[[<map lat='50.24488588151929' lng='19.032922983169556' zoom='9' view='0' float='right' />'''Gliwice]] ''' is a city situated in central-southern [[Poland almost ]] inhabited by more than 180 thousand people. It's one of the cities of Katowice Urban Area - the largest conurbation in the middle Poland populated by about 2.7 million people. Conurbation consists of 19 cities. Beside Gliwice there are eight cities with more than 100,000 inhabitants in this area: [[Katowice]],[[Sosnowiec]], [[Zabrze]], [[Bytom]], [[Ruda Śląska]], [[Tychy]], [[Dąbrowa Górnicza]], [[A4 motorwayChorzów]] motorway. All of them are connected by a joint public transport system.
/A4 is the main transit route from Germany to Ukraine/. == Hitchhiking out ==
It's pretty easy to get either ''IN'' and ''OUT'' of the town. Therfore U may drop into for a beer or tea or decide to stay for a night instead of staying in Katowice === West towards [[Wrocław]], [[Berlin]], [[Dresden]] (cheaper[[Germany]]).==Map of Gliwice==Before reading the below's tips U need to have a look at the [http://www.um.gliwice.pl/index.php?id=14/1 city map ]to get a brief idea of the road location
From the city center e.g. from bus stop ''Plac Piastów'' (close to Gliwice railway station) take either bus 59 direction ''Żernica Pętla''[http://rozklady.kzkgop.pl/index.php?co=rozklady&submenu=tabliczka&nr_linii=59&nr_przyst=10&id_trasy=Getting out of the town1674 (timetable)], 194 direction ''Leszczyny Czereśniowa'' [http://rozklady.kzkgop.pl/index.php?co=rozklady&submenu=tabliczka&nr_linii=194&nr_przyst=6&id_trasy=2655 (timetable)] or 710 direction ''Szczygłowice Kopalnia'' [http://rozklady.kzkgop.pl/index.php?co=rozklady&submenu=tabliczka&nr_linii=710&nr_przyst=12&id_trasy= From 1496 (timetable)]. Get off at the fifth bus stop called '''''Trynek Oczyszczalnia'''''. The stop is situated just at the entrance to the motorway A4 (Junction ''GliwiceBOJKÓW''). It's a junction with a national road 78, in and it's about 4 km away from the city centre. It's a pretty good hitch-hiking spot at the entrance to the motorway as there is a parking lot allowing the drivers to stop easily. You may hitch here at nighttime too as there are street lights. It's open area so it's a bit chilly & windy during winter. The only shelter against rain is the bus stop. The only disadvantage of this place is that the directions to West ([[Wrocław]]) and East ([[PolandKraków]]) go together at this point and separate some 100 m further after the parking lot & motorway sign. It's impossible to hitch after the parking lot (unless you will continue to walk along the entrance road and get down to the motorway, which is illegal), one may easily hitch as the separated roads are 1 car narrow and driver can't stop without blocking all the traffic. New service stations are being built on both sides of the A4 motorway 300 m away from the following directions exit (they will be legally reachable on foot by a bicycle path).[[File:Gliwice schemat drog.jpg|right|thumb|234px|Road system of Gliwice -> Click to Enlarge]]=== East towards [[Katowice]], [[Kraków]], [[Rzeszów]], [[Lviv]] ([[Ukraine]]) ===
See direction Wrocław as it is the same entrance to the motorway A4.
===WestSoutheast towards [[Mikołów]], [[Tychy]] ===
* ''By A4 motorway to:'From bus stop''' 1. Opole/Wrocław/Legnica/Germany direction: Berlin & GorlitzYou may easily take the bus 32 direction ''Zabrze Goethego'' or 41 direction ''Mikołów'', get off at the 5th stop on a straight way to the A4 motorway entrance No. 307 from the city center by the following busses:* [http:/Mikołów/www.kzkgop.comTychy and start hitching there.pl/rozklady/frame.php?kat=059_20070201&nr=10&kier=1 59 The Time table]kierunek <{Direction to}>: Żernica Pętla, *[http://www.kzkgop.com.pl/rozklady/frame.php?kat=194_20070201&nr=6&kier=1 194 The Time table]kierunek: Leszczyny Czereśniowa '''From traffic lights'''*[http://wwwWalk some 5 min to ''Mikołowska'' street (2 bus stop) and start asking drivers of cars stopped by the traffic lights.kzkgop.com.pl/rozklady/frameThis option is the fastest but Polish is useful (or just make a sign).php?kat=710_20060701&nr=11&kier=1 710 The Time table]Kierunek: Szczygłowice Kopalnia
All the timetables are given for the stops situated near the Gliwice main Railway station.Unless it's stated different.You may check ALL timetables of the buses in Silesia area sorted either by stops or by line or number === South towards [[Rybnik]], [[Ostrava]] ("Przystanek" in Polish lng) at this [http://www.kzkgop.com.pl/rozklady/ website[Czech Republic]]) ===
You need * '''From the side of the road'''Get to Junction ''BOJKÓW'' (see direction Wrocław). When you get off at the described bus stop called you just need to cross the bridge over the motorway A4 and start hitching there. * '''Trynek Ogródki DziałkoweFrom petrol station'''Similar to option 1. It’s You may get off one stop earlier and ask drivers at the 5th bus stop from by-the railway -road petrol stationafter Billa supermarket. The stop There are sometimes people waving their hands by the road - still an option if you don't speak polish enough to ask drivers. Mean await time to Rybnik is situated just 17,2 min (working day in a day light).* '''From traffic lights'''Ask drivers stopped at the entrance to traffic light near a Cathedral 5 min walk from town hall as all the motorwaytransit traffic is stopped there (permanent traffic jams during rush hours). Make a sign if you don't speak Polish.
It is a 4 km long walk from the centre.=== Southwest towards [[Kędzierzyn Koźle]], [[Prudnik]], [[Głuchołazy]], [[Czech Republic]] ===
It* 's ''Option 1'''From bus stop ''Plac Piastów'' in city centre take a pretty good hitch-hiking spot at the entrance to the highway as there is a parking lot allowing the drivers to stop easilybus 624 direction ''Wilcze Gardło Pętla''[http://rozklady.kzkgop.<br pl/> You may hitch here index.php?co=rozklady&submenu=tabliczka&nr_linii=624&nr_przyst=1&id_trasy=2363 (timetable)]and get off at night time too as the area is full of lamps. Itstop called '''''Ostropa Silvia''''s open area so it's a bit chilly & windy during winter. The only shelter against rain is the bus stoproad to Kędzierzyń Koźle goes straight on.
* '''Option 2'''In front of Gliwice railway statioan take a tram 1 [http://rozklady.kzkgop.pl/index.php?co=rozklady&submenu=tabliczka&nr_linii=T1&nr_przyst=31&id_trasy=2506 (timetable)] or 4 [http://rozklady.kzkgop.pl/index.php?co=rozklady&submenu=tabliczka&nr_linii=T4&nr_przyst=24&id_trasy=2255 (timetable)] and go till the last stop called '''''Wójtowa Wieś Pętla'''''.The road that goes straight is the one to Kędzierzyn Koźle. Although there is no shoulder the road is wide enough to let the driver stop without causing the traffic stoppage.The only disadvantage of this place traffic here is that almost the directions one to West Kędzierzyn Koźle ([[Wrocław]]plates OK) and East , but still contains some cars from a nearby villages ([[Kraków]]plates SG, SGL) goes together at this point and separate some 100 m further after the park lot & highway sign.
It's impossible to hitch after the parking lot (unless you will continue to walk along the entrance road and get down to the motorway, which ''is'' illegal) as the separated roads are 1 car narrow and driver can't stop without blocking all the traffic. === Northwest towards [[Poznań]] ===
New service stations are being built on both sides of the A4 motorway 300 m away from the exit (they will be legally reachable on foot by a bicycle path)The best and fastest option is getting first to [[Wrocław]].
From my observation == Hitching In ==The Junction ''BOJKÓW'' (307th km of motorway A4) is the best to get off at, as it’s the shortest way to walk (in case you arrive too late to catch a working daybus) 75 % of to the traffic is town center. If you arrive from East direction East ignore the Junction ''SOŚNICA'' (with a sign Gliwice Centrum & 44 Tychy) and get off at the next one (ie. [[Katowice]], [[Kraków]]''BOJKÓW''). Therefore if you head There is a lot of place to put a tent for [[Wrocław]] its better to walk along a night without any problems. Just move away from the entrance road down to the motorway to catch avoid the transit traffic (Average awaiting time 22.6 minutes (working day, day light)noise.
This Entrance/Exit (307) is the best to get off at, as it’s the shortest way to walk (in case you arrive too late to catch a bus) to the town center. If you are arriving from East direction ignore the main Entrance/Exit (with a sign Gliwice CENTRUM & 44 Tychy) and get off at the next one (no. 307).== Staying overnight ==
* There is a lot of place to put a tent for a night without any problemsan inexpensive [http://www. Just move away zsti.gliwice.pl/ptsm/index.html Youth hostel] (Hosteling International) in the town centre 8 min. walk from the road to avoid the noiserailway station.
===East===''By A4 motorway to''* Alternatively there are some active members of [http:#[[Katowice]]/[[Kraków]]/[[Tarnów]www.hospitalityclub.org Hospitality Club]/or [[Rzeszów]]http:/[[Przemyśl]]/[[Ukrainewww.couchsurfing.com Couch Surfing]] direction [[Lviv]]all the same as who are willing to share a place to stay and an advise with getting to West direction, as it is the same entranceyou.
''By National Road No* You can also try to stay in students dormitories. You just need to find someone who will let you into the dorm.44 If a student wants to:''#[[Mikołów]]/[[Tychy]]host someone he is obliged to pay some 6 or 8 PLN (EUR 1.50 - 2), but you may have a chance to sneak in for free.
There are 2 options:*U may may take The cheapest hotel in town is situated just next to the bus Nodorms. [http://www.kzkgop.com.pl/rozklady/frame.php?kat=032_20070201&nr=17&kier=1 32] or [http://wwwThe double used to cost 80 PLN.kzkgop.com.pl/rozklady/frame.php?kat=041_20050411&nr=1&kier=1 41] <directly I'll try to Mikołów>] and get off at confirm the 5th stop on a straight way to Mikołów/Tychyprice soon.
As Long As I live in here I never used this option I always asked for * Forget the railway station. Although it's not closed during night time you will not find a place to lay down quietly. It will only protect you against a lift at the trafic lightswind but not against cold, therefor Ias its almost as cold there as outside. It'm not able s the last option to give U any mean await timeconsider and in winter only.
*Walk some 5 min There is a squat in Gliwice but don't treat it as a sure place to Mikołowska street (2 bus stop)and start asking drivers of cars stopped by the traffic lightsstay for a night. this option is the fastest but Polish is necesary
The Car matriculation system is:== Nomadwiki & Trashwiki ==
SMI - Mikołów{{nomadwiki}}
ST - Tychy__NOTOC__
===South===By National Road No.78 to [[Rybnik]] and the [[Czech Republic]] direction [[Ostrava]].{{IsIn|Silesian (Voivodeship)}}
There Are 2 Well..even 3 options to hitch this direction. For the tips how to get to the proper place look for the tips from the [http[Category://www.hitchwiki.org/Gliwice#WestPoland]] Mororway A4 Section. *When you get off at the described bus stop U just need to cross the bridge over the motorway A4 and start hitching there. * U may also get off one stop earlier and ask drivers @ by-the-road tankstation after Billa supermarket. There are sometime poeple waving thair hands by the road- still an option if u dont speak polish enough to ask drivers.Mean await time to Rybnik is 17,2 min <Working day in a day light> * Expert option <for those who speak polish >Ask drivers stopped at the trafic light near a Kathedral 5 min walk from town hall as all the transit traffic is stopped there <permanent trafic jams during rush hours> ===North===By National Road No. 901 to [[Olesno]] (junction with NR no.11 to [[PoznańCategory:Route Berlin - Kraków]])
By National Road No. 78 to [[Tanowskie Góry]] (juntion with NR No.11 to [[Poznań]]) ==Getting into the town==:''More practical details and tips will follow.'' [[Categorypl:PolandGliwice]]