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In '''Italy hitchhiking ''' is a member state of the [[European Union]] as well as the [[Schengen Agreement]], and so are [[France]], [[Austria]], [[Switzerland]] and [[Slovenia]]. Border crossings shouldn't be a problem, but avoid revealing yourself as a hitchhiker at the border, since it might still be considered as part of the highway and thus illegal. Hitchhiking is a bit less common than in France or [[Germany]] , but it's very well possible and doable. Just don't expect high speeds (particularly in the north) and be prepared for a night on the road.

You can get a free map of a whole In Italy at almost every , you will find motorways (''autostrada'' -- ''A'') and state roads (''Strada Statale'' -- ''SS''). Hitchhiking on the ''autostrada'' is generally illegal (this includes petrol stations, check the [[petrol station hitchhikingItaly#Legal situation|petrol stationlegal section of this article]] (autogrillfor details) or [http://www.autostrade.it/en/autostrade/servizi.do here]. This map has all petrol stations marked in ; to avoid problems you can try hitchhiking on the map''strade statale''. It is generally fairly easy to get rides on petrol stationstakes little bit more time, especially if it is a guy but you meet more local people and a girlyou can see the countryside.

Roads You can get a free map of a whole Italy at almost every [[petrol station hitchhiking|petrol station]] (''autogrill'') or [http://www.autostrade.it/en/autostrade/servizi.do here]. This map has all petrol stations marked in the map. Getting rides on petrol stations is generally easy. Toilets are often not laid out for bicyclists and pedestrians which makes it harder to walk towards or find good spotsfree at petrol stations in Italy. Always make Make sure to stay safe, and do some research before heading out to hitch. Italians do not generally stop on friendly terms with the roadstaff.

As in any foreign countryIf you make a [[sign]], learning try writing the name of a sensibly chosen city some of language is recommended200-300km in the right direction. For example, aside if you're heading from Italian and local dialectsMilano to Napoli, French is spoken few people will be going that far in some areas of Piedmont one stretch. So try writing first ''Firenze'', then ''Roma'' and Aosta, German finally ''Napoli''. You might get there in South Tyrol. A handful of words from a local dialect may make drivers loosen up.Spanish is easy for Italians to understandjust those three stops.

"Hitchhiking" is ''autostop'' Trucks do not drive on either Saturdays or ''passaggio'' in Italian. Just say ''faccio autostop'' or ''cerco un passaggio'' and the name of your your destination or show your thumbSundays, otherwise Italians would think so if you are asking the directions as Italy has prefer to drive with them, a lot of tourists. For detailed information good time to get a ride with them is early morning on speaking italian check the [[Southern Europe phrasebook#Italian|Italian phrasebook]] on hitchwikia Monday.

To avoid misunderstandings for both of the == Roads ==As described above, ityou's a very good idea ll find in Italy motorways "Autostrada" and state roads "Strada Statale". Motorways look pretty much like French ones : contrary to write a signGermany, there are tollgates where drivers have to get slower.

AlsoRoads in Italy, both state roads and motorways especially in the North, try writing are surprisingly heavily arranged : there are lots of barriers or rails on the name side of a sensibly chosen city some 2-300km in the right directionroads, and lots of (really lots of) tunnels to cross uneven landscapes and ranges. For exampleIn the North, if you're heading from Milano to Napoliin the Alps, few people will be going that far some roads are only succession of tunnels (like in one stretch. So try writing first ''Firenze''Aosta valley), then ''Roma'' and finally ''Napoli''sometimes even tiny roads leading to a small valley will have barriers one both sides. You might can then sometimes get stuck because there in just those three stopsis absolutely no place to hitchhike and stop a car, on a road between two tunnels and barriers on both sides.

The northern part of More generally, roads in Italy is are quite safe but take care in tight, although really almost all the south of Italy. When pitching time very well sealed, and finding a good spot to hitch is maybe a tent bit difficult in the wild make very sure to stay out of sightmountains regions. In areas like Puglia people Also because roads are so friendly that you can just basically ask if you could crash at their place if you need stirring a place to sleeplot, maybe more than in others countries. == Legal situation ==

Easier ''Art. 175 co. 7, capo B'' of the Italian ''codice della strada'' states:  *''Sulle carreggiate, sulle rampe, sugli svincoli, sulle aree di servizio o di parcheggio e in ogni altra pertinenza autostradale è vietato (…) richiedere o concedere passaggi.''*''On roadways, on-ramps, junctions, service or parking areas and on any other area belonging to the ''autostrada'' it is just forbidden (...) to ask from people for or grant rides.'' The law is pretty clear, and while they refill their carsit is not at all unusual in Europe that hitchhiking right on the motorway is illegal, Italy explicitly includes service areas into the law as well. Be aware that drivers picking you up may also be fined; for hitchhikers, the fine appears to be 21 euros, for drivers up to 137 euros. Hitching  Of course it is still possible to hitch the width and length of Italy on freeways without being fined all the time. On-ramps and exits of petrol stations have big signs saying ''no autostop''; if you stay before those, you should be fine; even if police have a problem, they will mostly just ask you to move further away from the sign. The ban on hitchhiking is not generally fairly easy. If petrol enforced in highway gas stations has exit , but all the more when you're in a place where it actually is potentially dangerous to normal road, then police asks stand. It can happen that they ask you to leavea gas station and continue by train (see [[https://nomadwiki.org/en/Italy#public_transport|public transportation section in NomadWiki]] for advice on how to travel for free by train). And when Generally it is smart to lower your thumb and try to look like a straying botanist or something whenever you see coppers approaching near the motorway.  According to [http://www.laleggepertutti.it/94376_autostop-chiedere-un-passaggio-e-illegale this legal article (Italian)], this does not apply to ''tangenziale'', bypasses, unless they are ''autostrade'' or other high-velocity roads. All in all, it happens 's less likely that you will encounter problems if you're not Italian -- and, if you speak Italian, don't reveal this to police (or the armed forces, ''carabinieri''). Border crossings that are on the motorways (such as the Grand Saint-Bernard at the Swiss border) might be considered by the police as part of the highway. [[User:Olche Maith|Nina]] was hitchhiking with a nice truck driver who was trying to help her get her next ride at the border, but the policeman did not allow her to continue hitchhiking (even not to stay in the truck with the same driver!) and instead drove her to the bus stop and gave her money (much more than required for the bus). Others might not be so generous though. Edit: (TommytheCommie) We had no success trying to hitchhike from the toll bridges at the entrance to highways (autostrade). Everybody in Italy knows it's illegal to hitchhike on the highway. The police moved us back to the roundabout before the toll bridge, which was fine, but nobody was stopping in either position. So instead we hitchhiked on minor roads (named SS-9/10/etc.) and never waited longer than thirty minutes once we found a good spot. We hitchhiked down from Alessandria to Bologna on the Via Emilia (SS-9), getting short rides of 20 or 50 km at a time, but never waiting long. == Safety == The northern part of Italy is quite safe, but take care in the South. When pitching a tent in the wild, make very sure to stay out of sight. Roads are often not laid out for bicyclists and pedestrians which makes it harder to walk towards or find good spots. Some areas, especially on the outskirts of cities such as [[Rome]], can be dodgy for single female travellers for the reason that prostitutes frequent these places. When you get into a car, make sure that the driver's motives are not determined by his meat loaf.  ==Getting out== === North across the Alps === Take the motorway[[A23 (Italy)|A23]] (in the eastern part of Italy) to [[Austria]] (don't try to hitchhike through [[Switzerland]], it's very difficult). Follow the [[A23 (Italy)|A23]] to [[Villach]] and [[Salzburg]] to get through the Alps very easy. On that way, you will also find a lot of people heading to [[Hungary]], [[Slovakia]] and [[Slovenia]].You can also try to hitch [[A22 (Italy)|A22]] to [[Bolzano]], [[Innsbruck]] over the [[Brennero]], but it's quite difficult to find a hitch from A4 to the A22 except when it is holiday time.  Also, don't put your thumb go via [[Milano]], it's really difficult to get outof the ring because almost everybody drives into Milano and very few stop at service areas located nearby. There are a lot of tourists from Austria and Germany, especially in summertime. The new European car plates start with a letter on the left side of the plate, representing the country. Most Austrian (A on a plate) and German (D on a plate) are on the way to the sea or on their way back from holidays, so if you want to go North or South, try to find Germans or Austrians (usually, they speak better English than the Italians, too).

If you're Another option is stay on a petrol station it's a good idea to stay the [[A4 (Italy)|A4]] and ask trucks on friendly terms with the staffpetrol stations. When startingMany trucks go to Austria, Slovakia, it's probably a good idea Poland and more north through Slovenia to find a spot before drivers encounter the ''no autostop'' sign, but it tank diesel there because there is still possible hitchhike while you have ''no autostop'' behind you; once you have passage onto cheaper diesel and on the roads there aren''autostrada'' t so many hills so it is fairly simple to skip from one service area to the next until you arrive at your destination. It's less likely that you will encounter problems if you're not Italian -- and, if you speak Italian, don't reveal this to police (or the armed forces ''carabinieri'')saves fuel.

'''Strada StataleEdit: (national roadTheLoneBaker)''' - Because Crossing the Alps via Switzerland from the A9 seemed to be extremely easy. Lots of petrol station problem in Italy (see above), you can try hitchhiking on ''Strada Statale'' - SStraffic at the service stations. It takes little bit more time, but you meet more local people and you can see beautiful nature, they can drive you extra kilometers, so you could arrive to destination or invite you Probably not worth the effort to have go a lunch with their familydifferent route if already in Western Italy.

* See also '''Hitchhiking == Regions and cities in Italy''', an article on [http://www.digihitch.com/europe44.html Digihitch] by [http://www.digihitch.com/userinfo-hikecrazy.html Hikecrazy]==

=== Towards [[Austria]] Ferries between Italy and Greece ===Take the motorway [[A23 (Italy)|A23]] (in the It's possible to hitchhike from south-eastern part of Italy) to [[Austria]] (don't try to hitchhike through [[Switzerland]]Greece, but it's very seems to be quite difficult). Follow the Find more information [[A23 (Italy)Ferries_between_Italy_and_Greece|A23here]] to [[Villach]] and [[Salzburg]] to get through . == Language == As in any foreign country, learning some of the Alps very easylanguage is recommended. On that wayAside from Italian and local dialects, you will also find a lot French is spoken in some areas of people heading to [[Hungary]]Piedmont and Aosta, [[Slovakia]] and [[Slovenia]]as well as German in South Tyrol.You can also try to hitch [[A22 (Italy)|A22]] to [[Bolzano]], [[Innsbruck]] over the [[Brennero]] but it's quite difficult to find A handful of words from a hitch from A4 local dialect may make drivers loosen up. Spanish is easy for Italians to the A22 except when it understand. English is holiday timeless widely spread than in more northerly countries.Also, don"Hitchhiking" is ''autostop'' or ''passaggio'' in Italian. Just say ''faccio autostop'' or ''cerco un passaggio''t go via [[Milano]]and the name of your your destination or show your thumb, it's really difficult otherwise Italians might think you are asking directions as Italy gets a lot of tourists. A sign can also help to get out of the ring because almost everybody drives into Milano and very few stop at service areas located nearbyavoid misunderstandings.

There are a lot of tourists from Austria and Germany, especially in summertime. The new European car plates start with a letter on the left side of the plateAlso, representing the country. Most Austrian (A on a plate) service stations and German (D restaurants on a plate) highways are on the way commonly referred to the sea or on their way back from holidays, so if you want to go North or South, try to find Germans or Austrians (usually, they speak better English than the Italians, too)as ''Autogrill''.

Another option is stay For detailed information on speaking Italian check the [[A4 (Italy)Southern Europe phrasebook#Italian|A4Italian phrasebook]] and ask trucks on the gas stations. Many trucks go to Austria, Slovakia, Poland and more north through Slovenia to tank diesel there becouse there is cheaper Diesel and on the roads there aren't so many hills so it saves fuelhitchwiki.

==Nomadwiki & Trashwiki = Ferries between Italy - Greece ===* http://hitchwiki.org/en/Ferries_between_Italy_and_Greece

[[wikipediatrash:Italy]][[trashnomad:Italy]]

{{Template:Europe/countrieswikipedia-link|Italy}}