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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 people will already have bought their You can [[English channel|cross the English Channel]] to Dover for free if you find your lift before you board the ferry - tickets onlineare paid for by vehicle and ''not by passenger''. The number of 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 on probably the ticket and parking lot near the ticket inspectors sometimes go crazy if 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 have bought their tickets in advance and will not come through here. Tip: wait INSIDE the ticket doesnoffice (the staff don't match with the number of 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 cargate. 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.

Besides Experiences with waiting by the ferries there is also side of the tunnel as a possibility to get over. Cars road are mixed; with some people getting picked up after ten minutes, and lorries get loaded onto a train which takes them overothers waiting the entire day without success. The price is also Ask around the same for each vehicle, not matter how many persons are in the carparking lot before trying to thumb your way through.However, it A good place to stand is very difficult next to get a ride at the tunnel entrance itself, because speed bumps that cars go over as they are approaching passport control. Stand between the road has about 15 two lanes coming directly from and you'll be visible to cars going straight to the motoway, the cars are ferry as well as those going quite fast and to the drivers will concentrate ticket office. Keep on finding their correct laneyour toes, so most of them wonthough; this isn't see you. Also the staff is quite unfriendly and you will be sent away (remember though that this also applies if you try safest place to hitch too much into the port. Most people are being told that hitching by the tunnel entrance is illegal (which is probably doubtful)stand.

So '''Hitchhiking with bikes across the ferry Channel''' is definitely possible! Some people reported finding a lift in vans and mobile homes after waiting about 1 hour with their bikes at the much better option but whatever option, it is definitely better parking lot and next to the speed bumps. It could be an exceptional luck... More positive reports are needed to manage its crossing 'before' arriving in Calaisrely on this possibility.

'''Important to knowLifts: You can easily change cars in the trucks park in harbour terminal, after ticket and passport control and before boarding the ferry so close that it's not possible (you will usually have 40 minutes). Find a lift before coming to open Calais, and you might well have some time before the doors. That means that ferry leaves, especially so if you'll spend more than 1.5 hour closed in a box ve come with a stranger lorry. Use this time well, walk around the huge parking areas (which is perfectly fine) and the driver talk to as many people waiting for their ferries as you can only take . You'll often be able to get a better lift, especially one person legally - and they going past London if you're going north. Changing rides after the first ticket check your IDs but before getting on the entrance so none of them will take the ferry comes with slight risk of ask you'd be getting into a fine there. I doncar that doesn't know if it is like this have you listed on every ferry and all the time, but it's not recommended to go with any trucks on a ferry!'''their ticket.

If However, [[User:Zenit|Zenit]] followed said strategy successfully in May 2011 - P&O don't check the tickets again as you do have enter the ferry (only as you enter the port), Seafrance ''might''. It might be a bad idea to buy a foot passenger ticket, bear in mind let the vehicle that it has tripled brought you into the port in price the first place cross without you, in case somebody checks the number of passengers on the ticket while boarding the last year (!) 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 now 39 eurosthe best time to find a new lift.

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''.) Personal experience: I tried in August 2011 to hitch a ride onto the P&O ferry to Dover, and I had no problem getting a ride. I checked the US Dept. of State webpage beforehand to see what was required for entry into the UK, and it says only a valid passport. However, the Home Office agents denied me (a US citizen with a valid passport) because I didn't have set travel plans with addresses/reservations where I would be staying (including for that very night) , a ticket out of the country, proof of employment, or bank statements. I'm not sure what of that would have sufficed, but having none of it and being a hitchhiker definitely did me in. === South towards Paris === If you're coming from the ferries and you don't manage to get a ride to [[Paris]] then get ANY ride from the boat and get off at the first service station to change there.   

If you think you will fall in the latter category, you might consider spending the money Train to buy a foot-passenger (return) ticket yourself Audruicq walk 5 km to avoid causing trouble for your driver, although that does not in any way reduce the risk that you're denied entry either in France or upon arrival in Dover. Note theres not foot-passenger ferries during the night, till 6-7am and the terminal building La Montoire there is closed for night. SMALL Aire de Zutkerque rest stop

[[Dunkerque]] might be an alternative Option 2 A16 highway Hitchike to cross the Channel. ''Norfolklines'' sails Escalles town and walk 7 km to [[Dover]], '''but does not carry foot-passengers''' and sailings are less frequent, only every two hours.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, and follow but go through the signs for tunnel under the motorway to Lille highway and eventually you'll be on a big roundabout with stand right in the road leading uphill with a bay bend that vehicles leads the cars directly onto the highway. Cars are not too fast here and can stop on next easily - most of them will go to the "no people" signs that all the other hitchers have written all over :Dunkerque (Dunkirk) stand by the signs and you'll get a brave trucker stop for you. Almost all car traffic head south Paris wise, and its a nightmare getting back on the motorway if you come off therewant to cross the border to Belgium, so try it could be better to flag someone with wait for a sign saying D car that goes straight until De Panne or PLOstende.

== Extra information ==* When on the ferry try to find the Commercial Drivers Restaurant on one of the floors. From there If you can get in, you'll get a free drink(hot chocolate, tea, coffee, soft drink), however if you wish to buy food it will cost you. * Whilst waiting in the queue for your time to board the ferry, after the passport check, you can try to change rides in order to get onto an earlier boat or to a 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 paper that is usually on their car or truck windows. This can save you a 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, 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 me before, but then again, I walked around with a big 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.

* Whilst waiting in the queue for your time to board You can also change rides inside the ferry, after especially when it has arrived in the passport check, you can try port and people are getting to change rides in order their cars and waiting to get on an earlier boatexit. Just walk go around looking at number plates and asking people that have an earlier leaving time than yoursaround. Since Hurry, though, you passed passport check they should not don't want to be afraid left on foot when all the cars are leaving.-> Wouldn't recommend. There is very little time between going down to take youthe cars and the cars leaving. You can see it on Rather ask around during the paper that is usually crossing while on their car or truck windows. This can save you a lot of timedeck.