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'''Calais''' is a port town in the north west of [[France]] on the [[English channel]]. At just 34 km from the British port of [[Dover]], ''Calais'' is the closest port to mainland [[United Kingdom|Britain]] and one of the busiest cross-channel ports on continental [[Europe]]. Regular ferry services operate from '''Calais''' to [[Dover]] (''P&O'' and ''Seafrance'', each with over 20 crossings per day). The best alternative to Calais is [[Dunkerque]].Note: Dunkerque port is not in Dunkerque but a few miles out. Also there are only a couple of ferries that leave per day from there which makes hitching difficult. == Hitching Hitchhiking Out == 

Most You can [[English channel|cross the English Channel]] to Dover for free if you find your lift before you board the ferry - tickets are paid for by vehicle and ''not by passenger''. The limit is two for a lorry (more if there's more seats) and several with a car. While looking for a lift, '''tell people that extra passengers are free''', as many don't know about it.  The best place to start hitchhiking is probably the parking lot near the ticket office. Ask people before they buy their tickets, since they have to declare the number of passengers when buying the ticket. This is good because you can show that you're not a drug smuggler, and can explain that there's no charge for extra passengers. The drawback is that many people parked here will just be waiting to pick up foot passengers due to arrive on a boat. Also, most drivers headed to England will already have bought their tickets onlinein advance and will not come through here. The  Tip: wait INSIDE the ticket office (the staff don't care) and ask people as they walk in if they are driving, and if they will take you. Most people will be foot passengers but some are drivers who are getting a last minute ticket. This is important as everyone must declare how many car passengers they have in advance, so of you hitch a car you will be adding to that number , which will end up costing £10 at the gate. Catching people before they have bought their ticket therefore is essential. Usually telling people you “just want a lift onto the ferry, that’s all” works a treat.  Experiences with waiting by the side of passengers the road are mixed; with some people getting picked up after ten minutes, and others waiting the entire day without success. Ask around the parking lot before trying to thumb your way through. A good place to stand is next to the speed bumps that cars go over as they are approaching passport control. Stand between the two lanes and you'll be visible to cars going straight to the ferry as well as those going to the ticket office. Keep on your toes, though; this isn't the safest place to stand. '''Hitchhiking with bikes across the Channel''' is possible! Some people reported finding a lift in vans and mobile homes after waiting about 1 hour with their bikes at the parking lot and next to the speed bumps. It could be an exceptional luck... More positive reports are needed to rely on this possibility. Lifts:You can easily change cars in the harbour terminal, after ticket and passport control and before boarding the ferry (you will usually have 40 minutes). Find a lift before coming to Calais, and you might well have some time before the ferry leaves, especially so if you've come with a lorry. Use this time well, walk around the ticket inspectors sometimes go crazy huge parking areas (which is perfectly fine) and talk to as many people waiting for their ferries as you can. You'll often be able to get a better lift, especially one going past London if you're going north. Changing rides after the number first ticket check but before getting on the ferry comes with slight risk ask you'd be getting into a car that doesn't have you listed on their ticket doesn.   However, [[User:Zenit|Zenit]] followed said strategy successfully in May 2011 - P&O don't match with check the tickets again as you enter the ferry (only as you enter the port), Seafrance ''might''. It might be a bad idea to let the vehicle that brought you into the port in the first place cross without you, in case somebody checks the number of passengers in on the ticket while boarding the ferry. You can also switch cars while on the ferry and avoid this problem, you just won't have quite as much time to do so. Tip: the crossing takes about 1.5 hours. Walk around the ferry, go up onto the deck. Chat to people and find out where they are going. This is the carbest time to find a new lift.

Besides the ferries there is You can also get across via the tunnel as a possibility to get over[[Channel Tunnel]]. Cars and lorries get loaded onto a train which takes them overacross. The price is also the same for each vehicleas well, not no matter how many persons there are in the car.However, it is very difficult to get a ride at the tunnel entrance itself, because the road has about 15 lanes coming directly from the motowaymotorway, the cars are going quite fast and the drivers will concentrate on finding their correct lane, so most of them won't see you. Also the The staff is quite unfriendly and you will be sent away (remember though that this also applies if you try to hitch too much into far inside the ferry port). Most people are being told that hitching by the tunnel entrance is illegal (which is probably doubtful).'''Just in case, ask your driver not to mention that you're hitchhiking.'''

So All in all, the ferry is definitely the much better option , but whatever optionhowever you plan on handling things, it is definitely better 's best to find somebody to manage its crossing 'take you across (or at least into the ferry terminal) before' arriving in you get to Calais.

'''Important If you do have to know: the trucks park buy a foot passenger ticket, bear in the ferry so close mind that it's not possible to open the doorscosts 39 euros. That means that you'll spend more than 1.5 hour closed in a box with a stranger and the driver can only take one person legally - and they check your IDs on the entrance so none of them will take the risk of a fine there. I don't know if it is like this on every ferry and all the time, but it's not recommended to go with any trucks on a ferry!'''

There are UK passport controls in Calais and if you do not have the proper papers (depending on your nationality even if you do have the right papers), you will encounter a lot of hassle, including being denied entry. Worse, the friendly driver who gave you a ride might also face delays and even fines. As with any border crossing, it helps a lot if you look respectable and clean, even if you travel on a EU or similarly accepted passport and have money (or better, a credit card) to support yourself. '''UK border control will very often ask for the address where you're staying''', so have an address in mind beforehand! Any hostel, friend's house, or random address from google maps should do. Just be prepared to answer a lot of questions. "I'm gonna sleep wherever I find a nice spot to pitch my tent" is unfortunately not an acceptable answer.  Upon arrival in Dover, UK customs also have a tendency to check far more cars than any other EU country, the . The UK is '''not''' part of the [[Schengen Agreement]], so you might consider leaving the ferry as a foot-passenger to save your driver a potentially substantial delay! (Not This is not possible if you arrived using ''Norfolklines''.)

If you look respectable, are from Personal experience: I tried in August 2011 to hitch a respectable country, [[USA]], [[Australia]], [[New Zealand]]ride onto the P&O ferry to Dover, to name and I had no problem getting a few, you are unlikely ride. I checked the US Dept. of State webpage beforehand to have any problems entering see what was required for entry into the UK, even as and it says only a hitchhikervalid passport. Show However, the Home Office agents denied me (a US citizen with a valid passport from [[Somalia]], [[Pakistan]] or [[Iran]]) because I didn't have set travel plans with addresses/reservations where I would be staying (including for that very night), to name a few that are somewhat less respectable in the eyes ticket out of the UK governmentcountry, expect lots proof of hassleemployment, including or bank statements. I'm not sure what of that would have sufficed, but having none of it and being denied entrya hitchhiker definitely did me in.

As with any border crossing, it helps if If you look respectable, 're coming from the ferries and you don''even''' if you come t manage to get a ride to [[Paris]] then get ANY ride from the EU or respectable countries, boat and have money (or better, a credit card) get off at the first service station to support yourselfchange there.

[[Dunkerque]] might be an alternative  Option 1 A1 highway Train to cross the Channel. ''Norfolklines'' sails Audruicq walk 5 km to [[Dover]], '''but does not carry foot-passengers''' La Montoire there is SMALL Aire de Zutkerque rest stop  Option 2 A16 highway Hitchike to Escalles town and sailings are less frequent, only every two hours.walk 7 km to Hauteville there is Total fuel station on A16 highway (walking there from Calais is 15 km)

To get out of the ferry terminal, the best trick is to follow the signs for the motorway to Lille and eventually you'll get to a big roundabout with the road leading uphill with a bay where vehicles can stop next to the "no pedestrians" signs that all the other hitchers have written all about :) stand by the signs and you'll get a brave trucker to stop for you. Almost all car traffic heads south Paris way, and it's a nightmare getting back onto the motorway if you come off there, so try to flag down someone with a sign saying D or PL. Standing at the roundabout itself is quite tragic as you will be watching migrants trying to get into England constantly running up and down trying to sneak into a truck.  If you're going far and/or don't care about speed so much, there's a huge ''lorry park'' on the motorway a few kilometres from Calais from where you can easily get direct lifts to many places all over Europe ([[Belgium]], [[Netherlands]], [[England]], [[Germany]], [[Poland]], [[Spain]], [[Czech Republic]], [[Austria]] and [[Turkey]] should easily be possible). Be aware that a truck is legally only allowed to have one driver and one passenger (except if there's more seats), so it's a lot harder to find a ride for two people hitching together. If you are just hitching into [[Belgium]] you're probably better off finding a ride while on the ferry, to a petrol station in [[Belgium]].  Turkish lorry drivers are often very kind and help you searching for a lift. You often ask one of them and he talks to all his fellow countrymen – you often ask all of them by asking one, and end up having dinner with them :-). Their German is often better than their English but they really try to do their best to communicate.

The best trick is You can also get out of the city centre towards the highway N°16 next to walk out the ferry terminalMcDonalds at Rue Gutenberg (bus stop Galerie Saint Pierre, bus #02). Don't stay directly at the McD, but go through the tunnel under the highway and follow stand right in the signs for bend that leads the cars directly onto the motorway highway. Cars are not too fast here and can stop easily - most of them will go to Lille and eventually Dunkerque (Dunkirk), if you'll want to cross the border to Belgium, it could be on better to wait for a big roundabout with the road leading uphill with a bay car that vehicles can stop goes straight until De Panne or Ostende. == Extra information == * When on next the ferry try to find the "no people" signs that all Commercial Drivers Restaurant on one of the other hitchers have written all over :) stand by the signs and floors. If you can get in, you'll get a brave trucker stop for free drink (hot chocolate, tea, coffee, soft drink), however if you wish to buy food it will cost you. Almost all car traffic head south Paris wise* Whilst waiting in the queue for your time to board the ferry, after the passport check, and its you can try to change rides in order to get onto an earlier boat or to a nightmare getting back better destination. Just walk around asking people that have an earlier leaving time than yours. Since you've passed the passport check, they should not be afraid to take you. You can see the departure time on the motorway if paper that is usually on their car or truck windows. This can save you come off therea lot of time.-> I did this a few times and it was fine. But once I had two overly ambitious workers who asked me what I'm doing when I walked around. Told them I'm just heading to my car, so try but when we borded they checked our paperthing in the window to see if it had the right number of passengers on it (which it luckely had). Never happened to flag someone me before, but then again, I walked around with a sign saying D or PLbig backpack. So maybe leave your stuff in the car to ask around. Just make sure to be back in time. The bording sometimes beginns way earlier than the actuall leaving time of the ferry. * You can also change rides inside the ferry, especially when it has arrived in the port and people are getting to their cars and waiting to exit. Just go around looking at number plates and asking around. Hurry, though, you don't want to be left on foot when all the cars are leaving.-> Wouldn't recommend. There is very little time between going down to the cars and the cars leaving. Rather ask around during the crossing while on deck. == Ferrys Timetable ==