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[[nomad:Azerbaijan]]
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|hitch = <rating country='az' /> }}
'''Azerbaijan''' is an [[Asia]]n country in the 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 well-known or not so well-known at all. People stop quite easily as locals also very commonly wait by the side of the road for a ride. On the other side, drivers often expect money. ([[User:Zenit|Zenit]] had a Porsche driver stop for him who asked for money). This seems to become less likely the smaller the road gets. Local hitchhikers have reported to just accept rides and not talk about these topics, prefering preferring to deal with potential expectations of the drivers at the end (but insisting that they never pay). If you'd like to 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)
It can help if people can readily identify you as a foreigner, especially 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.
== Border crossing ==
* You can take the [[hitchhiking a boat|ferry]] from [[Baku]] to [[Türkmenbaşy]], [[Turkmenistan]].
=== [[Georgia]] ===
* The border to There are two borders with Georgia is open opened for travelers and good for hitchhiking. It is a relatively easy border, to hitchhike here; Azeri people are quite friendly toward with foreigners, and there are big truck parking areas in both sides of the 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 hour or less), and from the Lagodekhi/Balakan border, close to the mountains, the closest main city in [[Sheki]].
[[File:Azeri-GeorgiaBorderZaqatala.jpg|thumb|right|Georgia - Azerbaijan [[border crossing]] near [[Balakan]]]]
== Cities ==
* [[Baku]]
* [[Sheki]]
* [[Ganja]]
* ''add more''
https://www.facebook.com/groups/256467861393520/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel Azerbaijani hitchhikers's facebook group.
== Nomadwiki & Trashwiki == {{nomadwiki}}
[[Category:Azerbaijan]]
[[de:Aserbaidschan]]
[[visa:Azerbaijan]]
