Lausanne

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Lausanne
<map lat='46.52733556159884' lng='6.638145446777344' zoom='12' view='3' float='right'/>
Information
Country:
Flag of Switzerland
Switzerland
Population: 126,000
Licence plate: VD
Major roads: E 23, E 25, E 62, A1, A9
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Lausanne is a city in Switzerland. It is the main city of the French speaking canton Vaud.

Anthony hitchhiking in Lausanne

Hitching out

There are in Lausanne 4 motorway entries coming from north/east, north, west, south/west.


North towards Bern, Neuchâtel

You can hitch at the motorway entrance at the north of the city. Take bus 1 in the direction Blécherette and get off at the last stop. The journey takes around 20 minutes.

There are 3 possibilities there. Someone strongly advices against possibilities 2 and 3:

  1. From the bus stop follow Route du châtelard in direction of the motorway. After approx. 50 m there is a zebra crossing. You can stand just after it, the cars will slow down because of the crossing and there is space for the cars to pull into. As of August 2014, the pull-out spot is occupied by a large blue construction block but cars will still have space to pull out if you stand in front of it. Don't stand too close to the cross walk, though, since some cars will think you are waiting to cross and will stop for you. It's a good idea to use a sign since there are several possible directions drivers can be heading. Someone advices Yverdon, Bern or both. If your driver goes only to Yverdon, ask to be dropped at the big (and only!) petrol station called Bavois around 30 km before the city. From there it is really to get a direct lift to Bern or even Zurich.
  2. Another possibility is to go further on Route du châtelard (100 m) and stand shortly before both motorway entrances (in both directions). The disadvantages would be: 1) if you are going direction north, it is difficult for cars to stop since they would be on the left track of the road especially on rush hour and more of that it is a fast traffic road so cars don't have time and space to pull down. 2) you would have to stand BEFORE both entry which go to two different directions. It may be confusing for drivers if you don't have a sign. If you have one, this place is too stressful for drivers so that they have time to read it...
  3. Walk 20 m from point 2, so that you cross the bridge over the motorway and thus take only cars in the right direction. You would stand at the entrance of the motorway. This is barely legal and some consider the spot dangerous...

North/East towards Vevey

see spot 1) of #North towards Bern, Neuchâtel section. It is the same motorway entry but to the other direction. stand with a sign Chexbres which is the next village before which there is a petrol station, or Vevey. If you go further Vevey the petrol station to be dropped at is the one mentioned before. It is not good to be dropped at Vevey itself if you want to stay on the motorway since the city is at the edge of the see ca. 800m downhill.

West towards Geneva, Nyon

  1. You can try the motorway entry north of the city and stand with a sign Geneva.
  2. Stand at the south/west motorway entry. To go there take the tram (M1) from the Flon station. Stop at the Bourdonette stop. You'll see directly a space where buses are waiting. Cars driving to Geneva pass beside the bus area, you can stand there with a sign because people could basically drive to all directions from there.
  3. You can stand at the entry 1-2 km before spot no 2. It is where the motorway begins, there is a traffic-circle, cars drive quite fast and don't have much possibility to pull out. It is also not really safe to stand there. To go there take bus nr 1 or 2 direction Maladière and stop at this station. You'll directly see the traffic-circle. Attention: At this spot you'll find a huge Hitchhiking here is forbidden sign, even in four languages(!) and somebody put some cones there, so the spot is quite useless. Though from here the M1 tram described above is going as well to Bourdonette.
  4. There is a petrol station/truck stop at coordinates (46.506299,6.709443). It's great for going north, west or east. It's possible to ask people who are pumping gas for rides - and for some advice, learn about license plates - for example, plates from Geneva begin with a "GE" and Zurich is "ZH."

Resources

Check Nomadwiki for info on accommodation, showers etc. or Trashwiki for dumpsters...and share your wisdom :)


Cities in Switzerland with more than 30.000 inhabitants

> 100.000: ZürichGeneveBaselBernLausanne

30.000–100.000: Biel/BienneChurFribourgKönizLa Chaux-de-FondsLuganoLuzernNeuchâtelSchaffhausenSt. GallenThunUsterVernierWinterthur