Changes

This route is widely perceived to be difficult. If you are lucky it can be easy if you get to a Turkish truck. Take bus #27 from the centre (e.g. Kamara) until the very end of the line. [UPDATE: bus #83 no longer starts where bus #27 finishes. Instead ask your #27 bus driver where to get off for bus #83] Switch to bus #83 and go a few stops until you see the motorway. Get off at Filothei (Φιλοθέη) when you see a JetOil BP Oil in green colour rest area on the other side of the motorway. Just follow the bus and go under the motorway to reach the other side. Once you are there, rally the petrol station personnel to help you (they are very nice!). Show them your Istanbul (or Kavala or whatever) sign and ask them to tell you if they notice someone going to Turkey. Be prepared to convince the paranoid drivers that you are not wanted by the police and show them your passport. Getting a ride can take anything between one minute and five hours. If it just does not work at the petrol station see the options below (thumbing up on the road etc). Also, there should be a toll station (peage) about [http://hitchwiki.org/maps/?place=6374 15 km east of Lagynas], near Analipsi (where bus #83a is supposed to go). When you get to the border you might want to switch to a passenger car because the truck could be stuck in customs for a while. Bus #83 goes all the way to Lagkadas (Λαγκαδάς). If you stay on the bus until it reaches this small town, you can try hitching out in the direction of Kavala, Istanbul, etc.

AttentionUpdate (July 2022): The Jetoil rest area the options listed above are extremely outdated and not very helpful. This route is now rebranded to 'BP Oil' in green colourstill difficult, but there are better options.

Another option: Bus #1) with bus number 83 goes all you can get to Laguna from where there's about 20 minutes walk to the way to Lagkadasknot that ties local road 2 and highway 2. If Here you stay on can get directly to the entrance of the bus until it reaches this small town, highway for Kavala where you can try hitching filter out in any cars not going your way. The traffic is very slow but the direction of Kavala, Istanbul, etccars can stop and they get a good look at you.There's a gas station about 30km down before Evangelios

=== North-West 2) The highway entrance after BP near Megalohare kantina is still very local, but there's enough traffic so it's possible to hitch longer rides. Since Greeks don't stop often we opted to go for the first ride which brought us to [[Skopje]] ([[North Macedonia]]) ===the 3rd option

"Don3) 40,7214723, 22,9740939 or the spot right after the exit for Laguna is risky. The cars drive fast so be careful and there't bother s a high probability the highway patrol tells you to hitch hike get off. However we hitched a ride within 5 minutes with a Kavala sign as there are a lot of Turkish truck drivers going from Athens to the border!!!Istanbul.

There is a free bus from the city centre to the border! These buses belong to the casinos you can find at the border just before Gevgelija. You can find theses buses on Tsimiski street. They None of these options are easy to recognize (perfect, but they seem way more likely than the name BP station since 4-5 hours of the casino is printed on the bus, and it is written "free shuttle")hitchhiking there yielded only 2 rides going to Kilkis. The buses leave at 17:00 Since we changed strategy we only needed about an hour and 21:00 though, so it might be quicker to hit the road directly, but more comfortable taking the busa half in total. Good luck!

Take a bus #8 (or #31?) Option 1:Don't bother to hitch hike to the border! There are free busses from Egnatias street in the city centre which belong to KTEL (last stop)the casinos across the border just before Gevgelija. You can also take bus #45 which goes between KTEL Makedonia and KTEL Halkidiki (you want to go to ''Makedonia''). Then switch to bus #81 which you can find these buses on the upper platformTsimiski street. Afterwards, you can do different things. You can get off at a first bus stop after you drive over the highway Athens-Skopje - [http://g.co/maps/3qj6m here]. Be careful, the first big crossing you going They are easy to come to is recognize (the crossing with name of the ring road (you are going to driver underneath it) while only the next on casino is the one you need (you are going to drive above it). Then you have to walk almost 2km backwards (if you walk fast it takes 20 minutes) and you can hitch printed on the junction to the highway to Skopje. Howeverbus, if the bus goes into Agios Athanasios you can better get off and find your way from there (it seems that this bus goes differently depending whether it is #81 or #81A written "free shuttle"). The buses leave at 17:00 and depending on some external stuff; you can talk to the driver to make sure)21:00 so only useful for arriving in Skopje at night.

Bus 81A from KTEL busstation to Agios AthanasiosOption 3:Actually hitch hike. Got off when it turns from Highway EO2 effectively runs down the highwaycenter of Thessaloniki to Edessas. From there hitched to Polykastro It's a normal road (called "Monastiriou", "Egnagia" and another ride got me to others) up until the junction with the borderring road (A2/E90). You can walk down it (going north-west) while hitch hiking. At There are gas stations along it where you can hitch hike. Just past the border asked ring road there is a stop light before the ramp where you can hitch hike. Just beyond that there is a very big shoulder where you can hitch hike. Continue following EO2 from there for 10km (in a car by now ideally) and you are at Agios Athanasios as in front of me for a ride, which got me option 2 above. Take the exit to A1/E75 to Skopje. Standing on the highway there, it was very quiet

Take Buses #31, #12, #8 or #78 to the bus station called KTEL. From there take bus #80 or #80A to the village called ''Malgara''(some of these buses don't go all the way to Malgar). You can go down out on the station stop "''25 Martiou''" which is the closest to the tolls but on the bus, it's announced differently (in Greek ''ikostis pemptis martiouIkostis Pmptis Martiou'' if you want to ask the driver). There you can ask and find the Malgara Toll Station toll station (in Greek ''diodia'') on E75 easily. You'll have to walk about 2 km to find it, but then there is a possibility to get a ride even straight to Athens. Before you enter the motorway where the toll station is, you will have to go through some fields. If it's night be careful, just before the motorway there is a small ridge that is a bit steep and there is water flowing down, you need to find your way around it. If it's day, from the fields you can see a small canteen on the motorway, head to that direction, you can bypass the ridge there very easily and also you don't need to jump the fence (easy to jump though) because there is an entrance/exit for the canteen. From the canteen you will see the tolls, they are less than 50 m away.

[edit] Some of these buses don't go all the way to Malgara so you have to get out at one stop in the middle of nowheren before the bus turns back to Thessaloniki and wait for another bus with the same or different number that goes to Malgara. It can be a little confusing so the best way is to tell someone on the bus where you want to go and let them tell you when to get off for the next bus and the station ''ikostis pemptis martiou''. (September 2019) For those not wanting to take a bus or want to hitch closer to the city (and aren't scared to walk), go to the the A1 motorway going towards Athens. It runs right beside the city centre. Starting from near the train station after walking 2kms 2 km you will arrive at the international bus station. From there it's a 6km walk along the motorway to where the E90 highway joins on to the A1 road to Athens. This is a good spot due to the high amount of Turkish trucks coming straight from the border and bypassing the city as well as any traffic coming from the north. Stand at the end of the onramp where there is a shoulder for traffic to pull over and you can get a ride to Larissa or even Athens.

* This way is faster as you don't need to stay on bus #27 so long. Take bus #27 or #27a and get off at Minerva stop in Oreokastrou suburb. If you walk some hundreds of meters from the bus stop where you get off, in the direction the bus was going, you will reach a crossroads and on your left you will see another bus stop. From there you can take bus #84.* This way is easier because you don't need to change bus stops, it is the way mentioned in the Northeast to Sofia section. Take the bus #27 or #27a from the centre the the final s top ''Platia Stavroupolis'' (Stavroupolis square). Then at the same place take bus #84 / #84a and you're already on your way.

There are many hospitality network members in Some have had luck asking the citygood people at Mikropolis/Micropolis Social Space, so try your luck there(see [http://wikimapia.org/#lat=40.6360852&lon=22.939539&z=17&l=0&m=s&v=9&show=/13098671/Mikropolis]). They were very friendly and could advise on where to squat for the night.  === Camping ===

Some have had luck asking the good people at Mikropolis/Micropolis Social Space, (see [http://wikimapia.org/#lat=40.6360852&lon=22.939539&z=17&l=0&mThe university campus ==s&v=9&show= The university campus in Thessaloniki is just in the city centre and it seems to be a perfect place to sleep in your van/13098671tent/Mikropolis]sleeping bag, but IT IS NOT!  It's '''NOT SAFE THERE''' ''(upd.2022)''. The drug business moved there, as unbelievable as it sounds. They were very friendly People selling drugs and could advise on fighting over things related to them, passerbys get attacked. If someone has a van maybe it's okay. But sleeping in a tent or sleeping bag is an invitation to get robbed. It's the worst place to sleep, really. Plus, starting from 2019 it is a place where a lot of immigrants sleep. Police has no right to squat enter that area because of some tragic past, i.e. it's ideal place for the nightdrug sellers and crime. ====Forest Recreational Center====

=== Camping =Airport====

The university campus in Thessaloniki is just in the city centre and it's the perfect place Place to sleep in your van/tent/sleeping bag, because it's the only green place in the city and because the police are not allowed to enter the university! There are few guards but don't have the right to touch youstay for a short term. It's generally safe, though perhaps is not suitable closing for a single femalethe night, so you can always overnight there.

We slept at a deserted camping space by the beach in Ag. Triada, which is really worth a visit. We even made a big fire at night and it didn't disturb anybody. This place is about 30km south of Saloniki Thessaloniki and you can reach it within 1,5h by bus. From the famous ottoman tower take the bus to ikea. At the last stop ask for the bus to Perea and Ag. Triada. The last bus will pass by the airport and enter a cupple of villages before you get to Triada. Ask for the old camping at the beach, locals will guide you.

The tickets for the buses in the city cost 0.80€ and sometimes 0.90€(0. Blackriding is possible. If you speak to the controller in a foreign language (showing that you're a tourist, not an illegal immigrant40€ for students) they'll just leave you alone. If not, they first ask 30 euro 2€ for the tax, you say you don't have. Then they ask your id card, you say you don't have it with you and then they'll just give you a paper to note your name and address, where you can write any fake name. Or even simpler you can give your real passport and they are supposed to send you the bill to your country. It's 100% SURE that they will notairport route.

'''Blackriding''' is possible. It's risky because there is no chance of recognising controllers before they enter the bus, however the very control is rare.  Controllers are using civil clothes (they doesn't use a special clothes, they just unzip theirs jackets with controllers badges in the middle of the road, so they already know if you didn't validate your ticket). If you speak to the controller in a foreign language (showing that you're a tourist, not an illegal immigrant) they'll just leave you alone. If not, they first ask 30 euro for the tax, in that case you can say you don't have one. Then they ask your an ID card, you say that you don't have it with you and then they'll just give you a paper to note your name and address, where you can write any fake name. Or even simpler you can give your real passport and they are supposed to send you the bill to your country. It's 100% SURE that they will not. There were big movements in this city about not paying for public transport. Many people don't pay and controls are rare. Spent a whole month [[User: HHer-Vert|HHer-Vert]] was living in this that very city taking buses daily 5 years, and never got checkedcontrolled only 2-3 times.

I took one shower in one hospital 500 metres from One even safer option is the television broadcast antennastudent residence. Noone here checks who enters. Ever. There are three hospitals close to each other Even if they see you like a complete stranger with a tons of baggage and I ask you anything, just tried onetell them that you are visiting a friend or whatever. After walking around in the hospital and talking friendly you enter, go upstairs to some nurses I was able to take a shower any floor and shaveyou'll find common baths everywhere. May 2012It is located near the swimming pool at the city center. You can enter 24h. Location on map: https://goo.gl/maps/H8WZU   == Free food == Thessaloniki is perhaps the only place in the world where you can eat everyday for free easily. Len

There is also the "national swimming pool" which is open ===Fititiki Leshi (Φοιτητική Λέσχη) upd:2022=== Next to the public for some hours during the day. Swimmers have to take a shower before entering the pool and nobody checks who enters themcampus of Aristotle University, Egnatia street, so you might grab after the chance for a bath crossroad with 3rd September street there. It is located in the center of the cityuniversity canteen. (''Address: Egnatia, Thessaloniki 546 36, near the UniversityGreece''). Ask anybody for ''fititiki leschi''. Location on mapThere you can find a free full meal three times per day: https://goo8.00-10.gl/maps/q9XRl (Jan 2015) Last time checked00, 12.00-15.00 and 18.00-20.00. These free meals are provided for the national swimming pool was out of service. It worths to ask around about it first university students, but even if ityou's still re not in use. one, you don't have to pay and you don't have to show a student ID or any document (July of 2018but due to cobtrol re-enforcement you could be asked for your ID) .

One even safer option is the student residence. Noone here checks who enters. Ever. Even if they see To avoid control you like need to be a complete stranger with part of a tons big crowd which is hard to control, therefore try to be there during the most crowded time (normally the beginning of baggage opening) and ask you anything, just won't be controlled. Another 'life-hack' that you can use if you have been asked for your ID is to tell them that you just started to study greek language for university and you don't own by now any proof of that (there are visiting a friend or whatever. After you enterlot of foreign students who really study greek for that reason, go upstairs to any floor and youyes - they don'll find common baths everywheret have any proof in the beginning). It is located near harder during the swimming pool at the city center. You weekends (or holidays) because there are less people and have no crowd, so if you look suspicious you can enter 24h. Location on map: https://goobe asked for an ID.gl/maps/H8WZU (jan 2015)

Just follow the queue, take the food and eat it. There's nothing to be afraid of, just try to look more or less like a student. Only disadvantage is that it is closed on weekends, summer holidays and not-working days for the university in general. Picture of the building [http://www.makthes.gr/filestore/modules/news/68918/lesxi.jpg here]. Alternative entrance: when you are there look to your right. At the end of the grass there is a stair case, you can go up directly to the dining hall (if it's opened, if it's not you can knock or wave through the door to another student, normally they will let you in). ''There is another option (easy in the morning, otherwise is more difficult):'' ===Alfa foititiki estia (Α' φοιτητική εστία):= Free food ==Your aim is the same - free student food from student canteen, however now you are going to search it directly in canteen of student's dorms. There is no control at the entrance of student's dorms. The restaurant is located on the first floor, at the left side from the big marble stairs. The doors are opened at the meal time.  You can find it by following ''address: Stilponos Kiriakidi 17, Thessaloniki 546 36, Greece'' The best way is to be hosted there by any student through hosting application or ask some students living there to help you get the dinner (regularly even if you cannot get main dish they provide you orangers or apples which no one takes). If you cannot find a student helping you, you can try get some food by your own, follow this instruction: - They are controling IDs only during day time and evening time, so it's very easy to get there in the morning (8 a.m - 10 a.m). In the morning there are almost no people eating, so staff is really bored of checking IDs or is even absent. - Take the trey with food and go eat as all do at the table. Don't be suspicious, you are a student now. Many students doesn't really eat there, they are taking food away which they can physically take out and leave the dorms. You can do the same.

Thessaloniki is perhaps - Normally control-staff are crossing out the only place in numbers on the world where you can eat everyday for free easilypaper. Next to Each student has his own number on ID-card and he tells it in the campus moment of Aristotles university, Egnatia street, after the crossroad with 3rd September street there is the university canteenentering. Ask anybody for It''fititiki leschi''/φοιτητική λέσχη. There s another strategy of pretending to be a student: you can find a free full meal twice a daytell random number in greek language (p. 12e.00-15.00 and 18.00103 = ekato tria, 25 -20.00. These free meals are provided for the university studentsikosi pende, but even if you're not one207 = diakosa epta, you don't have to pay and you don't have to show a student ID or any document. Just follow the queueetc), take the food and eat so they will cross itout. ThereDon's never any checks. There's nothing to be afraid oft worry, just try to look more or less like a student. Only disadvantage is that it is closed on weekendsstudents rarely take morning breakfast, summer holidays and so you are not-working days for the university "eating someone's food in general. Picture of the building [http://www.makthes.gr/filestore/modules/news/68918/lesxi.jpg here]his place".

Alternative entrance: when - In the end, if you did not get any food, you are there look to your right. At the end of the grass there is a stair casedesperate and frustrated, you can go up directly try to the dining halltell staff that you are an adventurer, they are pretty understanding.I don't think They will give you food anyway if you really need this because itcame in the restaurant's very is easy closing time (10 a.m; 2.30 p.m & 9 p.m). There are always extra food, which they give to enter trough the main doorrandom people. Just ask.