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'''London''' is the capital of [[England]] and the [[United Kingdom]].

* [http://www.hitchbase.com/ergebnisse.php?LANG=eng&abfrage%5Bstartort%5D=444 Hitchbase] has some information about hitchhiking out of London

Hitchhiking out of London is pretty tricky, but not impossible - the big problem is getting onto a motorway is a bit of a challenge, once you're on the motorway, stick to the petrol stations, hitching entrance ramp to entrance ramp is quite difficult, especially in the big cities.

<map lat='51.491738177580345' lng='-0.28118133544921875' zoom='16' view='0' float='right' />

Heading for '''Cornwall''', it is much more easier hitching the M4 and changing to the M5 in [[Bristol]] than trying to hitch the M3 through [[South West (England)|Dorset]].

<map lat='51.43983124736507' lng='0.0528717041015625' zoom='15' view='0' float='right' />

There is also a BP petrol Station Services (Swanley Services) before the M25 junction but the cars still goes in every direction from there and catching a ride might reveal difficult; although it would not be advised to go until there, someone might want want to do so if he feels he needs to change landscape ''(gathering more information needed)''. Drivers have also said that some people do hitch-hike at the M20/M25 Interchange Roundabouts, though this sound more likely to be illegal, more information would be welcome.

* '''Where to''': ('''''[[South East (England)|South East]]'''''), [[Rochester]], [[Canterbury]], [[Dover]]

* '''Cost of public transport''':

(''Note that you can hitch along the M20 and changing to the M2 in [[Maidstone]]'')

* '''Where to''': ('''''[[South East (England)|The South East]]'''''), [[Hastings]], [[Royal Tunbridge Wells]]

* '''Cost of public transport''':

{{infoneeded| Help providing the information with the one available for the M20}}

* '''Where to''': ('''''[[West (England)|The West (London)]]'''''), [[Oxford]], [[High Wycombe]], ('''''[[West Midlands (England)|The West Midlands]]'''''), [[Warwick]], [[Birmingham]], [[Redditch]]

There is also an Oxford Tube coach stop in Western Avenue/Freezeland Way nearby. If you happen to get really stuck (which I think you won't - I waited only about 12 minutes for a ride on an evening during a post-Christmas season) and only need to get to Oxford, this might be an alternative.

* '''Where to''': ('''''[[The North (England)|The North (London)]]'''''), [[Luton]], [[Milton Keynes]], ('''''[[East Midlands (England)|The East Midlands]]'''''), [[Northampton]], [[Leicester]], [[Derby]], [[Nottingham]], [[Sheffield]], [[Leeds]]

** '''Last verified''': January 2009

Another option is to take the tube to Brent Cross ''(Northern Line)''. From there you follow the 'North Circular Road' westwards for about 1km (along Tilling Road), and you get to the bottom of the M1 (don't get confused with the A1 which also passes nearby, although if this road is more convenient for your destination, you can also hitch from here). After passing the shopping centre, you should see the M1. It is possible to hitch at the first entrance you see, which is the traffic coming off the 'Westbound North Circular' (there is a bus stop just after the slip road joins the North Circular, and a small lay-by further on - both adjacent to the lane for M1).

* '''Where to''': ('''''[[The North (England)|The North (London)]]'''''), [[Stevanage]], ('''''[[East Midlands (England)|East Midlands]]'''''), ('''''[[East (England)|The East]]'''''), [[Peterborough]]

* '''Cost of public transport''':

''(See information for M1, Option 2 - Staples Corner. Hold the sign saying "A1 North". There must be better places to get onto A1, though...)'' {{infoneeded| Help complete this information with the one available for the M20}}

* '''Where to''': ('''''[[East (England)|The East]]'''''), [[Cambridge]], [[Peterborough]], [[Norwich]], [[London Stansted]]

* '''Cost of public transport''': One ticket to zone 4

*'''Directions''':

* '''Where to''': ('''''[[South West (England)|The South West]]'''''), [[Basingstoke]], [[Salisbury]], [[Southampton]], [[Porstmouth]], [[South West (England)|Dorset]], [[Bournemouth]]

* '''Cost of public transport''': One ticket/travelcard to zone 6 + one ticket from ''Hampton'' to ''Kempton Park'' railway station.

'''Kempton Park''' station is just outside London Transport Zones (''Hampton'', the previous station on the Waterloo-Shepperton line, is in zone 6), but it has no ticket barriers and the chances of meeting a ticket inspector between ''Hampton'' and ''Kempton Park'' should be quite remote.

* '''Where to''': ('''''[[South East (England)|The South East]]'''''), [[Woking]], [[Porstmouth]], [[Guildford]], [[Worthing]]

* '''Cost of public transport''':

''The A24 is best reached directly in Leatherhead outside the M25, there is a on-ramp to the M25 as well''

* '''Where to''': ('''''[[South East (England)|The South East]]'''''), [[Brighton]], [[Eastbourne]]

* '''Cost of public transport''':

''For the A22, possibly Kenley''

* '''Where to''': ('''''[[East (England)|The East]]'''''), [[East (England)|Essex]], [[Chelmsford]], [[Colchester]], [[Ipswich]], [[Southend-on-Sea]]

* '''Cost of public transport''':

{{infoneeded|Information needed}}

Paid transport to and from airports can be expensive. Hitching can be a good alternative. The exits to the airports can also be good places to get lifts to other places. For example, if you get stuck on the western part of the M25, try to get to Heathrow, from there people are going all over the country. If you are coming from Brighton, and trying to get around London, you may get a ride quicker to where you want to go if you get dropped at Gatwick Airport than at Pease Pottage services.

* [[London Gatwick]]

* [[London Stansted]]

* [[London Heathrow]]

== Transiting in Greater London ==

Be careful: there are only 3 service stations on the M25, and on the whole western part there are none at all. If you get dropped at a junction rather than at services you can get really stuck, as a large part of the traffic is only going round the road a short way. If it is not possible to get a lift to one of the services, consider waiting for a ride that takes you actually to the road you want to be on, rather than just stopping somewhere random on the M25.

Possibly the best place to get lifts on the M25. There is a bridge here to cross from one side to the other, which can be useful to know if, for example, you are trying to hitch from the M4 to Brighton but get a lift with someone who is going to Dover.

''See specific article for [[Transport for London]]''

There are several options when it comes to finding a place to sleep. If the worst prevails and you're without a place, you're still not too bad off. Central London is relatively safe and you probably wont be bothered sleeping outside.

Its quite possible to sleep out in London in considerable privacy despite its gigantic population of 10 million. Go North East to Trent Park (Picadilly Line North, second to last stop before Cockfosters. Find the directions for the university (Middlesex) campus and walk (or take the free bus) up the hill. Beside it and beyond the lake are quite a few miles of woodland and and it is incredibly beautiful. [[User:Whisperingofthestars|Jason]] lived here for 7 months during his final year of university. Be careful with park wardens, they eventually discovered him during the last few weeks of his studies. Build camouflage from ferns if staying for long. People are unlikely to be your greatest threat...dogs are. Dogs! A lot of people walk them here but you can find amazing places if you search hard enough. And if you search really really hard, you'll find a tree with the dates of the past dweller's residence...;)

Also, outside this station (Trent Park), there is a Greek Bakery. Behind it lie huge sacks of bread every night. Please go. Its crazy that this could possibly be wasted every night.

London has such an abundance of [[squat]]s that you shouldn't ever have to pay for accomodation. Having said that, most squats are places where people live and go about their normal business, so don't expect too much from them. Perhaps it would be good to find some friendly squatters by word of mouth or on [http://www.couchsurfing.com couchsurfing] or similar. Don't worry about the negative connotations associated with squats. They generally aren't crackhouses or scabies-infested punk hangouts. People of all types squat in London and their homes are usually very nice. They are especially helpful if you're planning to stick around for a while, but can also be great if you're just passing through. [[User:Zac Stewart|Zac]]<small>^{[[User talk:Zac Stewart|talk]]}</small> ended up with a squat to sleep in on his first night, and in [[Mayfair]] of all places! There is a strong community of squatters especially in the north east of London where a new group has been set for resistance and solidarity. The North East London Squatters Network are having meetings every month as well as a mailing list etc... For more info, get in touch with the '''[http://www.hackneysocialcentre.blogspot.com/ Hackney Social Centre]''' .. (unfortunately this has now been evicted).

For more info on social centres in London, check out [http://www.socialcentresnetwork.org.uk/ Autonomous London].

Cheap and free food abounds in London.

Hari Krishna offer free food from several locations in London at lunchtime: outside SOAS by Russel Square at 1pm, for example. Expect to queue for 30 minutes, arrive early to guarantee a fill - the food does run out. Otherwise...

Places like Sainsburys, Marks and Spencers, Tesco and so on have a marking system on there packedge food that says when the food should be thrown away and when it should be eaten before. The gap between this days are often two days and you can still have it more or less a week more depending on what it is.

If you're going to self cater, stick to '''Sainsbury's''' and '''Tesco''' rather than the convenient Off-Licenses for better prices. If you are a bit out of Central London, you might as well look for '''Lidl''', '''Morrisons''', '''Netto''' or '''Asda'''. Anyhow with a decent and wise grocery, you can get your grocery for nearly a week for about 10-15 pounds at any of the mentioned supermarket with decent, fresh and healthy food ''(to cook)''. Be aware though that these supermarkets are not in any sense "ethical". They are wiping out local shops, taking monopoly on feeding us, destroying the environment and throwing away food every day that could feed hundreds of people. It's better to eat out of their bins.

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