Hildesheim

Template:Hildesheim is a mid-sized city in Lower Saxony, Germany, about 30 km south of Hanover. The city has a laid-back vibe, a historical old town, and a strong student population thanks to the university (which is mainly known for programs in cultural studies and arts and gives the city a creative and alternative feel)

Hitching Out

North towards Hanover / Hamburg and South towards Göttingen / Frankfurt

Usually I still aim for the gas station Hildesheimer Börde (7km south of Hildesheim), since I find the on-ramp situation in Hildesheim a bit frustrating (by that I'm referring to the on-ramp 62, i haven't tried 61 Hildesheim-Drispenstedt yet). You can still make your way to the B1, which connects directly to the A7 Autobahn. There's also a bus (nr 6) and you can get off at "P+R Berliner Kreisel" or the one after and walk from there along "Frankenstraße" till Esso gas station Hildesheim Oststadt and then turn right and follow "Berliner Straße" to the on-ramp.

Also to Hannover it's pretty easy to blackride the publics. From time to time there are ticket controls, but it's pretty easy to play cats and mouse with the controller.

Once on the A7, it’s easy to reach Hanover, which is a major hitchhiking node. Just north of the city lies the A2-A7 Autobahn interchange, one of the key crossings in northern Germany. From there, you can head west towards Dortmund or east towards Berlin. If your driver stops in Hanover/is going in a different direction than you, ask to get dropped at "Wülferode", a gas station south of Hanover, where you can find a ride in your direction. If you're going south, there's no exit before the gas station Hildesheimer Börde, meaning even if your driver doesn't go far, they can still help you to get to a better hitchhiking spot on the highway.

If you want to start your trip at the gas station Hildesheimer Börde, it's best to get there by bike, or hitch a local ride starting at B6/Senator-Braun-Allee - Goslarsche Landstraße at one of the traffic lights and there are also bus connections from the main station to "Wendhausen (Hildesh) Friedhof" (it's bus line 33 "Söhlde" or N5 "Söhlde" and will take roughly 20mins). From there it's 1,5km to the eastern side of the gas station and abt 2km to "Hildesheimer Börde West"

Hitching In

Coming from the A7, ask to be dropped at the exit 62 Hildesheim. Your driver can drop you at the gas station Esso Hildesheim Oststadt. From there, it’s not far into town — hitch a local ride at the gas station, take a bus (nr 6 towards the main station), or walk.

Sleeping

There are some quiet green areas around Hohnsensee Lake or in the parks near the university, where discreet camping might be possible. Otherwise, check out Trustroots or talk to people (for example at Kufa, where there are community kitchens every wednesday at 8pm. The address is Langer Garten 1, 31137 Hildesheim).