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[[Image:Roads_Syria.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Desert road from [[Aleppo]] towards [[Deir ez-Zor]].]]
* ''Hatay checkpoint'': This checkpoint is easy to reach via Reyhanlı (Turkey). Passing the border by foot is no problem, but it might be wise to hitch a ride behind the Turkish checkpoints, the distance to the Syrian checkpoint is around 4km. Behind Syrian controls, hitch your way towards [[Aleppo]] (~65 km). Don't wait for trucks to pass the border and give you a ride, you can be much faster with walking to the next village and catching a ride with some motorbikes or pickups.
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'''Syria''' is a country in [[Western Asia]]. This part is , also known as the [[Middle East]].
Hitchhiking is extremely possible and easy in this country'''Syria'''. However, many people will think that you missed a bus, and want to bring you to the next bus station.
The concept of hitchhiking itself is understood differently in this country. While in the more rural areas (the mountains and the desert) hitching a pickup is extremely normal (because of the absence of public transport), in the more urban areas of the country people often can not understand why somebody is not taking a bus, especially because the prices for those are extremely low and nearly everybody uses them. Because of this, locals often think you might need help, and stop for that reason.
It might be wise to learn at least some basic Arabic to communicate with locals. Not many people speak more English than the ''Welcome to Syria'' phrase. Sometimes you can find old people speaking French. Especially for explaining your hitchhiking intention (and to ask for the way the driver goes), it is an absolute advantage to know some Arabic.
When hitchhiking out of a city, try to stand by the road where there are no people around. When [[User:CRCulver|CRCulver]] tried hitching out of Jisrash Shugur, he accepted an invitation to tea from employees of a nearby garage. They thought he was lost and called the police, who sent him to a military base where he was interrogated for several hours and told hitchhiking was illegal before being forced onto a bus bound for [[Damascus]].
===Border Crossing===
[[Image:Roads_Syria.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Desert road from [[Aleppo]] towards [[Deir ez-Zor]].]]
Most European tourists can get their visa directly at the border, but of course check your local embassy for country-specific visa requirements. When entering Syria, you also get an entry/exit card. Don't loose it, you need it when leaving the county. When leaving [[Syria]], you additionally have to buy an exit/return-ticket at the border checkpoints. These can be bought in most cases in little supermarkets just in front of the ''we stamp your passport''-offices. As in August 2008, the price for an exit card was 550 Syrian Pound (500 SYP exit card, 50 SYP taxes).
;Turkey
* ''Hatay checkpoint'': This checkpoint is easy to reach via Reyhanlı (Turkey). Passing the border by foot is no problem, but it might be wise to hitch a ride after crossing the Turkish checkpoint, the distance to the Syrian checkpoint is around 4 km. Behind Syrian controls, hitch your way towards [[Aleppo]] (~65 km). Don't wait for trucks to pass the border and give you a ride, you can be much faster with walking to the next village and catching a ride with some motorbikes or pickups. * ''Kilis checkpoint'': The northern checkpoint with [[Turkey]], easy to reach from [[Aleppo]] (~70km). The different checkpoints are not far from each other, so you can go by walking distance. Be aware of the street dogs. When traveling from Aleppo, also be careful in the city of [[Azaz]] and surrounding area near the border. More about it at the specific [[Azaz]] city article.
;Lebanon
* ''Masnaa checkpoint'': The only open checkpoint with [[Lebanon]] on it's western border. It is located directly on the highway [[Damascus]]-[[Beirut]] and is very easy to hitch. Get a ride to the border, where many cars will wait to get over the controls. Just talk to people who have an empty car and get a ride to [[Beirut]], where nearly everyone here goes. Exit cards can be bought in a little supermarket just before the controls. Be aware of Jordanian taxi drivers. Check for Lebanese visa stuff the [[Lebanon]] article.
* ''Aaboudiye checkpoint'': Checkpoint in the north of [[Lebanon]] and north-west of [[Syria]], might be a choice if you come from [[Tartous]] or [[Aleppo]] going to [[Tripoli (Lebanon)|Tripoli]] or [[Beirut]]. Small border checkpoint, very bad condition of the roads, mostly taxi's and buses around here. Not much traffic at all. Take care! [[User:Platschi|Platschi]] recommends to take the Masnaa checkpoint, which in fact is much further away (if coming from [[Hama]]/[[Homs]] or [[Aleppo]]), but also possible to hitch in one day if your destination is [[Beirut]].
;Jordan
* ''[[Daraa]] checkpoint'': It is not permitted to walk across the border, and any cars going across must have a formal manifest of all passengers. The guards on the Syrian side are generally not willing to allow a hitchiker to stand at the border gate to wait for a car, and any car willing to drive back into the city to add your name to the manifest at the transportation office will want money.
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