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|map= <map lat='3940.901308585747352' lng='47.8454589843758' zoom='6' view='0' float='right' />

|pop = 89,676,000

|hitch = ? <rating country='az' /> }} '''Azerbaijan''' is an [[Asia]]n country in the [[Middle East]]Caucasia. It has borders with [[Russia]], [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]], [[Armenia]], [[Iran]] and via the enclave [[Nakhchivan]] to [[Turkey]].English is not very widespread, but many people have at least a basic command of Russian, and almost anybody will be able to understand you if you speak Turkish.  

Hitchhiking The concept of hitchhiking (more likely: Avtostop or Otostop in Russian resp. Turkish) is -- depending on the definition -- either very easy in Azerbaijan, because well-known or not so well-known at all. People stop quite easily as locals rarely do italso very commonly wait by the side of the road for a ride. On the other side, and therefore drivers often expect money. ([[User:Zenit|Zenit]] had a foreigner waiting with his thump up is an attractionPorsche driver stop for him who asked for money). Help people identify you as foreignerThis seems to become less likely the smaller the road gets. Many cars act as taxis Local hitchhikers have reported to just accept rides and may want not talk about these topics, preferring to win you as customerdeal with potential expectations of the drivers at the end (but insisting that they never pay). Therefore If you should ask them, where they are going and if they answer something 'd like "wherever you want to" make clear avoid that (at the danger of losing some lifts), the following vocabulary can come in handy: *Russian: ''bezplatno mozhna?'' (Is it okay to go for free?) / ''dingi nyet'' (I don't have money)*Turkish: ''parasiz (gitmek) mumkun?'' (Is it okay to go for free?) / ''param jok'' (I don't have money) It can help if people can readily identify you are not looking for as a taxiforeigner, eg "taxi yokh - avtostop". Taxi drivers can be very pushing, they grab your luggage without your permission, cheat you with the price etcespecially a western foreigner. Avoid hitchhiking in [[Baku]] and [[Ganja]], − and in smaller cities - don't hitchhike near the taxi stand.Hitchhiking is really great in remote mountain areas - − but only in those with solid roads.  UPDATE: Actually hitchhiking its perfect all over Azerbaijan. Even in Baku or Ganja. You just have to be clear about not paying and that's all. Probably you will spend your travel explaining how do you do to travel without money (Azeri people don't know so much about hitchhiking) but it will be funny most of the times.([[User:Simimoch|Simimoch]] Two spanish guys, with no Russian or Azeri managed to travel across Azerbaijan without paying any cent, hitchhiking even from the main cities. "Manat niet" and the direction we were going was the only thing we were saying to the drivers at the beginning at it was always fine. They don't use to know the Russian or Turkish word of Avtostop or Otostop with us. Drivers where mostly friendly, offering always tea and sometimes even food or accommodation. We never waited more than 10 minutes.  Hitchhiking in Azerbaijan is not more or less dangerous than elsewhere on the world. But be aware of regions in the southwest, the border to Armenia and the region [[Nagorno-Karabakh]] where sometimes local conflicts escalate. In the border region to Armenia there is the additional danger of landmines. == License plates == Azerbaijan has a system in which you can recognize from the license plate which of the country's many ''rayon''s a car is from. Baku, for example, is ''10'', ''90'', and ''99'', Ganja is ''20'' and Sheki is ''55''. See [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vehicle_registration_plates_of_Azerbaijan here] for a complete list.

=== [[Kazakhstan]] ===* You can take the [[hitchhiking a boat|ferry]] from [[Baku]] to [[Aktau]], [[Kazakhstan]] (go to the Baku page for more information).It is possible to get Kazakh visa in Baku in a day or two. The [[Embassy]] of Kazakhstan Republic is on Gandjlik m.st., 82 Hasan Aliyev st., phone: (+99412)4656248/4652121 === [[Armenia]] ===* The border to [[Armenia ]] is closed and there are also landmines and border conflicts. === [[Russia]] === The border used to be closed for non CIS passport holders. The situation has changed in late 2012, now it is possible to cross with valid visas. [[Pite]] went through the border in August 2013, border police were surprised to see Europeans here, but they let him go. === [[Iran]] ===* You are will need a valid visa to cross the border to Iran, but it is a regular, not allowed impossible to pass hitchhike border.=== [[Turkmenistan]] ===* You can take the [[hitchhiking a boat|ferry]] from [[Baku]] to border [[Türkmenbaşy]], [[Turkmenistan]]. === [[Georgia]] ===* There are two borders with Georgia opened for travelers and good for hitchhiking. It is a relatively easy to Russia if you hitchhike here; Azeri people are quite friendly with foreigners, and there are not big truck parking areas in both sides of the nationality of border where you should be able to hitch a ride easily.  From the "Red Bridge" border the next main city is [[Ganja]] (very easy to reach in one of hour or less), and from the Lagodekhi/Balakan border, close to the mountains, the CIS nations or have a special permissionclosest main city in [[Sheki]].  [[File:Azeri-GeorgiaBorderZaqatala.jpg|thumb|right|Georgia - Azerbaijan [[border crossing]] near [[Balakan]]]]

== Links ==https://www.facebook.com/groups/256467861393520/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel Azerbaijani hitchhikers's facebook group.  == Nomadwiki & Trashwiki == {{nomadwiki}} [[Category:Middle EastAzerbaijan]]