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For more information, see the article [[autobahn]]. [[File:Bundesautobahn_7_number.svg|thumb|left|150px|A traffic sign indicating autobahn Autobahn A7]] The autobahns in Germany are the fastest links between cities. Their numbers consist of an '''A''' and the number of the highway. On traffic signs the ''A'' is not mentioned but they can be distinguished by the blue color colour of the sign.
=== Crossing Just like other people, police may or may not be friendly towards hitchhikers. It is said that police controls are more frequent in the border ===Germany has signed a southern states of [[Bavaria]] and [[Schengen AgreementBaden-Württemberg]] which means that borders with other Schengen countries are open. Since 2009, As a foreigner you have to carry your passport at all neighbouring countries times; a national ID card is sufficient if you are Schengen members as well, so there from another EU country. If you are no fixed border controls anymore. At timesbeing checked, there are mobile checks by the police or customsbe friendly, especially in border regions or on the autobahnshow it to them and they will leave you alone.
At === Car registration/number plates ===You can determine where a car is registered by its number plates. While tehre are certain plates on rented cars. (Europcar has „HH“ (Hamburg), Avis – „EU“ (Euskirchen), Sixt – „M“ (Munich), Hertz „DN-H“ (Düren)), other plates are associated with areas [https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liste_der_Kfz-Kennzeichen_in_Deutschland - DE], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vehicle_registration_plates_of_Germany EN]. The first letter is usually the Swiss borderdistrict where it is registered. In addition, there are still custom controlsis a little patch beside the number which tells you what state that number plate belongs to, but that will probably only affect you which is useful if you are on a truckdo not know the district letters. (Switzerland has joined the Schengen Agreement in 2009!)
== Food and drink == Drinking tap water is safe all over On the country. You can usually get inexpensive but good food at Italian and Turkish takeaways, the latter ones have ''Döner'' or ''Kebap'' written on them. Typical German fast food shops are marked with ''Imbiss'' signs and sell cheap sausages and French fries. Keep in mind that most shops including some supermarkets close at 20website:00 and on Sundays, although many supermarkets might be open until 22:00 during weekdayswww. Petrol stations, 24autobahnatlas-h shops and kiosks have a very limited food choice and are more expensiveonline. As a free alternative you can try dumpster diving. More information on this can be found in the [http://trashwiki.org/en/Germany trashwiki article on Germany]. In nearly every town there are alternative centres where people cook for everybody. The price for a warm dish is between zero and 2 Euro. Have a look at the [http://deu.anarchopedia.org/VoK%C3%BC list here]. (German) === Eating on the Autobahn ===Try to avoid eating on autobahn [[rest area|service stations]] if you want to save money and if have a good taste of food. These restaurants are notoriously expensive and the food quality is quite low. If you're lucky de you can find thrown away [http://hitchwiki.org/en/Image:Sanifair_voucher.jpg Sanifair vouchers] detailed listings of the toilet system. You get a cumulative 0.50 euro rebate for them in the shop. == Getting Clothes == In Germany there are shops where you can bring unused clothes in a good state and/or take new clothes home. It does not cost anything. A list of these shops is available [http://www.umsonstladen.de/ here]. (German) == Hygiene ==Most toilets on the service stations are maintained by [[Sanifair]] and are clean. You get a 0.50 euro coupon as part of the 0.70 euro service feeall Autobahnen, which you can redeem when buying things at the petrol station shop or in the restaurant. [[User:Pathofdhamma|Pathofdhamma]] suggest to seize the moment and jump the barrier if there are no people or cameras around. The turnstyle is only blocked for the inwards direction. With some luck and smooth moveswith all drive-ups, you can sneak in. Turn it towards youinterchanges, walk one step; turn it againall types of rest stops, walk another step: you are in! There are showers in most ''Raststätte'' and ''Autohof'' service stations on and near the autobahn. Prices are between 2 euro and 5 euro. == Telephone and Internet == === Telephone === {| style = "float:right" | [[File:Station multimedia Allemagne 2006.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Public surf terminal with telephone]]|}{| style = "float:right" | [[File:TelefonzelleFrankfurt060422.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Different kinds of phone booths]]|}Phone booths that accept coins are still available all over Germany. The older ones are yellowtunnels, the newer ones are mostly glass and display a pink T. They are more expensive than using a prepaid card for your cell phone. A nice feature is that you can send SMSbridges along their ways, faxes and e-mails even with the oldest typesexact kilometer allegations. Input is a bit cumbersome, howeverThis comes along handy when hopping from station to station.
A cheaper option is to buy On a German prepaid SIM cardlonger journey with several route options, [https://www.diercke. They are readily available from mobile shops like ''ede/content/deutschland-stra%C3%9Fenverkehr-978-3-14-100800-5-64-plus'', ''Vodafone'' and ''T1-mobile''. A lot of supermarket chains like ''Aldi'', ''Netto'' and ''Lidl'' also have their own brands that use 1 this map] showing the network traffic volume of the bigger providers. Check beforehand how to register the SIM card. Sometimes the seller wants to see an ID. If different highways might help you prefer not deciding which could be faster due to give out your real data you might for example buy a SIM card at ''Aldi'', which you can register via Internet with fake datamore traffic.
If For those using mobile app MAPS.ME, you want to make calls abroad there are some stores offering international phone booths in bigger citiesmay download a . They are usually located in migration areas and often include an internet cafe. === Internet === ==== Without laptop or smartphone ==== There are still some Internet cafes in kml file with all the bigger cities. Rates are around 2 euro per hour. In most cities you will find pay per use surf terminals like in the image to the right. They offer internet and telephone servicesservice plazas for viewing on your map offline. ==== By laptop or smartphone ==== There are almost no unsecured Wifis in Considering Germany because people might be made responsible for illegal actions done through their internet accessis extremely well mapped on [https://openstreetmap. Most German prepaid cards also have a data option if you own a smartphone or a surfstick for your laptoporg OpenStreetMap], which also these locations can be bought for about 30 euro. It's often better assumed to buy a single day flatrate for two be very accurate and up-to five euros instead of using the data tariff-date. Details depend on your provider. Some ''Burger King'' restaurants offer free Wifi without any registration. At ''McDonalds'' you get free Wifi for one hour per day without consuming anything. Sometimes You can view the restaurants are located on service stations, you can look them up [httphttps://wwwoverpass-turbo.mcdonalds.deeu/metanavigations/mcfinder/mcfinder.cfm MGq data extract here]. Enter a location in the search mask and make sure to check the option ''WLAN'', click Export > Download as KML and then open the German abbreviation for Wifi. Once there, connect, type in any address and you will kml file on your phone to be asked for a valid German mobile number, through which you will receive your access code. Take care: loaded in both cases the connection is not encrypted so anything you send in clear text, e.g. when using a browser or e-mail tool without SSL, can be easily recorded by others nearbyMAPS. ME
Other cheap possibilities include {{nomadwiki}}* [https://warmroads.de/en/hitchhiking-in-17-germany/ Comprehensive guide about hitchhiking in Germany] by [carpooling[User:Korn|Korn]] and special offers of the on https://warmroads.de* [http://deu.anarchopedia.org/index.php/Deutschland:Trampstellen Hitchhiking spots in Germany], in German railways , on a GFDL wiki* [[Deutsche Bahn]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e5/Autobahn_1-999.png Overview of autobahns in Germany]. == Trashwiki & Nomadwiki ==
=== Carpooling ===[[trash:Germany]] [[nomad:Germany]]
[http://www.mitfahrgelegenheit.de] is free, [http://www.mitfahrzentrale.de] also exists but costs.
=== Railways ===
The country has an expensive railway network. As an alternative to the standard fare, you may also check offers and sales, for example regional or seasonal tickets. [http://www.bahn.com/i/view/DEU/en/prices/index.shtml]
See also [[Deutsche Bahn]].
== Practical links ==
* [http://deu.anarchopedia.org/index.php/Deutschland:Trampstellen Hitchhiking spots in Germany], in German, on a GFDL wiki
* [http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e5/Autobahn_1-999.png Overview of autobahns in Germany]
{{Hitchbase_country|73}}
[[wikipedia:Germany]]
[[trash:Germany]]
__NOTOC__
→Useful links
|pop = 82,314,900
|currency = Euro (€)
|hitch = <rating country='de' /good>
|BW = DE
}}
[[File:2003 Hitch-hiking in Germany.jpg|thumb|left|250px|[[User:Sigurdas|Sigurdas]] thumbing towards Nürnberg, 2003.]]
'''Germany''' is a member state of the [[European Union]] as well as the [[Schengen Agreement]]. It is a great country for [[hitchhiking]], both on motorways (via [[on-ramp]]s, [[rest area|service stations]], more seldom - parking lots) and local roads. Germans are a little bit suspicious, but nice if you get to know them. Thumbing makes it easier for them to say "no", because they do not even have to look at you. Those who will stop are usually often people who hitchhiked themselves when they were younger, but there are only few . Many of them have families, jobs and today it is not common any morefast cars now.* See also: '''Tips Because of the absence of speed limits on Hitchhiking Germanymany motorways it''', an article on [http://www.digihitch.com/europe/western_europe/149_1_1_article.html Digihitch] by [http://www.digihitch.com/userinfo-dsmith4721.html David Smith]s a good country to hitchhike long distances in short time.__TOC__
== Road types ==
To hitchhike efficiently in Germany it is good to know the three different kinds of roads between cities and towns. By descending speed these are:
* motorways or expressways called ''Autobahn'' with no general speed limit(there can still be signs with speed limits)
* federal roads called ''Bundesstraße''
* country roads called ''Landstraße''
=== Autobahn ===
For more information, see the article [[Autobahn]].
The lack of a general speed limit is something most Germans are proud of demonstrating to you and what makes them the best choice for longer distances. Subsequently walking and hitchhiking is illegal on the autobahn and the emergency lane.
As a general rule, you should always stick to the autobahn Autobahn as long as possible and try to change between major autobahns seldomlyas little as possible, even if this means some detours. As soon as you are on the autobahn Autobahn and travel between service stations, you are hitching fast and reliable. For more information about this kind of hitchhiking, see the article on [[petrol station hitchhiking]].
As trucks do not travel faster than 90 km/h you might want first try to get a ride hitching a personal car before asking truck drivers. Trucks are great for a night-ride; however, there are restrictions, like in France, of when trucks are allowed on an autobahn. In Germany most trucks aren't allowed on motorways on Sundays or public holidays before 22:00. As most truck drivers stop earlier truck traffic already gets less on Saturday afternoons.
==== Getting onto the autobahn ====
[[File:Zeichen 330.svg|thumb|right|100px|The on-ramp sign of an autobahn]]
==== Service stations and rest areas ====
You have various possibilities for being dropped off along the autobahn to look for your next ride. As petrol station hitchhiking is faster, try to avoid being dropped at on-ramps where you have to thumb. On the autobahn, it is preferable to be dropped off at a service station instead of a rest area as rest areas have much less cars stopping. If you don't have to leave the autobahn to get to the service station it is called ''Raststätte'' whilst service stations up to about 500 metres from the autobahn are called ''Autohof''. With a few exceptions all service stations can be entered by foot from the side and feature an unlocked door in the fence or wall.
[[File:Zeichen 448.1.svg|thumb|right|150px|Autobahn traffic sign of an Autohof]] The ''Raststätte'' is the usual choice for hitchhiking because most cars tend to refuel there. Make sure your ''Raststätte'' has not just a restaurant but also a petrol stations because more people stop there and they leave quicker. Most ''Raststätten'' are on both sides of the autobahn and there is often a bridge or tunnel nearby to cross. Therefore you might consider hitchhiking to a ''Raststätte'' in the opposite direction first to get onto the highway quicker. At the entrance of the petrol station shop there are usually map stands that show the surrounding area and other service stations in Germany.
With a few exceptions all service stations can be entered by foot from the side and feature an unlocked door in the fence or wall.
The off-autobahn ''Autohof'' is a local fuel station that is marked on traffic signs on the autobahn. Food and fuel is cheaper there but most car drivers don't bother and thus mostly trucks stop there. This means that they are okay on weekdays but have to be avoided on Saturday evenings and Sundays at all cost. Another disadvantage for continuing on the autobahn is that local traffic also stops at the ''Autohof''.
=== Federal ''Bundesstraße'' roads ===
[[File:Bundesstraße 42 number.svg|thumb|right|150px|A traffic sign indicating Bundesstraße B42]] The federal ''Bundesstraße'' roads are indicated by yellow signs and carry numbers like ''B6'' or ''B49''. Like in the case of the autobahn the ''B'' is not written on traffic signs, but federal roads can be distinguished by the yellow color colour of the sign. As they are smaller and carry more local traffic they should only be used to get from and to the autobahn, though there are a few exceptions to the rule.
Their general speed limit is 100 km/h and they usually have no emergency lane so they are difficult to thumb. To get a ride either try petrol stations or choose a place where have a lot of space to see you and stop or where they are going slower, e.g. town exits. Police might consider it illegal to thumb in sites where cars cannot stop without putting the traffic in danger.
[[File:Zeichen 331.1 - Kraftfahrstraße, StVO 2013.svg|thumb|right|150px|A fraffic sign indicating the beginning of a ''Kraftfahrstraße'']]To make it more complicated some of the ''Bundesstraßen'' are a so called ''Kraftfahrstraße''. For them most of the ''Autobahn''-rules apply (e.g. no pedestrians and bikes allowed). You can recognise a ''Kraftfahrstraße'' by the sign of a white car in front of a blue backround.
=== Smaller federal ''Landstraße'' roads ===
== Legal stuff ==
Hitchhiking in general is legal in Germany. It is only forbidden to hitchhike on the Autobahn itself, meaning you standing on the autobahn or its emergency lane. It is also forbidden to walk on a ''Kraftfahrstraße''. You are perfectly fine stopping at service stations and asking the people but keep in mind that service stations are private property / leases. It occasionally happened that owners try to get rid of hichthikers at "their" service station. If that happens, just move to the parking space and hitchhike there.If you want to start hitching at the on-ramps, make sure you stand before the rectangular blue sign indicating the start of the autobahn. Just like other people, police may or may not be friendly towards hitchhikers. It is said that police controls are more frequent in the southern states of [[Bavaria]] and [[Baden-Württemberg]]. As a foreigner you have to carry your passport at all times; a national ID card is sufficient if you are from another EU country. If you are being checked, be friendly, show it to them and they will leave you alone after checking that you are not wanted.
== License plates ==
There are between one and three letters on a license plate which show the city or region where the car is registered. For example, look for license plates starting with '''B''' if you're hitching to [[Berlin]]. Have a look at the articles on Wikipedia for more information: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_car_number_plates German car number plates] (in English) and [http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liste_der_Kfz-Kennzeichen_in_Deutschland Liste der Kfz-Kennzeichen in Deutschland] (in German).
Note that it is no longer required to change plates if you move, so a HH (Hamburg) car may very well belong to someone living in München (M). At the moment this is not yet a big problem, but in due course it may lead to the situation that license plates become as useless as those in many other countries for determining the direction a car might be going...
== Maps ==
For more information look here: [http://www.tank.rast.de/standorte/servicenetz/index.php tank.rast.de]. For a good map to print out and bring with you that has all the service stations on it have a look here: [http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/684/rastekarte.jpg/ Rastekarte]. This is the same one you will find at the service stations as big overview maps, more often than not those can be nicked very easily as well.
== Language ==
When asking your drivers for help it pays off to know that the German word ''Straße'' for street contains the weird letter ''ß'' which looks a bit like a B. If you pronounce it like an ''s'' Germans will understand you. Contrary to popular belief the diacritics on Ä, ä, Ö, ö, Ü and ü are not metal umlauts and thus they do affect pronunciation. If in doubt try to pronounce the word as if the diacritics didn't exist. For instance, if you pronounce the city ''Würzburg'' as ''Wurzburg'' you will probably be understood.
== Other possibilities of transportation Useful links ==
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