnia and Herzegovina]], [[Montenegro]], [[Serbia]], [[Hungary]], [[Great Britain]], [[France]], [[Denmark]], [[Sweden]], [[Ukraine]], [[Andorra]], [[Spain]] (only one ride but hey, it counts.), [[Liechtenstein]] and [[Italy]].

Deventer

2014-02-17T20:03:21Z

Koendev:

{{Infobox Dutch Location
|map = <map lat='52.253' lng='6.183' zoom='12' view='3' />
|country = Netherlands
|state = Overijssel
|pop = 79,240
|motorways = [[A1 (Netherlands)|A1]]
}}
'''Deventer''' is a city in the eastern [[Netherlands]], on the banks of the river IJssel, in the province of [[:Category:Overijssel|Overijssel]].

== Hitchhiking out ==

=== East towards [[Enschede]], [[Osnabrück]], [[Berlin]], as well as west towards [[Apeldoorn]] and [[Amsterdam]] (A1) ===

Get bus '''56''' to [[Borculo]] or '''81''' to [[Zutphen]], and get out at bus stop '''carpoolplaats A1''' (about a 10 minute ride). Eastbound lane starts south of the viaduct, westbound lane is north. The on-ramps are not so great, so as an alternative you can try the BP gas station just before (you pass it with the bus).

*[http://g.co/maps/3yn83 Streetview] of the eastbound on-ramp.

=== North towards [[Zwolle]] (N337) ===

Take bus '''2''' or '''3''' and ride it all the way till the end, busstop ''Platvoet''. Walk around 100m in western direction to the roundabout and turn right. The place to stand is where the parallel road and main road connect, just after the roundabout and literally opposite restaurant ''De Zomertuin''.

=== South towards [[Zutphen]] ===

Route 1) Take bus '''56''' (Zutphen) or '''81''' (Borculo) and get off at ''Het Pessink''. Hitch from the bus stop on the N348. Traffic can be quite fast here, not a very good spot.

Route 2) The alternative, more fun route. From the city center, walk across the ''Wilhelminabrug'', the big bridge over the river. Continue walking untill the crossing of the N344 and N790. Hitch right from the beginning of the N790. The whole walk is around 2,5km.

If you hate walking try the spot at the roundabout called ''Emmaplein'', next to the ''Boreel'' shopping centre. Most traffic from here goes in the direction of [[Twello]] and [[Apeldoorn]], so you'll probably have to get out at the intersection of the N344 and N790, but then you've saved yourself the walk!

Every village you'll pass on the way will have good spots to hitchhike from, where traffic is slow. From Gietelo you won't be following the N790 anymore, but instead the N345.

{{IsIn|Overijssel}}

[[Category:Overijssel]]
[[Category:Route Amsterdam - Berlin]]
[[Category:E30]]

__NOTOC__

Andorra

2014-01-25T23:21:45Z

Koendev:

{{Infobox Country
|country = of Andorra
|language = Catalan
|map = <map lat='42.54033' lng='1.57242' zoom='10' view='0' float='right' />
|pop = 71,822
|hitch = <rating country='ad' />
|capital = [[Andorra la Vella]]
|currency = Euro (€) (EUR)
}}
'''Andorra''' is a very small country in the Pyrenees, surrounded by [[France]] and [[Spain]].

There are few roads and no motorways. To hitchhike onward it is necessary only to go to the end of the town, and passers-by can direct you. Andorrans are used to hitchhikers, as many of the South American workers here hitch to work and back.

[[File:Street in Andorra.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Street in Andorra.]]

The official language is Catalan and the currency used is Euro.

Precaution: do not leave your things (backpack, etc.) unattended while asking for a ride on the border or at petrol stations - small theft is common in this small country where the border is crossed by a number of smugglers.

Andorra La Vella itself is very difficult to hitchhike from, especially the centre, as all the roads seems to have bollards along them to stop drivers parking- a long walk out of town or moving on to Encamp, Canillo, Pas de la Casa or the border is suggested by the locals. While Andorrans themselves are sympathetic to hitchhikers, you are much more likely to be picked up by someone of another nationality.

[[File:2002 hitch hiking in Andorra.jpg|thumb|left|300px|[[User:Sigurdas|Sigurdas]] hitch-hiking on the border Andorra/France.]]

== Towns ==
* [[Pas de la Casa]]
* [[Andorra la Vella]]

{{Template:Europe/countries}}
{{IsIn|Southern Europe}}

[[Category:Andorra| ]]
[[Category:Southern Europe]]

[[de:Andorra]]
[[trash:Andorra]]
[[nomad:Andorra]]

Groningen

2014-01-23T12:16:37Z

Koendev:

{{Infobox Dutch Location
|country = Netherlands
|map = <map lat='53.21137858470816' lng='6.568450927734375' zoom='12' view='3'/>
|pop = 195,839 '''(aug 2013)'''
|state = Groningen
|motorways = [[A7 (Netherlands)|A7]], [[A28 (Netherlands)|A28]]
|hitchbase = 663
}}
'''Groningen''' is the largest city in the north of the [[Netherlands]], as well as the name of the surrounding province.

== Hitchhiking out ==
=== South towards [[Assen]] ===
There is a [[liftershalte]], a spot for hitchhiking, at the Emmaviaduct, the road to the A28, 200 meter westwards of Central Station, in the direction of Assen.

[[File:LiftplaatsGroningen.jpeg|thumb|left|The [[liftershalte]] in Groningen.]]

=== West towards [[Leeuwarden]], [[Heerenveen]] ===
The [[liftershalte]] is also fine if you are going West.

=== East towards [[Germany]] ===
Hitching east towards Germany is harder since there's no obvious place to start hitching. The usual hitchhiking spot used to be at the crossing of the Europaweg and the Sontweg (close to Ikea), but the bus stop has been relocated to the middle of the road so people cannot stop on the side anymore. Some people prefer to start hitching already on the other side of the bridge, just after the crossing Europaweg/Damsterdiep. People at these two spots can, however, still drive towards the West or South. The best spot is therefore at the end of the Euvelgunnerweg. It's quite far away, so might not be an option if you don't have a bike or someone to drop you off. Here all cars are going on the motorway eastwards, so all cars would do. Many are not going very far, but the first petrol station is already before the first exit.

''[[User:Koendev|Koen]] decided to stand at the on-ramp of the N7 at the [http://goo.gl/maps/NwoRf crossing of the '''Europaweg''' and '''Bergenweg''']. Cars have some place to stop there and most go towards the east too. He got a ride in 15min.''

'''Alternatively''' you can take the train (sometimes without a ticket, as they don't always check) to [[Nieuweschans]] and start hitchhiking on the border service station a short walk away. This is a place where you are likely to end up anyway. Just after the border the road splits, and there aren't any service stations for a long time, so this is the last chance to get a good ride.
Look on [http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=station+nieuweschans&daddr=Unknown+road&hl=en&geocode=Fd6JKwMdVN5tACllHgmcJTW2RzE75IAWffQrWQ%3BFehtKwMdRyduAA&mra=cc&dirflg=w&sll=53.178669,7.210561&sspn=0.003099,0.00603&ie=UTF8&ll=53.181813,7.207718&spn=0.012396,0.040469&t=h&z=15 google maps] how to reach the service station. There is a bridge going to the other side of the road.

== Stranded?! ==
[[File:Noorderhaven Groningen.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Noorderhaven]]
If you get stuck in Groningen you can stay at the 'Santana' 24-hour bar, but they might get you to buy a drink once in a while. It's right in the centre by the market place.

== Other information ==
* Two free internet terminals can be found at the main station.
* The local banks do free coffee and sometimes cookies.
* The local 'Lefier' (jobcentre) does free coffee and has jars of chocolates and mints.
* The local art school has access to a microwave (and internet if you borrow someone's log-in!)
(Info as of Jan.2010)

__NOTOC__
{{IsIn|:Category:Groningen}}

[[Category:E22]]
[[Category:Netherlands]]
[[nl:Groningen]]

File:LiftplaatsGroningen.jpeg

2014-01-23T12:10:04Z

Koendev:

The 'official' hitchhiking spot next to the main trainstation.

Warsaw

2013-12-23T18:13:12Z

Koendev:

{{Infobox Polish Location
|country = Poland
|state = Masovian (Voivodeship)
|map = <map lat='52.232005085482086' lng='21.085853576660156' zoom='9' view='0' float='right' />
|pop = 1 709 781
|plate = WA, WB, WD, WE, WF, WH, WI,
'''WJ, WK, WN, WT, WU, WW, WX, WY''
|motorways = {{Apl|2}}
|expressways = S8, S2, S79
}}
__NOTOC__
'''Warsaw''' (Polish: ''Warszawa'') is the capital and largest city of [[Poland]]. While hitching out, in or just passing through during rush hour can take a bit longer, because there are traffic jams everywhere.

''Due to ongoing constructions for the 2nd metro line all over the city many tram lines have changed their routes. [http://jakdojade.pl/Welcome.jsp?locale=en Check] if the lines mentioned below really exist and go where they are supposed to go to.''

== Hitching out ==

=== West towards [[Poznań]], [[Berlin]], ([[Germany]]) {{National Road Number Poland|2}} {{E|30}} ===

There are several options to hitch out of Warsaw in western direction, and the option you choose depends on your location in the city and your personal preferences.

* '''Option #1: On-ramp Warszawa-Zachód on the S8'''

This option involves the least walking and is quite close to the city centre and the western districts. To get there you have two different possibilities:

'''#1:'''Take the tram 8, 10, 26 direction ''Os. Górczewska'' and get off at ''Ciepłownia Wola''. There you can get in the bus 713 and get off at '''''Mory''''' (The first stop on public transport zone 2 (''strefa II'')). Walk back around 200m in the direction your bus came from, until the on-ramp of the new A2. Most traffic from the city centre will enter the A2 through this on-ramp. There are traffic lights, so cars have to go rather slow and there is a small shoulder to stop.

'''#2:''' Especially during rush hour, there is a faster way to get to the on-ramp at the A2: Take the ''KM3'' (short for ''Kolej Mazowieckie'') train in direction of [[Łowicz]] or [[Sochaczew]] (sometimes only going to [[Błonie]]) and get of at the station ''Gołąbki''. From the pedestrian crossing over the tracks you can already spot the highway's noise barrier to the north-west. Follow the road on the northern side of the train station to the north, turn right at the next crossing and the road should lead you through an under-bridge under the highway after a couple of minutes. After, you cross the road and arrive at the on-ramp described under ''#1''. The whole walk is around 1,5km.

You can take the trains from platform #3 at ''Warszawa Śródmieście'' which is next to the Central Station, but '''not''' the same! It is more East of the Central Station and South to the Palace of Culture and Science. Have a look at the timetables and different stations from where to take the trains on [http://www.mazowieckie.com.pl/site.php5/Show/132.html the website], since they run often just one or two times in an hour.
Tickets cost probably a few zlotys, make sure you buy one before entering the train (alternatively you can buy one in the train in the first car).

* '''Option #2: On-Ramp Warszawa-Powązkowska'''

This option is best when you have to get from the northern districts of the city to a good spot. There's no walking involved, you'll be able to get out of the bus and start hitching right away!

Take bus 103, 122, 180, 186 or 409 and get off at '''Gen. Maczka''' (Note: bus stops only on request here!). Hitch right from the bus stop where bus 186 in direction ''Szczęśliwice'' stops. Holding a sign with A2 might help to avoid inner city traffic. The S8 starts here and eventually changes into the A2 to [[Poznań]]. [http://goo.gl/maps/kizfT Streetview here].

* '''Option #3: The (unfinished) toll plaza Pruszków on A2'''

If you're close to the main railway line in the city and don't mind a bit of walking if that gives you a 100% perfect spot, then you should choose this option.

From the '''Central Station''' or one of the other stations on the main line (Wschodnia, Śródmieście, Zachodnia, Ochota, etc.), take train ''KM1'' towards '''Skierniewice''' or '''Żyrardów''' (both are good). Occasionally also ''KM7'' goes there. Get off at station '''Brwinów''' after around 30min.

Now you have to walk for around 3km to reach the toll plaza. From the station, walk in northern direction to the square. Make sure to take the right road from here, you have to take the northeastern road called ''Powstańców Warszawy''. Follow that one all the way out of the city. At some point you'll be able to see the highway and toll plaza on your left. Keep walking just a bit more, then when the road bends slightly right you'll see a crossing and a dead-end street going left straight towards the highway. Follow the street and you'll end up right at the toll plaza, cross the road and start hitching :)

* '''Option #4: The old road'''

If you wish to take the old main road DK92 (not advisable if you want to travel fast...) you can use a place which takes a bit more time to reach:

Like in ''Option #1.2'' take the ''KM3'' (short for ''Kolej Mazowieckie'') train in direction of [[Łowicz]] or [[Sochaczew]], but get out one station further at ''Ożarów Mazowiecki''.
[[File:Ożarów Mazowiecki.jpg|200px|thumb|left|The bus stop on Poznańska]]
When you get out at the station in ''Ożarów Mazowiecki'' (make sure you keep an eye out for the correct station, Ożarów Mazowiecki only has one sign at the end of the station) just leave the station to the right (facing away from Warsaw) and follow Marii Konopnickiej Street until you reach a bigger street, Poznańska (about 500m). Another few hundred meters to the East you will find a bus stop with plenty of space to stop (it's across the street from the church). It's just one lane, cars are going quite slow and you avoid a great deal of local traffic out of Warsaw. Even though this is the old main road to the West and some drivers (especially trucks) take it to avoid the highway fees, it will probably take longer than using the highway.

=== South towards [[Radom]], [[Kielce]], [[Kraków]] {{National Road Number Poland|7}} {{E|77}} ===

Get tram 7, 9, 35 from the city centre e.g ''Aleje Jerozolimskie'', ''Warszawa Centralna'' (Main Train Station), ''Centrum'' (Warsaw Metro station) going in the direction of '''''Okęcie''''' and get off at the last stop. Then, take bus 707, 728, 807 ('''not''' 715) to ''Janki'', or bus N88, 706 or 807 to ''Plac Szwedzki'' (a stop near ''Janki'' and in front of an IKEA store) and walk back to the stop ''Janki''.

From the stop ''Janki'', note that the road splits. The road going east (left) is national road 7 (E77) where you can hitch towards Kielce, Radom and Kraków. Using a large sign can be very effective.

=== Southwest towards [[Wrocław]] {{National Road Number Poland|8}} {{E|67}}, [[Łódź]] {{National Road Number Poland|72}}, [[Katowice]] {{National Road Number Poland|1}} {{E|75}} ===

Get tram 7, 9, 35 from the city centre e.g ''Aleje Jerozolimskie'', ''Warszawa Centralna'' (Main Train Station), ''Centrum'' (Warsaw Metro station) going in the direction of '''''Okęcie''''' and get off at the last stop. Then, take bus 707, 728, 807 ('''not''' 715) to ''Janki'', or bus N88, 706 or 807 to ''Plac Szwedzki'' (a stop near ''Janki'' and in front of an IKEA store) and walk back to the stop ''Janki''.

From the stop ''Janki'', note that the road splits. The road going west (to your right) is national road 8 (E67). Further down the road there is a wide shoulder where you can hitch, but cars go quite fast here. If you find it hard hitchhiking there, you can walk about 3 km down the road to a McDonalds. There's also a petrol station, it may be effective to hitchhike from there, as many drivers stop there before longer journeys.

=== North and northwest towards [[Gdańsk]] {{National Road Number Poland|7}} {{E|77}}, [[Olsztyn]] {{National Road Number Poland|51}} and [[Toruń]], [[Bydgoszcz]] {{National Road Number Poland|10}} ===

[[File:Warsaw-Wroclaw.JPG|right|thumb|250px|Spot to [[Wrocław]] (in front of Festo building) ]]

A good place to hitch from near the bus stop ''Dzierżoniowska''. To get here, either take bus 114 from metro ''Młociny'' in the direction ''Młociny-UKSW'', or take bus 181 from the metro station ''Plac Wilson'' in the direction ''Cmentarz Północny''. Once you get off the bus at ''Dzierżoniowska'', you can see the main road going north and there are several places to stand.

=== Northeast towards [[Białystok]], [[Kaunas]] ([[Lithuania]]) {{National Road Number Poland|8}} {{E|67}} ===

Take metro from central railway station to metro station ''Ratusz'' (note tram 25 has new route) and from there any tram from metro station ''Ratusz'' going east. Get off at '''''Dworzec Wileński''''', walk right down the underground passage, walk out the other side and turn right onto the bus stop (as of Feb 2012 the crossroads are under construction). This is situated beside the big clock on the commercial building next to Carrefour super market. Catch bus 718 (which requires a 2-zone ticket) and get off at ''Struga''. With optimal changes the whole trip takes about 60 minutes, but on weekend mornings the bus 718 runs only about every 30 minutes.

From the stop ''Struga'', go back to the main road and then walk northeast for several hundred metres past the petrol station. There is a bus stop here with a lot of room for a car to stop, and drivers are going slow.

If your destination is Lithuania, don't go all the way to Bialystok but instead turn north at the town of [[Łomża]] and then head for [[Augustów]].

=== Southeast towards [[Lublin]], [[Lviv]] ([[Ukraine]]) {{National Road Number Poland|17}} {{E|372}} ===

From Central Railway Station ('''''Dworzec Główny''''') get on tram 9, 24 direction ''Gocławek'' and get off at '''''Plac Szembeka''''' stop, from there, go trough the street, and bus stop in this same direction (east) is on the second side of the street. Get bus 704, 720, 722, 730 and get off at the '''''Szosa Lubelska'''''. Hitch right from the bus stop at ''Szosa Lubelska'' street.

Or from Central Railway Station (''Dworzec Główny'') or from metro station ''Politechnika'', take bus 502 to the last station, ''Stara Miłosna''. From here walk to the intersection ''Szosa Brzeska'', then turn right and walk 500 m to the aforementioned stop ''Szosa Lubelska''.

=== East towards [[Siedlce]], [[Brest (Belarus)|Brest]] ([[Belarus]]) {{National Road Number Poland|2}} {{E|30}} ===

Get to the station ''Szosa Lubelska'' (see above). Try to hitch right from the bus stop at Szosa Brzeska.

== Public Transport ==

Black riding the Metro is quite easy. You can jump the turnstiles, walk in with someone who has a ticket (the turnstiles are big enough for two people), or if you're feeling brave, you can walk around and open the emergency exit door and walk through. None of them are alarmed, and when the door is open, it stays open and almost '''everyone''' in Warsaw automatically walks in that door instead of the turnstile. The trams and buses, including night buses, are also easy. If you want to avoid any confrontation, just enter through one of the back doors.

Much of the regular buses and trams now have more ticket inspectors, as prices of tickets have been raised. Compared to other European cities tickets are still cheap and can be bought everywhere. The easiest is a single ticket for 4.40zł, about 1,10€.

Controllers are usually undercover, but can be spotted if you know what to look for: They are almost always male, operating mostly in groups of two. So if you see two guys at the bus stop talking with or looking at each other and then getting in at different doors, be alarmed. Also they usually wear something like a hip belt to carry their gear.

The longer distance trains are impossible to blackride unless you're clever. You can buy a student ticket if you've got an ISIC card (an ID from your home university may not suffice and you'll have to pay the ticket inspector the difference).

There is a good [http://jakdojade.pl/Welcome.jsp?locale=en website] showing you how to get from one point to another by public transport in major Polish cities (in Polish and English).

== Other useful info ==

There is free wi-fi in Warsaw's central train station (''Dw. Centralna'').

[[Category:Poland]]
[[Category:E30]]
[[Category:E77]]

[[pl:Warszawa]]
[[ru:Варшава]]
[[trash:Warsaw]]

A4 (Poland)

2013-12-23T12:14:38Z

Koendev:

<map lat="50.694014676730966" lng="17.76219213006601" zoom="8" width="1050" height="550" />

The '''A4''' is a motorway in [[Poland]], it leads from Zgorzelec to [[Kraków]].

== Hitching the '''A4''' ==

{{legend}}

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! style="width: 30em" | !! style="width:30em" | !! style="width: 30em" |
|-
| {{south}} (eastbound) || || {{north}} (westbound)
|-
| || border crossing * connection to the {{Ade|4}} || |
|-
| {{good}} || (2) {{ramp}} Zgorzelec || |
|-
| {{very good}} {{gas}} service station [[Żarska Wieś south]] || || {{very good}} {{gas}} service station [[Żarska Wieś north]]
|-
| || (18) {{ramp}} Godzieszów || |
|-
| || (45) {{ramp}} Bolesławiec || |
|-
| || (51) {{junction}} Krzyżowa {{Apl|18}} || |
|-
| || (63) {{ramp}} Krzywa || |
|-
| || (72) {{ramp}} Chojnów || |
|-
| || (83) {{ramp}} Złotoryja || |
|-
| || (93) {{ramp}} Nowa Wieś Legnicka || |
|-
| || (98) {{ramp}} Legnickie Pole || |
|-
| || (100) {{ramp}} Mikołajowice || |
|-
| || (105) {{ramp}} Wądroże Wielkie || |
|-
| || (114) {{ramp}} Budziszów || |
|-
| || (117) {{ramp}} Łagiwniki Średzkie || |
|-
| || (121) {{ramp}} Jarosław || |
|-
| || (127) {{ramp}} Kostomłoty || |
|-
| || (139) {{ramp}} Kąty Wrocławskie || |
|-
| || (148) {{ramp}} Pietrzykowice || |
|-
| || (151) {{junction}} [[Wrocław]]-Południe {{Apl|8}} {{Spl|8}} || |
|-
| {{good}} || (153) {{ramp}} Bielany [[Wrocław]]skie || {{good}} |
|-
| || {{toll}} || |
|-
| || (165) {{ramp}} Krajków || |
|-
| || (177) {{ramp}} Brzezimierz || |
|-
| {{gas}} {{rest}} service station [[Witowice]] || || {{gas}} {{rest}} service station [[Oleśnica Mała]]
|-
| || (194) {{ramp}} Przylesie || |
|-
| {{gas}} {{rest}} service station [[Rzędziwojowice]] || || {{gas}} {{rest}} service station [[Młyński Staw]]
|-
| || (222) {{ramp}} Prądy || |
|-
| || (244) {{ramp}} Dąbrówka || |
|-
| || (251) {{ramp}} Gogolin || |
|-
| {{gas}} {{rest}} service station [[Sankt Annaberg]] || || {{gas}} {{rest}} service station [[Wyssoka]]
|-
| || (272) {{ramp}} Olszowa || |
|-
| || (278) {{ramp}} Nogowczyce || |
|-
| || (288) {{ramp}} Łany || |
|-
| || (297) {{ramp}} Kleszczów || |
|-
| {{gas}} {{rest}} service station [[Rachowice]] || || {{gas}} {{rest}} service station [[Kozłów]]
|-
| || (305) {{ramp}} Ostropa || |
|-
| || (312) {{ramp}} [[Gliwice]]-Bojków || |
|-
| || {{toll}} || |
|-
| || (316) {{junction}} Sośnica {{Apl|1}} || |
|-
| || (316) {{ramp}} Sośnica || |
|-
| || (321) {{ramp}} Wspólna || |
|-
| || (325) {{ramp}} Wirek || |
|-
| {{gas}} {{rest}} service station [[Halemba]] || || {{gas}} {{rest}} service station [[Wirek]]
|-
| || (331) {{ramp}} Chorzów Batory || |
|-
| || (333) {{ramp}} [[Katowice]]-Kochłowicka || |
|-
| || (334) {{ramp}} [[Katowice]]-Feliksa Bocheńskiego || |
|-
| || (336) {{ramp}} [[Katowice]]-Mikołowska || |
|-
| || (337) {{ramp}} [[Katowice]]-Wita Stwosza || |
|-
| || (338) {{ramp}} [[Katowice]]-Francuska || |
|-
| || (341) {{ramp}} [[Katowice]]-Murckowska || |
|-
| || (347) {{ramp}} Mysłowice || |
|-
| || (350) {{junction}} Brzęczkowice {{Spl|1}} || |
|-
| || {{toll}} Brzęczkowice || |
|-
| || (361) {{ramp}} Jaworzno-Jeleń || |
|-
| {{gas}} {{rest}} service station [[Kępnica]] || || {{gas}} {{rest}} service station [[Zastawie]]
|-
| || (366) {{ramp}} Byczyna || |
|-
| || (369) {{ramp}} Balin || |
|-
| || (372) {{ramp}} Chrzanów || |
|-
| || (382) {{ramp}} Rudno || |
|-
| {{gas}} {{rest}} service station [[Morawica]] || || {{gas}} {{rest}} service station [[Aleksandrowice]]
|-
| {{good}} || {{toll}} Balice || |
|-
| || (401) {{junction}} Balice I {{Spl|7}} || |
|-
| || (412) {{ramp}} Balice II || {{good}} |
|-
| || (417) {{ramp}} [[Kraków]]-Mirowski || |
|-
| || (419) {{ramp}} [[Kraków]]-Tyniecki || |
|-
| || (423) {{ramp}} [[Kraków]]-Sidzina || |
|-
| || (427) {{ramp}} [[Kraków]]-Zakopiański || |
|-
| || (429) {{ramp}} [[Kraków]]-Łagiewniki || |
|-
| || (435) {{ramp}} [[Kraków]]-Wielicki || |
|-
| || (438) {{junction}} Kraków-Bieżanów {{Spl|7}} || |
|-
| || {{toll}} Staniątki || |
|-
| {{bad}} || (455) {{ramp}} Szarów || |
|-
| || (468) {{ramp}} [[Bochnia]] || |
|-
| || (478) {{ramp}} Brzesko || |
|-
| || (499) {{ramp}} [[Tarnów]]-Zachód || |
|-
| || (512) {{ramp}} [[Tarnów]]-Północ || |
|-
| {{south}} || || {{north}}
|}

{{Highways PL}}

[[Category:Lower Silesian (Voivodeship)]] 
[[Category:Opole]] 
[[Category:Silesian (Voivodeship)]] 
[[Category:Lesser Poland (Voivodeship)]] 
[[Category:Subcarpathian]] 

[[Category:Poland]]
[[Category:Motorways]]

{{IsIn|Poland}}

A4 (Poland)

2013-12-23T12:13:40Z

Koendev:

<map lat="50.694014676730966" lng="17.76219213006601" zoom="8" width="1050" height="550" />

The '''A4''' is a motorway in [[Poland]], it leads from Zgorzelec to [[Kraków]].

== Hitching the '''A4''' ==

{{legend}}

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! style="width: 30em" | !! style="width:30em" | !! style="width: 30em" |
|-
| {{south}} (eastbound) || || {{north}} (westbound)
|-
| || border crossing * connection to the {{Ade|4}} || |
|-
| {{good}} || (2) {{ramp}} Zgorzelec || |
|-
| {{very good}} {{gas}} service station [[Żarska Wieś south]] || || {{very good}} {{gas}} service station [[Żarska Wieś north]]
|-
| || (18) {{ramp}} Godzieszów || |
|-
| || (45) {{ramp}} Bolesławiec || |
|-
| || (51) {{junction}} Krzyżowa {{Apl|18}} || |
|-
| || (63) {{ramp}} Krzywa || |
|-
| || (72) {{ramp}} Chojnów || |
|-
| || (83) {{ramp}} Złotoryja || |
|-
| || (93) {{ramp}} Nowa Wieś Legnicka || |
|-
| || (98) {{ramp}} Legnickie Pole || |
|-
| || (100) {{ramp}} Mikołajowice || |
|-
| || (105) {{ramp}} Wądroże Wielkie || |
|-
| || (114) {{ramp}} Budziszów || |
|-
| || (117) {{ramp}} Łagiwniki Średzkie || |
|-
| || (121) {{ramp}} Jarosław || |
|-
| || (127) {{ramp}} Kostomłoty || |
|-
| || (139) {{ramp}} Kąty Wrocławskie || |
|-
| || (148) {{ramp}} Pietrzykowice || |
|-
| || (151) {{junction}} [[Wrocław]]-Południe {{Apl|8}} {{Spl|8}} || |
|-
| {{good}} || (153) {{ramp}} Bielany [[Wrocław]]skie || {{good}} |
|-
| || {{toll}} toll plaza || |
|-
| || (165) {{ramp}} Krajków || |
|-
| || (177) {{ramp}} Brzezimierz || |
|-
| {{gas}} {{rest}} service station [[Witowice]] || || {{gas}} {{rest}} service station [[Oleśnica Mała]]
|-
| || (194) {{ramp}} Przylesie || |
|-
| {{gas}} {{rest}} service station [[Rzędziwojowice]] || || {{gas}} {{rest}} service station [[Młyński Staw]]
|-
| || (222) {{ramp}} Prądy || |
|-
| || (244) {{ramp}} Dąbrówka || |
|-
| || (251) {{ramp}} Gogolin || |
|-
| {{gas}} {{rest}} service station [[Sankt Annaberg]] || || {{gas}} {{rest}} service station [[Wyssoka]]
|-
| || (272) {{ramp}} Olszowa || |
|-
| || (278) {{ramp}} Nogowczyce || |
|-
| || (288) {{ramp}} Łany || |
|-
| || (297) {{ramp}} Kleszczów || |
|-
| {{gas}} {{rest}} service station [[Rachowice]] || || {{gas}} {{rest}} service station [[Kozłów]]
|-
| || (305) {{ramp}} Ostropa || |
|-
| || (312) {{ramp}} [[Gliwice]]-Bojków || |
|-
| || {{toll}} || |
|-
| || (316) {{junction}} Sośnica {{Apl|1}} || |
|-
| || (316) {{ramp}} Sośnica || |
|-
| || (321) {{ramp}} Wspólna || |
|-
| || (325) {{ramp}} Wirek || |
|-
| {{gas}} {{rest}} service station [[Halemba]] || || {{gas}} {{rest}} service station [[Wirek]]
|-
| || (331) {{ramp}} Chorzów Batory || |
|-
| || (333) {{ramp}} [[Katowice]]-Kochłowicka || |
|-
| || (334) {{ramp}} [[Katowice]]-Feliksa Bocheńskiego || |
|-
| || (336) {{ramp}} [[Katowice]]-Mikołowska || |
|-
| || (337) {{ramp}} [[Katowice]]-Wita Stwosza || |
|-
| || (338) {{ramp}} [[Katowice]]-Francuska || |
|-
| || (341) {{ramp}} [[Katowice]]-Murckowska || |
|-
| || (347) {{ramp}} Mysłowice || |
|-
| || (350) {{junction}} Brzęczkowice {{Spl|1}} || |
|-
| || {{toll}} Brzęczkowice || |
|-
| || (361) {{ramp}} Jaworzno-Jeleń || |
|-
| {{gas}} {{rest}} service station [[Kępnica]] || || {{gas}} {{rest}} service station [[Zastawie]]
|-
| || (366) {{ramp}} Byczyna || |
|-
| || (369) {{ramp}} Balin || |
|-
| || (372) {{ramp}} Chrzanów || |
|-
| || (382) {{ramp}} Rudno || |
|-
| {{gas}} {{rest}} service station [[Morawica]] || || {{gas}} {{rest}} service station [[Aleksandrowice]]
|-
| {{good}} || {{toll}} Balice || |
|-
| || (401) {{junction}} Balice I {{Spl|7}} || |
|-
| || (412) {{ramp}} Balice II || {{good}} |
|-
| || (417) {{ramp}} [[Kraków]]-Mirowski || |
|-
| || (419) {{ramp}} [[Kraków]]-Tyniecki || |
|-
| || (423) {{ramp}} [[Kraków]]-Sidzina || |
|-
| || (427) {{ramp}} [[Kraków]]-Zakopiański || |
|-
| || (429) {{ramp}} [[Kraków]]-Łagiewniki || |
|-
| || (435) {{ramp}} [[Kraków]]-Wielicki || |
|-
| || (438) {{junction}} Kraków-Bieżanów {{Spl|7}} || |
|-
| || {{toll}} Staniątki || |
|-
| {{bad}} || (455) {{ramp}} Szarów || |
|-
| || (468) {{ramp}} [[Bochnia]] || |
|-
| || (478) {{ramp}} Brzesko || |
|-
| || (499) {{ramp}} [[Tarnów]]-Zachód || |
|-
| || (512) {{ramp}} [[Tarnów]]-Północ || |
|-
| {{south}} || || {{north}}
|}

{{Highways PL}}

[[Category:Lower Silesian (Voivodeship)]] 
[[Category:Opole]] 
[[Category:Silesian (Voivodeship)]] 
[[Category:Lesser Poland (Voivodeship)]] 
[[Category:Subcarpathian]] 

[[Category:Poland]]
[[Category:Motorways]]

{{IsIn|Poland}}

Groningen

2013-12-21T17:28:16Z

Koendev:

{{Infobox Dutch Location
|country = Netherlands
|map = <map lat='53.21137858470816' lng='6.568450927734375' zoom='12' view='3'/>
|pop = 195,839 '''(aug 2013)'''
|state = Groningen
|motorways = [[A7 (Netherlands)|A7]], [[A28 (Netherlands)|A28]]
|hitchbase = 663
}}
'''Groningen''' is the largest city in the north of the [[Netherlands]], as well as the name of the surrounding province.

== Hitchhiking out ==
=== South towards [[Assen]] ===
There is a [[liftershalte]], a spot for hitchhiking, at the Emmaviaduct, the road to the A28, 200 meter westwards of Central Station, in the direction of Assen.
=== West towards [[Leeuwarden]], [[Heerenveen]] ===
The [[liftershalte]] is also fine if you are going West.

=== East towards [[Germany]] ===
Hitching east towards Germany is harder since there's no obvious place to start hitching. The usual hitchhiking spot used to be at the crossing of the Europaweg and the Sontweg (close to Ikea), but the bus stop has been relocated to the middle of the road so people cannot stop on the side anymore. Some people prefer to start hitching already on the other side of the bridge, just after the crossing Europaweg/Damsterdiep. People at these two spots can, however, still drive towards the West or South. The best spot is therefore at the end of the Euvelgunnerweg. It's quite far away, so might not be an option if you don't have a bike or someone to drop you off. Here all cars are going on the motorway eastwards, so all cars would do. Many are not going very far, but the first petrol station is already before the first exit.

''[[User:Koendev|Koen]] decided to stand at the on-ramp of the N7 at the [http://goo.gl/maps/NwoRf crossing of the '''Europaweg''' and '''Bergenweg''']. Cars have some place to stop there and most go towards the east too. He got a ride in 15min.''

'''Alternatively''' you can take the train (sometimes without a ticket, as they don't always check) to [[Nieuweschans]] and start hitchhiking on the border service station a short walk away. This is a place where you are likely to end up anyway. Just after the border the road splits, and there aren't any service stations for a long time, so this is the last chance to get a good ride.
Look on [http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=station+nieuweschans&daddr=Unknown+road&hl=en&geocode=Fd6JKwMdVN5tACllHgmcJTW2RzE75IAWffQrWQ%3BFehtKwMdRyduAA&mra=cc&dirflg=w&sll=53.178669,7.210561&sspn=0.003099,0.00603&ie=UTF8&ll=53.181813,7.207718&spn=0.012396,0.040469&t=h&z=15 google maps] how to reach the service station. There is a bridge going to the other side of the road.

== Stranded?! ==
[[File:Noorderhaven Groningen.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Noorderhaven]]
If you get stuck in Groningen you can stay at the 'Santana' 24-hour bar, but they might get you to buy a drink once in a while. It's right in the centre by the market place.

== Other information ==
* Two free internet terminals can be found at the main station.
* The local banks do free coffee and sometimes cookies.
* The local 'Lefier' (jobcentre) does free coffee and has jars of chocolates and mints.
* The local art school has access to a microwave (and internet if you borrow someone's log-in!)
(Info as of Jan.2010)

__NOTOC__
{{IsIn|:Category:Groningen}}

[[Category:E22]]
[[Category:Netherlands]]
[[nl:Groningen]]

Groningen

2013-12-18T20:46:57Z

Koendev:

{{Infobox Dutch Location
|country = Netherlands
|map = <map lat='53.21137858470816' lng='6.568450927734375' zoom='12' view='3'/>
|pop = 195,839 '''(aug 2013)'''
|state = Groningen
|motorways = [[A7 (Netherlands)|A7]], [[A28 (Netherlands)|A28]]
|hitchbase = 663
}}
'''Groningen''' is the largest city in the north of the [[Netherlands]], as well as the name of the surrounding province.

== Hitchhiking out ==
=== South towards [[Assen]] ===
There is a [[liftershalte]], a spot for hitchhiking, at the Emmaviaduct, the road to the A28, 200 meter westwards of Central Station, in the direction of Assen.
=== West towards [[Leeuwarden]], [[Heerenveen]] ===
The [[liftershalte]] is also fine if you are going West.

=== East towards [[Germany]] ===
Hitching east towards Germany is harder since there's no obvious place to start hitching. The usual hitchhiking spot is at the crossing of the Europaweg and the Sontweg (close to Ikea). There's a bus stop right after the traffic lights, so people can stop for you. Some people prefer to start hitching already on the other side of the bridge, just after the crossing Europaweg/Damsterdiep. People at these two spots can, however, still drive towards the West or South. The best spot is therefore at the end of the Euvelgunnerweg. It's quite far away, so might not be an option if you don't have a bike or someone to drop you off. Here all cars are going on the motorway eastwards, so all cars would do. Many are not going very far, but the first petrol station is already before the first exit.

'''Alternatively''' you can take the train (sometimes without a ticket, as they don't always check) to [[Nieuweschans]] and start hitchhiking on the border service station a short walk away. This is a place where you are likely to end up anyway. Just after the border the road splits, and there aren't any service stations for a long time, so this is the last chance to get a good ride.
Look on [http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=station+nieuweschans&daddr=Unknown+road&hl=en&geocode=Fd6JKwMdVN5tACllHgmcJTW2RzE75IAWffQrWQ%3BFehtKwMdRyduAA&mra=cc&dirflg=w&sll=53.178669,7.210561&sspn=0.003099,0.00603&ie=UTF8&ll=53.181813,7.207718&spn=0.012396,0.040469&t=h&z=15 google maps] how to reach the service station. There is a bridge going to the other side of the road.

== Stranded?! ==
[[File:Noorderhaven Groningen.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Noorderhaven]]
If you get stuck in Groningen you can stay at the 'Santana' 24-hour bar, but they might get you to buy a drink once in a while. It's right in the centre by the market place.

== Other information ==
* Two free internet terminals can be found at the main station.
* The local banks do free coffee and sometimes cookies.
* The local 'Lefier' (jobcentre) does free coffee and has jars of chocolates and mints.
* The local art school has access to a microwave (and internet if you borrow someone's log-in!)
(Info as of Jan.2010)

__NOTOC__
{{IsIn|:Category:Groningen}}

[[Category:E22]]
[[Category:Netherlands]]
[[nl:Groningen]]

Canary islands

2013-11-12T15:46:09Z

Koendev:

#REDIRECT [[Canary_Islands]]

Template:Events

2013-10-03T16:21:52Z

Koendev:

*'''Nov-Dec-Jan 2013''' - A month lasting hackathon on BeWelcome and Hitchwiki. Events on [http://www.bewelcome.org/activities/475 BW] and [https://www.facebook.com/events/323936037743785/ FB].
*'''3 August 2014''' - [http://www.hitchgathering.org Hitchgathering] somewhere. Place to be announced after winter.
<noinclude>
----
== Old Events ==
'''2013'''
*'''27-29 September 2013''' - 6th [[competitive autostop]] race by [[DTSG]] in Germany. Hitchhiking mixed with orienteering and exploring of (un)known regions. Location: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sauerland Sauerland] area, [[Nordrhein-Westfalen]] (Germany). More info [http://www.sporttrampen.de/2013/07/dtsg-rennen-im-sauerland.html here].
*'''6-8 September 2013''' - Post Hitchgathering in Houyet, [[Belgium]]
*'''27-29 August 2013''' - North American Hitchhiker gathering near Nevada City, [[California]]. Contact [[User:Thewindandrain|Thewindandrain]] for more details or find more info [[http://www.reddit.com/r/hitchhiking/comments/1fk2ju/north_american_hitchhiker_gathering_august_2013/ here.]]
*'''16-30 August 2013''' - [http://tramprennen.org Tramprennen]'13, the 6th hitchhiking race for drinking water. Choose one of the 6 routes from Germany, Netherlands or Switzerland to Masuria, north-east Poland. [http://tramprennen.org Here] you go for registration and more information.
*'''3 August 2013''' - [http://www.hitchgathering.org Hitchgathering] in [[Slovakia]] at Liptovská Mara lake. [https://www.facebook.com/events/553978161310436/ FB event]
*'''3 August 2013''' - [http://hitchwiki.org/americas/ Americas Hitchgathering] in [[Mexico]] at Sayulita in Nayarit. [https://www.facebook.com/events/476376242449004/ FB event]
*'''3 August 2013''' - HH race from [[Hamburg]], [[Germany]] to [[Poznan]], [[Poland]]. [http://snookramzes.blogspot.de/2013/09/bericht-vom-minitramprennen-nach.html Read more] {{de}}
*'''18. July 2013''' - Hitchhiking race from [[Prague]] - Zličín, [[Czech Republic]] to [[Gibraltar]] Mosque of Two holy Custodians. [https://www.facebook.com/events/670246976335382/ Facebook event].
*'''7-10 June 2013''' - Hitchhiking race from [[Brno]], [[Czech Republic]] to [[Athens]], [[Greece]]. Start in Brno, Square of Liberty in the 7th of June at 16,00 CET. [https://www.facebook.com/events/312713935477368/ Facebook event].
*'''17-20 May 2013''' - The [http://race.abgefahren-ev.de German Hitchhiking Competition 2013] from [[Dresden]] to an as yet unknown destination 300-500km far away.
*'''9-12 May 2013''' - 3-day [[competitive autostop]] race through the Eifel mountains by [[DTSG]] in Germany. Hitchhiking mixed with orienteering sports, nature and exploring of (un)known regions. Info and registration [http://www.sporttrampen.de/2013/04/eifelrennen.html here]. {{de}}
*'''9-12 May 2013''' - Hitchhiking-Race from Hamburg to Dresden starting off in Hamburg on 9th May at 10 a.m. Info and registration [http://snookramzes.blogspot.de/2013/04/minitramprennen-v30-nach-dresden.html here]. {{de}}
*'''28 April - 1 May 2013''' - Auto Stop Race - annual hitch-hiking event for students. This year we race from [[Wroclaw]] to [[Dubrovnik]]! More info [http://autostoprace.pl/ on official website] {{pl}}
*'''20-21 April 2013''' - [https://www.facebook.com/events/227887777353432/ Baltija 2013] - a hitchhiking competition starting from [[Vilnius]]. [http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&eotf=1&u=http://autostop.lt/ivykiai.php%3Fw%3D79&act=url Registration].
*'''19 April 2013''' - [https://www.facebook.com/events/141706852661320/ Hitchball 4000] is a hitchhiking competition starting from [[Helsinki]] ([[Finland]]). [https://lomake.ayy.fi/aava/hitchball-4000/ Registration.]
*'''6 April 2013''' - [http://www.hitchhiking.lt/lt Social hitch towards sea] is a hitchhiking race starting from [[Lithuania]] and gathering in [[Latvia]]. [https://www.facebook.com/events/427123473986558/ Event on Facebook].
*'''29-30 March 2013''' - Easter hitchhiking race in [[Germany]]. More infos [http://tramprennen.org/2013/ostertramptage-2013/ here] (in German).
*'''15 March to 28 April 2013''' - [http://http://www.lcdinternational.org/england_wales/hitch.htm The Hitch] of the Link Community Developpment, from all over [[United Kingdom]] to [[Morocco]] and [[Croatia]].
*''11 March 2013''' - A hitchhiking race from [[Kiel]] to [[Morocco]] to promote an official hitchhiking spot in Kiel. More [https://www.facebook.com/events/197290740411944/ info].
*'''2-7 March 2013''' - The [http://thebiggreenhitch.org/ Big Green Hitch] is a hitchhiking race from [[Melbourne]] ([[Australia]]) to the Murray River near Adelaide.
*'''2-3 March 2013''' - Competitive autostop club [[DTSG]] inviting everybody to its spring race through the Rhön mountains in [[Germany]]. More info & registration [http://www.sporttrampen.de/2013/01/fruehjahr-rhoen.html here on their website] {{de}}
'''2012'''
*'''28 October - (approx. 7-10 days)''' - [http://transglobal-race.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=36&Itemid=29&lang=en Transglobal Autostop Race] European Qualification Round in [[Ukraine]]. Start/Finish will be in [[Kiev]]. Minimum route 5000 km. Registrations open. {{ru}}
*'''23 September - 8 October 2012''' - [[project:BXL hackathon|BXL hackathon]], improving [http://www.bewelcome.org/ BeWelcome], [[:trash:|Trashwiki]] and of course [[Hitchwiki]] - hackers and/or hitchhikers, be welcome!
*'''14 - 16 September 2012''' - 2-day [[competitive autostop]] race organized by [[DTSG]] through the [[Netherlands|Dutch]] countryside, close to [[Enschede]]. For registration and further information, see [http://sporttrampen.de here]. {{de}} & {{en}}
*<strike>'''1st October 2012''' [[Abgefahren e.V.|Abgefahren]] hitchhikers end of season meeting at the beach of [[Cassis]], [[France]], contact [[Quarim]] for details.</strike> canceled
*'''18 August - 1 September 2012''' - [http://tramprennen.org Tramprennen 2012]
*'''4 August 2012''' - [[Hitchgathering/2012|European Hitchgathering 2012]] in Ambraziškiai, near Molėtai in Lithuania.
*'''16 - 17 June 2012''' - 2-day [[competitive autostop]] race organized by [[DTSG]] through Northern German countryside, close to [[Magdeburg]]. For registration and further information, see [http://sporttrampen.de here]. {{de}} & {{en}}
* '''26-27 May 2012''' [http://abgefahren-ev.de/tramperinnetreffen2012 TramperInnentreffen 2012, close to Hannover, Germany]

*'''25-28 May 2012''' - [http://race.abgefahren-ev.de/?loc=en 5th German Hitchhiking Championships] organized by [[Abgefahren e.V.]] starting from [[Braunschweig]].
*'''5-6 May 2012''' - [http://autostop.lt/ivykiai.php?w=77 Baltic 2012 hitchhiking race] starting from [[Vilnius]], [[Lithuania]], arranged by [[Vilnius Hitch-hiking Club]]. Check [http://www.facebook.com/events/192281097548723 Facebook event] for English description.
*'''28 April - 2 May''' [http://www.klubprzygody.pl/index.php?strona=news&id=233&dzial=autostop 15th International Hitchhiking Competition] from the [[Sopot]] to [[Dubrovnik]] organized by [http://www.klubprzygody.pl/ Polski Klub Przygody]
*'''7 April''' [http://tramprennen.org/costume-competition/ Costume competition]: hitch to Dresden in a costume organized by [http://tramprennen.org tramprennen.org]
*'''6-9 April 2012''' [[Competitive autostop]] lectures in Leipzig, Germany, organized by the [http://sporttrampen.blogspot.de DTSG]. Website in German, lectures in English.
* '''9-11 March 2012''' - [[DTSG]] organizes a 2-day race through [[Germany]], see their [http://sporttrampen.blogspot.com website] for registration & more information
* '''Until end of january 2012''' [[Quarim]] is collecting hitchhiking storys and tales to make a book from it. The book will be in german but he can translate. If you want to write your story, contact him!
*'''13-15 January 2012''' [[DTSG]] meeting in [[Leipzig]], [[Germany]]. Information {{de}} and registration e-mail to be found [http://sporttrampen.blogspot.com here]. Everybody is welcome!

'''2011'''
*'''22 August 2011''' - [http://www.tramprennen.org/en/home Tramprennen 2011] - hitchhike race for drinking water from Basel,Hamburg and Berlin to Greece. 60 Teams, 5 routes, 2 weeks!
*'''19-21 August 2011''' - [http://thumbsuprace.jimdo.com Thumbs Up Hitchhiking Race] - hitchhike race for 1000 km around Lithuania for Lithuanian Fund for Nature. Starting point at 9.30am on Vilnius Cathedral Square.
*'''8-15 August 2011''' - [http://www.writeoutloud.net/blogs/grahameccles To The Fringe with a Farthing] Graham Eccles, poet and Balloon Sculptor hitches Cornwall to Edinburgh with a Penny Farthing
*'''5 August 2011''' - [http://www.dawgrunner.net North American Hitch Hiking Race] from [[Brownsville]], [[Texas]] ([[USA]]) to [[Britt]], [[Iowa]] ([[USA]]).
*'''5 August 2011''' - [http://hitchgathering.org European Hitchhiking Gathering] in [[Kara Dere]] at the Black Sea coast of [[Bulgaria]].
*'''15-17 July 2011''' [http://na.hitchgathering.org/ North American Hitchhiking Gathering] near [[Portland]], [[Oregon]], [[USA]].
*'''11 June 2011''' - [http://race.abgefahren-ev.de/ 4th German hitchhiking championships], starting in [[Freiburg|Freiburg im Breisgau]].
*'''7 May 2011''' - [http://autostop.lt/ivykiai.php?w=75 Baltic 2011 hitchhiking race] starting from [[Vilnius]], [[Lithuania]], arranged by [[Vilnius Hitch-hiking Club]]. Check a [http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=205551412801326 Facebook event] for English description.
*'''7 May - 8 May''': hitchhiking contest from [[Ghent]] ([[Belgium]]) to a secret destination! more info: ''dreten13@gmail.com''
*'''12 May 2011''': [http://www.couchsurfing.org/meetings.html?mid=113152 First Odense International Hitchhiking Championship and Crowning] in [[Denmark]]
*'''30 April - 3 May 2011''' [http://www.autostoprace.pl/res/ASR2011_in_english.pdf Hitchhiking Race from Wrocław to Barcelona]
*'''2 May 2011''' - [http://www.couchsurfing.org/meetings.html?mid=108922 Hitchhiker's and all sorts of groovy people-gathering] in [[Göteborg]], [[Sweden]]
*'''21 April - 23 April 2011''' - [http://tramprennen.org/projects/the-60-hour-race/ The-60-hour-race] from [[Hamburg]] to as far as you can go and back, starting in Hamburg.
*'''1 April - 3 April 2011''' - [http://hitchgathering.org/vote-your-favorite-location Voting] to decide the location of the European Hitchgathering closes and pre-Meeting in [[Magdeburg]], [[Germany]]. More [[Hitchgathering/2011/Magdeburg_Meeting|here]]!
'''2010'''
*'''4 December 2010''' - [[Abgefahren e.V.]] informal meeting in [[Berlin]], [[Germany]]. 7pm, Café ''Tristeza'', Pannierstrasse 5 (U Hermannplatz).
*'''6 - 8 November 2010''' - The biggest hitchhiking-race of [[France]]: [http://poucedor.free.fr/ Pouce d’Or], from/to [[Nantes]] (See [http://www.couchsurfing.org/meetings.html?mid=93643 CS] for English)
*'''1 - 3 October 2010''' - [http://www.autostop.lt/events.php?w=53 14th anniversary of Vilnius Hitch-hiking club], [[Lithuania]]
*'''23 August - 9 September 2010''' - [http://tramprennen.org Viva con Agua Tramprennen], Hitchhike race from Hamburg, Germany to Vama Veche, Romania; [http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Tramprennen-a-hitchhike-race-for-drinking-water/118352971508371?ref=mf facebook page], about [[Viva con Agua]]
*'''21 August, 2010''' - [[North America Hitch Gathering]] in [[Boulder]], [[Colorado]], [[USA]].
*'''20 August, 2010''' - [[North America Hitch Gathering]], pre-meeting in [[Denver]], [[Colorado]], [[USA]].
*'''12 August 2010''' - [http://www.couchsurfing.org/meetings.html?mid=79755], Hitchhikers' meeting organized via [[Couchsurfing]] in [[Serbia]]. Contact [[Kipan]] (french hitchwiki) for more information!
*'''6 August 2010''' - [http://hitchgathering.org European Hitchhiking Gathering], location somewhere in [[Portugal]].
*'''1 August 2010''' - [http://hitchgathering.org European Hitchhiking Gathering], main pre-gathering in [[Barcelona]].
*'''11 - 13 June 2010''' - [http://www.autostop.lt/events.php?w=53 Lithuanian Hitchhikers Gathering] in [[Lithuania]]. [http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=114875665221503 Event's Facebook page].
*'''4 June 2010''' - [http://race.abgefahren-ev.de/ Hitchhiking race] from [[Augsburg]], [[Germany]] to [[Slovenia]].
*'''28 - 30 May 2010''' - [http://www.roadjunkyfilms.com Road Junky Travel Film Festival] in [[Berlin]], [[Germany]].
*'''1 - 3 May 2010''' - 13th International Hitchhiking Competition by [http://www.klubprzygody.pl/index.php?strona=news&id=158&dzial=autostop Polski Klub Przygody] from [[Sopot]], [[Poland]] to [[Prague]], [[Czech Republic]]
*'''28 April 2010''' - Meeting with founder and President of the World largest hitchhiking club "[[Academy of Free Travel]]" (Moscow), travel writer [[Anton Krotov]] in [[Vilnius]], [[Lithuania]], organized by [[Vilnius Hitch-hiking Club]]. Beginning on 6 pm in Vilnius Travelers Club, Kalinausko st. 9. [http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=102260603149047 In Facebook] and [http://www.autostop.lt/events.php?w=50 event page].
*'''24 - 25 April 2010''' - The 15th public hitchhiking race "Baltics 2010" Vievis - (1100km) -[[Vilnius]], [[Lithuania]] organized by [[Vilnius Hitch-hiking Club]]. [http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=110753028941245 In Facebook] and [http://www.autostop.lt/ivykiai.php?w=69 event page] ([http://translate.google.com/translate?js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=1&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.autostop.lt%2Fivykiai.php%3Fw%3D69&sl=lt&tl=en translated in English]).
*'''15 March - 23 April 2010''' - [http://www.lcdinternational.org/England_Wales/Hitch.htm The Hitch], the biggest organised fundraising hitchhiking event in the [[UK]], either towards [[Morocco]] or [[Prague]], with approx. 1,000 hitchhikers to take part!
*'''1 - 6 April 2010''' - Hitchhiking Race from [[Bratislava]] to [[Rome]] ([http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=105993492754855 info])
*'''28 - 29 March 2010''' - [http://www.liftwedstrijd.be Hitchhike contest] in [[Ghent]], [[Belgium]].
*'''13 - 14 March 2010''': [[6810|6/8/10]] coordination meeting in [[Berlin]]! If you're planning on coming, please response [http://hitchgathering.org/pre-meeting-spring-2010 to this forum entry] on the website and we keep you updated.
'''2009'''
*'''2 - 4 October 2009''' - 13th anniversary of [[VHHC|Vilnius Hitch-hiking Club]], more information & registration [http://www.autostop.lt/events.php?w=48 here].
*'''4 - 6 September 2009''' - [http://abgefahren-ev.de/hitchhikers-meeting-2009 Annual German hitchhikers meeting] near [[Heidelberg]], [[Germany]].
*''' 18 August - 2 September 2009''' - [http://www.tramprennen.org Viva con Agua Hitchhike Race, Part II]. Hitchhiking Race from [[Kiel]] to [[Dubrovnik]] for a small NGO called Viva con Agua de Sankt Pauli, located in [[Hamburg]]-St.Pauli. Aim is to call attention for the lack of drinkwater worldwide and to promote hitchhiking as a special way of travelling. See report from last year here [[http://hitchwiki.org/en/Random_Roads/Submit]].
*''' 7 - 13 August 2009''' - [http://www.the789project.com 2nd European Hitchhiking Week, '''789''']. Hitchhikers from all over the world will converge on [[Odessa]] in [[Ukraine]], [[Eastern Europe]].
* '''2 - 5 July 2009''' - [http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=104998621822 Hitch Hike to SoS 09] Hitch Hiking competition running from Sydney to Melbourne, Australia, for the upcoming Students of Sustainability conference.
* '''26 June - 5 July 2009''' - [http://www.thetrip09.ch The Trip], hitchhiking adventure game through [[Europe]], starting in [[Biel]], [[Switzerland]].
* '''26 June - 28 June 2009''' - [http://www.autostop.lt/events.php?w=47 Hitchhikers Gathering in Lithuania], annual hitchhikers meeting organized by Vilnius Hitch-hiking Club. Event is being organized every year since 1997.
* '''12 June - 13 June 2009''' - [http://race.abgefahren-ev.de Second German hitchhiking Championship], a great hitchhiking race from [[Karlsruhe]], [[Germany]] to a secret destination.
* '''15 May - 17 May 2009''' - [http://www.powertothepepper.nl/home.html Power to the Pepper] hitchhiking race from [[Rotterdam]], [[Netherlands]] to [[Prague]], [[Czech Republic]] with about 50 participants
* '''1 May - 3 May 2009''' - [http://www.klubprzygody.pl/index.php?strona=wydarzenia&id=73&dzial=autostop International Hitchhiking Championship] of [http://www.klubprzygody.pl Polski Klub Przygody] from [[Gdansk]], [[Poland]] to [[L'viv]], [[Ukraine]] with about 300 participants
* '''10 March - 30 April 2009''' - [http://www.lcd.org.uk/events/hitch/ The Hitch] is a Charity Hitch from the [[UK]] to [[Prague]] or [[Morocco]].
* '''25 April - 26 April 2009''' - [http://www.autostop.lt/events.php?w=45 14th public hitchhiking competition "Baltics 2009"] of [http://www.autostop.lt Vilnius Hitch-hiking Club] with about 100 participants
* '''25 April 2009''' - Bulgarian hitch-hiker's gathering ''Hitch-hiking with masks'' in [[Madara]] - that is, going to the gathering hitching with funny masks on! Meeting near the historical & cultural horseman monument ([http://maps.hitchwiki.org/?lat=43.27470572475911&lng=27.09949493408203&zoom=12&trip=0&view=0 map]). More detailed information on [http://stopbg.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=711 stopbg.com]

*'''26 - 30 January 2009''' - [http://hitchwiki.org/forum/?q=content/random-roadworks-workweek-amsterdam-26-30-january-2008 Random Roadworks] - Hitchwiki workweek in [[Amsterdam]]. Ever dreamed about finishing a [[Random Roads|hitchhikers magazine]]? Check out this [http://hitchwiki.org/forum/?q=content/random-roadworks-workweek-amsterdam-26-30-january-2008 forum topic].

*'''16-18 January 2009''' - [[:es:ENCUENTRO|National Backpacker's/Hitchhiker's Meeting]] at Lago Quillén, Neuquén Province in [[Argentina]].

'''2008'''
*'''13-14 December 2008''' - [http://www.couchsurfing.com/meetings.html?mid=21527 Hitchhiking chase] starting in [[Dublin]], [[Ireland]].

*''' 5-6 December 2008''' - [[Eurizons 2008: A Call for Climate Justice]]: Hitchhiking Campaign to the COP 14 (5.-6.12.08) and exhibition 'Voices from the South' in Poznan

*'''29 November 2008''' - [[Hitchhikers_Meeting_2008-11-29|Hitchhikers meeting]] in [[Enschede]], [[Netherlands]]. Check out [[Hitchhikers_Meeting_2008-11-29|this]] article for closer information!

*''' 11-12 October 2008''' The 3rd Edition of the [[BBOHC3|Big Belgian Open Hitchhiking Contest]]. Short and intense, involves hitchhiking to secret location, drinking beers and camping outside. Good clean hitchhiking fun!

*'''3-5 October 2008''' - The ''Vilnius Hitch-hiking Club'' celebrates it's 12th anniversary. For more information, check out their [http://www.autostop.lt/events.php?w=44 website].

*'''5–7 September 2008''' - The Annual [[abgefahren e.V.]] club meeting will take place at [http://maps.google.de/maps?f=q&hl=de&geocode=3590061396587339222,53.082350,8.792220%3B5107824826627978613,53.551460,8.569310&q=oberkeil&sll=53.209322,8.698425&sspn=1.135002,2.323608&ie=UTF8&ll=49.998471,11.515388&spn=0.152277,0.420914&z=12 Oberkeil] close to [[Bayreuth]]. Open for everyone. Workshops, talks, etc. More info and registration [http://meeting.abgefahren-ev.de/ here].

*'''23 August – 5 September 2008/open end''' - [http://vivaconagua.org/index.htm?post?388 Viva con Agua] hitchhiking race from [[Hamburg]]/St.Pauli to the EXPO 2008 in [[Saragossa]] with the topic ''Water and Sustainable Development''.

[[Category:Templates]]
[[fi:Malline:Tapahtumat]]
</noinclude>

Micronesia

2013-10-02T15:14:55Z

Koendev:

#REDIRECT [[Federated_States_of_Micronesia]]

A32 (Netherlands)

2013-08-16T09:08:20Z

Koendev:

The '''A32''' is a motorway in the [[Netherlands]], it leads from [[Meppel]] to [[Leeuwarden]].

{{legend}}

<map lat="52.91763966709" lng="5.9776815175864" zoom="10" view="0" float="right" width="400" height="800" />

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! style="width: 30em" | !! style="width:30em" | !! style="width: 30em" |
|-
| {{south}} (northbound) || || {{north}} (southbound)
|-
| || {{junction}} Knooppunt Lankhorst * connection to the [[A28 (Netherlands)|A28]] || |
|-
| {{average}} || (1) {{ramp}} [[Meppel]]-Zuid || {{good}}
|-
| {{good}} || (2) {{ramp}} [[Meppel]] || {{good}}
|-
| {{average}} || (3) {{ramp}} [[Meppel]]-Noord || {{average}}
|-
| {{good}} || (4) {{ramp}} Havelte || |
|-
| {{gas}} service station [[Paardeweide]] {{bad}} || || {{gas}} service station [[Bovenboer]] {{average}}
|-
| || (5) {{ramp}} Steenwijk-Zuid/Havelterberg || {{good}}
|-
| {{good}} || (6) {{ramp}} Steenwijk-Centrum || {{good}}
|-
| {{average}} || (7) {{ramp}} Steenwijk-Noord || {{average}}
|-
| || (8) {{ramp}} Wolvega || {{good}}
|-
| || (9) {{ramp}} Ter Idzard || |
|-
| {{gas}} {{rest}} service station [[De Weeren]] || || {{gas}} {{rest}} service station [[Dorpshellen]]
|-
| || (10) {{ramp}} Heerenveen-Zuid || |
|-
| {{good}} || (11) {{ramp}} Heerenveen || {{good}}
|-
| {{average}} || (12) {{ramp}} Heerenveen-Centrum || {{average}}
|-
| || {{junction}} Knooppunt Heerenveen * connection to the [[A7 (Netherlands)|A7]] || |
|-
| || || {{gas}} service station [[Smarpot]]
|-
| || (13) {{ramp}} Akkrum || |
|-
| || (14) {{ramp}} Grou || |
|-
| || (15) {{ramp}} Sneek || |
|-
| {{gas}} service station [[Mandelân]] || || |
|-
| || (-) {{ramp}} Wirdum || |
|-
| {{south}} || || {{north}}
|}

{{Highways NL}}

[[Category:Netherlands]]
[[Category:Motorways]]

Heerenveen

2013-08-16T08:53:21Z

Koendev:

{{Infobox Dutch Location
|map = <map lat="52.96089092692037" lng="5.927475204467823" zoom="12" view="0" float="right" />
|country = Netherlands
|state = Friesland
|pop = 28,497
|motorways = [[A32 (Netherlands)|A32]]
}}

'''Heerenveen''' is a city (officially a village) in the north of [[the Netherlands]].

== Hitching out ==

=== North, East as well as West towards [[Leeuwarden]], [[Groningen]] or [[Joure]] ===

The on-ramp '''Heerenveen''' on the A32 which you get to if you follow the N924/Rottumerweg is the easiest place for cars to stop. Follow the road under the highway to get to the northbound side. Use a sign because a few km after this on-ramp is a highway junction.

The other on-ramp at '''Heerenveen-Centrum''' is not good at all, because traffic is slightly fast there and has no place to stop.

=== South towards [[Steenwijk]], [[Meppel]] ===

Use the same on-ramp as described above, but in the southbound direction!

== Accommodation and Sleep ==

Right next to the highway on the eastern side is a forest called '''Oranjewoud'''. You might find a good spot to pitch your tent here without being seen.

{{IsIn|Friesland}}

[[Category:Friesland]]
__NOTOC__

Warsaw

2013-08-12T13:00:32Z

Koendev:

{{Infobox Polish Location
|country = Poland
|state = Masovian (Voivodeship)
|map = <map lat='52.232005085482086' lng='21.085853576660156' zoom='9' view='0' float='right' />
|pop = 1 709 781
|plate = WA, WB, WD, WE, WF, WH, WI,
'''WJ, WK, WN, WT, WU, WW, WX, WY''
|motorways = {{Apl|2}}
|expressways = S8 (under construction)
}}
__NOTOC__
'''Warsaw''' (Polish: ''Warszawa'') is the capital and largest city of [[Poland]]. While hitching out, in or just passing through during rush hour can take a bit longer, because there are traffic jams everywhere.

''Due to ongoing constructions for the 2nd metro line all over the city many tram lines changed their route. [http://jakdojade.pl/Welcome.jsp?locale=en Check] if the lines mentioned below really exist and go where they are supposed to go to.''

== Hitchhiking out ==

=== West towards [[Poznań]], [[Berlin]], ([[Germany]]) {{National Road Number Poland|2}} {{E|30}} ===

There are several options to hitch out of Warsaw in western direction, and the option you choose depends on your location in the city and your personal preferences.

* '''Option #1: On-ramp Warszawa-Zachód on the S8'''

This option involves the least walking and is quite close to the city centre and the western districts. To get there you have two different possibilities:

'''#1:'''Take the tram 8, 10, 26 direction ''Os. Górczewska'' and get off at ''Ciepłownia Wola''. There you can get in the bus 713 and get off at '''''Mory''''' (The first stop on public transport zone 2 (''strefa II'')). Walk back around 200m in the direction your bus came from, until the on-ramp of the new A2. Most traffic from the city centre will enter the A2 through this on-ramp. There are traffic lights, so cars have to go rather slow and there is a small shoulder to stop.

'''#2:''' Especially during rush hour, there is a faster way to get to the on-ramp at the A2: Take the ''KM3'' (short for ''Kolej Mazowieckie'') train in direction of [[Łowicz]] or [[Sochaczew]] (sometimes only going to [[Błonie]]) and get of at the station ''Gołąbki''. From the pedestrian crossing over the tracks you can already spot the highway's noise barrier to the north-west. Follow the road on the northern side of the train station to the north, turn right at the next crossing and the road should lead you through an under-bridge under the highway after a couple of minutes. After, you cross the road and arrive at the on-ramp described under ''#1''. The whole walk is around 1,5km.

You can take the trains from platform #3 at ''Warszawa Śródmieście'' which is next to the Central Station, but '''not''' the same! It is more East of the Central Station and South to the Palace of Culture and Science. Have a look at the timetables and different stations from where to take the trains on [http://www.mazowieckie.com.pl/site.php5/Show/132.html the website], since they run often just one or two times in an hour.
Tickets cost probably a few zlotys, make sure you buy one before entering the train (alternatively you can buy one in the train in the first car).

* '''Option #2: On-Ramp Warszawa-Powązkowska'''

This option is best when you have to get from the northern districts of the city to a good spot. There's no walking involved, you'll be able to get out of the bus and start hitching right away!

Take bus 103, 122, 180, 186 or 409 and get off at '''Gen. Maczka''' (Note: bus stops only on request here!). Hitch right from the bus stop where bus 186 in direction ''Szczęśliwice'' stops. Holding a sign with A2 might help to avoid inner city traffic. The S8 starts here and eventually changes into the A2 to [[Poznań]]. [http://goo.gl/maps/kizfT Streetview here].

* '''Option #3: The (unfinished) toll plaza Pruszków on A2'''

If you're close to the main railway line in the city and don't mind a bit of walking if that gives you a 100% perfect spot, then you should choose this option.

From the '''Central Station''' or one of the other stations on the main line (Wschodnia, Śródmieście, Zachodnia, Ochota, etc.), take train ''KM1'' towards '''Skierniewice''' or '''Żyrardów''' (both are good). Occasionally also ''KM7'' goes there. Get off at station '''Brwinów''' after around 30min.

Now you have to walk for around 3km to reach the toll plaza. From the station, walk in northern direction to the square. Make sure to take the right road from here, you have to take the northeastern road called ''Powstańców Warszawy''. Follow that one all the way out of the city. At some point you'll be able to see the highway and toll plaza on your left. Keep walking just a bit more, then when the road bends slightly right you'll see a crossing and a dead-end street going left straight towards the highway. Follow the street and you'll end up right at the toll plaza, cross the road and start hitching :)

* '''Option #4: The old road'''

If you wish to take the old main road DK92 (not advisable if you want to travel fast...) you can use a place which takes a bit more time to reach:

Like in ''Option #1.2'' take the ''KM3'' (short for ''Kolej Mazowieckie'') train in direction of [[Łowicz]] or [[Sochaczew]], but get out one station further at ''Ożarów Mazowiecki''.
[[File:Ożarów Mazowiecki.jpg|200px|thumb|left|The bus stop on Poznańska]]
When you get out at the station in ''Ożarów Mazowiecki'' (make sure you keep an eye out for the correct station, Ożarów Mazowiecki only has one sign at the end of the station) just leave the station to the right (facing away from Warsaw) and follow Marii Konopnickiej Street until you reach a bigger street, Poznańska (about 500m). Another few hundred meters to the East you will find a bus stop with plenty of space to stop (it's across the street from the church). It's just one lane, cars are going quite slow and you avoid a great deal of local traffic out of Warsaw. Even though this is the old main road to the West and some drivers (especially trucks) take it to avoid the highway fees, it will probably take longer than using the highway.

=== South towards [[Radom]], [[Kielce]], [[Kraków]] {{National Road Number Poland|7}} {{E|77}} ===

* '''Option 1'''
Get tram 7, 9, 35 from the city centre e.g ''Aleje Jerozolimskie'', ''Warszawa Centralna'' (Main Train Station), ''Centrum'' (Warsaw Metro station) going in the direction of '''''Okęcie''''' and get off at the last stop. Once you get there, there is a bus stop some 50 meters away from the tram terminus further down the road. It is one of the usual hitchhiking spots in Warsaw and many drivers often drive slowly to check if there are hitchhikers waiting. It also has the merit of being located some 50 meters from lights, which give the drivers some time to see you. This location has the downside of being a popular hitching spot for workers returning home for the weekend, usually to Kielce or Radom. It should be noted that for the most part, these people are not "hitchhikers", but simply individuals wishing to get a ride home, often in exchange for a small fare. As a result, rules commonly accepted amongst hitchhikers (such as waiting in line) may not be respected at this spot. To distinguish yourself from them, place your backpack in front of you and make a sign to look like a professional hitchhiker.
* '''Option 2'''
From the final stop of trams 7, 9, 35 '''''Okęcie''''' (the one mentioned above in Option 1) look for the 2PLN bus to '''''Centrum Janki''''' ([http://www.ikea.com/ms/pl_PL/img/store_images/autobusy/janki.htm timetable]), a large shopping centre some 20 kilometres from the city centre. If you can't find the free bus, take a normal city bus to Janki (Numbers 707,728,807 go up to Janki while Bus N88,Bus 706 and 807 start from Okęcie and go to the IKEA Bus Station which is also the shopping centre stop right after the Janki bus stop. In case of confusion at Okęcie while boarding the Bus, make sure you ask the Bus Driver whether the Bus is going to the IKEA Bus Stand or not. The Bus Station at the IKEA Shopping centre is called "Plac Szwedzki" (Swedish Sq.) which is right after Janki bus stop. CAVEAT: Though most people will at Okęcie tell you that all buses go to Janki, don't make the mistake of taking Bus 715 , since it turns left just before 3 stops of Janki into the Polish country side right after the Bus Stop called Sportowa. Be aware and if you take this bus, make sure you get down at Sportowa and take another bus for "Plac Szwedzki".

Once you're there at Janki Bus Station,right after that bus stop notice that the road splits into two separate roads. The earlier, eastern one which turns towards the left after the Janki Bus Station is national road no. 7 (E77) where you can hitch towards Kielce, Radom, Kraków. After getting down at "SZWEDZKI" bus stop / IKEA , get out back on this highway walk some 100m on this road till you arrive at the first bus stop which is a good spot to hitchhike.
Last verified: June 2011 (by Magda and Ron) Verified and Corrected Instructions put on 22nd August, 2011 by (Vidhi Chhariya from India)
* '''Option 3'''
From the final stop of trams 7, 9, 35 '''''Okęcie''''' take a bus 707, 721, 728 to the '''''Sękocin Las''''' stop (23 min). Hitchhike right from this bus-stop.

=== Southwest towards [[Wrocław]] {{National Road Number Poland|8}} {{E|67}}, [[Łódź]] {{National Road Number Poland|72}}, [[Katowice]] {{National Road Number Poland|1}} {{E|75}} ===

Get to shopping centre '''''Centrum Janki''''' (see direction Kraków, option 2 for details). Once you're there, notice that the road splits into two separate roads. The western one is the national road no. 8 (E67) which is located between IKEA and shopping mall. Further down the road there is a wide shoulder where you can hitch, however cars go quite fast here. If you find it hard hitchhiking there you can walk about 3km down the road to '''that''' hamburger restaurant . There's also a petrol station, it may be easier to hike from there, as most cars stop there before longer drives.

The spot described above works like a charm (May 2013); however, it is also possible to take a bus #733 and leave at any stop after the aforementioned split; it is particularly convenient in either Janki oraz Nadarzyn, as cars have to drive by more slowly.

=== North and northwest towards [[Gdańsk]] {{National Road Number Poland|7}} {{E|77}}, [[Olsztyn]] {{National Road Number Poland|51}} and [[Toruń]], [[Bydgoszcz]] {{National Road Number Poland|10}} ===
[[File:Warsaw-Wroclaw.JPG|right|thumb|250px|Spot to [[Wrocław]] (in front of Festo building) ]]
* '''Option 1'''
Go to the Metro Station ''Młociny '' and take bus [http://ztm.waw.pl/rozklad_nowy.php?c=182&l=1&a=114&n=6059&o=03&k=B 114]) towards ''Młociny-UKSW'' . Get off at the stop called '''''Dzierżoniowska ''''' (press the stop button as the bus doesn't always stop there; the list of bus stops is within the bus itself and all bus stops are visibly marked). Go back to traffic lights next to '''that'' burger restaurant, there is a lot of space for cars to stop.
* '''Option 2'''
Go to the Metro station ''Plac Wilsona'' and take bus 181 towards ''Cmentarz Północny''. Get off at the stop called '''''Dzierżoniowska''''' and from there you'll see the main road leading northwards. The road is fairly straight and has plenty of good spots to hitch-hike. An additional pro is a McD's located nearby with a toilet free of charge.

=== Northeast towards [[Białystok]], [[Kaunas]] ([[Lithuania]]) {{National Road Number Poland|8}} {{E|67}} ===

Take metro from central railway station to metro station ''Ratusz''(note tram 25 has new route) and from there any tram from metro station ''Ratusz'' going east. Get off at '''''Dworzec Wileński''''', walk right down the underground passage, walk out the other side and turn right onto the bus stop (as of Feb 2012 the crossroads are under construction). This is situated beside the big clock on the commercial building next to Carrefour super market. Catch bus 718 and get off at '''''Struga'''''. With optimal changes the whole trip takes about 60 min, but on weekend mornings the bus 718 runs only about every 30 minutes. Note that this bus goes outside of the city limits and an additional ticket is required. The first stop outside the central fare zone is a place loved by controllers, so beware. You can hitch from the traffic lights, there is a street light, which helps [[hitchhiking at night|at night]].

Also, if all of the above is bad, walk for 30 minutes from the 718 bus stop (see above), in the direction of Białystok, and you will come to traffic lights that are better for hitch hiking and where more cars stop. Note that you will have to walk near the motorway for this one, so be careful.

If you are heading to Lithuania, you might want to stop at one of the petrol stations located near the border. Last verified: February 2012.

=== Southeast towards [[Lublin]], [[Lviv]] ([[Ukraine]]) {{National Road Number Poland|17}} {{E|372}} ===

From Central Railway Station ('''''Dworzec Główny''''') get on tram 9, 24 direction ''Gocławek'' and get off at '''''Plac Szembeka''''' stop, from there, go trough the street, and bus stop in this same direction (east) is on the second side of the street. Get bus 704, 720, 722, 730 and get off at the '''''Szosa Lubelska'''''. Hitch right from the bus stop at ''Szosa Lubelska'' street.

Or from Central Railway Station ('''''Dworzec Główny''''') or from metrostation '''''Politechnika''''' take a bus #502 to the last station '''''Stara Miłosna''''', from here walk to the crossroads with ''Szosa Brzeska'', turn right and walk 500m to the aforementioned '''''Szosa Lubelska''''' stop

=== East towards [[Siedlce]] and [[Brest (Belarus)|Brest]], [[Minsk]] ([[Belarus]]) {{National Road Number Poland|2}} {{E|30}} ===

Get to the '''''Szosa Lubelska''''' station (see above). Try to hitch right from the bus stop at Szosa Brzeska.

== Public Transport ==
Black riding the Metro is quite easy. You can jump the turnstiles, walk in with someone who has a ticket (the turnstiles are big enough for two people), or if you're feeling brave, you can walk around and open the emergency exit door and walk through. None of them are alarmed, and when the door is open, it stays open and almost '''everyone''' in Warsaw automatically walks in that door instead of the turnstile. The trams and buses, including night buses, are also easy. If you want to avoid any confrontation, just enter through one of the back doors.

Much of the regular buses and trams now have more ticket controllers, as prices of tickets have been raised. Compared to other European cities tickets are still cheap and can be bought everywhere. The easiest is a single ticket for 4.40zł, about eur 1,10.

Controllers are usually undercover, but can be spotted if you know what to look for: They are almost always male, operating mostly in groups of 2. So if you see two guys at the bus stop talking with or looking at each other and then getting in at different doors, be alarmed. Also they usually wear something like a hip belt to carry their controlling stuff.

The longer distance trains are impossible to blackride unless you're clever. You can buy a student ticket if you've got an international student card, because the regular university id from the states (possibly elsewhere) won't work and the controller will have you pay the difference (most of the time).

There is a good [http://jakdojade.pl/Welcome.jsp?locale=en website] showing you how to get from one point to another by public transport in major Polish cities (in Polish and English).

== Internet ==

There's an internet café at the metro station ''Centrum''. Walk up the stairs from where the trains are to the balcony-like floor, it's located here at '''DHL Service''', nr. 2001D. Open all days from 08.00-22.00.

Free internet can be found in the Palace of Culture and Science, take the lift up to the 12th floor. One of the rooms in the corner of the floor has pc's with internet that you can use. Might be advisable to look like a student (or at least not like an unwashed traveller) to avoid being kicked out.

There is also free WiFi available in the central station (Dw. Centralna) as of May 2012.

== Organized/Paid Hitchhiking ==
* [http://www.carpooling.pl/ carpooling.pl], the Polish [[Mitfahrgelegenheit]]

[[Category:Poland]]
[[Category:E30]]
[[Category:E77]]

[[pl:Warszawa]]
[[ru:Варшава]]
[[trash:Warsaw]]

Warsaw

2013-08-12T12:52:49Z

Koendev:

{{Infobox Polish Location
|country = Poland
|state = Masovian (Voivodeship)
|map = <map lat='52.232005085482086' lng='21.085853576660156' zoom='9' view='0' float='right' />
|pop = 1 709 781
|plate = WA, WB, WD, WE, WF, WH, WI,
'''WJ, WK, WN, WT, WU, WW, WX, WY''
|motorways = {{Apl|2}}
|expressways = S8 (under construction)
}}
__NOTOC__
'''Warsaw''' (Polish: ''Warszawa'') is the capital and largest city of [[Poland]]. While hitching out, in or just passing through during rush hour can take a bit longer, because there are traffic jams everywhere.

''Due to ongoing constructions for the 2nd metro line all over the city many tram lines changed their route. [http://jakdojade.pl/Welcome.jsp?locale=en Check] if the lines mentioned below really exist and go where they are supposed to go to.''

== Hitchhiking out ==

=== West towards [[Poznań]], [[Berlin]], ([[Germany]]) {{National Road Number Poland|2}} {{E|30}} ===

There are several options to hitch out of Warsaw in western direction, and the option you choose depends on your location in the city and your personal preferences.

* '''Option #1: On-ramp Warszawa-Zachód on the S8'''

This option involves the least walking and is quite close to the city centre and the western districts. To get there you have two different possibilities:

'''#1:'''Take the tram 8, 10, 26 direction ''Os. Górczewska'' and get off at ''Ciepłownia Wola''. There you can get in the bus 713 and get off at '''''Mory''''' (The first stop on public transport zone 2 (''strefa II'')). Walk back around 200m in the direction your bus came from, until the on-ramp of the new A2. Most traffic from the city centre will enter the A2 through this on-ramp. There are traffic lights, so cars have to go rather slow and there is a small shoulder to stop.

'''#2:''' Especially during rush hour, there is a faster way to get to the on-ramp at the A2: Take the ''KM3'' (short for ''Kolej Mazowieckie'') train in direction of [[Łowicz]] or [[Sochaczew]] (sometimes only going to [[Błonie]]) and get of at the station ''Gołąbki''. From the pedestrian crossing over the tracks you can already spot the highway's noise barrier to the north-west. Follow the road on the northern side of the train station to the north, turn right at the next crossing and the road should lead you through an under-bridge under the highway after a couple of minutes. After, you cross the road and arrive at the on-ramp described under ''#1''. The whole walk is around 1,5km.

You can take the trains from platform #3 at ''Warszawa Śródmieście'' which is next to the Central Station, but '''not''' the same! It is more East of the Central Station and South to the Palace of Culture and Science. Have a look at the timetables and different stations from where to take the trains on [http://www.mazowieckie.com.pl/site.php5/Show/132.html the website], since they run often just one or two times in an hour.
Tickets cost probably a few zlotys, make sure you buy one before entering the train (alternatively you can buy one in the train in the first car).

* '''Option #2: On-Ramp Warszawa-Powązkowska'''

This option is best when you have to get from the northern districts of the city to a good spot. There's no walking involved, you'll be able to get out of the bus and start hitching right away!

Take bus 103, 122, 180, 186 or 409 and get off at '''Gen. Maczka''' (Note: bus stops only on request here!). Hitch right from the bus stop where bus 186 in direction ''Szczęśliwice'' stops. Holding a sign with A2 might help to avoid inner city traffic. The S8 starts here and eventually changes into the A2 to [[Poznań]]. [http://goo.gl/maps/kizfT Streetview here].

* '''Option #3: The (unfinished) toll plaza Pruszków on A2'''

If you're close to the main railway line in the city and don't mind a bit of walking if that gives you a 100% perfect spot, then you should choose this option.

From the '''Central Station''' or one of the other stations on the main line (Wschodnia, Śródmieście, Zachodnia, Ochota, etc.), take train ''KM1'' towards '''Skierniewice''' or '''Żyrardów''' (both are good). Occasionally also ''KM7'' goes there. Get off at station '''Brwinów''' after around 30min.

Now you have to walk for around 3km to reach the toll plaza. From the station, walk in northern direction to the square. Make sure to take the right road from here, you have to take the northeastern road called ''Powstańców Warszawy''. Follow that one all the way out of the city. At some point you'll be able to see the highway and toll plaza on your left. Keep walking just a bit more, then when the road bends slightly right you'll see a crossing and a dead-end street going left straight towards the highway. Follow the street and you'll end up right at the toll plaza, cross the road and start hitching :)

* '''Option #4: The old road'''

If you wish to take the old main road DK92 (not advisable if you want to travel fast...) you can use a place which takes a bit more time to reach:

Like in ''Option #1.2'' take the ''KM3'' (short for ''Kolej Mazowieckie'') train in direction of [[Łowicz]] or [[Sochaczew]], but get out one station further at ''Ożarów Mazowiecki''.
[[File:Ożarów Mazowiecki.jpg|200px|thumb|left|The bus stop on Poznańska]]
When you get out at the station in ''Ożarów Mazowiecki'' (make sure you keep an eye out for the correct station, Ożarów Mazowiecki only has one sign at the end of the station) just leave the station to the right (facing away from Warsaw) and follow Marii Konopnickiej Street until you reach a bigger street, Poznańska (about 500m). Another few hundred meters to the East you will find a bus stop with plenty of space to stop (it's across the street from the church). It's just one lane, cars are going quite slow and you avoid a great deal of local traffic out of Warsaw. Even though this is the old main road to the West and some drivers (especially trucks) take it to avoid the highway fees, it will probably take longer than using the highway.

=== South towards [[Radom]], [[Kielce]], [[Kraków]] {{National Road Number Poland|7}} {{E|77}} ===

* '''Option 1'''
Get tram 7, 9, 35 from the city centre e.g ''Aleje Jerozolimskie'', ''Warszawa Centralna'' (Main Train Station), ''Centrum'' (Warsaw Metro station) going in the direction of '''''Okęcie''''' and get off at the last stop. Once you get there, there is a bus stop some 50 meters away from the tram terminus further down the road. It is one of the usual hitchhiking spots in Warsaw and many drivers often drive slowly to check if there are hitchhikers waiting. It also has the merit of being located some 50 meters from lights, which give the drivers some time to see you. This location has the downside of being a popular hitching spot for workers returning home for the weekend, usually to Kielce or Radom. It should be noted that for the most part, these people are not "hitchhikers", but simply individuals wishing to get a ride home, often in exchange for a small fare. As a result, rules commonly accepted amongst hitchhikers (such as waiting in line) may not be respected at this spot. To distinguish yourself from them, place your backpack in front of you and make a sign to look like a professional hitchhiker.
* '''Option 2'''
From the final stop of trams 7, 9, 35 '''''Okęcie''''' (the one mentioned above in Option 1) look for the 2PLN bus to '''''Centrum Janki''''' ([http://www.ikea.com/ms/pl_PL/img/store_images/autobusy/janki.htm timetable]), a large shopping centre some 20 kilometres from the city centre. If you can't find the free bus, take a normal city bus to Janki (Numbers 707,728,807 go up to Janki while Bus N88,Bus 706 and 807 start from Okęcie and go to the IKEA Bus Station which is also the shopping centre stop right after the Janki bus stop. In case of confusion at Okęcie while boarding the Bus, make sure you ask the Bus Driver whether the Bus is going to the IKEA Bus Stand or not. The Bus Station at the IKEA Shopping centre is called "Plac Szwedzki" (Swedish Sq.) which is right after Janki bus stop. CAVEAT: Though most people will at Okęcie tell you that all buses go to Janki, don't make the mistake of taking Bus 715 , since it turns left just before 3 stops of Janki into the Polish country side right after the Bus Stop called Sportowa. Be aware and if you take this bus, make sure you get down at Sportowa and take another bus for "Plac Szwedzki".

Once you're there at Janki Bus Station,right after that bus stop notice that the road splits into two separate roads. The earlier, eastern one which turns towards the left after the Janki Bus Station is national road no. 7 (E77) where you can hitch towards Kielce, Radom, Kraków. After getting down at "SZWEDZKI" bus stop / IKEA , get out back on this highway walk some 100m on this road till you arrive at the first bus stop which is a good spot to hitchhike.
Last verified: June 2011 (by Magda and Ron) Verified and Corrected Instructions put on 22nd August, 2011 by (Vidhi Chhariya from India)
* '''Option 3'''
From the final stop of trams 7, 9, 35 '''''Okęcie''''' take a bus 707, 721, 728 to the '''''Sękocin Las''''' stop (23 min). Hitchhike right from this bus-stop.

=== Southwest towards [[Wrocław]] {{National Road Number Poland|8}} {{E|67}}, [[Łódź]] {{National Road Number Poland|72}}, [[Katowice]] {{National Road Number Poland|1}} {{E|75}} ===

Get to shopping centre '''''Centrum Janki''''' (see direction Kraków, option 2 for details). Once you're there, notice that the road splits into two separate roads. The western one is the national road no. 8 (E67) which is located between IKEA and shopping mall. Further down the road there is a wide shoulder where you can hitch, however cars go quite fast here. If you find it hard hitchhiking there you can walk about 3km down the road to '''that''' hamburger restaurant . There's also a petrol station, it may be easier to hike from there, as most cars stop there before longer drives.

The spot described above works like a charm (May 2013); however, it is also possible to take a bus #733 and leave at any stop after the aforementioned split; it is particularly convenient in either Janki oraz Nadarzyn, as cars have to drive by more slowly.

=== North and northwest towards [[Gdańsk]] {{National Road Number Poland|7}} {{E|77}}, [[Olsztyn]] {{National Road Number Poland|51}} and [[Toruń]], [[Bydgoszcz]] {{National Road Number Poland|10}} ===
[[File:Warsaw-Wroclaw.JPG|right|thumb|250px|Spot to [[Wrocław]] (in front of Festo building) ]]
* '''Option 1'''
Go to the Metro Station ''Młociny '' and take bus [http://ztm.waw.pl/rozklad_nowy.php?c=182&l=1&a=114&n=6059&o=03&k=B 114]) towards ''Młociny-UKSW'' . Get off at the stop called '''''Dzierżoniowska ''''' (press the stop button as the bus doesn't always stop there; the list of bus stops is within the bus itself and all bus stops are visibly marked). Go back to traffic lights next to '''that'' burger restaurant, there is a lot of space for cars to stop.
* '''Option 2'''
Go to the Metro station ''Plac Wilsona'' and take bus 181 towards ''Cmentarz Północny''. Get off at the stop called '''''Dzierżoniowska''''' and from there you'll see the main road leading northwards. The road is fairly straight and has plenty of good spots to hitch-hike. An additional pro is a McD's located nearby with a toilet free of charge.

=== Northeast towards [[Białystok]], [[Kaunas]] ([[Lithuania]]) {{National Road Number Poland|8}} {{E|67}} ===

Take metro from central railway station to metro station ''Ratusz''(note tram 25 has new route) and from there any tram from metro station ''Ratusz'' going east. Get off at '''''Dworzec Wileński''''', walk right down the underground passage, walk out the other side and turn right onto the bus stop (as of Feb 2012 the crossroads are under construction). This is situated beside the big clock on the commercial building next to Carrefour super market. Catch bus 718 and get off at '''''Struga'''''. With optimal changes the whole trip takes about 60 min, but on weekend mornings the bus 718 runs only about every 30 minutes. Note that this bus goes outside of the city limits and an additional ticket is required. The first stop outside the central fare zone is a place loved by controllers, so beware. You can hitch from the traffic lights, there is a street light, which helps [[hitchhiking at night|at night]].

Also, if all of the above is bad, walk for 30 minutes from the 718 bus stop (see above), in the direction of Białystok, and you will come to traffic lights that are better for hitch hiking and where more cars stop. Note that you will have to walk near the motorway for this one, so be careful.

If you are heading to Lithuania, you might want to stop at one of the petrol stations located near the border. Last verified: February 2012.

=== Southeast towards [[Lublin]], [[Lviv]] ([[Ukraine]]) {{National Road Number Poland|17}} {{E|372}} ===

From Central Railway Station ('''''Dworzec Główny''''') get on tram 9, 24 direction ''Gocławek'' and get off at '''''Plac Szembeka''''' stop, from there, go trough the street, and bus stop in this same direction (east) is on the second side of the street. Get bus 704, 720, 722, 730 and get off at the '''''Szosa Lubelska'''''. Hitch right from the bus stop at ''Szosa Lubelska'' street.

Or from Central Railway Station ('''''Dworzec Główny''''') or from metrostation '''''Politechnika''''' take a bus #502 to the last station '''''Stara Miłosna''''', from here walk to the crossroads with ''Szosa Brzeska'', turn right and walk 500m to the aforementioned '''''Szosa Lubelska''''' stop

=== East towards [[Siedlce]] and [[Brest (Belarus)|Brest]], [[Minsk]] ([[Belarus]]) {{National Road Number Poland|2}} {{E|30}} ===

Get to the '''''Szosa Lubelska''''' station (see above). Try to hitch right from the bus stop at Szosa Brzeska.

== Public Transport ==
Black riding the Metro is quite easy. You can jump the turnstiles, walk in with someone who has a ticket (the turnstiles are big enough for two people), or if you're feeling brave, you can walk around and open the emergency exit door and walk through. None of them are alarmed, and when the door is open, it stays open and almost '''everyone''' in Warsaw automatically walks in that door instead of the turnstile. The trams and buses, including night buses, are also easy. If you want to avoid any confrontation, just enter through one of the back doors.

Much of the regular buses and trams now have more ticket controllers, as prices of tickets have been raised. Compared to other European cities tickets are still cheap and can be bought everywhere. The easiest is a single ticket for 3.60zł, about eur 0.90.

The longer distance trains are impossible to blackride unless you're clever. You can buy a student ticket if you've got an international student card, because the regular university id from the states (possibly elsewhere) won't work and the controller will have you pay the difference (most of the time).

There is a good [http://jakdojade.pl/Welcome.jsp?locale=en website] showing you how to get from one point to another by public transport in major Polish cities (in Polish and English).

== Internet ==

There's an internet café at the metro station ''Centrum''. Walk up the stairs from where the trains are to the balcony-like floor, it's located here at '''DHL Service''', nr. 2001D. Open all days from 08.00-22.00.

Free internet can be found in the Palace of Culture and Science, take the lift up to the 12th floor. One of the rooms in the corner of the floor has pc's with internet that you can use. Might be advisable to look like a student (or at least not like an unwashed traveller) to avoid being kicked out.

There is also free WiFi available in the central station (Dw. Centralna) as of May 2012.

== Organized/Paid Hitchhiking ==
* [http://www.carpooling.pl/ carpooling.pl], the Polish [[Mitfahrgelegenheit]]

[[Category:Poland]]
[[Category:E30]]
[[Category:E77]]

[[pl:Warszawa]]
[[ru:Варшава]]
[[trash:Warsaw]]

A2

2013-08-10T20:38:42Z

Koendev:

The '''A2''' is the name for motorways in many countries:
* In [[Germany]] the [[A2 (Germany)|A2]] from the [[Ruhr Area]] to [[Berlin]].
* In the [[Netherlands]] the [[A2 (Netherlands)|A2]] from [[Amsterdam]] to [[Belgium]].
* In [[Romania]] the [[A2 (Romania)|A2]] ('''Sun's Motorway''') from [[Bucureşti|Bucharest]] to [[Constanţa]] (75% completed).
* In [[France]] the [[A2 (France)|A2]] from [[Valenciennes]] to [[A1 (France)|A1]].
* In [[Poland]] the [[A2 (Poland)|A2]] from [[Świecko]] to [[Warsaw]].
{{disambig}}

[[Category:Motorways]]

Košice

2013-08-08T14:50:05Z

Koendev:

{{Infobox Location
|country = Slovakia
|state =
|map = <map lat='48.71588399049119' lng='21.23931884765625' zoom='11' view='3' float='right' />
|pop = 234,600
|plate = KE, KS
|motorways = [[D1 (Slovakia)|D1]]
}}

'''Košice''' is the second largest city in [[Slovakia]].

== Hitchhiking out ==

===North towards [[Prešov]], [[Poprad]]===

On the ring road is a bus stop called ''Monok''. You can take bus 33 here, but it only goes very rarely. Better is to take bus 71, 72 from the city centre (''Námestie osloboditeľov'') or 17 from the bus station and get off at ''Kalinovska''. It's the first stop after you cross the ring road. From here, walk back until the long left bend, around 150m. Here you turn right down a gravel path and walk 100m to the next road. Cross at the zebra and follow the road down to the hitching spot.

=== South towards [[Miskolc]] ([[Hungary|HU]]) {{E|79}} {{E|71}} ===

When heading for Hungary you will see that the [[Milhosť-Tornyosnémeti border crossing]] is quite close, with not many towns on the way. Take tram 3, 4, 7 or 9, or buses 12, 34, 31 or 38 to VSS Križovatka station, which is under a bridge. Then continue walking on the road going south, in the opposite direction from the city center -- this is the only road to Hungary)-- or take tram 4 for two more stops. After walking for a while you will see on your right a large statue of the Pope, with a nice empty bus station to hitchhike from. It's best to hold a large H sign.

If you wish to continue to [[Budapest]] or other points, try to avoid entering [[Miskolc]] and instead ask your driver to drop you out before the road becomes motorway, and continue from there.
[[trash:Košice]]

[[Category:Slovakia]]
[[Category:E58]]

Deventer

2013-08-08T14:29:42Z

Koendev:

{{Infobox Dutch Location
|map = <map lat='52.253' lng='6.183' zoom='12' view='3' />
|country = Netherlands
|state = Overijssel
|pop = 79,240
|motorways = [[A1 (Netherlands)|A1]]
}}
'''Deventer''' is a city in the eastern [[Netherlands]], on the banks of the river IJssel, in the province of [[:Category:Overijssel|Overijssel]].

== Hitchhiking out ==

=== East towards [[Enschede]], [[Osnabrück]], [[Berlin]], as well as west towards [[Apeldoorn]] and [[Amsterdam]] (A1) ===

Get bus '''56''' to [[Borculo]] or '''81''' to [[Zutphen]], and get out at bus stop '''carpoolplaats A1''' (about a 10 minute ride). Eastbound lane starts south of the viaduct, westbound lane is north. Lots of space to stop. In my opinion, better than some '''official''' hitchhiking places.

*[http://g.co/maps/3yn83 Streetview] of the eastbound on-ramp.

=== North towards [[Zwolle]] (N337) ===

Take bus '''2''' or '''3''' and ride it all the way till the end, busstop ''Platvoet''. Walk around 100m in western direction to the roundabout and turn right. The place to stand is where the parallel road and main road connect, just after the roundabout and literally opposite restaurant ''De Zomertuin''.

=== South towards [[Zutphen]] ===

Route 1) Take bus '''56''' (Zutphen) or '''81''' (Borculo) and get off at ''Het Pessink''. Hitch from the bus stop on the N348. Traffic can be quite fast here, not a very good spot.

Route 2) The alternative, more fun route. From the city center, walk across the ''Wilhelminabrug'', the big bridge over the river. Continue walking untill the crossing of the N344 and N790. Hitch right from the beginning of the N790. The whole walk is around 2,5km.

If you hate walking try the spot at the roundabout called ''Emmaplein'', next to the ''Boreel'' shopping centre. Most traffic from here goes in the direction of [[Twello]] and [[Apeldoorn]], so you'll probably have to get out at the intersection of the N344 and N790, but then you've saved yourself the walk!

Every village you'll pass on the way will have good spots to hitchhike from, where traffic is slow. From Gietelo you won't be following the N790 anymore, but instead the N345.

{{IsIn|Overijssel}}

[[Category:Overijssel]]
[[Category:Route Amsterdam - Berlin]]
[[Category:E30]]

__NOTOC__

Presov

2013-08-08T13:59:35Z

Koendev:

#REDIRECT [[Prešov]]

Prešov

2013-08-08T13:57:11Z

Koendev:

{{Infobox Location
|country = Slovakia
|state =
|map = <map lat='49.0' lng='21.233333' zoom='12' view='3' float='right' />
|pop = 91 498
|plate = PO
|motorways = [[D1 (Slovakia)|D1]]
}}

'''Prešov''' is the third largest city in [[Slovakia]], after [[Bratislava]] and [[Košice]].

== Hitchhiking out ==

=== South towards [[Košice]], [[Miskolc]] ([[Hungary|HU]]) {{European Route Number|50}} D1 ===

The best place to hitchhike is near the train and bus station (''Železničná stanica''), about 10 minutes on foot from the city center. When walking away from the center towards the TESCO supermarket, you will see traffic lights. You can hitchhike immediately after the lights. The road to [[Košice]] has a lot of traffic and waits are rarely longer than 10 minutes. Write an H in circle or HU for [[Hungary]], or a KE sign for Košice.

=== East towards [[Humenné]], [[Ukraine]], North towards [[Bardejov]], [[Rzeszów]] ([[Poland|PL]]) {{European Route Number|371}} ===

Take trolleybus #1 from the train station (''Železničná stanica''). Get down at very last stop. On the right side of the street there is a good place to hitchhike. This is quite a busy road with many trucks going to Poland or Ukraine.

You can get somewhat further out of the city by taking bus 20 in the direction ''Ľubotice''. Get off at the stop ''Stražnicka'' and walk forward into the same direction as the bus until the end of the street. Turn left, walk further and then turn right. The busy road you see ahead of you is the E371, and you can hitch from the bus stop at the intersection.

The road splits after the village of Kapušany. Write a PL sign for Poland (via the [[Barwinek-Vyšný Komárnik border crossing]]), BJ sign for [[Bardejov]], SK for [[Svidnik]], or HE for [[Vranov nad Topľou]], HE for [[Humenné]].

== Public transport ==
It is possible to cross from one end of the city to the other by public transport in about 40 minutes. An adult ticket for a bus or trolleybus is 0.50€. It is best to buy a ticket, because ticket controls are strict and controllers may bring the police in to take your personal information from your ID or passport.

[[Category:Slovakia]]
[[Category:D1 (Slovakia)|D1]]
[[Category:E371]]

__NOTOC__

Warsaw

2013-08-08T13:52:47Z

Koendev:

{{Infobox Polish Location
|country = Poland
|state = Masovian (Voivodeship)
|map = <map lat='52.232005085482086' lng='21.085853576660156' zoom='9' view='0' float='right' />
|pop = 1 709 781
|plate = WA, WB, WD, WE, WF, WH, WI,
'''WJ, WK, WN, WT, WU, WW, WX, WY''
|motorways = {{Apl|2}}
|expressways = S8 (under construction)
}}
__NOTOC__
'''Warsaw''' (Polish: ''Warszawa'') is the capital and largest city of [[Poland]]. While hitching out, in or just passing through during rush hour can take a bit longer, because there are traffic jams everywhere.

''Due to ongoing constructions for the 2nd metro line all over the city many tram lines changed their route. [http://jakdojade.pl/Welcome.jsp?locale=en Check] if the lines mentioned below really exist and go where they are supposed to go to.''

== Hitchhiking out ==

=== West towards [[Poznań]], [[Berlin]], ([[Germany]]) {{National Road Number Poland|2}} {{E|30}} ===

* '''Option #1:'''

Take the tram 8, 10, 26 direction ''Os. Górczewska'' and get off at ''Ciepłownia Wola''. There you can get in the bus 713 and get off at '''''Mory''''' (The first stop on public transport zone 2 (''strefa II'')). Walk back around 200m in the direction your bus came from, until the on-ramp of the new A2. Most traffic from the city centre will enter the A2 through this on-ramp. There are traffic lights, so cars have to go rather slow and there is a small shoulder to stop.

* '''Option #2:'''

Especially during rush hour, there is faster way to get to the on-ramp at the A2: Take the ''KM3'' (short for ''Kolej Mazowieckie'') train in direction of [[Łowicz]] or [[Sochaczew]] (sometimes only going to [[Błonie]]) and get of at the station ''Gołąbki''. From the pedestrian crossing over the tracks you can already spot the highway's noise barrier to the north-west. Follow the road on the northern side of the train station to the north, turn right at the next crossing and the road should lead you through an under-bridge under the highway after a couple of minutes. After, you cross the road and arrive at the on-ramp described in ''Option #1''.

You can take the trains from platform #3 at ''Warszawa Śródmieście'' which is next to the Central Station, but '''not''' the same! It is more East of the Central Station and South to the Palace of Culture and Science. Have a look at the timetables and different stations from where to take the trains on [http://www.mazowieckie.com.pl/site.php5/Show/132.html the website], since they run often just one or two times in an hour.
Tickets cost probably a few zlotys, make sure you buy one before entering the train (alternatively you can buy one in the train in the first car).

* '''Option #3:'''

This option is best when you have to get from the northern districts of the city to a good spot. Take bus 103, 122, 180, 186 or 409 and get off at '''Gen. Maczka''' (Note: bus stops only on request here!). Hitch right from the bus stop where bus 186 in direction ''Szczęśliwice'' stops. Holding a sign with A2 might help to avoid inner city traffic. The S8 starts here and eventually changes into the A2 to [[Poznań]].

* '''Option #4:'''

If you wish to take the old main road S92 you can use a place which takes a bit more time to reach:

Like in ''Option #2'' take the ''KM3'' (short for ''Kolej Mazowieckie'') train in direction of [[Łowicz]] or [[Sochaczew]], but get out one station further at ''Ożarów Mazowiecki''.
[[File:Ożarów Mazowiecki.jpg|200px|thumb|left|The bus stop on Poznańska]]
When you get out at the station in ''Ożarów Mazowiecki'' (make sure you keep an eye out for the correct station, Ożarów Mazowiecki only has one sign at the end of the station) just leave the station to the right (facing away from Warsaw) and follow Marii Konopnickiej Street until you reach a bigger street, Poznańska (about 500m). Another few hundred meters to the East you will find a bus stop with plenty of space to stop (it's across the street from the church). It's just one lane, cars are going quite slow and you avoid a great deal of local traffic out of Warsaw. Even though this is the old main road to the West and some drivers, especially trucks, take it to avoid the highway fees it will probably take longer then using the highway.

=== South towards [[Radom]], [[Kielce]], [[Kraków]] {{National Road Number Poland|7}} {{E|77}} ===

* '''Option 1'''
Get tram 7, 9, 35 from the city centre e.g ''Aleje Jerozolimskie'', ''Warszawa Centralna'' (Main Train Station), ''Centrum'' (Warsaw Metro station) going in the direction of '''''Okęcie''''' and get off at the last stop. Once you get there, there is a bus stop some 50 meters away from the tram terminus further down the road. It is one of the usual hitchhiking spots in Warsaw and many drivers often drive slowly to check if there are hitchhikers waiting. It also has the merit of being located some 50 meters from lights, which give the drivers some time to see you. This location has the downside of being a popular hitching spot for workers returning home for the weekend, usually to Kielce or Radom. It should be noted that for the most part, these people are not "hitchhikers", but simply individuals wishing to get a ride home, often in exchange for a small fare. As a result, rules commonly accepted amongst hitchhikers (such as waiting in line) may not be respected at this spot. To distinguish yourself from them, place your backpack in front of you and make a sign to look like a professional hitchhiker.
* '''Option 2'''
From the final stop of trams 7, 9, 35 '''''Okęcie''''' (the one mentioned above in Option 1) look for the 2PLN bus to '''''Centrum Janki''''' ([http://www.ikea.com/ms/pl_PL/img/store_images/autobusy/janki.htm timetable]), a large shopping centre some 20 kilometres from the city centre. If you can't find the free bus, take a normal city bus to Janki (Numbers 707,728,807 go up to Janki while Bus N88,Bus 706 and 807 start from Okęcie and go to the IKEA Bus Station which is also the shopping centre stop right after the Janki bus stop. In case of confusion at Okęcie while boarding the Bus, make sure you ask the Bus Driver whether the Bus is going to the IKEA Bus Stand or not. The Bus Station at the IKEA Shopping centre is called "Plac Szwedzki" (Swedish Sq.) which is right after Janki bus stop. CAVEAT: Though most people will at Okęcie tell you that all buses go to Janki, don't make the mistake of taking Bus 715 , since it turns left just before 3 stops of Janki into the Polish country side right after the Bus Stop called Sportowa. Be aware and if you take this bus, make sure you get down at Sportowa and take another bus for "Plac Szwedzki".

Once you're there at Janki Bus Station,right after that bus stop notice that the road splits into two separate roads. The earlier, eastern one which turns towards the left after the Janki Bus Station is national road no. 7 (E77) where you can hitch towards Kielce, Radom, Kraków. After getting down at "SZWEDZKI" bus stop / IKEA , get out back on this highway walk some 100m on this road till you arrive at the first bus stop which is a good spot to hitchhike.
Last verified: June 2011 (by Magda and Ron) Verified and Corrected Instructions put on 22nd August, 2011 by (Vidhi Chhariya from India)
* '''Option 3'''
From the final stop of trams 7, 9, 35 '''''Okęcie''''' take a bus 707, 721, 728 to the '''''Sękocin Las''''' stop (23 min). Hitchhike right from this bus-stop.

=== Southwest towards [[Wrocław]] {{National Road Number Poland|8}} {{E|67}}, [[Łódź]] {{National Road Number Poland|72}}, [[Katowice]] {{National Road Number Poland|1}} {{E|75}} ===

Get to shopping centre '''''Centrum Janki''''' (see direction Kraków, option 2 for details). Once you're there, notice that the road splits into two separate roads. The western one is the national road no. 8 (E67) which is located between IKEA and shopping mall. Further down the road there is a wide shoulder where you can hitch, however cars go quite fast here. If you find it hard hitchhiking there you can walk about 3km down the road to '''that''' hamburger restaurant . There's also a petrol station, it may be easier to hike from there, as most cars stop there before longer drives.

The spot described above works like a charm (May 2013); however, it is also possible to take a bus #733 and leave at any stop after the aforementioned split; it is particularly convenient in either Janki oraz Nadarzyn, as cars have to drive by more slowly.

=== North and northwest towards [[Gdańsk]] {{National Road Number Poland|7}} {{E|77}}, [[Olsztyn]] {{National Road Number Poland|51}} and [[Toruń]], [[Bydgoszcz]] {{National Road Number Poland|10}} ===
[[File:Warsaw-Wroclaw.JPG|right|thumb|250px|Spot to [[Wrocław]] (in front of Festo building) ]]
* '''Option 1'''
Go to the Metro Station ''Młociny '' and take bus [http://ztm.waw.pl/rozklad_nowy.php?c=182&l=1&a=114&n=6059&o=03&k=B 114]) towards ''Młociny-UKSW'' . Get off at the stop called '''''Dzierżoniowska ''''' (press the stop button as the bus doesn't always stop there; the list of bus stops is within the bus itself and all bus stops are visibly marked). Go back to traffic lights next to '''that'' burger restaurant, there is a lot of space for cars to stop.
* '''Option 2'''
Go to the Metro station ''Plac Wilsona'' and take bus 181 towards ''Cmentarz Północny''. Get off at the stop called '''''Dzierżoniowska''''' and from there you'll see the main road leading northwards. The road is fairly straight and has plenty of good spots to hitch-hike. An additional pro is a McD's located nearby with a toilet free of charge.

=== Northeast towards [[Białystok]], [[Kaunas]] ([[Lithuania]]) {{National Road Number Poland|8}} {{E|67}} ===

Take metro from central railway station to metro station ''Ratusz''(note tram 25 has new route) and from there any tram from metro station ''Ratusz'' going east. Get off at '''''Dworzec Wileński''''', walk right down the underground passage, walk out the other side and turn right onto the bus stop (as of Feb 2012 the crossroads are under construction). This is situated beside the big clock on the commercial building next to Carrefour super market. Catch bus 718 and get off at '''''Struga'''''. With optimal changes the whole trip takes about 60 min, but on weekend mornings the bus 718 runs only about every 30 minutes. Note that this bus goes outside of the city limits and an additional ticket is required. The first stop outside the central fare zone is a place loved by controllers, so beware. You can hitch from the traffic lights, there is a street light, which helps [[hitchhiking at night|at night]].

Also, if all of the above is bad, walk for 30 minutes from the 718 bus stop (see above), in the direction of Białystok, and you will come to traffic lights that are better for hitch hiking and where more cars stop. Note that you will have to walk near the motorway for this one, so be careful.

If you are heading to Lithuania, you might want to stop at one of the petrol stations located near the border. Last verified: February 2012.

=== Southeast towards [[Lublin]], [[Lviv]] ([[Ukraine]]) {{National Road Number Poland|17}} {{E|372}} ===

From Central Railway Station ('''''Dworzec Główny''''') get on tram 9, 24 direction ''Gocławek'' and get off at '''''Plac Szembeka''''' stop, from there, go trough the street, and bus stop in this same direction (east) is on the second side of the street. Get bus 704, 720, 722, 730 and get off at the '''''Szosa Lubelska'''''. Hitch right from the bus stop at ''Szosa Lubelska'' street.

Or from Central Railway Station ('''''Dworzec Główny''''') or from metrostation '''''Politechnika''''' take a bus #502 to the last station '''''Stara Miłosna''''', from here walk to the crossroads with ''Szosa Brzeska'', turn right and walk 500m to the aforementioned '''''Szosa Lubelska''''' stop

=== East towards [[Siedlce]] and [[Brest (Belarus)|Brest]], [[Minsk]] ([[Belarus]]) {{National Road Number Poland|2}} {{E|30}} ===

Get to the '''''Szosa Lubelska''''' station (see above). Try to hitch right from the bus stop at Szosa Brzeska.

== Public Transport ==
Black riding the Metro is quite easy. You can jump the turnstiles, walk in with someone who has a ticket (the turnstiles are big enough for two people), or if you're feeling brave, you can walk around and open the emergency exit door and walk through. None of them are alarmed, and when the door is open, it stays open and almost '''everyone''' in Warsaw automatically walks in that door instead of the turnstile. The trams and buses, including night buses, are also easy. If you want to avoid any confrontation, just enter through one of the back doors.

Much of the regular buses and trams now have more ticket controllers, as prices of tickets have been raised. Compared to other European cities tickets are still cheap and can be bought everywhere. The easiest is a single ticket for 3.60zł, about eur 0.90.

The longer distance trains are impossible to blackride unless you're clever. You can buy a student ticket if you've got an international student card, because the regular university id from the states (possibly elsewhere) won't work and the controller will have you pay the difference (most of the time).

There is a good [http://jakdojade.pl/Welcome.jsp?locale=en website] showing you how to get from one point to another by public transport in major Polish cities (in Polish and English).

== Internet ==

There's an internet café at the metro station ''Centrum''. Walk up the stairs from where the trains are to the balcony-like floor, it's located here at '''DHL Service''', nr. 2001D. Open all days from 08.00-22.00.

Free internet can be found in the Palace of Culture and Science, take the lift up to the 12th floor. One of the rooms in the corner of the floor has pc's with internet that you can use. Might be advisable to look like a student (or at least not like an unwashed traveller) to avoid being kicked out.

There is also free WiFi available in the central station (Dw. Centralna) as of May 2012.

== Organized/Paid Hitchhiking ==
* [http://www.carpooling.pl/ carpooling.pl], the Polish [[Mitfahrgelegenheit]]

[[Category:Poland]]
[[Category:E30]]
[[Category:E77]]

[[pl:Warszawa]]
[[ru:Варшава]]
[[trash:Warsaw]]

Template:Cities Poland

2013-08-08T13:51:51Z

Koendev:

Poland

2013-08-08T13:49:56Z

Koendev:

{{infobox Country
|country = Poland
|language = Polish
|capital = [[Warsaw]]
|map = <map lat='52' lng='19' zoom='5' view='0' country='Poland' />
|pop = 38,135,876
|currency = Złoty (PLN)
|hitch = <rating country='pl' />
|BW = PL
}}
'''Poland''' is a member state of the [[European Union]] as well as the [[Schengen Agreement]]. It is an awesome country for hitchhiking and even one of the most hitchhiker friendly countries in whole Europe. Many drivers generally believe that others do not stop and that hitchhiking days are over in Poland, which however does not prevent hundreds of them from stopping. Since 1958 till the beginning of 90's hitchhiking in Poland was an official way of traveling organized by National Tourist Board, when hitchhikers had their ID with [[insurance]] included and drivers could win prizes every year. Thousands of people were hitchhiking through all these years – and most of them have cars today, so very often do they repay the debt.

=== General Hitchhiking Info ===
Quite common way to [[hitchhiking|hitchhike]] in Poland is to stand on the side of the road with your hand extended and/or thumb pointing upwards. Some hikers also wave their hands up and down, which is widely understood as ''"I only need a short ride"''. This way of hitchhiking is popular between villagers and high school students who look for a lift for a short distance. They very rarely write their destination on a [[signs|sheet of paper]] or piece of cardboard. Waving is enough to make a driver stop.

Travellers looking for a longer ride usually make a sign with the name of a city they're going to or through. Some drivers prefer to take travellers and tourists. Because of this it's a good idea to place your backpack in front of you and make a sign which makes you look like a ''professional hitchhiker''.

[[File:Krakow_to_ukraine.JPG|left|thumb|250px|Hitchhiker in [[Kraków]]]]

=== Tips ===
[[CB radio]] is quite popular in Poland not only among truck drivers, which might help in getting a ride. If you're lucky they can ask other drivers to take you further. You might even ask them gently to do that, especially in bad weather conditions or by night.
Hitching by night is possible in Poland but not easy. On national roads try to find bright spot where drivers can see you. Use bright clothes. The best options are petrol stations where you can speak with the drivers while they fill up the tank.

'''Public transport''' While staying in bigger cities check [http://jakdojade.pl/Welcome.jsp?locale=en jakdojade.pl]. It will find for you every single connection between point A and B within city limits and show ticket price, route on google, bus stops names and timetables. Just write the name of a street where you are in a form called "Z" (or pick a point on google map) and the place you want to go in form "DO". It will do the rest.

=== Hitchhiking at night ===
On small roads it is to be avoided for sure as the traffic is low at night and the light even worse. On a spot with good light you can still try your luck. On the motorways it works perfectly good, maybe better than everywhere else in Europe. On the petrol stations the light is good and people are very helpful and will not be comfortable with the idea to leave you there over night, especially when it rains or it is cold, what is quite often the case in this country.

=== Borders ===
As mentioned above Poland joined [[Schengen Agreement]] which means there is no more passport control on the borders with Lithuania, Slovakia, Czech Republic and Germany. In most places there are still speed limits on the borders, there are also parking lots, toilets and currency exchange offices, which makes these places pretty good spots for hitchhiking. On newly built roads however there are no speed limits anymore. To Ukraine you can go by foot in Medyka, but not in Korczowa!!! (there you can wait for 3 hours because there are too many cars.)

=== Roads ===
Even though the Polish road network has improved enormously over the last two decades, by Western European standards, Poland has still quite a poorly developed road infrastructure. The road network consists of motorways (''autostrada'') i.e. A2, expressways (''droga ekspresowa'') with lower speed limits than motorways i.e. S6, national roads (''droga krajowa''), which are mostly single lane i.e. 92 and other regional roads. At the moment there is a lot of investment in the road network, especially since Poland hosted the European Football Championship final tournament in 2012.
[[File:Autostop.JPG|260px|thumb|right|Restaurant on a Polish service station (A4) :-)]]
Except for the motorways and expressways, it is generally acceptable to hitchhike on the side of the road in almost any suitable place. Unlike many European states, the police are generally friendly towards hitchhikers as long as they behave properly. Some of the newly-refurbished national roads have "no pedestrians" signs near major towns, but it's still uncommon. This means that if you plan to go through any major town in your journey, it is usually better to exit the car before arriving in the city - otherwise, you might have to walk till the end of the no-pedestrians area.
On motorways and expressways the best place to hitchhike is either a sliproad or, preferably, one of the petrol stations or toll booths.

See also: 
[[Changes in Polish motorways and expressways network|Up-to-date info about investments in Polish motorways and expressways network on Google Maps]] 
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roads_and_expressways_in_Poland Roads and expressways in '''Poland'''] 

=== Language ===
[[File:Guaka-hitching-in-poland-2008.jpg|thumb|right|220px|[[User:Guaka|guaka]] hitching in Poland]]
According to a 2009 survey by CBOS [http://www.cbos.pl/SPISKOM.POL/2006/K_177_06.PDF] (Polish survey office), roughly 46% of Poles declare they can communicate in at least one foreign language. Generally, 24% of Poles speak English, 20% speak Russian, 12% speak [[Germany|German]]. Other languages spoken are [[France|French]] (2%), [[Czech Republic|Czech]], [[Slovakia|Slovak]] and other Slavic languages. According to the similar survey in 2006 [http://www.cbos.pl/SPISKOM.POL/2009/K_111_09.PDF], among the youngsters (students and pupils) the percentage to speak at least one foreign language reached 77, as compared to 59% of those under 35 and 40% of those between 35 and 54 years of age. According to a another survey prepared in late 2005 by TNS Opinion & Social for the European Commission, the percentage of people who speak one foreign language decently is 57%. At the same time roughly 32% are bi-lingual and 4% tri-lingual [http://www.egospodarka.pl/13770,Znajomosc-jezykow-obcych-w-Europie,1,39,1.html]. Except for younger people, foreign languages (mostly [[England|English]]) are commonly spoken by businessmen and educated people (87%), urban populations (50%) and small business (48%). However, it is hard to predict the knowledge of languages of a driver by his car as educated people in '''Poland''' are generally poorly-paid.

Apart from the people who speak foreign languages, a vast majority of Poles do understand some basic constructions of other Slavic languages and of English. Due to World War II history and the number of war films created afterwards, also some basic words of the German language are commonly known.

=== Communication & Dictionary ===
The Polish language is generally hard to learn for most native English speakers. Even the most basic constructions you might need while on the road require the usage of quite complicated grammar and the use of grammatical gender, proper declension and a number of other categories non-existent in modern English. However, contrary to French or German people, Poles are generally friendly towards foreigners who try to speak their language. Because of that do not be afraid to commit mistakes. They might at times sound funny, but most Polish people would be astonished by the fact that you tried. That said some Polish drivers may find local hitchhikers suspicious as they are scared of crime. Foreign hitchhikers are excluded from this fear because nobody might expect a foreigner to have nothing better to do than pretending to be a hitchhiker and steal from their drivers. So when your Polish skills are good enough that people will not recognize you as a foreigner, mention it as well.

Apart from the basic set of words and constructions found in every guidebook, there are some words hitchhikers might find particularly useful. Check also the Wikipedia articles on [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polish_language Polish language] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polish_phonology Polish phonology] for more info on proper pronunciation. You can buy a decent guidebook or dictionary in any major town in '''Poland'''.
* hitchhiking – autostop / stop (“awto-stop] / [stop“)
* hitchhiker – autostopowicz (“awto-stopovich“)
* we're travelling to... – jedziemy do... (“yeh-dzhye-mee doh“)
* Where is the best place to hitchhike to...? – Skąd najlepiej łapać stopa do...? [skont nay-leh-pyey wapach stopa do...“)
* Which way to...? – Którędy do...? (“ktoo-ren-dee doh“)
* Where is the nearest...? – Gdzie jest najbliższy...? (“g'dzhe yest nay-bleezh-shee“)
* motorway exit for... – zjazd na... (“zyazd nah“)
* phone booth – budka telefoniczna (“boot-ka teh-leh-fonn-eech-nah“)
* bus stop – przystanek (“pshee-stah-nek“)
* train station – dworzec (“dvoh-zhets“)
* filling station – stacja benzynowa (“stats-yah behn-zee-nova“)
* ATM – bankomat (“bankomat“)
* dictionary – słownik (“swoh-v-nick“)
* guidebook/guide – przewodnik (“psheh-vod-nick“)
* map / plan – mapa / plan (“mah-pah] [pla-n“)
* road shoulder – pobocze (“poh-boh-cheh“)
* lane – pas (“pass“)
* Good morning - Dzien dobry ("dzhehn dobri")
* Good bye - Do widzenia ("do veedzehnah")
* See you later - Do zobaczenia ("do zobahchehnah")
* It's nice to meet you - Milo mi ("meewo mee")
* Excuse me - Przepraszam ("pshehprahshahm")
* Yes - Tak ("tahk")
* No - Nie ("neh")
* Please - Prosze ("prosheh")
* Thank you - Dziekuje ("dzhehnkooyeh")
* Hello - Dzien dobry ("dzhehn dobri")
* I'm sick - Jestem chory ("yehstehm hori")

See also the Polish dictionary in Hitchwiki's [[Eastern Europe phrasebook]].

=== Number plates ===
Here you find a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Plcarplates379v06.png#file map] with the car registration plate codes of '''Poland'''.
It facilitates hitching at spots where you can see a car registration plate (petrol stations, borders, traffic lights)and choose the proper one. In short, the plates consist of two or three letters and four digits. The first letter denotes the voivodeship (region) and is followed by one or two letters denoting a major town. Usually voivodeship capitals and major towns have two letters, while smaller towns have three. For instance cars from Warsaw could have plates ranging from WA XXXX to WZ XXXX, while all cars from [[Nowy Dwór Mazowiecki]] have WND XXXX plates.

When you see some English, Swiss or German registration plates, they still might be Polish people there, on vacation to their former homeland.

== Border crossings ==

=== [[Belarus]] ===
The most exhausting border crossing with long waiting ques and hassles to recieve the visa. Police has the reputation to be quite rude, but this is not the case every time.

* "[http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=13034915224636727578,52.069786,23.642091&saddr=2%2FE30+%4052.069786,+23.642091&daddr=52.073732,23.673027&mra=mi&mrsp=1,0&sz=16&sll=52.074073,23.666546&sspn=0.008573,0.022745&ie=UTF8&ll=52.070116,23.646183&spn=0.068588,0.181961&z=13 Warsaw Bridge]" (Варшавский мост) – the biggest crossing point located on [[E30]] near [[Terespol]]. Crossing is possible only in a vehicle. Opposite to what you could guess, the crossing is hassle free and the police not more unfriendly than elsewhere. Prepare yourself for long waiting time, if there is a lot of traffic, even very long waiting time. Even when there are just two or three cars in front of you, you can find yourself waiting for several hours.
* "[http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=18391996812509845743,52.106891,23.558036%3B5287091177967822326,52.110654,23.561225&saddr=68+%4052.106891,+23.558036&daddr=52.116665,23.564816&mra=dme&mrcr=0&mrsp=1&sz=16&sll=52.114886,23.566296&sspn=0.008565,0.022745&ie=UTF8&ll=52.516221,24.483032&spn=2.172906,5.822754&z=8 Kozlovichi]" (Козловичи) – for trucks only. Located at the north-western edge of the Belarussian city Brest.
* "[http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=13433892993726185330,51.771666,23.569832%3B8225709824099370420,51.760479,23.611216&saddr=63+%4051.771666,+23.569832&daddr=Unknown+road+%4051.760479,+23.611216&sll=51.766075,23.590525&sspn=0.017263,0.04549&ie=UTF8&ll=52.722986,25.378418&spn=4.325896,11.645508&z=7 Domachevo]" (Домачево) – vehicular crossing located some 40 kilometres south of the Belarussian city Brest.

=== [[Czech Republic]] ===

No controls, part of the Schengen zone.

=== [[Germany]] ===

No controls, part of the Schengen zone. When crossing to Germany, custom controlls might get on your nerves from time to time.

* [[Jędrzychowice border crossing]]
* [[Świecko border crossing]]

=== [[Lithuania]] ===

No controls, part of the Schengen zone.

=== [[Russia]] ===

* [[Bagrationovsk-Bezledy border crossing]] with Russia's [[Kaliningrad Oblast]]

=== [[Slovakia]] ===

No controls, part of the Schengen zone.

* [[Barwinek-Vyšný Komárnik border crossing]]

=== [[Ukraine]] ===

* [[Dorohusk-Jahodin border crossing]]
* [[Hrebenne-Rava Ruska border crossing]]
* [[Shegyni-Medyka border crossing]]
* [[Korczowa-Krakovets border crossing]]

== Links ==
* [[Overview of good hitchhiking spots from former website Digimer Autostop]]
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roads_and_expressways_in_Poland Roads and expressways in Poland]

{{hitchbase_country|155}}
{{IsIn|Eastern Europe}}
{{Cities Poland}}
{{Voivodeships Poland}}
{{Template:Europe/countries}}
__NOTOC__
[[trash:Poland]]

[[Category:Poland| ]]

[[de:Polen]]
[[es:Polonia]]
[[fi:Puola]]
[[fr:Pologne]]
[[pl:Polska]]
[[ru:Польша]]
[[tr:Polonya]]

Wałbrzych

2013-07-21T18:57:51Z

Koendev:

{{Infobox Polish Location
|country = Poland
|state = Lower Silesian (Voivodeship)
|map = <map lat="50.772608999101415" lng="16.303756726436678" zoom="11" view="0" float="right" />
|pop = 120,197
|plate = DW
|motorways =
|expressways =
}}

'''Wałbrzych''' is a city in the [[Dolnośląskie|Lower Silesian Voivodeship]] in [[Poland]]. Wałbrzych is a very long, spread out city in north/south direction, with many small villages and cities around it. That's why it can be hard to hitch in, out or around the city. Be sure of where you're getting off when you want to hitch further.

== Hitching out ==

=== North towards [[Wrocław]] {{National Road Number Poland|35}}, [[Świebodzice]] ===

A good spot seems to be close to the city centre, right next to the train station ''Wałbrzych Miasto''. There's a bus stop on the crossing of the road 35 and 11 Listopada street. Even though the city continues for a few more kilometers north, this is the end of the south part of the city, so there must be some chance to get a ride.

=== North-east towards Wrocław (road 379), [[Swidnica]] ===

An alternative route to Wrocław is via Swidnica on road 379. On the crossing of 11 Listopada and Strzegomska is a good spot, right next to a park called ''Rusinowa''. To get here from the city centre, walk along Piłsudskiego street in north-eastern direction, then turn right at the end. Here you'll find a bus stop where you can already hitch, but you can also choose to walk 2,5km more along 11 Listopada to the spot mentioned.

=== South-east towards [[Nowa Ruda]], [[Kłodzko]] ===

From the city centre, walk along Piłsudskiego street in north-eastern direction, then turn right at the end. Here's a bus stop where you can hitch from. The next crossing is 2,5km away and it has a good spot too in direction Kłodzko, so it might be worth it to wait for a ride here. It usually comes faster than you can walk ;)

=== South towards [[Mieroszów]], [[Czech Republic]] {{National Road Number Poland|35}} ===

On the crossing of road 35/Al. Niepodległości is a bus stop, just after the sharp turn in the road. From the city centre, just follow Al. Niepodległości in eastern direction until you get to road 35.

=== West to [[Kamienna Góra]] ===

Just after the big junction (in clover leaf shape) of road 35 and 367 there's a gas station and bus stop on the 367 (Ul. 1 Maja). The bus stop is right after Skarżyska street. Walk out of the city centre on ul. 1 Maja in western direction until you see the gas station.

== Accommodation and Sleep ==

There are more than enough forests around the city, just walk up one of the forested hills and pitch your tent!

== Other useful info ==

In the area are some of the underground 'cities' belonging to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Riese| Project Riese]. Some of them are completely closed, some are exploited commercially, but there are others that you can explore on your own. Be sure to have a good headlamp :) Check the link for exact locations of the entrances.

{{IsIn|Poland}}
[[Category:Poland]]
__NOTOC__

Walbrzych

2013-07-19T16:26:59Z

Koendev:

#REDIRECT [[Wałbrzych]]

Wałbrzych

2013-07-19T16:25:26Z

Koendev:

Ukraine

2013-07-13T17:50:28Z

Koendev:

{{Infobox Country
|country = Ukraine
|in = Eastern Europe
|map = <map lat='49' lng='32' zoom='5' view='0' float='right' width='430'/>
|language = Ukrainian, Russian
|capital = Kiev ([[Kyiv]])
|pop = 45,900,000 (2012 estimate)
|currency = Hryvnia (UAH)
|BW = UA
|hitch = <rating country='ua' />
|hitchbase = 201
}}
'''Ukraine''' is one of the biggest countries in [[Europe]]. Hitchhiking works pretty well here, although areas like the Crimean peninsula can be quite challenging during the hot summer months. You can hitchhike anywhere along the roadside, even on real motorway like the Kyiv-[[Odessa]] road.

The biggest problem you could encounter is that few people speak English or other foreign languages. Some command of Russian (the Communist-era lingua franca and many Ukrainians' native language) or Ukrainian is advisable. Polish is also widely understood. When the language barrier is overcome, Ukrainians are generally hospitable and open people.

When hitchhiking in Ukraine, do not be surprised if you are occasionally asked for money from drivers. It is rare, but it does happen. It is useful to learn some phrases to let the driver know you are an international hitchhiker and travelling for free. However, like other European countries, truck drivers always recognize hitchhikers and know they are travelling for free.

The state of the roads are pretty dire in general, and the biggest problem is that the distances involved are usually pretty big (for example [[Lviv]] to [[Kyiv]] is around 550 km, 8 hours of driving). Getting an early start is essential.

== Weather ==
In winter Ukraine can get very cold, for example in January 2006, it hit −35 °C, which makes hitchhiking very dangerous. The cost of train travel is very cheap – usually around one Euro for every 100 km (for overnight sleeping carriages), so bear that in mind when going from city to city.
It might be hot in summer (up to +35 °C), so don't forget to take a hat with you to protect yourself from lots of sunbathing.

== Food ==

Of course you can get stuck easily on the motorway next to a turn-off from the main road because of nightfall. But there is also nice night-traffic of trucks caused by warm weather from May to September. Usually, there are some gas stations near to such places and there some favorite and famous places for stops known by drivers – something like unofficial rest-stations (there are no official but a lot of unofficial ones). You can easily find something to eat and to drink there and at almost all gas-stations there are night-shops. You can eat in some road-restaurants, they may be not expensive for foreigners from countries like the EU states – you can probably have some nice dinner there for US$7–10 (2008).

== Crimes ==

Crimes related to hitch-hiking are not common in Ukraine. But a hitchhiker should avoid cars with drunken drivers or passengers. When you are a single girl it's better to find truck or a car with family for your safety. Avoid night rides with “funny” drivers. Keep your money (carry a bank card instead of a lot of cash) and phone in a safe place.

== Cities ==
* [[Izmail]]
* [[Kamianets-Podilskyi]]
* [[Kyiv]]
* [[Lviv]]
* [[Kharkiv]]
* [[Odessa|Odesa]]
* [[Mukachevo]]
* [[Simferopol]]
* [[Uzhgorod]]

== Border crossing ==

* [[Belarus]]
** [[Skytok-Novaya Guta border crossing|Skytok-Novaya Guta]]
* [[Hungary]]
** [[Chop-Záhony border crossing|Chop-Záhony]]
* [[Poland]]
** [[Dorohusk-Jahodin border crossing|Dorohusk-Jahodin]]
** [[Hrebenne-Rava Ruska border crossing|Hrebenne-Rava Ruska]]
** [[Shegyni-Medyka border crossing|Shegyni-Medyka]]
* [[Romania]]
** [[Dyakove-Halmeu border crossing|Dyakove-Halmeu]]
** [[Sighetu Marmației-Solotvyno border crossing|Sighetu Marmației-Solotvyno]]
** [[Siret-Porubnoe border crossing|Siret-Porubnoe]]

== Further Information ==
* [http://ua_autostop.livejournal.com Ukrainian hitchhiking community] {{ru}}, but you can ask questions and get replies in {{en}}
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=IE-WQ3rvmW4 Short video summary of the Ukrainian World Championship qualifiers in 2012]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=IE-WQ3rvmW4 Video footage] of a hitchhiker's tour through Ukraine, giving an idea of the roads travellers will encounter there.

{{Template:Europe/countries}}
__NOTOC__
[[trash:Ukraine]]

[[Category:Ukraine| ]]

[[de:Ukraine]]
[[es:Ucrania]]
[[fr:Ukraine]]
[[ru:Украина]]

Rava-Ruska

2013-07-13T17:42:02Z

Koendev:

'''Rava-Ruska''' is a city in [[Ukraine]].

==Hitching Out==
===North towards [[Poland]]===

If a driver leaves you inside the city center, just walk along the road towards Poland for about 1 km. After a while, you'll get to a bus stop. There even trucks can stop and bring you the last couple of kilometers to the [[Hrebenne-Rava_Ruska_border_crossing|border crossing]].

[[Category:Ukraine]]