Changes

|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 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 [[Turkey]] – ask you to take off your shoes when you are in a driver's cabin, or show you photos of their family, etc. Note that in summer, on days when the summer temperature 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). Be aware, also, there are hardly any roads where hitchhiking would be prohibitedSo, in July and so you might try August it is best to start hitchhiking on Bulgarian "motorways", which is most definitely early in the fastest way morning if you want to get arounddepend on truck traffic.

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. [[File:Bulgaria-donkey-hitch.jpg|thumb|left|300px|[[User:Guaka|guaka]] and his donkey hitching towards [[Istanbul]]]]

== [[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 own an EU passport it is quite unlikely they will bother you.

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. === [[Turkey]] === * When going towards [[Turkey]], the most used border checkpoint is the [[Kapitan Andreevo-Kapıkule border crossing]]. Check the [[Edirne]] article for more information.  * 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.* When going towards '''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 [[RomaniaMalko Tarnovo]].There are enough options to set up a tent near this village, biggest checkpoint and there is at a cheap but good hotel too, in the north-western part of the town. === [[Romania]] ===* [[Ruse-Giurgiu border crossing]], check the main border crossing and the route used by trucks.* [[RuseCalafat-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-Giurgiu Dimitrovgrad border crossing]], the main border crossing. Try to get a ride with a personal car over  === [[North Macedonia]] ===* [[Kriva Palanka-Kyustendil border crossing|Kriva Palanka-Kyustendil]], in the north* [[Delchevo-Blagoevgrad bordercrossing|Delchevo-Blagoevgrad]], in the south. === [[Greece]] ===

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.

[[trashru:BulgariaБолгария]]