Changes

In many parts == Hitching in Europe you can find Turkish truckers, who might be heading to Istanbul. Watch out for Turkish number plates beginning with '''34''', the city code for Istanbul, however a high proportion of all trucks heading for the Asian side of Turkey still have to go through Istanbul.==

<map lat='41If you drive highway look around and ask your driver to let you out in place where you see a Istanbul in walking distance than ask local people for bus/metro.04207384890103' lng='28For example Paşaköy.989486694335937' zoom='10' view='0' float='right' />You should have some small local cash to pay for ticket. Or walk :)

The other option=== Northwest towards [[Greece]] , from close to the motorway toll booth[[Edirne]], are the frequent minibuses to Topkapı or Yenibosna, from which you can find transportation further into the centre.[[Bulgaria]] {{E|80}} {{E|84}}===

* Note about buses - At the time of this correction Ispartakule Park Area North is a fuel station on E80 highway(2011-09-07) all public transport in Istanbul is 1.75 with an "akbil" which is used See Google maps for pre-paymentgetting there and update how its. It '''There is''' usually still possible bus 76E going to ride the Sehit Serife Bacı Lisesi bus by giving the money to another passenger who will then use their akbil for you. Some drivers also ask passengers to do this for you if you try to give them money. It is almost certainly impossible to ride for free, unless by permission of the driver.stop not far place)

One ==== Out of city option [[User:Damaniacle]] uses is for the (quite common) situation of your driver crossing the second bridge, Fatih Sultan Mehmet Kuprusu (bridge). get them to drop you at the last exit before the bridge's toll booth, which is right after you pass the new stadium. if you walk/hitch down that road, very soon you will arrive at a metro station, which will take you directly to Taksim.====

== Hitchhiking You can get out ==of city bus 303 from Yenibosna Metro to last bus stop Silivri Halk Otobüsü Bekleme Garajı (or bus 303B from Otogar Metro till bus stop Mimarsinan Mah). Ticket cost 11 TL and you can pay only with Istanbulcard.

Generally, you can just start hitching anywhere in the city center. Just A) 4 km walk to the nearest away is E8O highway and stick your thumb out. It might need a few lifts until you get out of the borderemergency line, but given that you hardly ever wait more than 10 minutes for a lift, it can be faster than public transport5 km walk away is Karbey Dinlenme Tesisi rest stop.

''Taksim Square in the center of the European part of Istanbul B) 5 km walk away is chosen as a starting point for the upcoming description due to the fact that there the most bus lines of the European side start and end.''D-7 higway toll place Kınalı Gişeleri

=== Northwest towards [[Edirne]] If you want to be at E8O highway emergency line faster get out from bus at Kamiloba stop and [[Bulgaria]] {{E|80}} ===walk 1.6 at Çakılyolu Sk street.

There are several ways A good middle option seems to be taking bus 303 to station Selimpaşa from where it's about a 30 minute walk to get out of the city centre and onto the main highway. If you stop E80 or about a car that is not going a long distance, then it is best 40 minute walk to aim for the Mahmutbey toll booths in the northwest of Istanbul where first gas station on the E80 really beginsand catching a ride is easy. From here, it is possible The first few cars will go to stop long-distance cars and trucks. Strictly speaking, pedestrians Silivri but you are not permitted here; if a bored traffic police officer asks you bound to leave, but ignore him and feign misunderstanding, and walk catch a few metres away and thumbride going towards Edirne relatively quickly.

==== Bus 83O Getting to suburbans of Istanbul ====

You can Another way to get to city's western outskirts is to take bus 83O* the metro from Taksim Square Aksaray close to Sultanahmet in the old city centre, and ride it till ''Yenibosna'' station (2.0 TL pp, roughly €0.80). Then, take the big public bus station #448 (''Bayrampaşa OtogarYenibosna Metro-Mimarsinan'' on the European side; an extra 2.00 TL pp), which is just along departs from the motorway stops right next to Edirne / Bulgariametro station. Take the You will ride this bus to the last stopfor a ''long'' time, get off and walk back to the entrance. From thereroughly an hour, you'll be hitching directly along until where it quits the motorway. A sign works well here, west and there is plenty of space for drivers turns to pull over since right in a lot cloverleaf interchange near the village of buses and minibuses Mimarsinan, where the bus eventually heads. Get off at the stop for passengers just outside). While exitingright at the very location bus turns right, you'll notice a petrol station to your right that this is a possible alternative starting point where as much west as you can ask drivers for lifts (or just use get on Istanbul's public transportation. Then walk a bit further from the toilet)junction, and start thumbing.

==== Metro Trains out of city ====

Get into For those who rather not try hitchhiking through the metro at Taksim Square and take a train towards ''Atatürk Oto Sanayi''. This is currently overgrown western suburbs of the last station for the trains departing from Taksim. One ticket costs 2city,00 TL (~0,80 Euro), or 1.75 TL with an prepay "akbil". At the ''Sanayi Mahallesi'' station (not a slightly more expensive but a lot easier way to follow this westbound route to Greece may be confused with Atatürk Oto Sanayi which is the last station en route), get out of the Metro. You will find yourself along the ''Büyükdere Caddesi'' avenue. Walk along the main street direction north (watch out for big signs that are leading drivers to take the motorway morning train to Edirne. After 3-4 min and passing a military camp you'll see the [[on-rampMuratlı]]. Unfortunatelyfrom Sirkeci station in central Istanbul, there is no and then hitch your way forward to cross the street Greece via [[Tekirdağ]] from right to left then by attempting suicide, because the main street is mostly there. See [[Muratlı]] article for full of fast traffic. If you are not brave enough to do so, walk another 10 min further and cross the street over a bridge and walk back the way along the other sidedetails.

Or betterOnce you have passed the border, try to stay in the car which took you may get off through, as the metro at ''İTÜfirst 20-Ayazağa'' station (30 km on the first Greek and Bulgarian side are one after ''Sanayi Mahallesi''), cross of the street on an pedestrian overpass close worst places to that stationhitchhike in Europe. Local people there are afraid of stories about immigrants from Iran and Afghanistan etc. so it's exit and then walk ''south'' for about 10 min especially hard to get to the on ramp to the motorway. You will have to walk past the military park on the right side of the road, and then you will see the big motorway belowa ride.

Go somewhat down Check the ramp and article on [https://hitchwiki.org/en/Kapitan_Andreevo-Kap%C4%B1kule_border_crossing Kapikule-Kapitan Andreevo border crossing] if you 're going towards Bulgaria as it can find a good spot to stand and stop cars. Also try to get short lifts (even some kilometres can help in Istanbul)be difficult.

From Yenikapı, near Sultanahmet, one can take bus 146T and get off at Take Bus #34B/C/BZ/G to the last stop just after the bus turns north into the suburb Başakşehir. From the bus stop, you can walk and start hitchhiking with a couple of hundred metres down to the toll booth (Tekirdag sign there is a handy gap in the fence).

Take the suburban train (''banliyö treni'') from the very city center (Sirkeci) towards Halkali. It's only 2.00 lira. Get off at ''Küçükçekmece''. If the train station is 6 o'clock, walk in the direction of 12 o'clock in order to find the on ramp === East and south towards [[Tekirdağ|TekirdagAnkara]]. This is the same road that will take you directly to Greece, although you will still be well within the congested motorways of suburban Istanbul. Be aware that you cannot cross this border walking! You have to find somebody to take you across. Knowing [[Western Europe phrasebookBlack Sea coast, Antalya {{E|German]] will help you a lot to explain that you need help to cross the border due to many drivers with a Turkish-German background.80}} ===

* Hitchhikers experience: I took the train to Küçükçekmece like I read ==== From parking on here, and found the highway. To my dismay it was '''impossible''' to hitch. After walking 2 miles, hoping there would be a spot for people to pull off, there was nothing. I noticed these buses that road in the middle of the highway, and decided to take one down the road. After two stops, it was the end of the line. Fortunately, there was a huge spot to hitchhike. For anyone who goes this way, I '''highly''' recommend taking the bus the whole way instead of trying to walk like I did. Or, use another method to hitch. - Jonmotorway O4 ====

Another way to get to city's western outskirts is to take the metro from Aksaray close to Sultanahmet in the old city centre, and ride it till ''YenibosnaRest Stop Nr. 1:'' station (2.0 TL pp' Take bus 19, roughly €0.80). Then19C, take the public bus #448 (''Yenibosna Metro-Mimarsinan''; an extra 2.00 TL pp)19Y, 19T or just ask which departs from the stops right next bus is going to metro station. You will ride this bus for a ''long'' time, roughly an hour, until where it quits Ferhatpaşa the motorway west and turns stop you have to right in a cloverleaf interchange near the village of [[Mimarsinan]], where the bus eventually heads. Get get off at the stop right at the very location bus turns right, this is where as much west as you can get on Istanbul's public transportation. Then walk will see a road going in a circle like a bit further big roundabout its Flat Prof Dr Necmettin Erbakan Park from the junction, and start thumbingthere search Mirkelam Dinlenme Tesisleri İstanbul rest stop (40. Hitchhiker [[User:Vidimian|Vidimian]] tried this route in 2002 or 200398854931087875, when he wasn't very experienced at hitchhiking29. The first lift offer arrived so late (after about 2 hours of thumbing192601039813262) and the following lifts were so short (and, again, late) that he could make it to [[Tekirdağ]], a mere 120 km away from this hitching spot, after the night falls, despite starting early in the morningon E-80 / O-4.

For those who rather not try hitchhiking through the overgrown western suburbs of When arriving from the city, a slightly more expensive but a lot easier way to follow this westbound route to Greece may be to take bus stop you will find the morning train to [[Muratlı]] from Sirkeci gas station in central Istanbul, completely fenced and then hitch your way forward to Greece via [[Tekirdağ]] from you might think about climbing or cutting it. But thereis a 'legal' open door in the middle of the fence. See [[Muratlı]] article The gas station itself has alot of traffic also for full detailslong distances.

Once you have passed the border, try ''Mirrorworld used this spot in 2022 and in just 30 minutes waiting time he was offered rides to stay in the car which took you throughEskisehir, as the first 20-30 km on the Greek side is one of the worst places Ankara and finally also to hitchhike in EuropeSamsun. Local people there are afraid of stories about immigrants from Iran and Afghanistan etcBest spot ever. so it's especially hard to get a ride. It took hitchhiker [[User:Lapulevel|Lapulevel]] a full day to get out of this area—and that wasn't simply a shortage of luck as that happened twice!

=== East '''Rest Stop Nr. 2:'''Take Metroline M4 in direction Tavsantepe and south towards [[Ankara]], Black Sea coastget out at Pendik Istasyonu. Change to Busline KM18 and get out at Mehmetcik Vakfi. You're just next to a big highway reststop, Antalya {{E|80}} ===where you will also catch all the traffic coming from SAW Airport. Coordinates: 40.92008 29.35054

* '''From parking Get on motorway O4'''Take ferry to ''Kadıköy'' on Asian side. Next to the ferry terminal there is a bus terminal where you can take bus 19111, 19C 112 or 19Y. Get off at 200 and stay on the stop ''Ferhatpaşa'' (you will see a road going in a circle like a big roundabout). From there walk northeast until you get to the motorway O4 Anadolu Otoyolu. There is a fence along bus almost all the motorway but it has many holes, so getting way to the other side is not difficult. Once you last stop (get to the parking area, you can ask around off approximately two or make a big sign and show it at parking area's exit to the drivers passing by on the motorway, so they can stop on a merge lane. There's one small restaurant in the parking area where many drivers stop for a short breakthree stops before).

Get Most people who will take you might just drive for another 10km or so. There are lots of petrol station on a ferry to Haydarpaşa (1,75 TL) and from there a the way in this giant suburban train to the last station Gebze (also 1,75 TL). There is maze but chances are only one train linelocal people stop there. After you walk up the train station stairs and come You will have to the street, go left and at the intersection turn left again. You'll see a signpost for the Istanbul-Ankara road. Follow the signs, and about nearly 20 or 30 km until you can hitch from where the road branches off with the sign "Izmit Ankara". There is little long-distance traffic here, so get a lift going to Izmit and get will actually be out at of the service station 9 km before IzmitIstanbul metropolis.

* '''From Şekerpınar close If you want to Gebze'''Get on avoid 30 km of urban hitch hiking, from the 111, last stop of 112 or 200 and stay on take bus 134BK (other 134 buses may work as well) which leaves across the bus almost all road from where 112 ends. Ride until the way to end and transfer onto 133Ş and ride it until the last stop (get off approximately two or three stops before).You are then in Şekerpınar and can walk the 2km to the main motorway Anadolu Otoyolu E8O

You are now located a little bit south of '''Update 2022:''' There is no reststop or gasstation at the O4 (E80) heading East towards AnkaraOtoyolu at Şekerpınar. You will need to walk The highway is a little bit northwards in order really huge one with cars going very fast. Walking or trying to reach a ramp. There is a bus stop hitchhike on the on-ramphighway in this part of Turkey is definetly not recommended. You can hitch out take the onramp though, but you will only be able to catch traffic coming from there unto the O4 (E80) going EastŞekerpınar and other surburbs.

Most people who will take you might just drive for another 10km or so. '''Other 2022 update''' There are lots is no rest stop but the lane of [[petrol station hitchhiking|petrol stations]] on the way enterance becomes a shoulder lane in this giant suburban maze but chances are only local people stop therelike 50 meters. You will Move a bit away from the lane so the cars from that enterance can see you and thumb all the highway cars and you'll have to go for about nearly 20 or 30 km until a ride in no time. As the police in Turkey are completely ambivalent towards thumbing on the highway catching a ride is pretty easy as long as you don't mind super-fast cars flying by you will actually be out of the Istanbul metropolis.

If you want to avoid 30km of urban hitch hiking, from the last stop of 112 take bus 134BK ==== From Bostancı Köprüsü (other 134 buses may work as wellBostancı Bridge) which leaves across the road from where 112 ends. Ride until the end and transfer onto 133Ş and ride it until the last stop. You are then in Şekerpınar and can walk the 2km to the main motorway O4 Anadolu Otoyolu.====

* '''From Bostancı Köprüsü (Bostancı Bridge)'''From ''Taksim'' Square take bus 129T (''Taksim - Üst Bostancı'' line), which, like the other transcontinental bus lines, requires two tickets (3.50 TL). Get off at the leaf-clover interchange called in Turkish ''Bostancı Köprüsü'' (literally Bostancı Bridge), close to its last stop. You can recognize the interchange by big signs saying ''Bostancı'' and ''İçerenköy'' (besides the usual ''İzmit'' and ''Ankara'' signs) there. Then, after getting off the bus, walk past the interchange until you see a safe shoulder down the road a couple hundred metres away. Start hitching there ready with a [[Signs|sign]] saying at least ‘[[Gebze]]'/'[[Izmit]]’, it’ll make you more visible and look like a total hitchhiker. Drivers around here seem to have some concerns about sharing their car with a stranger and looking like a total hitchhiker seems to somewhat ease their anxiety. However, there are also many minibuses heading for ''Gebze'' on this road, so hiding your sign when they are passing by and shaking your head both sides when its headlights flash (to ask whether you’d like a ride … for a fee) may prevent some of the unwanted attention. Expect to wait at least 30 minutes until you are offered a lift. Morning hours (approx. between 6:30-8:30) are best since the road is congested at that time and vehicles move slowly, which lets the drivers to think more about taking you in. Beware of the motorcycles by the way, which sometimes illegally drive inside the shoulder and literally skim you over.

* '''==== The (free) walking option'''====

While most people would find it more comfortable to take a bus to the outskirts and then start hitchiking there is another, slighlty slightly more challenging, option. Generally it is actually faster to just find a good piece of highway somewhere close to where you stay (even if it's in the centre of Istanbul), get ON the highway and put your thumb up. You are unlikely to wait more than 3-5 minute before a car pulls over (many people don't really mind stopping on the highway) and the police is very unlikely to give you any trouble (they picked [[Theo]] up, gave him tea and chocolate-cookies and dropped him of 20 kilometers further down the road) From Taksim: Walk down Cumhüriyet Caddesi for about 40-50 minutes. It's a big avenue which is easy to find (alternativvely just follow the signs on Taxim for Şisli). After 40-50 minutes you'll see Cevahir shopping center on your right side and that's about 200 meters from where you'll start hitching. If you manage to get lost (hard as it's a big avenue without any real tricky intersection or anything) you should just ask your way to Cevahir shopping center.

Alternatively you could wait for a ride to take you across the bridge and get dropped off at the paytolls on the Asian side and find a ride onto the 04 E8O from there.

=== South towards [[Yalova]]/, [[Bursa]] or [[Izmir]] ===

See below the Eskihisar links for a road/bridge alternative. See [[Eskihisar]] for how to get to the ferry jetty on the route and how to get into the ferry for free. The route via [[Eskihisar]] is also the shortest way to [[Izmir]] and its adjacent area in western Turkey.

The route via [[Eskihisar]] Opet - Mehmetçik Vakfı Petrol petrol station / rest stop on E80 highway next to Mehmetçik Vakfı bus stop. Buses 130H, 132, 132B and KM 18 stopes there. Place isnt far from Sabiha Gokcen International Airport Doğalhane Dinlenme Tesisleri petrol station / rest stop on E80 highway next to Çayırova İtfaiye bus stop. Bus 133Ş stops there Marmaray metro east in the direction of Gebze. Get off at Osmangazi Station (two stops before Gebze) as this is closer to the D-100 highway that will carry you east. Walk roughly 300m north up the road from the station until you get to the circle-underpass junction with the D-100 highway. A nice position just after the start of the on-ramp, where cars are still moving slowly, should score you a ride in minutes. However, the majority of traffic here seems to be going to Izmit, which is also past the bridge. Turn down rides if you have to until you get one going over the bridge, to Yalova/Bursa/İzmir etc. If you're really stuck, take a short ride and ask your driver to drop you off on the side of the road at the off-ramp going to the bridge, and continue hitching from there or after the interchange. If you're really stuck on that road leading up to the bridge, you'll have to walk a few km along it until you get to the Petrol Ofisi fuel station, about a Kilometre before the bridge. Hitch at the on-ramp to the highway from there. == Wild camping == Hacı Osman Korusu park wild camping - ride metro line 2 to Darussafaka station and next to it on the circle corner of streets Buyukder and Ulu streets you can climb over the fance to Hacı Osman Korusu park https://ibb.co/RHmd9jb Get only a bit inside but be carefull there ar some sharp plants You will find many beaches on Prince islands, but many of them are privatised. You should walk away from the towns to find some wild beach. Büyükada island wild camping - you can get by paid ferry there (Kadıköy, Bostancı or Kartal). Be aware that the forests are sometimes closed due to wild fires and the police might be even more strict if you're caught camping (not to mention the shortest way danger to [[Izmir]] yourself if there ever was a fire). You can camp on the top of the island between Aya Yorgi Manastırı and the communication tower. You will have some shade from the trees and its adjacent area a nice wind (at least during summer). You can take one of the small buses to get closer from the ferry. BA-2 is the one that will get you the closest but is stops at 9 pm, otherwise you can take the BA-5 that runs until 11-12 pm. Be aware that you should not drink water tape on the islands. OGM (nature protection) may bother if you stay late in western Turkeythe morning, but you should not get fined, turkish or foreigner. == Nomadwiki & Trashwiki == {{nomadwiki}}