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It's easy The best place to find a lift in a service station on Europe's many highways leading towards Calaisstart hitchhiking is probably the parking lot near the ticket office. Ask people before they buy their tickets, but if since they have to declare the number of passengers when buying the ticket. This is good because you can show that you're in Calaisnot a drug smuggler, itand can explain that there's no charge for extra passengers. The drawback is that many people parked here will just be waiting to pick up foot passengers due to arrive on a good idea to wait in front of the ticket officeboat. When buying a ticketAlso, the driver has most drivers headed to produce a passport or ID card of every person England will have bought their tickets in the car, so you should be going into the office with himadvance and will not come through here.
If you can get a lift into the harbour terminal with tickets bought in advance - and you usually will as it doesn't matter if the number Tip: wait INSIDE of passengers stated on the paperwork and the number of passengers are not the same - you might have some time before the ferry leaves, espcially so with lorries. Use this time well, walk around ticket office (the huge parkings (which is perfectly finestaff dont care) and talk to as many ask people waiting for their ferries as you can. You'll often be able to get a better liftthey walk in if they are driving, especially one going past London and if they will take you're going north. There might Most people will be an issue if the number of foot passengers coming into the harbour isn't the same but some are drivers who are getting a last minute ticket. This is important as coming onto the ferryeveryone must declare how many car passengers they have in advance, but [[User:Zenit|Zenit]] followed said strategy successfully in May 2011 - P&O don't check the tickets again as so of you enter the ferry (only as hitch a car you enter the port), Seafrance ''might''. It might will be a bad idea adding to let that number which will end up costing £10 at the vehicle that gate. Catching people before they have brought their ticket therefore is essential. Usually telling people you into “just want a lift onto the port in the first place cross without you - if somebody tries to give you shitferry, you won't be able to "prove" that you'll be crossing etcthat’s all” works a treat.
You can also get across Experiences with waiting by tunnel. Cars and lorries get loaded onto a train which takes them over. The price is the same for each vehicle as wellside of the road are mixed; some people getting picked up after ten minutes, no matter how many persons there are in others waiting the entire day without success. Ask around the carparking lot before trying to thumb your way through. However, it A good place to stand is very difficult next to get a ride at the tunnel entrance itself, because the road has about 15 lanes coming directly from the motoway, the speed bumps that cars go over as they are going quite fast and approaching passport control. Stand between the drivers will concentrate on finding their correct lane, so most of them won't see you. The staff is quite unfriendly two lanes and you will 'll be sent away (remember though that this also applies if you try visible to cars going straight to hitch too far in the port. Most people are being told that hitching by the tunnel entrance is illegal (which is probably doubtful). Also, ferry as of 2011 there have been reports of the eurotunnel company refusing people who are identified well as hitchhikers by those going to the driversticket office. Keep on your toes, though; this isn'''Tell your driver t the safest place to not mention that you're hitchhikingstand.'''
All in all, '''Hitchhiking with bikes across the ferry Channel''' is definitely possible! Some people reported finding a lift in vans and mobile homes after waiting about 1 hour with their bikes at the much better option, but however you plan on handling things, it's best parking lot and next to find somebody the speed bumps. It could be an exceptional luck... More positive reports are needed to take you across (or at least into the ferry terminal) beforehandrely on this possibility.
Apparently on some ferries Lifts:You can easily change cars in the harbour terminal, after ticket and passport control and before boarding the ferry (not allyou will usually have 40 minutes). Find a lift before coming to Calais, and you might well have some time before the trucks park ferry leaves, especially so close that it's not possible to open the doors. That would mean that if you'd spend more than 1.5 hour closed into a box ve come with a stranger lorry. Use this time well, walk around the huge parking areas (which is perfectly fine) and most drivers talk to as many people waiting for their ferries as you can only take . You'll often be able to get a better lift, especially one person legally - so going past London if you mind this, think about 're going north. Changing rides after the first ticket check but before getting on the possibility beforehand. <!--my experience is that ferry comes with slight risk ask you do get out and 'd be getting into a car that truckers can take more than one person if they doesn't have enough seats you listed on their ticket. However, [[User:Zenit|Zenit]] followed said strategy successfully in their cabMay 2011 - P&O don't check the tickets again as you enter the ferry (only as you enter the port), Seafrance ''might''. Also there was It might be a statement below bad idea to let the vehicle that brought you into the port in the first place cross without you, in the case that somebody checks the number of passengers on the ticket while boarding the ferry. You can get resp. should get outalso switch cars while on the ferry and avoid this problem, you just won't have quite as much time to do so. so it's 2Tip:the crossing takes about 1 here.5 hours. Walk around the ferry, that's why I strongly toned this downgo up onto the deck. Chat to people and find out where they are going. This is the best time to find a new lift.-->
To [[User:Alexanderanderson|Alexanderanderson]] says: It is now (2016) very difficult to get out of the ferry terminalpicked up at this roundabout, the best trick is due to follow the signs for the motorway refugee situation. I waited an unbelievable 16 hours, and heard somebody else, more recently, got moved on by police. It also hard to Lille and eventually you'll get any truckers to a big roundabout with pick you up in any of the road leading uphill with a bay where vehicles can stop next lorry parks around. Would advise to the "no pedestrians" signs that all the other hitchers have written all about :) stand by the signs and you'll get to a brave trucker petrol station, or better yet to not stop for you. Almost in Calais at all car traffic heads south Paris way, and itjust get through in any direction before finding another ride. If you's a nightmare getting back onto re coming off the ferry, get your ride out the motorway if other side when you come off 're on there, so try to flag down someone with a sign saying D or PL. Standing at the roundabout itself is quite interesting as you will be watching immigrants trying waiting to get into England constantly running up and down trying to sneak into a truckboard.
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'''Calais''' is a port town in the north west of [[France]] at on the [[English Channelchannel]]. with With just 34 km from the British port of [[Dover]], ''Calais'' is the closest port to mainland [[United Kingdom|Britain]] and one of the busiest cross-channel ports on continental [[Europe]]. Regular ferry services operate from '''Calais''' to [[Dover]] (''P&O'' and ''Seafrance'', each with over 20 crossings per day). The best alternative for Calais is [[Dunkerque]].Note: Dunkerque port is not in Dunkerque but a few miles out of. Also there is only a couple of ferries that leave per day from here which makes hitching difficult.
== Hitchhiking out ==
=== North-West towards [[Dover]], [[England]] ===
You can get [[English channel|cross the English Channel]] to Dover for free if you find your lift before you board the ferry - tickets are paid for by vehicle and ''not by passenger''. The limit is two for a lorry (more if there's more seats) and several with a car. While looking for a lift, '''tell people about this possibilitythat extra passengers are free''', as many don't know about it.
You can also get across by the [[Channel Tunnel]]. Cars and lorries get loaded onto a train which takes them across. The price is the same for each vehicle as well, no matter how many persons there are in the car. However, it is very difficult to get a ride at the tunnel entrance itself, because the road has about 15 lanes coming directly from the motorway, the cars are going quite fast and the drivers will concentrate on finding their correct lane, so most of them won't see you. The staff is quite unfriendly and you will be sent away (remember though that this also applies if you try to hitch too far in the ferry port). Most people are being told that hitching by the tunnel entrance is illegal (which is probably doubtful). Also, as of 2011 there have been reports of the eurotunnel company refusing people who are identified as hitchhikers by the drivers. Davide and Oti September 2016 were identified as hitchhikers and had no problems, though, so this is not always the case. '''Just in case, ask your driver not to mention that you're hitchhiking.''' All in all, the ferry is definitely the much better option, but however you plan on handling things, it's best to find somebody to take you across (or at least into the ferry terminal) before you get to Calais. If you do have to buy a foot passenger ticket, bear in mind that it has tripled in price in the last year (!) and is now 39 euros.
==== Important for Non-EU Nationals (including US citizens) ====
There are UK passport controls in Calais and if you do not have the proper papers (depending on your nationality even if you do have the right papers), you will encounter a lot of hassle, including being denied entry. Worse, the friendly driver who gave you a ride might also face delays and even fines. As with any border crossing, it helps a lot if you look respectableand clean, even if you travel on a EU or similarly accepted passport and have money (or better, a credit card) to support yourself. '''UK border control will very often ask for the address where you're staying''', so have an address in mind beforehand! Any hostel, friend's house, or random address from google maps should do. Just be prepared to answer a lot of questions. "I'm gonna sleep wherever I find a nice spot to pitch my tent" is unfortunately not an acceptable answer.
Upon arrival in Dover, UK customs also have a tendency to check far more cars than any other EU country. The UK is '''not''' part of the [[Schengen Agreement]], so you might consider leaving the ferry as a foot-passenger to save your driver a potentially substantial delay! (This is not possible if you arrived using ''Norfolklines''.)
Personal experience: I tried in August 2011 to hitch a ride onto the P&O ferry to Dover, and I had no problem getting a ride. I checked the US Dept. of State webpage beforehand to see what was required for entry into the UK, and it says only a valid passport. However, the Home Office agents denied me (a US citizen with a valid passport) because I didn't have set travel plans with addresses/reservations where I would be staying (including for that very night), a ticket out of the country, proof of employment, or bank statements. I'm not sure what of that would have sufficed, but having none of it and being a hitchhiker definitely did me in.
=== South towards Paris ===
If you're coming from the ferries and you don't manage to get a ride to [[Paris]], then get ANY ride from the boat and get off at the first service station to change there. It's very difficult to get a ride from Calais as most people at intersections/on-ramps are not leaving the town. I spent maybe 6 or 7 hours trying to get a ride with no luck (July 2017). I got the train to Étaples and had much better luck the following day.
The first service station after Calais is 60km (!) away. Some cars stop there (not too many) and it seems more people are going to the direction of [[Reims]] than towards [[Paris]]. There is another service station some 20km further down the same highway (20km before [[Arras]]), but it is much smaller and much more quiet. (Lots of trucks there, but the truckers are all sleeping). Be advised that employees at such small places will most likely speak no English.
If your driver is extremely kind, or if you find someone living in Arras who might be willing to make the extra effort, there is another service station at ''Wancourt'', some 10km away from Arras on the A1 highway in the direction of Paris. (There is a bridge so that cars can change direction if your driver is not actually going towards Paris, although your driver will have to drop you off some 300m before the station in order to be able to turn around, otherwise there's no turning point closer to the station.)
Mostly trucks stop here, almost all of them to sleep, but there should be a few cars and it is highly likely that any cars stopping here are on their way to Paris. There is a place to get some food and a toilet, but other than that it's not a massive service station.
=== South, East towards everywhere ===
To get out of the ferry terminal, the best trick is to follow the signs for the motorway to Lille and eventually you'll get to a big roundabout with the road leading uphill with a bay where vehicles can stop next to the "no pedestrians" signs that all the other hitchers have written all about :) stand by the signs and you'll get a brave trucker to stop for you. Almost all car traffic heads south Paris way, and it's a nightmare getting back onto the motorway if you come off there, so try to flag down someone with a sign saying D or PL. Standing at the roundabout itself is quite tragic as you will be watching migrants trying to get into England constantly running up and down trying to sneak into a truck.
If you're going far and/or don't care about speed so much, there a huge ''lorry park'' on the motorway a few kilometres from Calais from where you can easily get direct lifts to many places all over Europe ([[Belgium]], [[Netherlands]], [[England]], [[Germany]], [[Poland]], [[Spain]], [[Czech Republic]], [[Austria]] and [[Turkey]] should easily be possible). Be aware that a truck is legally only allowed to have one driver and one passenger (except if there's more seats), so it's a lot harder to find a ride for two people hitching together. If you are just hitching into [[Belgium]] you're probably better off finding a ride while on the ferry, to a petrol station in [[Belgium]].
