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'''Turku''' (Swedish ''Åbo'') is a coastal city in southwestern [[Finland]]. It has an active harbour, with both commercial and cruise ships going to and from major cities in the region. Read how to [http://hitchwiki.org/en/Stockholm#To_Finland hitch a ferry from Stockholm to Turku]. From Turku, there are motorways leading to all different directions throughout Finland, so make sure you know which motorway is going your way, and always use a [[signs|sign]].

== Hitchhiking Hitching out ==

You can also start from the very beginning of the motorway number 1/the end of the street called ''Helsinginkatu''. This is just next to both the student village (''Ylioppilaskylä'') and the University of Turku. Coming from the direction of the harbour and the bus station on "Helsinginkatu", after the bridge (Tuomaansilta) take the right side of the street. After the traffic lights there's a bus stop where you can start hitching. A sign is a good idea since there's a lot of cars driving to suburbs of Turku. '''Note''': don't walk further than this spot, it gets worse and worse, If a sign "Helsinki" (also the common abbreviation for Helsinki is HKI) doesn't work, try writing "Salo" (a small town halfway to Helsinki).

The common abbreviation for Tampere is TRE. So you can write this.  === North-West towards [[Vaasa (on the way there is also Rauma, Pori]] ===Vaasa is the harbour town, which is about 330 km away from Turku. The easiest way to the best hitch-hiking spot is the following. If you are in Turku city centre, just walk by the river to the West until you get to the street called Koulukatu or Skolsgatan. Then you have to walk straight up the hill on the Koulukatu street for approximately 2km. Then you will reach a bigger highway, called Naantalintie. That is already the beginning of the National Road 8, which takes you straight to Vaasa (and other places like Pori, that are on the way as well). On the side of the road is a big shopping mall called Manhattan, the best hitchhiking spot is about 200 m further. You will see a big Hesburger and next to the road there is a small bus station, where the cars can stop nicely to pick you up. Local hitch-hikers also recommended this place.

You can also try to hitch-hike via the archipelago between Turku and Ålandand continue over to Sweden by Eckerö Linjen's cheap ferry. You can get a map of the archipelago and the ferries at the tourist info in Turku. There are two possible ways from islands with a street connection to the Finnish mainland to the big islands of Åland via ferry for free (pay only for vehicles):

A good place is about 4km from the centrum center of Turku, on Hämeenlinnantie, at the crossroad of Nummi and Halinen. There is a bus stop there, and the correct bus is #4buses going there are 55, 55A and 56. Leave the bus at the Nummi library (on the right hand side, "KIRJASTO") and walk 100m to the crossroads.