1,184
edits
Changes
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
'''Italy''' is a member state of the [[European Union]] as well as the [[Schengen Agreement]], and so are [[France]], [[Austria]], [[Switzerland]] and [[Slovenia]]. Border crossing will be no problem at all.
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 crossing will be no problem at all. Hitchhiking is a bit less common than in France or [[Germany]] , but it's very well possible and doable.
Also, try writing the name of a sensibly chosen city some 2-300km in the right direction. For example, if you're heading from Milano to Napoli, few people will be going that far in one stretch. So try writing first ''Firenze'', then ''Roma'' and finally ''Napoli''. You might get there in just those three stops.
The northern part of Italy is quite safe but take care in the south of Italy. When pitching a tent in the wild make very sure to stay out of sight. In areas like Puglia people are so friendly that you can just basically ask if you could crash at their place if you need a place to sleep.
[[File:No_autostop_en_italia.JPG|thumb|left|[[User:Quarim|Quarim]] and a ''NO autostop'' sign.]]
'''Hitchhiking (Il)legal?''' - Hitchhiking on the ''autostrada'' is not legal (there are big signs saying ''no autostop'' at motorway [[on-ramp]]s) and it extends to petrol stations (''area servizio'') on the autostrada. Fine is 21 euro (so you need to find an excuse for not having that money, poor traveler, somebody stole it etc.). It's quite common to meet the police on petrol stations on the highway, so be prepared to to answer, but most of the times police just ignores you or say that you must go further from exit. If you happen to get kicked out of a petrol station by the police they'll tell you to go to the nearest train station and take the train. If there's no way around it you can simply dodge the fare as the Italians themselves say that "nobody gives a shit about the law in Italy." The conductors usually can't articulate anything beyond "Money" and "Ticket" in English, so just tell them "No money, no ticket" and they'll let you be.
Easier it is just to ask from people while they refill their cars. Hitching on the petrol stations is generally fairly easy. If a petrol stations has an exit to a normal road, the police might ask you to leave. And when it happens that you are on the motorway, don't put your thumb out.
If you're on a petrol station it's a good idea to stay on friendly terms with the staff. When starting, it's probably a good idea to find a spot before drivers encounter the ''no autostop'' sign, but it is still possible hitchhike while you have ''no autostop'' behind you; once you have passage onto the ''autostrada'' 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'').
'''Strada Statale(national road)''' - Because of petrol station problem == Hitching in Italy (see above), you can try hitchhiking on ''Strada Statale'' - SS. It takes little bit more time, but you meet more local people and you can see beautiful nature, they can drive you extra kilometres, so you could arrive to destination or invite you to have a lunch with their family.==
== Hitching in Italy ==
[[File:Italy- erga in lago di gardi.jpg|Erga hitchhiking around Lago di Garda|300px|right]]
no edit summary
|BW = IT
}}
In Italy, 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 [[Italy#Legal situation|legal section of this article]] for details); to avoid problems you can try hitchhiking on the ''strade statale''. It takes little bit more time, but you meet more local people and you can see the countryside. 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. It Getting rides on petrol stations is generally fairly easy . Toilets are free at petrol stations in Italy. Make sure to stay on friendly terms with the staff. If you make a [[sign]], try writing the name of a sensibly chosen city some 200-300km in the right direction. For example, if you're heading from Milano to Napoli, few people will be going that far in one stretch. So try writing first ''Firenze'', then ''Roma'' and finally ''Napoli''. You might get there in just those three stops. == Legal situation ==[[File:No_autostop_en_italia.JPG|thumb|left|[[User:Quarim|Quarim]] and a ''NO autostop'' sign.]] ''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 forbidden (...) to ask for or grant rides .'' The law is pretty clear, and while it 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. 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 stationshave big signs saying ''no autostop''; if you stay before those, especially 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 enforced in highway gas stations, but all the more when you're in a place where it actually is potentially dangerous to stand. It can happen that they ask you to leave a guy gas station and continue by train (see [[Italy#Public transport|public transportation section]] for advice on how to travel for free by train). Generally it is smart to lower your thumb and try to look like a girlstraying botanist or something whenever you see coppers approaching near the motorway. Toilets 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 free at petrol stations ''autostrade'' or other high-velocity roads. All in Italyall, 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''). == Safety ==
Roads are often not laid out for bicyclists and pedestrians which makes it harder to walk towards or find good spots. Always make sure to stay safe, and do some research before heading out to hitch. Italians do not generally stop on the road. Trucks do not drive on both Saturdays and Sundays so if you prefer to drive with them a good time to get a ride with them is early morning on a Monday.
The northern part of Italy is quite safe but take care in the south of Italy. When pitching a tent in the wild make very sure to stay out of sight. In areas like Puglia people are so friendly that you can just basically ask if you could crash at their place if you need a place to sleep.
== Language ==
As in any foreign country, learning some of language is recommended. Aside from Italian and local dialects, French is spoken in some areas of Piedmont and Aosta, as well as German in South Tyrol. A handful of words from a local dialect may make drivers loosen up.
To avoid misunderstandings for both of the above, it's a very good idea to write a sign.
{|
|-
Another option is stay on the [[A4 (Italy)|A4]] and ask trucks on the petrol stations. Many trucks go to Austria, Slovakia, Poland and more north through Slovenia to tank diesel there because there is cheaper diesel and on the roads there aren't so many hills so it saves fuel.
=== [[Ferries_between_Italy_and_Greece|Ferries between Italy - and Greece ]] ===* http://hitchwiki== Public transport == If there's no way around it you can simply dodge the fare as the Italians themselves say that "nobody gives a shit about the law in Italy." The conductors usually can't articulate anything beyond "Money" and "Ticket" in English, so just tell them "No money, no ticket" and they'll let you be.org/en/Ferries_between_Italy_and_Greece
[[wikipedia:Italy]]
