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* you can try to get a ride on the road leading to the port. Difficult as there is no [[shoulder|hard shoulder]] and very few breaks in the flow of traffic allowing anyone to stop.* you can try hitching after the last round-about. There is a lay by where people can pull over. Still most people are very busy figuring out where to go on the Lane. Unfortunately it's illegal to hitch on port property (i.e. after the ''Port of Dover Authority'' sign) and although you might get away with it sometimes, the police is known to enforce this rule and send you away.* you can try your luck inside the Travel Centre or on the car park in front of it. The problem is that both are nowadays very quiet as most people book on-line. If you speak to people here, you might will have to convince them that they don't pay anything extra for taking you across and possibly that you are not an illegal immigrant. [[User:Grégoire|Grégoire]] was told by a person working at a ticket office that you can also directly ask to the people making the queue if they have room in their car before they buy the ticket, so that they can verify it is legal. He found a car in ten minutes, but thinks it should be done discretely. [[User:Pete the Temp|Pete the Temp]] found some leads by approaching cars but there was much suspicion and many people coming to buy tickets were crossing as foot passengers.
* If you are feeling rich or you are desperate, a one-way foot ticket to Calais will cost about GBP 30 (July 2013, as said at the ticket office) with P&O, the only company that operates with foot passengers. A two way ticket (return) for the same day costs GBP 13. But be careful, when you go to buy the ticket go without backpacks because they won't sell you the ticket, because they'll say you won't come back. Act like you are going for the ride with the ferry <!-- (i with 2 friends did this : we asked if there are any things to do on the ferry like video games, or casino, a place where to eat or drink something etc.)--> Also when you go on the bus, if the person who sold you the ticket is there, try to give your backpacks to someone else until you are on the bus, from there you won't have any problems no more.
Good luck!
no edit summary
If you have reached Dover without a ride across the Channel, you have a few options,
* you are allowed to stand at the rail of the last roundabout leading into the port, i.e. before the port property. You'll be standing at the height of a truck driver who can see you clearly and can pull aside just in front of the Port Police building after the roundabout. This is far from ideal.
* much better are the normal bus stops on the main seaside road with a sign that says France.[recommended]
* if you're really stuck you can also try at the Western Docks, there is a truck park where drivers carrying certain types of goods or from outside the EU have to stop to complete some paperwork.
* There is a petrol station very close to the ferry ports where it should be easily possible to find a lift.
Disputed information: ''"the trucks park in the ferry so close that it's not possible to open the doors. That means that you'll spend more than 1.5 hour closed in a box with a stranger and the driver can only take one person legally - and they check your IDs etc on the entrance so none of them will take the risk of a fine there. I don't know if it is like this on every ferry and all the time, but it's not recommended to go with any trucks on a ferry!"''
It is useful to be aware that ferries from Dover go to both Dunkirque and Calais. If you are trying to hitch down to Paris or further south then make sure your ride is going to Calais as you will find it difficult to find a lift otherwise. However, if you are hitching to Belgium, Germany etc. then you should get the ferry to Dunkirque.
Edit 2015: '''Dover is unhitchable''' maybe not totally, but definitely from my experience. I had a really bad experience including Refugees standing next to me and therefore demolishing my chances. (I felt so bad for them and they were in an even worse situation than me, but they are really not helpful)
== If you are super stuck ==
* If hitchhiking doesn't work carpooling can come in really handy. There are People on Blablacar going every evening to Calais. I paid 5 GBP for the ride. Much better than:
* a one-way foot ticket to Calais will cost about GBP 34 (September 2015, as said at the ticket office) with P&O, the only company that operates with foot passengers. A two way ticket (return) for the same day costs GBP 18. But be careful, when you go to buy the ticket go without backpacks because they won't sell you the ticket, because they'll say you won't come back. Act like you are going for the ride with the ferry <!-- (i with 2 friends did this : we asked if there are any things to do on the ferry like video games, or casino, a place where to eat or drink something etc.)--> Also when you go on the bus, if the person who sold you the ticket is there, try to give your backpacks to someone else until you are on the bus, from there you won't have any problems no more.
Good luck!
== Other directions ==
