Changes

AttentionThis 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: The Jetoil rest area is now rebranded 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 colourrest area on the other side of the motorway. They told me 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 (July 2016or 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 they changed you are not wanted by the name last yearpolice and show them your passport. I met Getting a spanish hitchhiker who was asking me for 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 Jetoilroad etc). Also, there should be a toll station (peage) about [http://hitchwiki.org/maps/?place=6374 15 km east of Lagynas], by 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 time we both didn't know that we were already truck could be stuck in the right placecustoms for a while.

Another option: 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weather and nobody has stoped for about 2 hours than a turkish truck driver stopped options listed above are extremely outdated and we've driven to the direction of Malakanot very helpful.So what I can highly recommend you This route is: Go to the truck station in Thessaloniki, where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 driver 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

* We (1 girl, 1 guy) went === South to the BP station, had to change from the 27 to the 83 bus along Lagkada Street. The manager at the station was very friendly and spoke to us when we first arrived; he said that many hitchhikers use this site and come here almost every day to hitch a ride and that someone always ends up giving you a lift. At the BP station there is a seating area and a little market - the place is open 24/7. We put our stuff down and went around asking turkish truck drivers if they were headed to Istanbul, we would also ask normal drivers walking into the market. The manager helped us out a lot here, he taught us how to spot Turkish vs Greek trucks, and even asked drivers if they were headed our way. We ended up with a ride to Kavala with a random Greek guy driving a mercedes. We waited around for approximately 4 hours (Ryan C, Sep 2017).[[Athens]] ===

* We (1 girlTake Buses #31, 1#12, boy) took #8 or #78 to the bus station called KTEL. From there take bus #83 80 or #80A to the last stationvillage called ''Malgara'' (some of these buses don't go all the way to Malgar). Here we ask for You can go out on the bus 91A and stop "''25 Martiou''" which is the closest to Analipsi the tolls but on the bus, it's announced differently (Ανάληψηin Greek ''Ikostis Pmptis Martiou'' ask the driver). We walked 15min There you can ask and joined find the Malgara Toll Station tollstation (in Greek ''diodia'') on E75 easily. From 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 we waited 5minstation is, you will have to go through some fields. If it's night be careful, just before the motorway there is a Turkish truck stopedsmall ridge that is a bit steep and there is water flowing down, you need to find your way around it. The all trip Thessaloniki - toll costed us 2€If it's day, from the fields you can see a small canteen on the motorway, head to that direction, but really efficientyou 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. (Adrien LFrom the canteen you will see the tolls, July 2019they are less than 50 m away.)

=== North-West For those not wanting to [[Skopje]] take a bus or want to hitch closer to the city ([[North Macedonia]]and aren't scared to walk) ===, go to the 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 arrive at the international bus station. From there it's a 6km walk along the motorway to where the E90 highway joins on to the A1 road to Athens. This is a 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 end of the onramp where there is a shoulder for traffic to pull over and you can get a ride to Larissa or even Athens.

"Don't bother === West to hitch hike to the border!!![[Igoumenitsa]] {{E|90}} ===

There Go to the train station, which is a free also the inner-city bus from station. From here, take bus 8 KTEL (the city centre to KTEL are the border! These blue and white buses belong ) to the casinos Makedonia bus station. From there, you can find at catch the border just before Gevgelija. You can find theses buses on Tsimiski street. They are easy bus #80 to recognize (the name end of the casino is printed on the busline, and it is written "free shuttle"then follow motorway signs walking (approx. 2km). The buses leave at 17:00 and 21:00 though, so it might be quicker to hit the road directly, but more comfortable [[toll station]]. Or rather than taking the bus. I didn't take it but I was picked up by a guy working at a casino who gave me the information. Another nice information: you can eat and drink for free at the casino!! Apparently you can #80, just show up at walk across the reception, they will give road (roundabout) till you a card and you can enjoy food and drinks for free!! I did! Annecome to an [[on-laure, may 2013"ramp]]

*''If In [[Igoumenitsa]] you are traveling with a lot of baggage, the driver will probably refuse to take you (which happened to me and my girlfriend, we had one big and one small backpack, two sleeping bags and can get a tent), as he needs to be informed by the hotel/casino in advance, that there will be some passengers ride with big bags. What you can do is call one of trucks over the casinos/hotels some time before you go and ask them sea to inform the driver, you might have to lie about going to spend a night at the hotel.'' [http://hitchwiki[Italy]].org/en/User:DuriTraktorista DuriTraktorista]

*''My girlfriend and me stood at the junction just next to the old paytoll, which seemed to be the best place since cars were going rather slowly. After 10=== North-15 minutes we were picked up by a North Macedonian woman who brought us East to the border. A week later I hitchhiked alone from the same spot and was picked up after 40 minutes and got to the junction with Polykastro before which the highway goes into one line for 500 metres. On that spot I thumbed and got to the border after another 40 minutes. December 2011, [[User:RozwalSofia]] ([[Bulgaria|RozwalBG]]'') ===

*''My friend and I Take bus 83 (any of them will get you there, even the express) from Aristotellous Square stop (two guyson Egnatia Street) stood here for 4 hours and despite many cars passing only one North Macedonian guy stopped . You want to 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 asked for money. Then we put up our tent in might not get off the nearby field highway here and tried our luck the next daystop is too far to walk back from. After another 2 hours we got picked up by Albanian workers that took us to PolykastroStand on the shoulder of the ramp. There are no petrol stations or shops nearbyis not a lot of traffic here, so bring food and water just in caseit 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! August 2012, [[User:Chaba|Chaba]]''

Alternatively, you can Update (August '22)Don't take bus 83! You have to take bus 83B to get off [http://goo.gl/maps/aLQTM here] which is reported to be a better the right place ! Taking bus 83 will make you walk for cars to stop. But there you have a lot of cars going to the West, while if you come the previous stop you will have cars going only towards Polykastro or long time until teaching the borderramp.

*'Also, I wasn't so lucky there. I waited a total of 4 hours before I took bus 81A from KTEL busstation to Agios Athanasiosgave up. Got off when I think it turns from 's better to go to the highwayShell gas station at 40°41′01.72″N 22°56′28. From there hitched to Polykastro 28″E and another ride got me to the borderask people. At the border asked the car Thumbing on ramps is pretty difficult in front of me for a ride, which got me Greece.You can take bus 53 until Strophe Oraiokastrou to get 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 Belgradegas station. January 2011, Lana''

Take Buses #31, #12, #8 or #78 === North to the bus station called KTEL. From there take bus #80 or #80A to the village called ''Malgara''. You can go down on the station "''25 Martiou''" which is the closest to the tolls (in Greek ''ikostis pemptis martiou'' if you want to ask the driver). There you can ask and find the toll station (in Greek ''diodia'') 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 need to jump the fence [[Kilkis]] (easy to jump though[[Greece]]) because there is an entrance/exit for the canteen. From the canteen you will see the tolls, they are less than 50 m away.===

[edit] First of all, it appears greek bus stops do have several names. "25 Martiou" is written on the roadsign but on the bus, it's announced differentlyBasically you need to take 2 buses. I messed up because of that various times so always be sure Very similar to ask the driver above direction to signal your stopSofia. Finding the canteen But this time it is a bit of trial bus #27 / #27a and error, but still easily possiblebus #84 / # 84a. In case you don't find the toll station, from the canteen go right (following the "Athen" roadsign) for about 1,5km to find a small (but picturesque) side stop (August 2017)You can change buses in two different places.

[edit] Some of these buses This way is faster as you don't go all the way need to Malgara stay on bus #27 so you have to long. Take bus #27 or #27a and get out off at one Minerva stop in the middle Oreokastrou suburb. If you walk some hundreds of nowheren before meters from the bus turns back to Thessaloniki and wait for another bus with stop where you get off, in the same or different number that goes to Malgara. It can be a little confusing so the best way is to tell someone on direction the bus where was going, you want to go will reach a crossroads and let them tell on your left you when to get off for the next will see another bus stop. From there you can take bus and the station ''ikostis pemptis martiou''#84. (September 2019)

For those not wanting to take a bus or want to hitch closer to the city (and arenThis way is easier because you don't scared need to walk)change bus stops, go to the the A1 motorway going towards Athens. It runs right beside the city centre. Starting from near the train station after walking 2kms you will arrive at the international bus station. From there it's a 6km walk along the motorway to where is the E90 highway joins on to way mentioned in the A1 road Northeast to AthensSofia section. This is a good spot due to Take the high amount of Turkish trucks coming straight bus #27 or #27a from the border and bypassing centre the city as well as any traffic coming from the northfinal s top ''Platia Stavroupolis'' (Stavroupolis square). Stand Then at the end of the onramp where there is a shoulder for traffic to pull over same place take bus #84 / #84a and you can get a ride to Larissa or even Athens're already on your way.

=== West 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 [[Igoumenitsa]] {{E|90}} ===Kilkis and you will see signs for Kilkis. When you are at the cross roads you can 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 to Kilkis, Gallikos or even North Macedonia (but not the most common way to Skopje. it is a different border).

In Some have had luck asking the good people at Mikropolis/Micropolis Social Space, (see [[Igoumenitsahttp://wikimapia.org/#lat=40.6360852&lon=22.939539&z=17&l=0&m=s&v=9&show=/13098671/Mikropolis]] you can get a ride with trucks over ). They were very friendly and could advise on where to squat for the sea to [[Italy]]night.

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

Take the bus #27 from the centre to it's final stop, where also other buses stop(you need #85). Then take bus #85(A, B or M) and you're already on your way. 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 Assirus. It's a village near the motorway. When you ask the locals for the motorway use the german word "autobahn" instead of "motorway" or "highway". ====The road is E79 and it's not a motorway, especially after the border. These city bus tickets 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 destinations.university campus ====

Update: If you want to get to ''21o chiliometro'' make sure to make that really clear to the busdriver since the bus doesn't stop at every stop nor says the stops out loud. Try to <b>not</b> end up The university campus in Assirus. Hitchhiking out of this village Thessaloniki is a pain. And if you are unlucky enough to end up there: Don't ask locals for just in the highway because they will take you city centre and it seems to the old highway. If you want be a perfect place to get to the new highway to Sofia ask for "autobahn". sleep in your van/tent/sleeping bag, but IT IS NOT!

[Update: getting off at Assirus It's '''NOT SAFE THERE''' ''(upd.2022)''. The drug business moved there, as unbelievable as it sounds. People selling drugs and fighting over things related to them, passerbys get attacked. If someone has not proved a good idea, van maybe it's quite difficult okay. But sleeping in a tent or sleeping bag is an invitation to reach get robbed. It's the new motorway from thereworst place to sleep, really. A kind local took me there on unpaved roadsPlus, and after I had to climb over starting from 2019 it is a fence and descend on place where a rough pathlot 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 crime.]

OPTION 2Take bus 83 Forest Recreational Center near the Zoo (any of them will get you there''Neapoli-Sykies, even the express554 38'') from Aristotellous Square stop (which is located on Egnatia Street). You want to get off at the Kombo Gerokomeiou exit (Google maps doesnt show hills above the bus stops this far northcity can be a solution. However, but depending on your choice of the opposite side "height" of the that forest (after highway it becomes more wild, before highway is it more like a gas station called Derveni Gas S.A.park). 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 there can be pack of the ramp. There stray dogs which 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 heregood gift. Good luck!

=== North Homeless animals are a big problem in the big cities as Thessaloniki or Athens, so you better have something to [[Kilkis]] protect yourself from them during the night ([[Greece]]get some long sticks near you) ===Basically . Normally they are scared of "throwing a rock gesture" because some greeks do that against dogs. So, if you need to take 2 buses. Very similar see an unfriendly dog try to pretend taking a rock from the above direction to Sofia. But this time ground - it is bus #27 / #27a and bus #84 / # 84a. You can change buses in two different placesshould work for lonely dog.

Stay on bus #84 whilst it passes through 2 villages, Liti and MelissochioriPlace to stay for a short term. When it It is out of Melissochiori, at one point the bus will cross the road going to Kilkis and you will see signs not closing for Kilkis. When you are at the cross roads night, so you can press the stop button on the bus and it will stop just after the cross. There is a bus stop always overnight there. Then you are at a great spot for hitching a ride to Kilkis, Gallikos or even North Macedonia (but not the most common way to Skopje. it is a different border).

== Sleep ==Other====

There are many hospitality network members We slept at a deserted camping space by the beach in Ag. Triada, which is really worth a visit. We even made a big fire at night and it didn't disturb anybody. This place is about 30km south of Thessaloniki and you can reach it within 1,5h by bus. From the famous ottoman tower take the bus to ikea. At the last stop ask for the bus to Perea and Ag. Triada. The last bus will pass by the airport and enter a cupple of villages before you get to Triada. Ask for the old camping at the citybeach, so try your luck therelocals will guide you.

Some have had luck asking == Public Transport ==Google maps doesn't really know how buses work, so they are unable to get you directions from point A to B in the good people at Mikropolis/Micropolis Social Spacecity. So, if you want to move inside the city using a public transport download special application (see [http://wikimapia''in 2022 there is an application called "Moovit").org/#lat=40 The tickets for the buses in the city cost 0.6360852&lon=2280€ and sometimes 0.939539&z=17&l=90€ (0&m=s&v=9&show=/13098671/Mikropolis].40€ for students). They were very friendly and could advise on where to squat 2€ for the nightairport route.

If you find yourself at the train station at night beware that it '''Blackriding''' is closed at 01:00 and the guard will kick you outside (where it's safe to sleep if itpossible. It's warm) if he sees you. However it risky because there is possible to hide in no chance of recognising controllers before they enter the main yellow café while he checks for peoplebus, then after he locks however the terminal you can go and sleep on the seats. There are other homeless people around but they won't give you any troublevery control is rare.

=== Camping ===The university campus in Thessaloniki is Controllers are using civil clothes (they doesn't use a special clothes, they just unzip theirs jackets with controllers badges in the city centre and itmiddle of the road, so they already know if you didn's t validate your ticket). If you speak to the perfect place to sleep controller in your van/tent/sleeping baga foreign language (showing that you're a tourist, because itnot an illegal immigrant) they's ll just leave you alone. If not, they first ask 30 euro for the only green place tax, in the city and because the police are not allowed to enter the university! There are few guards but that 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 you can write any fake name. Or even simpler you can give your real passport and they are supposed to send you the right bill to touch youyour country. It's generally safe, though perhaps 100% SURE that they will not suitable for a single female.

It's There were big movements in this city about not so safe anymorepaying for public transport. The drug business moved there, as unbelievable as it sounds. People selling drugs Many people don't pay and fighting over things related to them, passerbys get attackedcontrols are rare.. If someone has a van maybe it's okay. But sleeping [[User: HHer-Vert|HHer-Vert]] was living in a tent or sleeping bag is an invitation to get robbed. It's the worst place to sleepthat very city 5 years, really. Try Seih Sou, the forest on the hills above the city. Or any crowded place in the centerand got controlled only 2-3 times.

== Public Transport ==The tickets for One even safer option is the buses in the city cost 0student residence.80€ and sometimes 0Noone here checks who enters.90€Ever. Blackriding is possible. If Even if they see you speak to the controller in like a complete stranger with a foreign language (showing that tons of baggage and ask you're a touristanything, not an illegal immigrant) they'll just leave tell them that you aloneare visiting a friend or whatever. If not, they first ask 30 euro for the tax, you say After you don't have. Then they ask your id cardenter, go upstairs to any floor and 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 namefind common baths everywhere. It is located near the swimming pool at the city center. Or even simpler you You can give your real passport and they are supposed to send you the bill to your countryenter 24h. It's 100% SURE that they will notLocation on map: https://goo.gl/maps/H8WZU

I took one shower in one hospital 500 metres from ===Fititiki Leshi (Φοιτητική Λέσχη) upd:2022=== Next to the campus of Aristotle University, Egnatia street, after the crossroad with 3rd September street there is the television broadcast antennauniversity canteen. (''Address: Egnatia, Thessaloniki 546 36, Greece''). Ask anybody for ''fititiki leschi''. There are you can find a free full meal three hospitals close to each other times per day: 8.00-10.00, 12.00-15.00 and I just tried one18.00-20.00. After walking around in These free meals are provided for the hospital university students, but even if you're not one, you don't have to pay and talking friendly you don't have to some nurses I was able show a student ID or any document (but due to take a shower and shave. May 2012cobtrol re-enforcement you could be asked for your ID). Len

There is also the "national swimming pool" To avoid control you need to be a part of a big crowd which is open hard to control, therefore try to be there during the public for some hours during most crowded time (normally the daybeginning of opening) and you won't be controlled. Swimmers Another 'life-hack' that you can use if you have been asked for your ID is to take 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 shower before entering the pool and nobody checks lot of foreign students who enters themreally study greek for that reason, so you might grab and yes - they don't have any proof in the chance for a bath therebeginning). It is located in the center of harder during the city, near the University. Location on map: https://goo.gl/maps/q9XRl weekends (Jan 2015or holidays) Last time checkedbecause there are less people and have no crowd, the national swimming pool was out of service. It worths to ask around about it first so if it's still not in useyou look suspicious you can be asked for an ID. (July of 2018)

One even safer option is Just follow the queue, take the student residencefood and eat it. Noone here checks who enters. Ever. Even if they see you like a complete stranger with a tons There's nothing to be afraid of baggage and ask you anything, just tell them that you are visiting try to look more or less like a friend or whateverstudent. After you enterOnly disadvantage is that it is closed on weekends, go upstairs to any floor summer holidays and you'll find common baths everywherenot-working days for the university in general. It is located near Picture of the swimming pool at the city centerbuilding [http://www. You can enter 24hmakthes. Location on map: https:gr/filestore/modules/goo.glnews/maps68918/H8WZU (jan 2015)lesxi.jpg here].

== Free food ==Thessaloniki is perhaps the only place in the world where Alternative entrance: when you can eat everyday for free easilyare there look to your right. Next to At the campus end of Aristotles university, Egnatia street, after the crossroad with 3rd September street grass there is the university canteen. Ask anybody for ''fititiki leschi''/φοιτητική λέσχη. There a stair case, you can find a free full meal twice a day. 12.00-15.00 and 18.00-20.00. These free meals are provided for go up directly to the university studentsdining hall (if it's opened, but even if youit're s not one, you don't have to pay and you don't have to show a student ID can knock or any document. Just follow the queue, take wave through the food and eat it. There's never any checks. There's nothing door to be afraid of, just try to look more or less like a another student. Only disadvantage is that it is closed on weekends, summer holidays and not-working days for the university normally they will let you 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.I don't think you really need this because it's very There is another option (easy to enter trough in the main door.morning, otherwise is more difficult):''

This might not be true any more===Alfa foititiki estia (Α' φοιτητική εστία):===Your aim is the same - free student food from student canteen, have heard that this year they started checking for a however now you are going to search it directly in canteen of student's dorms. There is no control at the entrance of student pass'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.

* Youcan find it by following 're right, since September 2010 they started checking. But don't be scaredaddress: Stilponos Kiriakidi 17, just ignore themThessaloniki 546 36, they donGreece''t insist! Myself, although I have a student card, I refuse to show it, many students do so out of solidarity. Tidy looks always help.

* Actually they don't check The best way is to be hosted there by any more. Barely anyone was showing their IDs when they started checking so they gave up. Nobody cares now. Go early student through hosting application or ask some students living there to help you get the dinner (regularly even if you want choice of foods. Sometimes cannot get main dish they run out of the nicest meal provide you orangers or of the dessert and they give you the other apples which no one and an orange instead of the baklava or rice puddingtakes). You If you cannot find a student helping you, you can easily ask for seconds and thirds.try get some food by your own, follow this instruction:

* - They donare controling IDs only during day time and evening time, so it't even look at yous very easy to get there in the morning (8 a.m - 10 a.m). In the morning there are almost no people eating, so there staff is no such thing as "really bored of checking"IDs or is even absent. You can just go there and eat. (April, 2012)

* - Take the trey with food and go eat as all do at the table. Don't be suspicious, you are a student now. Many students doesn''My friends were t really eat there (1st week of September 2012) and they were asked about student cards, so they replied that "we are from Erasmus taking food away which they can physically take out and still waiting for Greek ones, but of course we have our normal"leave the dorms.You can do the same.. OK! OK! com'on, there is no problem, so you only have to say "I am a student" if any doubtful problem occur'''

• SEPTEMBER 2015: there was a guy at - Normally control-staff are crossing out the entrance that check some of numbers on the people for paper. Each student has his own number on ID-card but and he dontells it in the moment of entering. It's another strategy of pretending to be a student: you tell random number in greek language (p.e. 103 = ekato tria, 25 - ikosi pende, 207 = diakosa epta, etc), so they will cross it out. Don't care much. I just walked after a couple worry, students rarely take morning breakfast, so we look like we you are a group, he asked them something not "eating someone's food in Greek and we entered without showing IDhis place".