Gdańsk

Gdańsk is a city in Poland, along the Northeast coastline. Together with Sopot and Gdynia it makes large conurbation called Trójmiasto (Tricity), which is inhabited by nearly 750 thousand people. Tricity is connected by ferries with Sweden. Cars registered in Gdańsk have registration plates GD.

Hitching out

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South and southwest towards Toruń, Łódź and Bydgoszcz, Poznań

• By expressway bypass S6 (E28) > motorway A1, from petrol station

From the centre of Gdańsk take any local train called SKM going north and get off at Gdańsk Żabianka. Than take free bus 807 going to Osowa Shopping Centre which is located next to S6 (E28) Tricity Bypass. From the shopping centre go north along the bypass (follow the path on the grass field), get on the junction bridge and walk to the other side of the bypass. You will see petrol stations on both sides of the S3, north from the junction. Go around Castorama shop to get to "your" station. See satellite image of the spot in Hitchwiki maps.

• By national road 1 (E75) or motorway A1, from bus stop close to old town

From main railway station in Gdańsk go south along Podwale Grodzkie and Wały Jagielońskie streets, cross roundabout and continue walking south along Okopowa street, cross rail tracks by the bridge and you can hitch on the first bus stop behind it. Here' the route

• By national road 1 (E75)

Another option is to use the local train called SKM, or regular train and get to Pszczółki or some other village between Gdańsk and Tczew. When you get off the train just walk out of the village in the direction of the road, it's visible from the station. Since first part of the motorway A1 was built there is less traffic on national road 1.

Southeast and east towards Warszawa and Olsztyn, Kaunas (Lithuania)

• By national road 7 (E77), from bus stop

Take a bus going to Sobieszewo or Rafineria, there are 2-3 of them passing the city center (e.g. #186, #112). Get out at Rafineria, it's 15 minutes from city center. There's only one lane and a big bus stop.

Uhmm hitched there a few times and he has seen hitchers there and even picked up one French guy going to Lithuania once. On this bus stop usually local people await their buses, when they see you hitching they may do the same, they will of course stand 15m in front of you, but they probably won't smile, so eye-contact with cars and a little bit of smile and you go along the fantastic road no. 7.

North and west towards Baltic coast and Szczecin, Koszalin, Berlin (Germany)

• By expressway bypass S6 (E28) > national road 6, from petrol station

Get to Osowa Shopping Centre (see direction Toruń, Łódź by S6 > A1 for details). Once you're there go north along the bypass (follow the path on the grass field), go under the junction bridge and you will see Lotos petrol station where you can ask for a ride. It's also possible to hitch on the slip road next to the station.

• By national road 6 (E28), from bus stop behind the end of expressway bypass S6

This spot is located in Gdynia. Take any local train called SKM going north and get off at Gdynia Chylonia. Go south to the main road, turn right (west). Just behind roundabout (where S6 city bypass ends) is short lay-by. You can try hitching there, but some 200m further is bus stop with plenty of space to stop and just behind crossroad with traffic lights. Make a sign as there is a lot of local traffic.

• By national road 6 (E28), from bus stop in Wejherowo

This spot is located in Wejherowo. Take any local train called SKM going north and get off at Wejherowo (all SKM lines going north run at least to this stop), the ticket should cost around 3-4PLN or less with student card and the ride should take about 30 minutes. Once you arrive, walk down the log hall way of the station exit up the stairs and you should be standing next to the beginning of the national road 6 going in the direction of Koszalin, Szczecin (if you are in a small town, turn around and go back to the other side of the station). Once there, walk 30 meters back to the bus stop loads of space to pull over.

If you go to Berlin it's better to write Polish city on the sign e.g. Szczecin (only 80km from Berlin) because even if Poles are going to Germany they may think you are German and may be shy to speak German (a Berlin sign took me much longer compared to a Szczecin sign for different trips).