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Facilities Rest areas often serve one direction of a motorway, but often rest areas in both directions of the motorway are situated opposite each other or within a short distance of each other. However, in some countries rest area may include park-like areasserve both sides of the motorway, fuel stations, toilets, and restaurantsas the drivers from one side are facilitated with connecting roads. Rest Such rest areas are quite common in the [[United States]], [[Canada]], [[AustraliaKingdom]] and parts of in [[Europe]] ([[FranceAustria]]: Aire de service, [[Germany]]: Raststätte (directly on the Autobahn) and Autohof (are somewhat off less suitable for hitchhiking as the Autobahn), [[Italy]]: Area Servizio, [[United Kingdom]]: Motorway servicesrest areas which are only accessible from one side. There are even some situations, for example in [[Austria]]: Autobahnstation, [[Denmark]]: Serviceanlægwhere rest areas are situated on the junction of two motorways, [http://wwwwhich are therefore used by traffic going into four directions.info-teria.dk/ Info-teria], [[Hungary]]: Pihenohely, [[Netherlands]]: verzorgingsplaats, [[Slovenia]]: Počivališča) and [[Asia]]This in general is certainly not an advantage when looking for rides on these stations.

Facilities of the rest area may include park-like areas, fuel stations, toilets, and restaurants. Rest areas are common in the [[United States of America|United States]], [[Canada]], [[Australia]] and parts of [[Europe]] and [[Asia]]. * [[Austria]]: Autobahnstation* [[China]]: Fúwù qū (服务区), Tíngchē qū (停车区)* [[Czech Republic]]: Benzínka* [[Denmark]]: Serviceanlæg, [http://www.info-teria.dk/ Info-teria], [http://www.vejdirektoratet.dk/da/trafik/sider/default.aspx The Danish Road Directorate]* [[France]]: Aire de service* [[Germany]]: [http://www.tank.rast.de/standorte/servicenetz/index.php Raststätte] (directly on the Autobahn) and [http://www.autohof.net/ Autohof] (somewhat off the Autobahn)* [[Hungary]]: Pihenohely* [[Italy]]: [http://www.automap.it/areediservizio/ Area Servizio]* [[Japan]]: Sābisu eria (サービスエリア), Pākingu eria (パーキングエリア), michi no eki (道の駅)* [[Korea]]: Hyugeso (휴게소)* [[Malaysia]]: R&R (Rest and Recreation)* [[Netherlands]]: [http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verzorgingsplaats verzorgingsplaats] - [http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Categorie:Nederlandse_verzorgingsplaats complete list] (Both in Dutch)* [[Poland]]: MOP (for [http://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miejsce_Obsługi_Podróżnych '''Miejsce Obsługi Podróżnych'''] Travellers service centre)* [[Slovenia]]: Počivališče* [[United Kingdom]]: [http://www.motorwayservices.info/ Motorway services] Not all rest areas include [[Petrol station hitchhiking|petrol stations]] - this means that the traffic on such rest areas will, in general, be much lower, and one can expect more difficulties when looking for a ride there. For service areas with gas petrol stations see information [[Where to hitchhike|here]]. == Food and Drink ==Depending on the country, food at rest areas can be highly overpriced and, in case of pre-prepared food, pretty abysmal. However, many German Raststättes now prepare food (mostly pasta) on the spot and, although still overpriced, it is actually pretty good. In Japan, Korea, and Malaysia the prices might not be much higher and the quality not much poorer than in a city.

It might be necessary to get out of a rest station because it's empty and you think it will be easier to try to hitch on the local roads, because you are really close to your destination, you are on the wrong side of the motorway or you want to camp (see below). Many rest areas are fenced but it is usually possible to get out even in those cases. Many times there are breaks in the fence, you can also try to see if there is a possibility way to get out from via the entrance or the exit, and of course see if whether it's possible to jump over the fence. You can even ask to the people of the station staff to open you the doorfor you, keeping in mind that in this case you will may not be able to re-enter . === Rest areas allowing cross-overs ===Although the traffic in both motorway directions remains separated, some rest areas, typically restaurants, serve both sides of a motorway. In those cases both sides of the motorway are connected by a pedestrian-only tunnel, a pedestrian-only bridge or a bridge restaurant, like the huge '''Dammer Berge''' bridge restaurant on the A1 in Germany, and on those it's obviously easy to cross the motorway should you need to do so. On others there are sometimes crossings for (official) vehicles that can also be used by pedestrians. On occasion you may have to walk a fair distance to get to the other side of a motorway. Crossing the motorway using a bridge or tunnel is not always possible. In Germany passing to the opposite rest area is often, but not always, possible through so-called "service roads".  Here's a list of links to crossable rest-areas per country: * [[Crossable rest areas in Austria|Crossable Raststations in Austria]]* [[Crossable rest areas in Belgium|Crossable Petrol stations and aires de service in Belgium]]* [[Crossable rest areas in Croatia|Crossable Odmorištes in Croatia]]* [[Crossable rest areas in the Czech Republic|Crossable Odpočívkas in the Czech Republic]]* [[Crossable rest areas in Denmark|Crossable Serviceanlægs in Denmark]]* [[Crossable rest areas in France|Crossable Aires de service in France]]* [[Crossable rest areas in Germany|Crossable Raststättes in Germany]]* [[Crossable rest areas in Italy|Crossable Area Servizios in Italy]]* [[Crossable rest areas in Luxembourg|Crossable aires de service in Luxembourg]]* [[Crossable rest areas in the Netherlands|Crossable petrol stations in the Netherlands]]* [[Crossable rest areas in Poland|Crossable MOPs in Poland]]* [[Crossable rest areas in Slovakia|Crossable Počivališče's in Slovakia]]* [[Crossable rest areas in Slovenia|Crossable Odpočívadlo's in Slovenia]]* [[Crossable rest areas in Sweden|Crossable Rastplatser (with petrol station.) in Sweden]]* [[Crossable rest areas in Switzerland|Crossable Raststättes in Switzerland]]

It is possible to sleep at rest areas, but you are advised to keep a low profile, as it may not always be legal to do so. Be aware that those areas that lend themselves to sleeping are usually might also used as public toilets, so a flashlight light is an absolute necessity a good idea when it's dark.

=== Personal experiences =United States ==In most states of the United States there are no petrol stations at rest areas. In these states the rest areas are a relatively good option for hitchhiking. In some of them ([[Ohio]]?) you will even find free wireless internet. In [[New Hampshire]] you can try to hitchhike at the state liquor stores that are very popular because of the state's low (non-existing?) tax on alcohol.

[[User:Prino|Prino]] has slept on at many rest areas in many countries of Europe. The key is to disappear when nobody is watching and to avoid the aforementioned "public toilet areas". On one occasion he even managed to sleep right in the middle of a small bed of shrubs on an Italian area Servizio, reasoning that nobody would actually expect anyone to be so bold. However, in general he prefers to sleep '''in''' the restaurant, finding either a closed-off section, or a far-away corner. It is both safer and warmer. == United States ==In most states of the United States there are no petrol stations on rest areas. In these states the rest areas are a relatively good option for hitchhiking. In some of them ([[Ohio]]?) you will even find free wireless internet. In [[New Hampshire]] you can try to hitchhike at the state liquor stores that are very popular because of the state's low (non-existing?) tax on alcohol.