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* '''The (free) walking option'''
While most people would find it more comfortable to take a bus to the outskirts and then start hitchiking from there hitchhiker [[Theo]] has, after hitchhiking out of Istanbul 10ish times, found that it is actually faster to just find a good piece of highway somewhere close to where you stay, get ON the highway and put your thumb up. You are unlikely to wait more than 3-5 minute before a car stops and the police is very unlikely to give you any trouble (they picked [[Theo]] up twice and gave him tea).
From Taksim: Walk down Cumhüriyet Caddesi (big avenue, hard to not find) for about 40-50 minutes. It's a big avenue without any real possibility to get lost but if you do manage to get lost you can ask for Cevahir shopping center which is about 100 meters from where you'll start hitching.
After the 40-50 minute walk (about the time when you pass Cevahir shopping center on your right side) you'll see the highway. This is th spot where the Mercidiköy viaduct starts and about 70-80 % of the traffic is bound for the Asian side. When you get to the highway (which is actually about 10 meters over you as it is on a viaduct) you'll see the Mercidiköy bustation to your left. Turn left,walk 20 meters until you see a small footpath leading up to the highway, climb up, thumb up, and smile at your audience (often about 50-60 people) who are waiting for the Metrobus to come.
