Changes

Another optionThis 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 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 . 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.

*"I've also followed Update (July 2022): the intructions and waited several hundred meters after JetOil. It wasn't railly easy to hitchike in a freezing weather and nobody has stoped for about 2 hours than a turkish truck driver stopped options listed above are extremely outdated and we've driven to the direction of Malakanot very helpful.So what I can highly recommend you This route is: Go to the truck station in Thessaloniki, where you can also drive by 83. There is certainly some Turkish trucks who drives to the direction of Turkeystill difficult, but on the border because of the strikes or controls you might have to wait more than 7 hours. There I'd advice you to pass the bridge with a truck from the front of the queue. If it is evening mostly the drivers would sleep in Keşan. So just try to speak to car drivers on the Turkish borderthere are better options. 2012 Arsen

*1) with bus number 83 you can get to Laguna from where there''I followed s about 20 minutes walk to the instructions knot that ties local road 2 and went highway 2. Here you can get directly to JetOil and got the personnel to help, but it turned entrance of the highway for Kavala where you filter out to be quite hard to get a ride any cars not going eastyour way. Even though a lot of The traffic is very slow but the cars and trucks do can stop there, the cars appeared to be going local and the trucks were heading towards Athens. After half an hour, I decided to move on and got they get a short ride to the highwaygood look at you. After 5 minutes There's a trucker, who was on his way to Iran, stopped for me. So even though I do not recommend thumbing up on the highway, it does work some time. December 2010, Lana''gas station about 30km down before Evangelios

*''I tried the recommended way of asking around at the JetOil trying to get out of Thessaloniki, with no luck. It seemed all the truckers were either sleeping, 2) The highway entrance after BP near Megalohare kantina is still very local, or going to Athens. Also, they were not that keen on taking hitchhikers anyway. After a few hours, I went to the highway right next to the station (but there is an opening in the fence, you just have to look for 's enough traffic so it), and got a ride halfway to Istanbul within 10 minutes. It surprises me how closed-minded the original post is, being that it is entirely 's possible, and quite easy to get a ride on the highwayhitch longer rides. Just a lesson that you should never take anyoneSince Greeks don's recommendation as absolute truth. I would personally recommend getting the personnel at the station t stop often we opted to ask around go for you (they were incredibly friendly), and stay within clear sight on the highway in case they get you a first ride before you do. February 2011, Jon''which brought us to the 3rd option

*''First of all: it's not easy at all to hitchhike in Greece btw Thessaloniki. We spent one day and two hours 3) 40,7214723, 22,9740939 or the next day in that area to get a hike in spot right after the direction to Turkeyexit for Laguna is risky. If you take the bus #83 from town The cars drive fast so be prepared that it careful and there'''doesn't''' stop on s a high probability the highway. We drove patrol tells you to the next station and waited for the bus #86 to drive backget off. The whole in the fence is an option but However we hitched a bad one because the cars are driving fast and they have almost no space to stop. We got ride within 5 minutes with a hitch at the drive-up, direction Kavala. It is wide and the cars sign as there are driving slow. If you come with the bus and go under the highway you'll find it on your left hand side. 250m a lot of Turkish truck drivers going from Athens to walk from the JetOilIstanbul. Good Luck! July 2011, Timo''

*''In Thessaloniki Kamara you can take bus 83. There is no need to take bus 27 and change to 83. The ride towards None of these options are perfect, but they seem way more likely than the HH point takes about 20 to 30 minutes. The bus will drive on the highway. Stay on the bus until it leaves the highway and continue for about 5 minutes on the local road. Leave the bus when you see a petrol BP station on your right. Walk for 100 metres until the traffic light where you will find some shade from trees. It is so hot between 12 and since 4. 500 metres further from the traffic light is the highway. I first tried there but all the traffic was heading for Thessaloniki. So I went back to the traffic light. The cars are local but -5 hours of hitchhiking there are several trucks yielded only 2 rides going to TurkeyKilkis. They take the national road to avoid the toll from the highway. Try to get the attention of the trucks. I used Since we changed strategy we only needed about an hour and a cardboard written Kavala-Turkey. The truck took me to the border and there I slept half in the truck with the driver. At the border change to a car. The waiting time for the truck was about 40 minutes. The waiting time for the car was 5 minutes. May 2012total. Len''Good luck!

*''Spent a full day trying === North-West to get a ride from the area where bus 27 stops before going over the motorway. Greeks do not stop, slept on top of a derelict building of which there's plenty there. Go to Jetoil as described above, guy with ponytail [[Skopje]] (late 30ties I think[[North Macedonia]]) speaks English and has been helping hitchers out for 20+ years. He knows a substantial amount of the traffic because this petrol station apparently has very loyal customers, meaning he knows which people to ask. Hole in the fence was still there but the police use the cafe as their coffee stakeout and they were there in number all day, so hitching beyond the fence might not be advised. Might still take a substantial amount of time at the Jetoil but I got a ride all the way to Georgia. August 2014. Wouter''===

*I took bus 83 all the way Option 1:Don't bother to hitch hike to the last station (A small village). From there there is a bus going towards Rentina. Tell border! There are free busses from the bus driver or city centre which belong to the person working at casinos across the bus station that you want to get off next to the toll border just before Gevgelija. You can find these buses on the highwayTsimiski street. They are easy to recognize (The man at the bus sation was super helpful) The toll name of the casino is only 15 minutes from printed on the busstation. Jump the fence bus, and stand just afte the toll on the highwayit is written "free shuttle"). From the toll it took 5 minutes to get a ride to the Turkish border. August 2015The buses leave at 17:00 and 21:00 so only useful for arriving in Skopje at night. Liron

* I took bus like other guys, from Kamara Square, in Thessaloniki Option 2:Take a Bus to LagkadasAgios Athanasios. Actually I couldnt catch the gas From "KTEL Macedonia Bus station in below. But I went to last point (a bus station) at Lagkadas and used a bus which were going to Rentina. You have to buy a ticket for this bus. It was aroun 1-1" lines 81A,5 euro. And you can explain the situation to the man who sells this bus ticket. He will translated it to greek for the bus driver. Because you have to get off at tolls89B, near the lake89K go there. You can continue hitchiking at this point. I know you won't remember me, but I waited less than 2 mins. I get off from Rentina bus, walked 1 min to the tolls and a trucked stopped near me. By hitch on the way, I am a Turkish. MAybe he could understand it from my face :) Anyway we went together to border gate. There was a huge truck population for some bordes process. I get off from first truck and started to walk to gate. Greek police men asked something and I answered. They were so cute to me. After passport control you will see duty free and Everest (like resting area) . You cant walk from Greek gate to Turkish gate. You have to use a car. And you can ask nearby junction to drivers who resting in this area. I could find a MAcedonian deriver who were going Highway A1/E75 to Çorlu, Tekirdağ. And I get off at ÇorluSkopje. Samet, November 2015

* "We took bus 27 and go to KTEL MacedoniaOption 3:Actually hitch hike. And walked few minutes Highway EO2 effectively runs down the center of Thessaloniki to MotorwayEdessas. We waited 2 or 3 hours under It's a normal road (called "Monastiriou", "Egnagia" and others) up until the junction with the rainring road (A2/E90). Two Turkish truck gave up. But They said "You should wait at JetOil, Turkish trucks waiting this stationcan walk down it (going north-west) while hitch hiking." Turkish Truck Drivers There are gas stations along it where you can hitch hike. Just past the ring road there is a stop light before the ramp where you can hitch hike. Just beyond that there is a very good big shoulder where you can hitch hike. Continue following EO2 from there for 10km (in a car by now ideally) and truthful guysyou are at Agios Athanasios as in option 2 above. Take the exit to A1/E75 to Skopje. Dont worry, go and ask them" Ahmet, May 2016

=== North-West South to [[SkopjeAthens]] (FYROM) ===

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 out on the stop "Don''25 Martiou''" which is the closest to the tolls but on the bus, it's announced differently (in Greek ''Ikostis Pmptis Martiou'' 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 bother need to hitch hike jump the fence (easy to jump though) because there is an entrance/exit for the canteen. From the canteen you will see the border!!!tolls, they are less than 50 m away.

*''If you are traveling with For those not wanting to take a lot of baggage, bus or want to hitch closer to the driver will probably refuse to take you city (which happened and aren't scared to me and my girlfriend, we had one big and one small backpack, two sleeping bags and a tentwalk), as he needs go to be informed by the hotel/casino in advance, that there the A1 motorway going towards Athens. It runs right beside the city centre. Starting from near the train station after walking 2 km you will be some passengers with big bagsarrive at the international bus station. What you can do is call one of From there it's a 6km walk along the casinos/hotels some time before you go and ask them motorway to inform where the driver, you might have E90 highway joins on to lie about going the A1 road to spend Athens. This is a night 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 hotel.'' [http://hitchwikiend of the onramp where there is a shoulder for traffic to pull over and you can get a ride to Larissa or even Athens.org/en/User:DuriTraktorista DuriTraktorista]

Take a bus #8 (or #31?) from Egnatias street in the centre === West to KTEL (last stop). 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 on the upper platform. 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[Igoumenitsa]. Be careful, the first big crossing you going to come to is the crossing with the ring road (you are going to driver underneath it) while only the next on 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 on the junction to the highway to Skopje. However, 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 and depending on some external stuff; you can talk to the driver to make sure).] {{E|90}} ===

*''My girlfriend and me stood at the junction just next Go to the old paytolltrain station, which seemed to be is also the best place since cars were going rather slowlyinner-city bus station. After 10-15 minutes we were picked up by a Macedonian woman who brought us From here, take bus 8 KTEL (the KTEL are the blue and white buses) to the borderMakedonia bus station. A week later I hitchhiked alone from From there, you can catch the same spot and was picked up after 40 minutes and got bus #80 to the junction with Polykastro before which end of the highway goes into one line for 500 metres, then follow motorway signs walking (approx. On that spot I thumbed and got 2km) to the border after another 40 minutes[[toll station]]. December 2011Or rather than taking bus #80, just walk across the road (roundabout) till you come to an [[User:Rozwal|Rozwalon-ramp]]''

*''My friend and I (two guys) stood here for 4 hours and despite many cars passing only one Macedonian guy stopped but he asked for money. Then we put up our tent in In [[Igoumenitsa]] you can get a ride with trucks over the nearby field and tried our luck the next day. After another 2 hours we got picked up by Albanian workers that took us sea to Polykastro. There are no petrol stations or shops nearby, so bring food and water just in case! August 2012, [[User:Chaba|ChabaItaly]]''.

*''I took bus 81A from KTEL busstation === North-East to Agios Athanasios. Got off when it turns from the highway. From there hitched to Polykastro and another ride got me to the border. At the border asked the car in front of me for a ride, which got me to Skopje. Standing on the highway there, it was very quiet, but I was very lucky as an Austrian car passed and got me straight to Belgrade. January 2011, Lana''[[Sofia]] ([[Bulgaria|BG]]) ===

=== South Take bus 83 (any of them will get you there, even the express) from Aristotellous Square stop (on Egnatia Street). You want to [[Athens]] ===get off at the Kombo Gerokomeiou exit (Google maps doesnt show the bus stops this far north, but on the opposite side of the highway is a gas station called Derveni Gas S.A.). MAKE SURE you explain to the bus driver you want to get off at this exit. Otherwise, he might not get off the highway here and the next stop is too far to walk back from. Stand on the shoulder of the ramp. There is not a lot of traffic here, so it might take you up to an hour to get a ride, but I think its worth it because most of the cars going as far as Bulgaria will get on the highway here. Good luck! Update (August '22)Don't take bus 83! You have to take bus 83B to get to the right place! Taking bus 83 will make you walk for a long time until teaching the ramp.

Take Buses #31Also, #12, #8 or #78 to the bus station called KTELI wasn't so lucky there. From there take bus #80 or #80A to the village called ''Malgara''I waited a total of 4 hours before I gave up. You can go down on the station "I think it''25 Martiou''" which is the closest s better to the tolls (in Greek ''ikostis pemptis martiou'' if you want go to ask the driver)Shell gas station at 40°41′01. There you can 72″N 22°56′28.28″E and ask and find the toll station (people. Thumbing on ramps is pretty difficult in Greek ''diodia'') easilyGreece. You'll have to walk about 2 km to find it, but then there is a possibility can take bus 53 until Strophe Oraiokastrou to get a ride even straight to Athens. Before you enter the motorway where the toll gas 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.

=== West North to [[IgoumenitsaKilkis]] {{E|90}} ([[Greece]]) === Basically you need to take 2 buses. Very similar to the above direction to Sofia. But this time it is bus #27 / #27a and bus #84 / # 84a. You can change buses in two different places. 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.

Go This way is easier because you don't need to the train stationchange bus stops, which it is also the inner-city bus station. From here, take bus 8 KTEL (way mentioned in the KTEL are the blue and white buses) Northeast to Makedonia bus stationSofia section. From there, you can catch Take the bus #80 to 27 or #27a from the centre the end of the line, then follow motorway signs walking final s top ''Platia Stavroupolis'' (approxStavroupolis square). 2km) to Then at the [[toll station]]. Or rather than taking same place take bus #80, just walk across the road (roundabout) till 84 / #84a and you come to an [['re already on-ramp]] where, according to [[User:Liva|Liva]], is a a pretty good spot to stop carsyour way.

In [[Igoumenitsa]] Stay on bus #84 whilst it passes through 2 villages, Liti and Melissochiori. When it is out of Melissochiori, at one point the bus will cross the road going to Kilkis and you will see signs for Kilkis. When you are at the cross roads you can get press the stop button on the bus and it will stop just after the cross. There is a bus stop there. Then you are at a great spot for hitching a ride with trucks over to Kilkis, Gallikos or even North Macedonia (but not the sea most common way to [[Italy]]Skopje. it is a different border).

=== North-East to [[Sofia]] ([[Bulgaria|BG]]) =Sleep ==

Take Some have had luck asking the bus #27 from the centre to it's final stopgood people at Mikropolis/Micropolis Social Space, where also other buses stop(you need #85)see [http://wikimapia. Then take bus org/#85(A, B or M) and you're already on your waylat=40. Almost any stop of this bus leaves you at a good hitchhiking point, but the nineteenth stop ''21o chiliometro'' (21st kilometre) is on the way to Serres and the Bulgarian border (to Sandansky, Blagoevgrad, Sofia). If you can't explain all this to the driver just ask him to get off at Assirus6360852&lon=22. It'939539&z=17&l=0&m=s a village near the motorway&v=9&show=/13098671/Mikropolis]). When you ask the locals for the motorway use the german word "autobahn" instead of "motorway" or "highway". The road is E79 They were very friendly and it's not a motorway, especially after the border. These city bus tickets could advise on where to squat for 2 rides cost 90 cents (that you don't even have to pay) and take you quite some kilometres out of the city towards all destinationsnight.

[Update: watch out! the ''21o chiliometro'' and probably Assirus spots are not anymore the right spots to go towards Serres and Sofia. There The university campus in Thessaloniki is now just in the Egnatia highway city centre and nobody drives this way and if he does it takes several hours seems to arrive be a perfect place to Serres. Also, sleep in the point where the bus stops used to be a petrol stationyour van/tent/sleeping bag, also no more in use. ]but IT IS NOT!

=== North to [[Kilkis]] It's '''NOT SAFE THERE''' ''([[Greece]]upd.2022) ===Basically you need ''. The drug business moved there, as unbelievable as it sounds. People selling drugs and fighting over things related to take 2 busesthem, passerbys get attacked. Very similar 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 above direction worst place to Sofiasleep, really. But this time Plus, starting from 2019 it is bus #27 / #27a a place where a lot of immigrants sleep. Police has no right to enter that area because of some tragic past, i.e. it's ideal place for drug sellers and bus #84 / # 84a. You can change buses in two different placescrime.

Stay on bus #84 whilst it passes through 2 villagesForest Recreational Center near the Zoo (''Neapoli-Sykies, Liti and Melissochiori. When it 554 38'') which is out of Melissochiori, at one point located on the bus will cross hills above the road going to Kilkis and you will see signs for Kilkiscity can be a solution. When you are at the cross roads you can press the stop button However, depending on your choice of the bus and "height" of that forest (after highway it becomes more wild, before highway it will stop just after the cross. There is more like a bus stop park) there. Then you are at a great spot for hitching a ride to Kilkis, Gallikos or even Macedonia (but can be pack of stray dogs which is not the most common way to Skopje. it is a different border)good gift.

== Sleep ==There Homeless animals are many hospitality network members a big problem in the citybig cities as Thessaloniki or Athens, so try your luck there. [[User:Liva|Livas]] had luck once at sleeping in you better have something to protect yourself from them during the train stationnight (get some long sticks near you). She asked the people on the train station if she could sleep there even though Normally they where closed at nightare scared of "throwing a rock gesture" because some greeks do that against dogs. So, and she could!if you see an unfriendly dog try to pretend taking a rock from the ground - it should work for lonely dog.

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&mAirport==s&v=9&show=/13098671/Mikropolis]). They were very friendly and could advise on where to squat for the night.

If you find yourself at the train station at night beware that it is closed at 01:00 and the guard will kick you outside (where it's safe Place to sleep if it's warm) if he sees youstay for a short term. However it It is possible to hide in not closing for the main yellow café while he checks for peoplenight, then after he locks the terminal so you can go and sleep on the seats. There are other homeless people around but they won't give you any troublealways overnight there.

=== Camping =Other====The university campus in Thessaloniki is just in the city centre and it's the perfect 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 you. It's generally safe, though perhaps not suitable for a single female.

It's not so safe anymoreWe slept at a deserted camping space by the beach in Ag. The drug business moved thereTriada, as unbelievable as it soundswhich is really worth a visit. People selling drugs We even made a big fire at night and fighting over things related to them, passerbys get attacked.. If someone has a van maybe itdidn's okayt disturb anybody. But sleeping in a tent or sleeping bag This place is an invitation to get robbedabout 30km south of Thessaloniki and you can reach it within 1,5h by bus. It's From the famous ottoman tower take the worst place bus to sleep, reallyikea. Try Seih Sou, At the forest on last stop ask for the hills above bus to Perea and Ag. Triada. The last bus will pass by the cityairport and enter a cupple of villages before you get to Triada. Or any crowded place in Ask for the old camping at the centerbeach, locals will guide you.

The tickets for the Google maps doesn't really know how buses work, so they are unable to get you directions from point A to B in the city cost 0.80€ and sometimes 0.90€. Blackriding is possible. If So, if you speak want to move inside the controller in city using a foreign language public transport download special application (showing that you're a tourist, not 'in 2022 there is an illegal immigrantapplication called "Moovit") they'll just leave you alone. If not, they first ask 30 euro 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 not.

There were big movements The tickets for the buses in this the city about not paying for public transportcost 0. Many people don't pay 80€ and controls are raresometimes 0.90€ (0. Spent a whole month in this city taking buses daily and never got checked40€ for students). 2€ for airport route.

* ''On 'Blackriding''' is possible. It's risky because there is no chance of recognising controllers before they enter the bus #85 , 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 driver asked 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 tickets before leaving the stationtax, I simply said (in English) that I had no money 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 I was going, you can write any fake name. Or even simpler you can give your real passport and he let me ride they are supposed to send you the bus anywaybill to your country. September 2012, AlnairIt'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. [[User: HHer-Vert|HHer-Vert]] was living in that very city 5 years, and got controlled only 2-3 times.

I took one shower in one hospital 500 metres from One even safer option is the television broadcast antennastudent residence. There are three hospitals close to each other Noone here checks who enters. Ever. 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 to some nurses I was able you enter, go upstairs to take a shower any floor and shaveyou'll find common baths everywhere. It is located near the swimming pool at the city center. You can enter 24h. May 2012Location on map: https://goo. Lengl/maps/H8WZU

== Free food ==Thessaloniki is perhaps the only place in the world where you can eat everyday for free easily.  ===Fititiki Leshi (Φοιτητική Λέσχη) upd:2022=== Next to the campus of Aristotles universityAristotle University, Egnatia street, after the crossroad with 3rd September street there is the university canteen. (''Address: Egnatia, Thessaloniki 546 36, Greece''). Ask anybody for ''fititiki leschi''/φοιτητική λέσχη. There you can find a free full meal twice a three times per day: 8. 00-10.00, 12.00-15.00 and 18.00-20.00. These free meals are provided for the university students, but even if you're not one, you don't have to pay and you don't have to show a student ID or any document(but due to cobtrol re-enforcement you could be asked for your ID).  To avoid control you need to be a part of a big crowd which is hard to control, therefore try to be there during the most crowded time (normally the beginning of opening) and you won't be controlled. Another 'life-hack' that you can use if you have been asked for your ID is to tell that you just started to study greek language for university and you don't own by now any proof of that (there are a lot of foreign students who really study greek for that reason, and yes - they don't have any proof in the beginning). It is harder during the weekends (or holidays) because there are less people and have no crowd, so if you look suspicious you can be asked for an ID.  Just follow the queue, take the food and eat it. There's never any checks. 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):===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:

Alternative entrance : when you - They are there look to your right. At the end of the grass there is a stair casecontroling IDs only during day time and evening time, you can go up directly to the dining hall.I don't think you really need this because so it's very is easy to enter trough get there in the morning (8 a.m - 10 a.m). In the main doormorning there are almost no people eating, so staff is really bored of checking IDs or is even absent.

This might not - Take the trey with food and go eat as all do at the table. Don't be true any moresuspicious, have heard that this year they started checking for you are a student passnow. 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.

* You're right, since September 2010 they started checking- Normally control-staff are crossing out the numbers on the paper. Each student has his own number on ID-card and he tells it in the moment of entering. But donIt't s another strategy of pretending to be scareda student: you tell random number in greek language (p.e. 103 = ekato tria, 25 - ikosi pende, 207 = diakosa epta, just ignore themetc), so they donwill cross it out. Don't insist! Myselfworry, although I have a student cardstudents rarely take morning breakfast, I refuse to show it, many students do so out of solidarity. Tidy looks always helpyou are not "eating someone's food in his place".

* Actually - In the end, if you did not get any food, you are desperate and frustrated, you can try to tell staff that you are an adventurer, they donare pretty understanding. They will give you food anyway if you came in the restaurant't check any mores closing time (10 a.m; 2. Barely anyone was showing their IDs when they started checking so they gave up30 p. Nobody cares nowm & 9 p. Go early if you want choice of foodsm). Sometimes they run out of the nicest meal or of the dessert and There are always extra food, which they give you the other one and an orange instead of the baklava or rice puddingto random people. You can easily Just ask for seconds and thirds.