FAQ about hitch-hiking in Portugal

Written by Paulo Anciaes (anciaes(a)hotmail.com)

A. WHO WILL GIVE YOU A RIDE
- As a rule, no woman stops for a male hitch-hiker.
- It's also very hard to get lifts from couples or families. People are afraid of everything that is unusual, like a hitch-hiker (especially a foreigner). In addition, during the last few years many people have been buying cars with just 2 seats (which means no place for the eventual hitcher...)
- On the other hand, it is quite easy to get a lift with males driving alone. Many people work in a city and live in a town nearby. Male drivers usually pick up hitch-hikers because they want somebody to talk to.
- Truck drivers are also a good bet and travelling with them can be an interesting cultural experience, especially if you know some Portuguese. Many truck drivers will also invite you for lunch (and perhaps a few beers)
- Students on holidays is also OK. And they will also invite you for a few beers…

B. WHEN NOT TO HITCHHIKE
Portugal has the second highest traffic accident rate in Europe so unless you want to risk your life:
- Do not hitch-hiking on Friday and Saturday evenings because drinking and driving is the rule and on Sunday afternoon and evening because people are returning home and usually want to get there as fast as possible
- Certainly do not hitch hike during Christmas and New Year holidays !!! Very dangerous !!

C. HITCHING IN THE SOUTH
Out of Lisbon
- I reckon it is impossible to hitch out of Lisbon towards the south because you have to cross one of the 2 bridges and at their entrance the traffic is terrible. I suggest you take the ferry to the other margin of Tejo river, take a train in Barreiro station and then get off in Alcacer do Sal.
- There is a highway from Lisbon to Algarve (N5-N261-IC1) and also an expressway (at the present moment only until Ourique). Unless you want to reach Algarve as quickly as possible, do not use the expressway. It is more difficult to find "the perfect spot" to start hitching (and you need to walk some miles to get there) and usually, drivers are not so friendly.

Alentejo
- In this region, most of the roads are desert except on weekends and holidays. Also, most cars are only going to the nearest town so most rides are only for 20-30 km.
- This region is quite harsh, with its hot, dry weather (very unconfortable in the Summer), lonely stretches of plains and the occasional town with white-washed little houses. Sometimes you drive (or hitch) 40 km and you see almost no sign of life. Quite adventurous and certainly recommendable if you do want to have "the" portuguese experience. Please try the "yellow" and "white" roads you see in your map... But be prepared to wait op to one hour for a ride in weekdays (sometimes happens)

Algarve
- In the Algarve you will probably meet more British and German people than Portuguese. They will probably pick you up. You can choose either the IP1 (highway) or the N125 to go from V.R.Sto Antonio (Spanish border) to Lagos. The N125, however, in the summer is crowded.
- If you just want to have a good sun tan this region is perfect but if you really want to know the country I would suggest you to stay there as little time as possible. Lagos, in particular, is almost a British "colony". The Eastern side of Algarve`s south coast is only a little better.