1,345
edits
Changes
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
;The Turkey [[border crossing]] could be a problem in rare cases. Make sure you always keep your bag with you at border crossings. Specific information about the border crossing at Edirne can be found [[Kapitan_Andreevo-Kap%C4%B1kule_border_crossing|here]]! :''Somebody has the exact times See also [[long distance hitchhiking]].'' === From [[Budapest]] ===Because it's easier for trucks crossing the bridge them to stay in Istanbul? As far as I know they are not allowed to use the bridges between 8am-10am EU truckers will usually go South towards [[Szeged]] and 2pm-6pmthen go into Romania towards [[Arad]]. There are several options. Since there is a decent motorway going through Serbia will probably be faster but at night you will mostly find Romanians in German cars (??recognizable by the red part on the right of the number plate, with a date).'' [[User:Guaka|guaka]] was really tired and took a ride to [[Oradea]], and found a ride to [[Sibiu]] at the border, which was already on the trucker route to Istanbul.
no edit summary
== Route to Istanbul ==
As the gateway between the [[Middle East]] and [[Europe]], [[Istanbul]] is a popular destination for all kinds of travellers, truckers and migrants.
Many hitchhikers from [[Europe]] try to catch a ride with a truck-driver from [[Turkey]] on their way to Istanbul. They have to take breaks every three hours though, but they always stop at their common regular places, so you can ask upon arrival other drivers that are just about to departure.
=== From [[Belgrade]], [[Nis]] ===
If you are departing from [[Nis]] and want to arrive in [[Istanbul]], be aware that this route is 750 km long, with only 400km highway400 km motorway. If you are coming from [[Belgrade]] and you don't want to stay over in [[Nis]] you can hitch straight to [[Sofia]] from the last toll-stop just before arriving in [[Nis]] (stand after the toll-stop with your sign up).
The border between Serbia and Bulgaria does not have a lot of traffic. There are many trucks though but they are taking a separate border. You can walk into [[Bulgaria]] and stand where all traffic converges again.
<map lat='42.69858589169842' lng='23.37066650390625' zoom='10' view='0' float='right'/> If you get a ride to [[Sofia]], you are likely to be dropped at the city-border at the West side with almost all traffic going to other directions then East (mostly towards [[Bucharest]]). You need to be at the other side of Sofia, you can try to :* make a stop on a petrol-station ''before'' you enter [[Sofia]], try to * hitch towards the west side (where the A1 starts), by using the road ''south, or take public transport''. See for more info: Cars and trucks going over the road ''north'' mainly go to [[SofiaRomania]].* take public transport to the other side of the city (Bus #5 until it enters the motorway at the junction (going south on the E79). Ask the driver to get out and walk down the ramp on the E80.)
=== From [[Sofia]] ===
Just before the exit at [[Chirpan]] there is a 'hidden spot' where only Turkish truck-drivers come for a final meal and refreshment. This is their last stop before hitting the border. Eat with them, or wait outside. When [[Robino]] was there, he was requested to wait outside for the drivers. Ask the drivers personally for a ride to the border, from there you are better off taking a ride with a normal car as the trucks stop normally after the border for another break. Some 10 kilometers before the road to [[Svilengrad]] there is also a normal petrol-station.
See for more info: [[Sofia]]. === From [[BukarestBucharest]], [[Ruse]] ===Have a look at the [[BukarestBucharest]] article for the spot towards [[Ruse]]. Easy to hitchhike. At On the borderBulgarian side, try stand right after passport control with a sign "TR". Within an hour or so you should be able to catch get a ride or walk over truck all the big bridge way to the Bulgarian side. Might take you ~40 min. At the other side, many trucks will wait for you at the Turkish border checkpoint. Just at the end of the checkpoint trucks go out towards all [[There is no need to stop in Bulgaria]]. Of course if youdon'll find many Turkish trucks going towards [[Istanbul]]t want to. If But if you prefer carsto travel slowly through Bulgaria, go this way: the route goes through [[Veliko Tarnovo]], [[Gabrovo]], and [[Stara Zagora]]. From here, you have several options towards [[Svilengrad]], eather via [[Dimitrovgrad]] and [[Haskovo]] or the countryside ([[Galabovo]], [[Simeonovgrad]]). Depends on what you like more. From V. Tarnovo to the border it might take you some 4-5 hours if you take the nice countryside route. Many Turkish trucks go this way. Hint: At the end of this way, just Just before you enter [[Harmanli]], there's a TIR parking & restaurant with many Turkish trucks. Go get a cay ''çay'' there and ask the truck drivers. ===From [[Antalya]]===There are two possible routes up towards [[Istanbul]], one via [[Isparta]] or via [[Burdur]]. The roads meet later again on their way to [[Uşak]]. Take care, until both cities the landscape is quite rural with only small settlements along the way. Normally, it's possible to get rides from [[Antalya]] directly towards [[Isparta]]. You can now choose if going via Uşak, but it's better (and shorter) to go towards [[Kütahya]]. Now it's an easy game, hitchhiking via Kütahya and [[Bilecik]] towards the motorway O-4, and from the motorway westwards towards [[Gebze]] and [[Istanbul]]. Along the whole route it's possible to stand along the streets anywhere you want, but take care especially in the mountains, where roads are extremely windy and dangerous. At least in summer it's possible to hitch the ~700km in 1 day. === From [[Greece]] ===Hundreds of trucks go daily from the port town of [[Igoumenitsa]], in the north-west of [[Greece]] (coming with ferry from [[Italy]]), [[Istanbul]] and other [[Turkey|Turkish]] destinations. 99% of these trucks will be driven by Turks and sometimes Iranians too, and the remaining 1% can be of any European nationality. [[Category:Routes]][[Category:Serbia]][[Category:Bulgaria]][[Category:Turkey]][[CAtegory:Greece]][[Category:East Route from North Cape to Cape of Good Hope]]
