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Bulgaria

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{{Infobox Country
|country = Bulgaria
|map = <map lat='42.5' lng='25.5' zoom='6' view='0' float='right' country='Bulgaria' />
|language = Bulgarian
|capital = [[Sofia]]
|pop = 7,322,856
|currency = Lev (BGN)
|hitch = from {{good}} to {{very good}}
}}
'''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 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 learn 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 in the South because the motorway [[Sofia]]-[[Plovdiv]] is a part of the main route from Western and Central Europe to [[Istanbul]]. There are usually many [[TIR]] drivers on this road who are willing to have some company. Do not get surprised if some of them - driving long distances from Western Europe to [[Turkey]], and similar - ask you to take off your shoes when you are in a driver's cabin, or shows you photos of their family, etc. Quite a few drivers who would pick up hitchhikers are those who used to hitchhike themselves back in the socialist regime days. They will often feel nostalgic about the time they spent on the road, and will be happy to share their adventure stories with you, or let you tell them about your trip(s). Hitchhiking is highly popular in the summer and is so common along the seaside that you can find yourself competing with other hitchhikers. Hitchhiking is also practiced and known in Bulgarian mountainous areas, especially around the Rhodope Mountains (''Rodopi'', or ''Rodopa'') where there are very few cars but the ones that drive by usually stop.
Hitchhiking is highly popular in the summer There are usually many truck drivers on this road who are willing to have some company. Do not be surprised if some of them – driving long distances between Western Europe and is so common along the seaside that [[Turkey]] – ask you to take off your shoes when you can find yourself competing with other hitchhikers. Be aware, also, there are hardly any roads where hitchhiking would be prohibitedin a driver's cabin, and so or show you might try hitchhiking on Bulgarian "motorways"photos of their family, which is most definitely the fastest way to get aroundetcHitchhiking is also practiced and known Note that in Bulgarian mountainous areassummer, especially around on days when the Rhodope Mountains temperature goes above 35 ℃, trucks must remain at a parking place between 1300 and 2100 (''Rodopi''to avoid damaging the asphalt). So, or ''Rodopa'') where there are very few cars but in July and August it is best to start hitchhiking early in the ones that drive by usually stopmorning if you want to depend on truck traffic.
[[File:Bulgaria-donkey-hitch.jpg|thumb|left|300px|[[User:Guaka|guaka]] and his donkey hitching towards [[Istanbul]]]]
== Cities ==
* [[Balchik]]
* [[Burgas]]
* [[Hisarya]]
* [[Pavlikeni]]
* [[Plovdiv]]
* [[Ruse]]
* [[Sevlievo]]
* [[Sofia]]
* [[Varna]]
* [[Veliko Tarnovo]]
 
 
See also a [http://bgmaps.com/ map of Bulgaria].
== 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 corrupted corrupt country of in the EU, and you will are most likely to notice this at the border crossings. However, if you own the EU carry a Western passport it is quite unlikely they will bother you. === [[Turkey]] === * When going towards Turkey , the most used border checkpoint is the [[Kapitan Andreevo-Kapıkule border crossing]]. * The checkpoint near [[Malko Tarnovo]] can also be used if you're coming from [[Burgas]], although there is significantly less traffic there, either on the Turkish and on the Bulgarian 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 the Turkish guards, they stamp it and you're allowed to walk into Bulgaria. 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 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 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 tent near this village, and there is a cheap but good hotel too, in the north-western part of the town. === [[Romania]] ===* [[Ruse-Giurgiu border crossing]], the main border crossing and the route used by trucks.* [[Calafat-Vidin border crossing]], a lesser-used border crossing .* [[Durankulak-Vama Veche border crossing|Durankulak-Vama Veche]], along the Black Sea, the least-used border crossing where waiting times can be long. === [[Serbia]] === * [[Kalotina-Dimitrovgrad border crossing]], the main border crossing. === [[North Macedonia]] ===* [[Kriva Palanka-Kyustendil border crossing|Kriva Palanka-Kyustendil]], in the north* [[Delchevo-Blagoevgrad border crossing|Delchevo-Blagoevgrad]], in the south.
* When going towards === [[TurkeyGreece]], the most used border 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]], although the traffic there is significantly less. It is recommended to cross the border in a personal car, since trucks border queue is usually slow, and the Turks might not like you walking around looking for another ride - especially if you do it [[at night]].* When going towards [[Romania]], biggest checkpoint is at [[Ruse]]. Try to get a ride with a personal car over the border. ===
== Phrasebook ==
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It should also be noted that this is not a 100% reliable method to get to know everything about the destination of the car, etc. It is common, for example, that cars registered in Sofia belong to people living in Burgas (or elsewhere). Also many drivers from [[Romania]] have Bulgarian licence plates as it's cheaper to register a car in Bulgaria.
== External links ==
{{IsIn|Balkans}}
[[trash:Bulgaria]]
[[Category:Bulgaria| ]]
[[es:Bulgaria]]
[[fr:Bulgarie]]
[[pl:Bułgaria]]
[[tr:Bulgaristan]]
[[ru:Болгария]]
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