How does it work?

WHY HITCH-HIKE?

Hitch-hiking is the cheapest way of travel. Stand along the road, put up your thumb and travel fast and comfortably to your destination without any payment. While you travel, you meet a variety of people who will tell you the most peculiar stories about interesting subjects which you will never find in any tourist guide; mothers who pick you up because they think it to be too dangerous to leave you standing and ex-hitch-hikers who remember waiting a long time themselves. Hitch-hiking is not always easy, otherwise everybody would stand along the roads. E.g. you never know for sure the time of arrival and cannot always chose your driver. Good hitch-hiking is something of an art, how to present yourself so that you'll be picked-up fast, how to obtain reliable drivers and what is the best time and place for travel. In this book you'll find the answers to these questions, practical tips for on the road, maps on which you can choose your destination and the locations of motorway service areas in Europe. In addition to this the addresses of liftcentres (drive-share) in the European towns, tourist-information centres, student travel agencies, youth hostels, campsites, poste-restante and important museums

BEFORE YOU START TO HITCH-HIKE

Boys and Girls
On the edge of the road a blond girl is waiting with a very short miniskirt, she holds her breath, shows her thumb and ... immediately ten cars stop out of which she chooses the Porsche that accelerates with smoking tires. This typical-image of hitch-hiking does not match reality. A boy on his own can hitch-hike as fast as a girl and with less risk. Mixed groups have a good chance, but two guys together is not so good. Two girls as a boy and a girl is a safe and successful travel-combination.

Age
Your age is of importance when you hitch-hike. In the Benelux-countries it is unusual that people over 30 hitch-hike. Drivers don't tend to pick them up. In Germany and Great Britain and many other European countries this is not so unusual. Inexperienced hitch-hikers are advised to start on short-distance travels. You'll learn map reading. and advance planning for longer journeys. Many young people start hitch-hiking when they're 18.

Approach (look)
The driver who spots you along the roads, has a few seconds to decide whether or not he or she is going to give you a lift. More important than if you're a boy or a girl and your age is the way you're dressed. Most drivers will stop sooner for someone looking clean and average. Maybe dressed like Father Christmas you'll make a good progress in a certain time of the year.

Smoking
If you want to smoke, ask the driver if he minds.

Luggage
Someone with a 4 yard long surfboard, an elephant and a donkey, his family with all the musical instruments they play, might have to wait a long time. Although ... you might be very lucky. Compact, non car-paint scratching and textile-demolishing luggage (a soft pack instead of the famous frame-backpack), is highly recommended.

Other hitch-hikers
Who is first? An unwritten rule is that the last one to arrive will go to the end of the queue. There are some problems with the priority in ex-USSR countries, where nobody cares about it. Even professional hitchhikers from Latvia do not understand that it is need to care about a priority in the position. If you are the first in the position it also do not mean, that the car will stop for you - drivers do not think about priority. If you have a chat with the competion and tell them where you want to travel to, they possibly can pass an unwanted lift to you. Ask the driver if he agrees.

Drivers
Of course you look for nice drivers, but be prepared for boring persons or someone you don't like. If you do not trust someone, do not accept the lift, not even if you're waiting for hours. More than one man in a car or people who give an unclear answer to your question, you're better to let them pass by. Almost nobody drives just without a destination. You do not owe the driver any excuse for not accepting a lift. Check the travel-direction while driving. If the driver changes his travel direction other than was arranged when accepting the lift without a clear explanation, it might be the wisest to leave the car. Do not hesitate with your decision.
Your luggage is best carried close to you. In case of unexpected separation, the driver might not want to open the boot for you. Or, even not on purpose, any driver can forget your luggage in the boot.
If you cross a non-EC frontier, do not drive the car, because you'll get an ownership-registration stamp in your passport. Without the car you cannot then leave the country. Sometimes just the means of transport that took you into a country are registered. One way hitch-hiking and back by train or by foot crossing the border could cause serious trouble.
Officially, any driver other than the owner in any foreign country cannot drive a car registered in one country. Ask at the embassies in your home country before you go.  

GOOD HITCH-HIKING

Advise
Whether you wait for hours in the rain or are picked up after five minutes does not just depends on your luck. Some hints and tactics for good hitch-hiking you'll find below. Location, travel-route, how you obtain a lift are as important as appearance.

Maps and addresses
You cannot hitch-hike fast without a good map unless you know the road-system by heart. For all Europe travel the Shell atlas to Europe, 1: 750 000, is the best and the cheapest. For Great-Britain one can use the Collins atlas or the Shell map 1: 750 000.
Shell maps 1: 750 000 are the best for long-distance travel or larger countries. In a small country, like the Netherlands, use the Shell map 1: 250 000 (cheapest), for sale at Shell petrol stations; for Belgium use the Recta map 1: 250 000.
In Germany you can get a good map on the motorway system for free at the service areas. In other EC countries such maps also exist but aren't always available.
In France, Italy and Spain, the use of the motorway is limited to paying drivers, a so-called toll-road network (peage, pedaggio, or peaje).
On the motorways are toll barriers (sometimes on access-lanes), from which one can get excellent lifts. All the traffic has to slow down to get a ticket or to pay.
In addition to this use the maps in this booklet. There are also descriptions of 156 motorway service areas along European motorways with details of how to reach them by means of public transport.

Traffic, day and time
Cars are driven mostly in the morning, afternoon and evening. At the weekend and at the start and end of a vacation-period hitch-hiking is not so good because many couples and families are in full cars.
In Germany travelling throughout the weekend is no problem along the motorways. In the Netherlands and Belgium it is advisable to travel on Sundays in the afternoon. Trucks are ideal for long distance travel because most of them travel long-distance with few stops. Between 4.00 a.m. and 24.00 p.m. most of them are on the road. Except on Sundays. International traffic drives also on Sundays.
You can find truck-drivers in motorway restaurants or motorway parking areas for trucks, on parking areas for trucks nearby or in the cities and in the early morning at fresh-markets.
Sometimes meeting places become established like a (Swedish) church, a certain restaurant, the harbour etc. Hitch-hiking in a truck can have the advantage that the truck stops at a truckers' restaurant or the trucker uses his radio to ask others for a lift.
Many transportation companies insure only the truck drivers. He is not allowed to take passengers, not even his family. On long distances many drivers are willing to have company to have a chat or to prevent them falling asleep. Sometimes it is possible to arrange a lift via the manager of the transport company, although because of the changed insurance regulations this has become difficult.

Sign. Destination shield
Make a clear sign with your destination written in contrast to the background. E.g. black or blue on white. If you travel very far, use place names on route.

For hitch-hiking in eastern Europe you do not need the sign. It will be even worse for you, because local cars wouldn't stop and will spend a lot of time in one place. Of course professionals use the destination sign somewhere, where it is needful. For example if you go to another country and see a lot of cars passing you with the license plates of this country, you should make a sign with a code of this country. So if you go from Warsaw (capital of Poland) to Vilnius (capital of Lithuania) without the shield it will take for you about 14 hours! But if you make a shield it will take only 8-9 hours. The strategy is simple: if you see Lithuanian cars you should show a shield LT, but if you see a black license plate (Polish) you should only thumb. Also you should know where to start hitchhiking with a shield. As for example on the same route Warsaw - Vilnius it is need the sign only after you cross the route Berlin - Vilnius and there will be a lot of cars going to Lithuania.

HITCH-HIKING VIA MOTORWAY ACCESS LANES AND MOTORWAY EXITS

On single-carriage ways and roads you can hitch-hike anywhere. If you hitch-hike on dual-carriage ways, express roads and motorways consider the following.
Along those roads you're not allowed to hitch-hike (except the dual carriage ways in Britain). So you hitch-hike from access lane to exit. If you hitch-hike in this manner, it is necessary to have a good idea of the roads and the service areas you need.
You need to determine quickly whether to accept a lift or not. Lifts that do not take you directly to your destination, or most convenient exit, can be useful if you end close to an access lane where you continue your journey.
When you start to hitch-hike, you can take public transport to your favourite junction. It is better to wait for a good lift to the right spot than to except anything.
Do not let yourself be dropped on a motorway, it is very dangerous, for the driver forbidden to stop, and for you to walk, along the road.
In front of the road shields you see on the left-hand side, placed on access lanes, you may hitch-hike. Stand as far as possible at the side of the road. If the road bends, take care to stand after the bend so drivers can see you and not drive past you. 

HITCH-HIKING USING MOTORWAY SERVICE AREAS

Hitchhiking to and from (motorway) service areas is fast and certain. Usually within 20 minutes you'll find a lift and you can choose between the drivers.
If you ask someone for a lift, your chances to get one are increased. At petrol stations, ask the drivers while they are filling. At a restaurant, you can ask for a lift at the entrance or on the parking area. People who will have their lunch here are usually long-distance travellers, otherwise they would not bother to stop for a meal or a drink. Service stations are also very comfortable. There are toilets and sometimes showers, food and drinks.
If you carry a tent, it is sometimes possible to camp at the services or in the near vicinity so it is easy to continue your journey the next morning.
In most European countries petrol stations along motorways are combined with a restaurant at a service area. In the Netherlands this is not the case.
Try to hitch-hike to and from the major service areas, at the smaller petrol-only stations you might end up hitch-hiking at the access lane instead of asking drivers for a lift because the manager has sent you away.
If you know along which motorway you want to travel, look at the map to choose the service area nearby the city you plan to leave.
Public transport to or nearby the services is specified. The price you pay for this is certainly worth it.

BOAT HITCH-HIKING

Especially to and from England and the Scandinavian countries, hitch-hiking by boat is very popular. You can travel by car for free if the price of the boat includes 5 passengers.
In the high season it might be difficult because of advanced booking to find such a lift. Enquire at a travel agency for the boat prices to check this out.
Trucks, which are not separated from their loads, are a good opportunity. The best port for hitch-hiking between England and the Benelux-countries is Dover-Ostende. Europoort-Hull is not so good because most of the trucks are separated from their loads, the truck parking is a closed custom zone and trucks are booked in advance like all cars. Trucks from Zeebrugge to Hull are usually booked in advance for 1 person. If you plan to hitch towards Dover and then pay for the boat to Calais, this is as expensive as taking a bus including the boat from London Victoria to Calais, Brussels or Amsterdam.
On board you can start to arrange your lift on land. Sometimes you can travel by freight ship for little a payment or work. In the harbour publications or newspapers, you'll find out all about destinations, quays and flags. Major harbours have a closed harbour section, a custom-zone which you are not permitted to enter. In summertime it is possible to travel with private-owned yachts. In the Caribbean this is quiet common.
On Inland River traffic you can travel e.g. between Rotterdam and Basel (5-8 days) on the Rhine, or on the Danube to Budapest. The captain expects you to do some (usually painting or cleaning) work in return. 

AIR-HIKING

This is not as impossible as it sounds. Look for a small airfield in your best dress, and present yourself to the owners of private aeroplanes. If you take your time, this is a very pleasant way of travel.

LIFTCENTRES (DRIVE-SHARE)

Liftcentres are commercial tour-operators and very common on the continent, especially in Germany.
Charges for registration are usually between £3 to £5. Per kilometre you pay the driver a „petrol-tax¾ of about 2,5 pence. Prices vary per organisation. Make a clear appointment to destination (street or quarter) and price with the driver.
Some liftcentres advertise in newspapers. 

ADVERTISING

For long-distance travel a good opportunity. Because of advanced planning it is possible that you will not travel, e.g. due to change of mind of the driver.
Payment is wanted. Some drivers charge as much as Euroline bus prices.
For regular travel on short distances you can try drive-share. This is not for free, and depending on the driver, can be very expensive.

GENERAL TRAVEL TIPS

Cheap eat & sleep
For detailed up-to-date information, ask the local tourist office.
Sometimes tourist-offices do not give addresses of the very cheap places because they do not know them or reckon them to be of too low a standard. Ask at the local youth hostel, campsite or have a look in the yellow papers.

Post
All over Western Europe post can be sent addressed to you and marked „poste restante, the place name and the name of the country. Post is usually held for 30 days.

Money
Changing money is best done in the country you leave. In some countries outside the EC, Dollars or Deutsche Marks are the best to change.
Safest is to take travellers-cheques with you.
There some countries in Europe, where you may be asked to show your funds while crossing the country border. For example in the UK, Czech Republic (it is need to have 15 USD per day), Denmark and so on.

Emergencies
In case anything goes wrong, your luggage is stolen, your travel company left you, it rains ... Some hints to keep your upper lip stiff.
At day markets or fresh markets you can buy food cheaper at the end of the day. If you're completely broke, get old bread from a bakery.
When lost in the countryside, hay-houses are good to sleep in (dusty and warm). In the city you can use a newspaper or, if you're in for more comfort, aluminium rescue sheet.
Keep a clean change of clothes for the way back, but also to improve your chance for a lift. (See: Appearance).
Ask local professional tramps to be found at the railway stations, churches, tourist places, and Salvation Army, for information about lodgings and dining rooms.
In Rome, tramps get a plastic card with all those facilities printed on it.