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It's common knowledge that truck drivers are very friendly and that the hitching is great if you go out to the shipping areas around Dyre Halses Gate in [[Trondheim]] and North of Strandveien<sup>Which one? Does this question refer to the previous misspelling of Strandveien?</sup>, but some hitchhikers have said otherwise. It's also much faster traveling alone considering that trucks and some commercial vehicle can only take 1 passenger. Around four in the afternoon, drivers have loaded incoming goods from that day and are leaving for a late/overnight haul to the next major city.
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== Hitchhiking culture ==
'''Norway''' is difficult to class as a good or bad country for hitchhiking (see the Discussion page). There are both very good and very bad feedback from hitchhikers in Norway:
==POSITIVE==
'''Norway''' is not an easy country to hitch in, but it can be rewarding! Even though ''haike'' is not too common in Norway, people are very likely to pick you up and can be very friendly and helpful. Like in Sweden, foreign tourists and immigrants are more likely to [[picking up hitchhikers|pick up hitchhikers]].
According to [[User:Francisco1|Francisco1]] (also said by [[User:Fede|Fede]] [[User:Earlyturtle|Earlyturtle]]) although he didn't look very norwegian and had no flag (see here below), just common nice cardboard signs, he always found people, many times locals (some foreigners also), any gender, any age, to pick him up, help him and give good advice. He doesn't agree with the idea that most norwegians are unwelcoming to strangers, and even less nationalist or racist.
''(see also: [[Talk:Norway|NORWAY, A PARADISE FOR HITCHHIKERS]])''
==NEGATIVE== According to [[User:thomasmyrman|thomasmyrman]] who hitched with a huge Norwegian flag, many drivers said they only stopped because it made them feel nationalistic pride and that it made the hitcher visible from far away. Consider having at least a small flag (even if you are not Norwegian) which you can buy anywhere in Norway. Grata[[User:Grata|Grata]] also had a bad experience.
''(see also: [[Talk:Norway|No, it is not easy to hitchhike in Norway]])''
==MORE ADVICE==
Norwegians have a tendency to always be on the rush on weekdays. Waiting times can be a bit longer around [[Oslo]] and in remote areas where traffic is very light. People expect some chatting since distances are long, and seem to have little tolerance for drug or alcohol use while on the road.
A large part of the population lives near the road, which extends from the [[Sweden|Swedish]] border in the South to almost all the way North, so when going North it's pretty hard to get lost, as long as you are headed the right way.
The roads going to Bergen and the West Coast (E16, 7, E134) aren't very big, don't expect motorways. They look more like small mountain roads, and are very nice to hitchhike along, you can stand directly on the road and admire the landscape at the same time. In winter (and fall and spring also) be aware that they might be closed to traffic due to snowstorms or pollution in the tunnels. The information is available for all roads in Norway on the internet.
It's common knowledge that truck drivers are very friendly and that the hitching is great if you go out to the shipping areas around Dyre Halses Gate in [[Trondheim]] and North of Strandveien<sup>Which one? Does this question refer to the previous misspelling of Strandveien?</sup>, but some hitchhikers have said otherwise. It's also much faster traveling alone considering that trucks and some commercial vehicle can only take 1 passenger. Around four in the afternoon, drivers have loaded incoming goods from that day and are leaving for a late/overnight haul to the next major city.
Do think of the weather, it can get pretty cold and rainy (or snowy) and the distances are very big between the more populated east side of the country and the cities in the West Coast, or the North. Maybe taking a warm tent as I did was the best idea ever, the experience of camping in the woods in those mountains was very nice.
Remember, hichhiking is about patience, so maybe you'll have to wait for a good while (it IS true that there are not that many cars), but just enjoy the beautiful landscapes and you can always walk along the roads, they are not highways properly said.
==NORTH NORWAY==
Hitchhikers had varying experiences in the beautiful North. Some locals hitch regularly to commute. You can hitch a ride from mostly anywhere as there is not much traffic. Another challenge are the long winter nights, which make the hitchhiking day very short unless you are well equipped for [[Hitchhiking at night|night hitchhiking]]. In the North, total darkness sets in from around mid-November. Don't forget the specifics of [[Winter|winter hitchhiking]].
=== Hitching rides on ferries ===
The Torp Airport is closed overnight, but there is a nice forest just before the car park. There is as well a nice park on the hill in Sandfjord. Do not hitch on the motorway but take the secondary road between the airport and the town (Sandford train station is closed overnight). Oslo Gardemoen also has a nice pitch of forest somewhere inside that giant parking lot, you can even take the free parking shuttle bus back to the bus stop in the morning ;)
ENJOY YOUR TRIP !
== See also ==
