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|map = <map lat='42.5' lng='25.5' zoom='6' view='0' float='right' country='Bulgaria' />

'''Bulgaria''' is a country in [[Eastern Europe]] bordering [[Romania]], [[Serbia]], [[North Macedonia]], [[Greece]] and [[Turkey]], a member of the [[European Union]] but not yet the Schengen zone. It's a good country for hitchhikers since this was a common way of travelling traveling in socialist times when few people had cars. There are hardly any roads where hitchhiking would be prohibited. Except for a few stretches of true motorway, it is possible to thumb directly on the road and stop passing cars.

The script Hitching is Cyrillic and it might be a good idea slightly easier from the east to be able to read it the west or vice versa because the motorway [[Sofia]]-[[Plovdiv]] is a little bit, for city part of the main route from Western and street signs Central Europe to [[Turkey]]. Hitchhiking between the north and such.south is somewhat slower

Hitching is slightly easier Quite a few drivers who would pick up hitchhikers are those who used to hitchhike themselves back in the South because socialist regime days. They will often feel nostalgic about the highway Sofia - Plovdiv is a part of time they spent on the main road from Europe , and will be happy to Istanbulshare their adventure stories with you, or let you tell them about your trip(s). There are many TIR drivers regularly taking Hitchhiking is highly popular in the summer and is so common along the road seaside that are often willing to have some companyyou can find yourself competing with other hitchhikers. Do not be surprised if some of them – driving from Western Europe to Turkey for instance asks you to put your shoes off when you get Hitchhiking is also practiced and known in Bulgarian mountainous areas, especially around the cabin and/Rhodope Mountains (''Rodopi'', or shows you a photo of their family''Rodopa'') where there are very few cars but the ones that drive by usually stop.

The other most frequent stereotypical driver that would take a hitchhiker is somebody There are usually many truck drivers on this road who used are willing to hitchhike themselves when they were young back in the socialist regime dayshave some company. They will often feel nostalgic about the time they spent on the road Do not be surprised if some of them – driving long distances between Western Europe and will be happy [[Turkey]] – ask you to share their adventures with take off your shoes when youare in a driver's cabin, or let show you tell them about your tripphotos of their family, etc. However there are many other people willing to give you a ride. Hitchhiking is particularly popular Note that in summer, on days when the summertemperature goes above 35 ℃, trucks must remain at a parking place between 1300 and is so common along 2100 (to avoid damaging the seaside that you can find yourself competing with other hitchhikersasphalt). This makes So, in July and August it easier as well - drivers expect it. Hitchhiking is also popular activity best to start hitchhiking early in the mountain areas, especially in the Rhodopes (Rodopi, Rodopa), where the cars are less but almost everyone of them is stoppingmorning if you want to depend on truck traffic.

* [[Ruse]]* [[Sevlievo]], * [[Sofia]]* [[Varna]], * [[Veliko Tarnovo]] == Safety ==[[File:Dangerzone.JPG|thumb|right|250px|Danger!]]As friendly as they can be, Bulgarian drivers usually don't consider small violations of existing road regulations and speed limits in Bulgaria a big deal. Be careful and avoid standing in areas with a yellow triangle sign, with a filled black circle in the middle - these indicate places with increased concentration of road accidents and are a part of a governmental campaign to improve driving safety. Be wary of thieves - particularly in rural areas, there are many people who see a lone hitchhiker as an opportunity to gain by foul means. == Border crossing == Bulgaria is probably the most corrupt country in the EU, and you are most likely to notice this at the border crossings. However, if you carry a Western passport it is quite unlikely they will bother you.

=== [http://bgmaps.com/ Map of Bulgaria[Turkey]]===

== Safety ==* When going towards Turkey , the most used border checkpoint is the [[Kapitan Andreevo-Kapıkule border crossing]]. * The checkpoint near [[Image:Dangerzone.JPG|thumb|right|250px|Danger!Malko Tarnovo]]As friendly as they can also beused if you're coming from [[Burgas]], although there is significantly less traffic there, either on the Turkish and on the Bulgarian drivers tend side. The border checkpoint lies in a mountainous area so be sure you either have a direct ride to a city on the other side of the border or arrive early, because it could also be hard to find a spot to put up a tent. Traffic is very scarse, but when the border police goes to or from their shift at the border they might take you. It is recommended to cross the border in a personal car, since the truck queue is usually slow, and the Turks might not like you walking around looking for another ride - especially if you do it [[hitchhiking at night|at night]]. When coming from the Turkish side however, it is very easy and accepted to walk across this border - show your passport to care too much about road regulations the Turkish guards, they stamp it and speed limitsyou're allowed to walk into Bulgaria. Be careful On the Bulgarian side the passport controls tend to be very quickly if you're from a EU-country - they just take a look at your passport and avoid you can go. '''Tip:''' when taking this bordercrossing when entering Bulgaria, it might be a good idea to start walking after you've crossed it, because many people won't stop for you when you're standing in areas with just behind the border office buildings. Even a few hundred meters will enlarge your changes of getting a ride to at least the next town, which is [[Malko Tarnovo]].There are enough options to set up a yellow triangle signtent near this village, with and there is a filled black circle cheap but good hotel too, in the middle north- these indicate places with increased concentration western part of road accidents the town. === [[Romania]] ===* [[Ruse-Giurgiu border crossing]], the main border crossing and are the route used by trucks.* [[Calafat-Vidin border crossing]], a part of a campaign of lesser-used border crossing .* [[Durankulak-Vama Veche border crossing|Durankulak-Vama Veche]], along the Black Sea, the government to improve travel safetyleast-used border crossing where waiting times can be long. === [[Serbia]] ===

Be wary of thieves * [[Kalotina- particularly in rural areasDimitrovgrad border crossing]], there are many people who see a lone hitchhiker as an opportunity to gain by foul meansthe main border crossing.

=== [[Border crossingNorth Macedonia]] ===Bulgaria is the most corrupted country of the EU and you will probably notice this at * [[Kriva Palanka-Kyustendil border crossing|Kriva Palanka-Kyustendil]], in the north* [[Delchevo-Blagoevgrad border crossings. Howevercrossing|Delchevo-Blagoevgrad]], with an EU passport it's quite unlikely they will bother youin the south.

* Towards === [[TurkeyGreece]], the most-used checkpoint is [[Capitan Andrevo]]. Check the [[Edirne]] article for more information. The checkpoint near [[Malko Tarnovo]] can also be used if you're coming from [[Burgas]], but it's not that good frequented with vehicles. If you're in a truck, try to hitch a normal car before the border, the Turks might not like you walking around, especially [[at night]].* Towards [[Romania]], a highly frequented checkpoint is at [[Ruse]]. Many trucks here, try to hitch over the border by car, otherwise you need to take a walk for around 40min over the Danube towards the next passport checkpoint. That sucks!===

* High-way Motorway - магистрала [ma-gee-stra-la]

You can use the cars' Car license plates to can help you to figure out where a the driver might be headingto.The registration code consists of two letters, followed by four digits and then two more letters. The first two letters indicate the region where the car is registered. By recent lawregulations, the letters have been limited only to those that the are found both within Cyrillic and Latin alphabet have in common, so - this should make it easier for foreigners, not who have troubles of reading and understanding Cyrillic.

* C, CA [[Sofia]] (Citycity)

* CO [[Sofia]] (Provinceprovince)

* M [[Montana (Bulgaria)|Montana]]

It should also be noted also that this is not a 100% reliable methodto get to know everything about the destination of the car, it's just for orientationetc. It is common , for example, that cars registered in Sofia belong to people living in Burgas for example - because they bought the car and are still paying leasing, (or because they moved elsewhere). Also many drivers from [[Romania]] have Bulgarian licence plates as it's cheaper to live somewhere elseregister a car in Bulgaria.

* [http://stopbg.com/ stopbg.comThe The site of BG hitch-hikers] – The site of BG hitch-hikers (forum , tips and , etc.)

{{Template:Europe/countries}}[[Categorywikipedia:Bulgaria| ]]