Changes

Trucks are banned Update 2022: ''Definitely have some lira before hitchhiking into Istanbul. Both times we did it we were left far away from entering the city during rush hours (morning: 'center so you will have to get on public transport and for this you should buy an Istanbul card instead of a one-pass unless you'?'', evening: about 17:00-22:00), and even when they can proceed re literally just passing through the city, there are few places to stop. Therefore it The city is absolutely huge and getting an Istanbul card is highly likely that your driver will let a must unless you want to pay double every time you out at enter public transport (15Tl for 1-pass tickets vs 7,67tl for a ride with the Mahmutbey toll boothscard). There are two ways Even though you have to pay for the centre from here. Note that there are no ATMs on the outskirts of Istanbul. If you Card itself, after 5 or 6 rides it's already much better to have no Turkish moneyhad the card, we learned this the driver may let expensive way. You can buy the card on kiosks and you only need to buy one as you travel for free, or a friendly local may pay can use it for as many people as you; arrive with some Turkish lira in your pocket want. When the funds run out topping it up is as easy as placing the card on the ticket machine white illuminated area and uploading tl into it. Blackriding sadly seems to not be reliant on impossible or at least improbable as every entrance and exit of the tram or metro is guarded and the bus drivers only open the kindness of strangersfirst doors.''

One option is to walk to the side road to the right of the motorway, then turn to the first or second street Also you can get out at fuel stations and ask there for ride to your right (the wide one). From the bus stop about 200 m down that street, take bus 89M "Zeytinburnu Metro", which will cost around 2 Turkish lira (~ €0.80) (see section below on Public transport). From Zeytinburnu there is an extensive choice of public transportation into the city such as trams to Sultanahmet, buses to Taksim/Beyoğlu (93C), or the ''Metrobüs'' heading for the Asian side across the Bosphorus.

''Taksim Square in the center of the European part of Istanbul 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.'' === Northwest towards [[Greece]] , [[Edirne]] and , [[Bulgaria]] {{E|80}} {{E|84}} === There are several ways to get out of the city centre and onto the main highway. If you stop a car that is not going a long distance, then it is best to aim for the Mahmutbey toll booths in the northwest of Istanbul where the E80 really begins.   ==== Out of city option ==== 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, this bus stop is next to Silivri Halk Otobüsü Bekleme Garajı) There is Shell fuel station next to it.  Also small walk away is another bigger E80 highway.

==== First Out of city option ====

Get You can get out of city bus 303 from Yenibosna Metro to the Mahmutbey toll booths last bus stop Silivri Halk Otobüsü Bekleme Garajı (Mahmutbey Gişelerior bus 303B from Otogar Metro till bus stop Mimarsinan Mah) where it is possible to stop long-distance cars . Ticket cost 11 TL and trucks.TOLL BOOTHS WERE DEMOLISHED. FAST TRAFFICyou can pay only with Istanbulcard.

Some buses pass this spot. One is 98H from Bakırköy, a suburb in the west. Another one (146TA) departures from Yenikapı, near Sultanahmet and you can get off at the stop just after the bus turns north into the suburb Başakşehir. From the bus stop, you can 4 km walk a couple of hundred metres down to the toll booth (there away is a handy gap in the fence). You can also go by metro to Ikitelli Sanayi stop (M3 E8O highway emergency line) walk south until you see the highway and follow it until you reach the toll booths (about 1 , 5 km walk). For the metro, one ticket costs 3,00 TL or a bit less with an prepay "akbil". But beware of the fact that everytime you change metro's, you'd have to pay the 3TL againaway is Karbey Dinlenme Tesisi rest stop.

Strictly speaking, pedestrians are not permitted here; if a bored traffic police officer asks you to leave, but ignore him and feign misunderstanding, and B) 5 km walk a few metres away and thumb.is D-7 higway toll place Kınalı Gişeleri

==== Second A good middle option ====You can take seems to be taking bus 83O* from Taksim Square 303 to the big bus station Selimpaşa from where it''Bayrampaşa Otogar'' on the European side, which is just along the motorway s about a 30 minute walk to Edirne / Bulgaria. Take the bus to the last stop, get off and E80 or about a 40 minute walk back to the entrance. Or even better get off one stop before first gas station on the last: you will recognize it when the bus E80 and catching a ride is passing from small urban street to a big 3 lanes roadeasy. From there, you'll be hitching directly along the motorway. A sign works well here, and there is plenty of space for drivers The first few cars will go to pull over since a lot of buses and minibuses stop for passengers just outside. At the same time Silivri but you are often disturbed by buses stopping, leaving or parking. While exiting, you'll notice a petrol station bound to your right that is catch a possible alternative starting point where you can ask drivers for lifts (or just use the toilet)ride going towards Edirne relatively quickly.

Hitchhikers experience: we don't understand what means when you write "last stop". And turkish people didn't understand when you try ==== Getting to explain them that you whant to get out suburbans of the city to highway. They offer to you their buses. It's easier to take bus from this bus station to the nearest village Catalca, get out before bus turn to Catalca.Istanbul ====

Hitchhikers experience 2014: Not Another way to get to city's western outskirts is to take the best place metro from Aksaray close to staySultanahmet in the old city centre, eventually we got a and ride it till ''Yenibosna'' station (2.0 TL pp, roughly €0.80). Then, take the public bus #448 (''Yenibosna Metro-Mimarsinan''; an extra 2.00 TL pp), which departs from the stops right next to metro station. You will ride of this bus for a guy that wanted to help us''long'' time, but after 2 hours going around Istanbulroughly an hour, left us until where it quits the motorway west and turns to right in a much worse place close to cloverleaf interchange near the village of Mimarsinan, where the airportbus eventually heads. So be strict with Get off at the stop right at the very location bus turns right, this is where as much west as you want to gocan get on Istanbul's public transportation. Ask at least for Then walk a bit further from the tolljunction, and start thumbing.

Get into Once you have passed the metro at Taksim Square and take a train towards ''Haciosman''. This is currently the last station for the trains departing from Taksim. One ticket costs 2border,00 TL (~0,80 Euro), or 1.75 TL with an prepay "akbil". But beware of the fact that everytime you change metro's, you'd have try to pay the 2TL again! At stay in the ''Sanayi Mahallesi'' station (not to be confused with Atatürk Oto Sanayi car which is the last station en route)took you through, get out of as the Metro. You will find yourself along first 20-30 km on the ''Büyükdere Caddesi'' avenue. Walk along the main street direction north (watch out for big signs that Greek and Bulgarian side are leading drivers to one of the motorway worst places to Edirnehitchhike in Europe. After 3-4 min and passing a military camp you'll see the [[on-ramp]]. Unfortunately, Local people there is no way to cross the street are afraid of stories about immigrants from right to left then by attempting suicide, because the main street is mostly full of fast trafficIran and Afghanistan etc. If you are not brave enough so it's especially hard to do so, walk another 10 min further and cross the street over get a bridge and walk back the way along the other sideride.

Or better, you may get off the metro at ''İTÜ-Ayazağa'' station (the first one after ''Sanayi Mahallesi''), cross the street on an pedestrian overpass close to that station's exit and then walk ''south'' for about 10 min to get to Check the article on ramp to the motorway[https://hitchwiki. You will have to walk past the military park on the right side of the road, and then you will see the big motorway below.If you don't feel comfortable at the onorg/en/Kapitan_Andreevo-Kap%C4%B1kule_border_crossing Kapikule-ramp for whatever reason (eg the cars pass too close or drive too fast), try to start hitching from a bus stop just after the gasstation called 'Opet'. If Kapitan Andreevo border crossing] if you stand here, many taxi's might stop for you, but just wave them away, or say 'para yok' (no money) and wait for a normal car to stop for youre going towards Bulgaria as it can be difficult.

=== Westwards towards [[GreeceCannakale]] (via [[Tekirdağ|Tekirdag]]) {{E|84}} ===

'''Update (as of August 2018)''': the train Take Bus #34B/C/BZ/G to [[Muratlı]] is operating twice a day, departing from Halkalı train station in the West of the city. The fare to Muratlı is 13.5 TL (11 TL if you're under 26). You can get to Muratlı train station by direct bus from Eminönü, or by metrobus (Cennet Mahallesi metrobus last stop is nearly 1 hour of walking from the train station). Be aware that it is currently impossible to pay by the card at Halkalı station, and start hitchhiking with a Tekirdag sign there is no ATM nearby, so prepare cash in advance.

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!

Take Bus #34B/C/BZ/G ==== From Şekerpınar close to the last stop and start hitchhiking with a Tekirdag sign there. From Tekirdag continue with a Istanbul sign. Be prepared for a possible long waiting time at Tekirdag.Gebze ====

=== East Get on the 111, 112 or 200 and south towards [[Ankara]], Black Sea coast, Antalya {{E|80}} ===stay on the bus almost all the way to the last stop (get off approximately two or three stops before).

For going east there You are different options: ==== From parking on motorway O4 ====Take now located a ferry to ''Kadıköy'' on Asian side. Next to little bit south of the ferry terminal there is a bus terminal where you have 2 options: # Take bus 19, 19C, 19Y, or just ask which bus is going to '''Ferhatpaşa''' the stop you have to get off at O4 (you E80) heading East towards Ankara. You will see need to walk a road going little bit northwards in order to reach a circle like a big roundabout). From there walk northeast until you get to the motorway O4 Anadolu Otoyoluramp. There is a fence along the motorway but it has many holes, so getting to the other side is not difficult, or can just go to the gate where is possible to entre freely. Once you get to the parking area, you can ask around or make a big sign and show it at parking area's exit to the drivers passing by bus stop on the motorway, so they can stop on a merge lane-ramp. There's one small restaurant in You can hitch out from there unto the parking area where many drivers stop for a short break.# Take bus 130 and after half an hour or so you'll arrive to a Gas station where the bus stops O4 (near GebzeE80). Get down and from here you can hitch-hike either asking or stopping carsgoing East.

==== From Şekerpınar close to Gebze ====Get on the 111, 112 Most people who will take you might just drive for another 10km or 200 and stay so. There are lots of petrol station on the bus almost all the way in this giant suburban maze but chances are only local people stop there. You will have to go for about nearly 20 or 30 km until you will actually be out of the last stop (get off approximately two or three stops before)Istanbul metropolis.

You are now located a little bit south If you want to avoid 30 km of urban hitch hiking, from the O4 last stop of 112 take bus 134BK (E80other 134 buses may work as well) heading East towards Ankarawhich leaves across the road from where 112 ends. You will need to walk a little bit northwards in order to reach a ramp. There is a bus Ride until the end and transfer onto 133Ş and ride it until the last stop on the on-ramp. You are then in Şekerpınar and can hitch out from there unto walk the 2km to the O4 (E80) going East.main motorway Anadolu Otoyolu E8O

Most people who will take you might just drive for another 10km '''Update 2022:''' There is no reststop or sogasstation at the Otoyolu at Şekerpınar. The highway is a really huge one with cars going very fast. There are lots of [[petrol station hitchhiking|petrol stations]] Walking or trying to hitchhike on the way highway in this giant suburban maze but chances are only local people stop therepart of Turkey is definetly not recommended. You will have to go for about nearly 20 or 30 km until can take the onramp though, but you will actually only be out of the Istanbul metropolisable to catch traffic coming from Şekerpınar and other surburbs.

If you want to avoid 30km '''Other 2022 update''' There is no rest stop but the lane of urban hitch hiking, the enterance becomes a shoulder lane in like 50 meters.Move a bit away from the last stop of 112 take bus 134BK (other 134 buses may work as well) which leaves across lane so the road cars from where 112 ends. Ride until that enterance can see you and thumb all the end and transfer onto 133Ş highway cars and you'll have a ride it until in no time. As the last stop. You police in Turkey are then in Şekerpınar and can walk completely ambivalent towards thumbing on the 2km to the main motorway O4 Anadolu Otoyoluhighway catching a ride is pretty easy as long as you don't mind super-fast cars flying by you.

 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, 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)

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.

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. 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.

See [[Eskihisar]] for how However, the majority of traffic here seems to be going to Izmit, which is 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 ferry jetty bridge, and continue hitching from there or after the interchange. If you're really stuck on that road leading up to the route and how bridge, you'll have to walk a few km along it until you get into to the Petrol Ofisi fuel station, about a Kilometre before the bridge. Hitch at the on-ramp to the ferry for freehighway from there.

An alternative Hacı Osman Korusu park wild camping - ride metro line 2 to - Darussafaka station and depending next to it on your luck, faster than - the ferry route is to catch a lift across the Osmangazi Bridge (Osmangazi Köprüsü) which opened in 2016. This suspension bridge carries the major O-5 motorway across the Gulf circle corner of Izmit, connecting Gebze, the city on streets Buyukder and Ulu streets you can climb over the eastern outskirts of Istanbul, fance to Yalova ProvinceHacı Osman Korusu park https://ibb. co/RHmd9jb Get only a bit inside but be carefull there ar some sharp plants

A way to get as close as possible to the bridge without having to hitch through the city traffic is to take the Marmaray (kind of metro) to its far Eastern stations. The Marmaray, which runs along the southern coast of IstanbulYou will find many beaches on Prince islands, can be caught on both the Asian and European sides of the city and but many of its major stations, such as Yenikapı and Üsküdar, them are connected to the city's metro, metrobus, bus and tram systemprivatised.Catch You should walk away from the Marmaray east in the direction of Gebze. A ticket costs roughly 5.20TL (~USD 0.92) as of June 2019, and you must use an Istanbulkart which you presumably havetowns to find some wild beach.

Get off at Osmangazi Station Büyükada island wild camping - you can get by paid ferry there (two stops before GebzeKadıköy, Bostancı or Kartal) as this is closer . Be aware that the forests are sometimes closed due to wild fires and the D-100 highway that will carry police might be even more strict if you east're caught camping (not to mention the danger to yourself if there ever was a fire). Walk roughly 300m north up You can camp on the top of the island between Aya Yorgi Manastırı and the road communication tower. You will have some shade from the station until you trees and a nice wind (at least during summer). You can take one of the small buses to get to closer from the circleferry. BA-underpass junction with 2 is the one that will get you the closest but is stops at 9 pm, otherwise you can take the DBA-100 highway5 that runs until 11-12 pm. A nice position just after Be aware that you should not drink water tape on the start of islands. OGM (nature protection) may bother if you stay late in the on-rampmorning, where cars are still moving slowlybut you should not get fined, should score you a ride in minutesturkish or foreigner.