Changes

__NOTOC__[[Barcelona]] is the capital of [[Catalunya]], a region == Hitching in [[Spain]] (and [[France]]). ==

Walk === From France === When on the main motorway from France to Barcelona, some cars are being stopped at the border for identity and luggage check. When going to Spain (Catalunya), there are several big rest areas on that road. You can either ask your driver to let you out next to towns such as [[Rubí]] and [[Sant Cugat]] where you can go to Bracelona by train, or get out of the station car at a rest area and wait for another ride to Barcelona. A train ticket generally cost you around €2,20 (Sant Cugat/Rubí)  If you get dropped on the coast road leading to Barcelona (11) it should be really easy to keep hitching through the exit towns and villages until the city. I did the last 60km on the leftthis road in 4 or 5 short lifts but never waited more than 2/3 mins, just hopped out of each car and take thumbed the next one almost instantly wherever I was dropped.  You can also ask the driver to leave you at the junction by the university (''Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona''). There is a [[roundabout]] right by the road motorway ramp. The only challenge is that follows your driver has to be going from the junction of ''Barbera de valles'' on the rail trackright site of the motorway as it gets split - otherwise you leave the car at ''Castellbisbal'' [[rest area|service station]]. After   == Hitchhiking out ==  === North towards [[Girona]], [[Figueres]], [[La Jonquera]], ([[France]]) {{Aes|AP-7}} === In general your chances of being picked up are much better with cars with French number plates. For the options below it's good to have an idea about how many French cars you can expect. If you want to go further into France but only find a car going close to the border be careful about where you get dropped. See below experience at La Jonquera, last service station in Spaun. The first service station in France, Village Catalan just after le Boulou is totally dead, it looks like nobody stops there. If you can get a little further to Perpignan Sud Paeage, exit 42 and use a sign for Narbonne you should get a lift at least as for as La Palme Service station after exit 40, quite a good spot for a longer lift into France. ==== Option 1: C33 Motorway service station Gasolinera Galp Montcada Norte ==== * Take a Renfe train on the R2 or R2 Nord line, direction: Granollers Centre (R2) or Macanet-Massanes (R2 Nord). * Get off at station ''Montcada i Reixac''. Train will take you there in about 20 minutes. * Exit the train station to the left-turn, take through the second exit in the direction of the train. * Walk under the railways and pass through the station building. At the third other side you will find yourself at a small shopping district with a one way street . Follow it to the right . * Pass the church, traffic lights, and cross the pedestrian bridge. Once over the bridge, turn left and follow it the fenced in school playground around to the right. * You should now see the motorway above you and parking below the motorway. * Continue following the motorway until you see the road dip down and to the right under the railroad. Go under the bridge. * Up ahead and to your left you will see a very broken vertical turnstile and a sign saying "forbidden" (see a picture here: http://imgur.com/MLxJc29). Ignore the sign and follow the foot path to the right, to the service road along the motorway. ( Someone also marked the entrance with "Autostop ->" )* This service road goes right into the back of a Gasolinera Galp Montcada Norte petrol station ( [geo:41.494515,2.191707;crs=wgs84;u=0 GPS Location] ) Also you can get on to the same petrol station by metro L11 till stop Torre Baró | Vallbona + 3 km walk next to river to to Montcada district and find a train stop ''Montcada i Reixac''. Than follow directions as above. ==== Option 2: AP-7 Motorway Service Station Bellaterra ==== Take train [http://www.fgc.net/accesible/cat/viatjar/s2.htm S2] from ''Barcelona Plaça Catalunya'', direction Sabadell-Rambla, and get off at ''Bellaterra''. (2 zones). Turn left out of the station and walk 1.6km along C/ de Bellaterra''. You should be able After you have crossed over the motorway bridge, you will see a small road to spot the left. Walk ≈400 along this road (you will pass through a rest area after less then small tunnel) to the service station Parking Bellaterra / Cepsa fuel station.  There are not too many drivers going north so option 1 is probably much better. As of 2021, the tunnel is no longer accesible, and you have to cross a 5 minute walk from herevery busy ramp to get to the gas station - yet another factor in favor of Option 1. ==== Option 3: Barcelona Gran Via ==== Take the metro L2 and get off at ''Monumental''. To hitch SouthFrom there, stay on that sidepass by the ''Plaça de Toros'' (Bullfight Arena) and start hitchhiking at the last traffic light by the ''Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes''/''Carrer Padilla'' before street corner where the road leads to the motorway C-31. When the light turns red, to hitch Northask people if they're heading towards the motorway. If yes, ask them if they can take you to the footbridgefirst petrol station (''"gasolinera"'').* [http://www.wikimapia.org/#y=4149109241400908&x=20938832183522&z=1517&l=03&m=sh&v=2 LocationOption3]<br/ >This is a good option to start hitching from the city itself. It works pretty well if you know how to hitch from petrol lights, have a big sign or know some Spanish. ==== Option 4: Petrol station Barcelona Beach ==== Take bus H16 from ''Plaça Catalunya'' direction Fòrum and get off at ''Cementiri de l'Est''. Head towards the beach, cross over the highway bridge, and you will see McD and the Repsol petrol station on the left.[http://maps.google.de/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=de&geocode=&q=barcelona&aq=&sll=43.846165,7.51585&sspn=0.063015,0.154324&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Barcelona,+Provinz+Barcelona,+Katalonien,+Spanien&t=h&ll=41.392763,2.20439&spn=0.004129,0.009645&z=17&layer=c&cbll=41.392668,2.204321&panoid=THN4T4qwi_RHw72drz6r8A&cbp=12,328.03,,0,-0.5 photo-link]This is a good option to start hitching from near the beach itself in Barcelona. It works pretty well if you know some Spanish or even Catalan as you have to ask the drivers at the petrol station. ==== Option 5: Port ==== Barcelona has a huge Port where ferries from Morocco, the Balearic Islands and Italy arrive. There are many cars going further north or to France. If you stand with a sign next to the passenger terminal where the cars leave the port, you can hitch a long-distance lift. It may be useful to check the timetables first, but keep in mind that ferries can be easily delayed by some hours.  === South towards [[Valencia]], [[Alicante]] {{Aes|AP-7}} & West towards [[Zaragoza]], [[Madrid]] {{Aes|A2}} === ==== Option 1: AP-7 Motorway Service Station Porta de Barcelona (Castellbisbal) ==== Take Renfe train R4 direction ''St.Vicenç de Calders'' from either ''Barcelona Sants'', ''Plaça Catalunya'' or ''Arc de Triomf'', to ''Castellbisbal''. From the train station, go left and take the dirt road that leads out and cross under the railway tracks on your right. Walking on this road, you'll come across a surfaced road on your right, that will lead to a bigger road. When you reach this bigger road, you'll see a bridge on your right. Turn left here, and then immediately to the right, to a small street, at the end of which you can see a "stop" sign from the distance. Go straight until it turns into a dirt road, keep going on the dirt road until you reach the petrol station. There will be other roads left and right, ignore them. This whole walk from the station to the service station shouldn't take you much more than 30 minutes (besides, you can find signs on the last road that directly takes you to the service station, showing you that you're on the right way to the "área de servicio"). === South towards [[Tarragona]], [[Valencia]] {{Aes|C-32}} === Petrol station on Granvia de l'Hospitalet leading to motorway C-32 Take metro L1 Red line to ''Bellvitge'' station. Turn right out of the station and walk south ≈300m along Rambla Marina to the Avenida De La. Turn right and walk west ≈200m to the Galp petrol station.  === North West towards [[Manresa]], [[Andorra]] {{Aes|C-16}} {{E|9}} === Take Renfe train S2 train from ''Placa de Catalunya'' to ''Volpelleres''. Get out on the left side(taking the direction of the train as reference) of the station. Walk straight out along Carrer Mare de Déu del Roser, going a bit uphill. Bear left at the end of the road and you will see a roundabout with a petrol station. At the roundabout, take the exit Carrer de Vallespir and walk ≈150m till you get to the roundabout junction with the C-16 motorway. Stand at the entrance slip-road direction Manresa.<br/ >Probably you will not find a ride to Andorra but from Manresa you can take the road in direction Berga. For us it worked out quite well. 

Alternatively, it might be easier to stay on the train one more stop and === Hitchhiking ferry to get off at ''Bellaterra''. Exit the station[[Mallorca]], walk to the left following the main street. You will then reach a bridge over the motorway. After the bridge[[Menorca]], turn left at the next street that is parallel to the motorway. After 200 meter and a small tunnel you are at the same rest area.[[Ibiza]] ===

A new AVE high speed train line now separates the ''Castellbisbal'' station from the service station, however, it is still easy to get to the latter one: leave the train station, cross the AVE tracks on the big bridge right in front of you, on the other side take the first small road on the left, it soon changes into an unpaved road that leads you around the hill; after about 10 minutes you reach the service station (right after the point where the highway bridges over the ave). For orientation: you can see the service station from the train on your right just before you reach ''Castellbisbal''. * [http://www.wikimapia.org/#y=41469502&x=1974599&zBarcelona Public Transport =16&l=0&m=s&v=2 Location] '''Option 3:''' Take the metro and get off at ''Monumental''. From there pass by the ''Plaça de Toros'' (Bullfight Arena) and start hitchhiking at the last traffic light by the ''Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes'' / ''Carrer Padilla before'' streets corner where the road leads to the highway C-31. When the light turns red ask people if they're heading towards the highway. If yes, ask them if they can take you to the first petrol station (''"gasolinera"'')... Off you go to France!* [http://www.wikimapia.org/#y=41400908&x=2183522&z=17&l=3&m=h&v=2 Location Option3]

=== WestThe Barcelona public transport system consists of an underground metro, towards trams, area trains, and buses. Day passes are a little more than 5 euro, and cover the whole transport system, buses, trams, metro, and area trains (Rodalies and [[Zaragoza]http://www.fgc.net/eng/index.asp FGC]). Single passes are for the metro only, and cost eur 2.00. The best deal is the T-10, which is 10 rides for 11 eur (1.10 per ride). There is also a pink ticket for older Spanish people 10 rides for 4 eur, [[Madrid]] ===Choose but dont show this ticket to gate guards/ticket inspectors. These tickets will also let you into the petrol station in ''Castellbisbal'' as described above RENFE system, but you risk getting controlled if you go very far (Option more than 2hours or so).

=== Anecdotes ===Copied from [[Talk:Barcelona|the talk page]]:: ''"I hitched from Castellbisbal in August 2006The entrances sometimes have turnstiles and sometimes have sliding electronic gates. Instead of walking back along the tracksIt is possible to jump or slide underneath, I crossed or climb over the road and walked down the hill, by some allotmentselectronic gates. The guy who worked at the station pointed If you get caught your risk is 40-100 euro - if you're not able to the two mountains and told me to go between them. I did, and talk your way out of it worked. I passed under a bridge via a dirt track (Control happens sometimes at the road was being built as I passed) and just past thatexits of stations, very rarely on my right, was the service stationtrains. I hoped Walk out by stairs slowly and look forward for them On the fencestations with electronic gates, crossed the footbridgebest options is to wait for somebody to pass through a gate with a ticket, and hitched south in walk directly behind them. This way you can across the shadow of a big 'X' monumentgate. After about an hour and a halfSometimes, if you don do it quickly enough, I got picked up by an off-duty police who'd been in Barcelona for a health check up. He gave me a ride all the way to Ampostashort buzzing alarm might activate, and sang Kylie Minogue songs. Good timesbut this is largely ignored."''

== Blackriding long distance trains==On train station Barcelona Sants, where most of the long distances trains leave. You need to go threw a control similar like on airports. They check your ticket, they scan your luggage, you even need to put down jacket to go thre scanner. This makes it nearly impossible to get in long distance trains without ticket. The gates for short distance trains are separated so you can also ask the driver 't just buy few euro ticket to leave you at the junction village near by . To get to the university (''Iniversitat Autonoma de Barcelona''). There is platforms of long distanes trains you would need a roundabout right by the highway rampticket at least to Girona or Taragona or something. The only challenge is that your driver has When you come blackriding TGV from france you need to be going go out from the junction of platform and then you would need again to go threw the stupid control to get next train so it doesn''Barbera de valles'' on t help you anyhow. At least leaving from the right site of the motorway TGV is no problem as it gets split - otherwise you leave there are no gates on the car at ''Castellbisbal'' [[service station]]exit.

Other options === Free food and shower === Free showers at beach with cold water :) Food Parròquia de Sant Agusti (Carrer de l'Arc de Sant Agustí, metro Liceu) healty food each day except thursday at 10:15. Come half hour earlier to pick up number. Except poor and sketchy people here. Free hot shower and clothes Carrer de Marie Curie 22 (metro Lluckmajor ) or Av. Meridiana 197 (metro Navas) === Hospitality exchange ===[[Accommodation#Hospitality exchange networks|Hospitality exchange networks]] have many members in Barcelona, however, you have to plan your stay well ahead since it is quite a popular destination.  === Sleeping in public areas === Options include sleeping on the beach, in parks , nearby hills, roofs of buildings and elsewhere. Note that parks in Barcelona close at night, and may not be that easy to get into one. '''Ciutadella park''' is closed at night, but may be accessed by the entrance facing the Arc de Triomf. The bars of the fence near the gate are wide enough to slip through if you're not very big. You're unlikely to be disturbed during the night but the Police might wake you up after 8am and ask you to move on. Another user got inside and pitched a tent. It is safer if you are not alone. Lot of criminals and junkies also sleep there dont talk and dont trust anyone. Attach your bag to tree with rope when you sleep. Small '''park just in front of the Cosmo Caixa Museum''' where you can easy use a tent. By public transport, you can get the L7 to the end ''Av. Tibidabo'', than walk 5 minutes direction top of the hill, turn on the ''Carrer d'Isaac Newton'' just before the bridge on the left and continue. You will find this huge building, with a big submarine in front of it. When you have museum on your back, submarine on your right, there is some [http://goo.gl/maps/MxfX2 stairs] in front of you, between entrance of museum and submarine, you will see the main door of this park after few stairs, it might be close if its late, so you can go to the top of this stairs, than jump on the left side, go under the stairs to the other side, and there is the spot. 2 options: (1) near the bench, better for the ground, but you might be visible at the morning, and woke up by a guardian; (2) right after geting out from under the stairs, the ground is shitty, you might need good stake to setup your tent, mostly in windy time, from there, the guy who open the door at the morning, can't see you, and he don't go into the park at all, so you can sleep till late! Take the metro from "Placa de Catalunya" to Canyelles station, walk about 200 yards uphill from the station and find some nice '''hills''' to camp/sleep out/hang a hammock. You can meet wild boars Take a late train to the park in the North-West of Barcelona. For example, you can take the S2 to ''Sabadell'' (ticket zone 1) leaving from ''Plaça de Catalunya'' and getting off at ''Baixador de Vallvidrera'': there is a big park which is nearly like a forest, and you will find a very good and lonesome place to stay within 500 meters from the station.  '''Parc de la Pau''' small and clean park next to the beatch (15 min from metro to station Besos Mar, next to Dechatlon shop, street Career de la Pau)...  '''Mountains next to Camp De Futbol Canyelles''' (metro Valldaura and next to Institut Escola artístic Oriol Martorel, street Camí Antic de Sant Llàtzer) === Sleeping in empty or occupied buildings and rooftops ===Roofs and similar structures are quite fine sleeping places. Sleeping in abandoned houses is recommendable although it is considered a crime, "trespassing" unless you have a banner with the squatting "N" hanging from a balcony, window etc. The cops are going to put this down and inform the landlord. If they do not want you to stay and if you have been there for less than a week they can evict you right away. So in case you want to stay somewhere for less than a week having a banner is most likely not worth the hassle... You can just stay in a squat that has already gone through the registration process. Most of those houses are in Barcelona.

Another option is sleeping by When staying on the roundabout of beach in Barcelona, you may notice thieves. They walk around and observe people on the Colom monument near the port at the end of beach for hours before stealing anything. Even though they aren't usually hostile or confrontational, they can steal clothes off your back while you'Las Ramblas'' although re asleep. The only sure way to keep your things safe is to bury it in the traffic nearby can be quite noisy. You can sand and sleep near statues on top of lions and as long as you are low-key about it, both police and locals probably won't disturb . Sleeping with your head on your staybag is just not enough. Hitchhiker [[Zac]] did this is October 2006 and had no problems with These thievesare very professional, and they look for people sleeping rough not just on the beach but discretion is wise nonethelessin the central districts too.

You can also Wild boars are abundant in Barcelona, there are hundreds of them. Stay away from the canes. this is where they live and sometimes they spend the night there. Don't take the metro from "Placa de Catalunya" food to "Canyelles" stationyour place. on't provoke wild boars! They unafraid of humans. If something happens, walk about 200 yards uphill back off slowly. Wild boar usually don't attack unless they feel threatened. They will probably stay away from the station you but they will come to sniff your tent once you're inside... I did nothing and find some nice hills they went away... It's best if you stay next to camp/sleep out/hang a hammock intree that you can climb on if anything happens. If you see a mother and her cubs stay the fuck away.

 == More information Free internet ==* [http://www.hitchbase.com/ergebnisse.php?LANGFree wireless and Apple demo computers with limited internet access at Apple Store (Plaza Catalunya)  ==engNomadwiki &abfrage%5Bstartort%5DTrashwiki == {{nomadwiki}}  ==164 Hitchbase] has some more options on alternative ways to hitchhike out Take care of your bag and money there are alot of Barcelona.brave and fast thieves around!!! ==

[[Categorytr:E15Barselona]][[Category:E09]]{{IsIn|Catalunya}}