https://hitchwiki.org/en/api.php?action=feedcontributions&user=Mangoldmajo&feedformat=atomHitchwiki - User contributions [en]2024-03-28T22:26:33ZUser contributionsMediaWiki 1.32.3https://hitchwiki.org/en/index.php?title=Freiburg_im_Breisgau&diff=74913Freiburg im Breisgau2014-04-25T13:06:02Z<p>Mangoldmajo: </p>
<hr />
<div>{{Infobox German Location<br />
|country = Germany<br />
|pop = 217,548 (31 Dec 2006)<br />
|state = Baden-Württemberg<br />
|plate = FR<br />
|motorways = [[A5 (Germany)|A5]]<br />
}}<br />
'''Freiburg im Breisgau''' is a student-city in the South of [[Germany]]. It is very close to the French border, and not far away from [[Switzerland]] as well. (It's the biggest Freiburg in Germany, there is also [[Freiburg/Elbe]] and [[Freiburg im Üechtland]] in Switzerland.)<br />
<br />
Freiburg might be a good stopover for a longer trip in [[Europe]] because it's quite central and easy to exit and to leave. Another advantage is that it's easy to find free [[finding accommodation|accommodation]] via [[finding accommodation|hospitality exchange networks]] in Freiburg.<br />
<br />
Freiburg is a nice student town with around 220.000 inhabitants – 40.000 of them are students. So you definitely gonna find someone to drink a beer with.<br />
<br />
== Hitchhiking out ==<br />
=== Direction East [[Donaueschingen]], [[Engen]], [[Konstanz]], [[Singen]], [[Ravensburg]] ===<br />
<br />
Get to the south east of the city where the ''Leo-Wohleb-Straße'' and ''Schwarzwaldstraße'' meet (B31). Somewhere there is a strip of grass right in front of a side road. As this is a busy road leading out of the town, waiting times are not very long.<br />
You should walk until the point where the road leads into a tunnel. There are some nice spots about 50 metres before the entrance where you can get rides easily. <br />
<br />
<br />
'''Alternative for holders of '''Regio Karten''' (Monthly Tickets for the Public Transportation in the [http://www.rfv.de RVF]) or ''Semester Tickets'''''<br />
<br />
You can take a train to [[Löffingen]] (switch trains in Neustadt, trains depart every hour), for free if you have a ''Semsterticket/Regio Karte'' and from there you can walk through the town to the B31. In [[Löffingen]] is a petrol station where it s quite easy to get rides to the '''A81''' ([[Singen]]–[[Stuttgart]]).<br />
<br />
=== North ([[Karlsruhe]]) and South ([[Mulhouse]], [[Basel]]) {{Autobahn|5}} ===<br />
<map lat='47.9909987154148' lng='7.84449577331543' zoom='15' view='3' float='right' /><br />
<br />
Take a tram till "Holzmarkt". Line 2,3 or 5 are heading there. Walk from the stop outside of the city towards direction of the river ''Dreisam''. There you are turning right and at the traffic light you can ask the cars for your destination. You can as well wait after the crossroad with a sign. (I don't recommend that, but if you don t speak German make sign "A5 -> KA ([[Karlsruhe]]) or BS ([[Basel]]".)<br />
<br />
For heading north the next petrol station is "Mahlberg" right before [[Offenburg]]. For heading south there is no petrol station before the motorway leads to [[France]] ([[Mulhouse]], [[Besançon]], [[Lyon]]) but there is one before [[Basel]] ([[Switzerland]]).<br />
<br />
If you want to go to France it might be better to get to the ramp ''Freiburg Nord''. You can get there with tram line 2 towards ''Zähringen'', get out at the last station. From there it's a 400 meters walking to the spot. Try to get a ride from there to the [[A5 (Germany)|A5]] direction south. This way you pass by the service station ''Schauinsland'' which is the last one before France.<br />
<br />
Another option to get to the service station ''Schauinsland'' is to take Bus No.36 towards Hochdorf, exit Bus station Högestraße. Be careful, not every bus No.36 takes you to Högestraße, some take another route. Ask the driver, to be sure about the destination. From there it's just a few minutes walk to the service station. (see map)<br />
<br />
I've personally never tried any of those options above, but I recommend hitching from the Aral petrol station on Leo-Wohleb-Straße 2. Freiburg is relatively small, so if you are in the city anyway you can very easily walk to this spot. This road goes along the Dreisam river and leads onto the A5 autobahn. In fact you will pass the hitching spot recommended in the first paragraph. I don't recommend that spot because its a 4-lane traffic and difficult for cars to pull over, although many people hitch from there. Waiting times at that Aral petrol station vary but it is recommended to start early so you catch workers commuting to other cities. You'll get drivers going north and south, you just need to ask around.<br />
<br />
== Hitching In ==<br />
It's not recommended to get off at "Schauninsland" petrol station if you are coming from the north. But if you get stuck there you can walk to the next village (Hochdorf) and take the bus 25 or 36 to Freiburg. It will take about 40 minutes to the center. It's better to find someone in [[Mahlberg]], [[Baden-Baden|Baden Baden]] or [[Bruchsal]] who is going straight into town. The motorway doesn't go directly through the city so drivers are unlikely to go 15 km extra just to drop you off in the city if they want to continue their trip. <br />
<br />
If you are coming from the south you can get off at the "Breisgau" service station. There shouldn't be a problem with finding someone who is going into town.<br />
<br />
Another solution, though not the best one, is to get off at exit 61 "Freiburg Nord" on the A5. The driver can make U-Turn and get back on the motorway (well, if it's not a truck). There's not really much space to stop, so you'll have to ask people stopping on the red light, most of them will be going to the city. Better don't go there if you're not alone, as you'll have to hop in very quickly.<br />
<br />
== Public transport ==<br />
People who have the transferable monthly ticket ''RegioKarte Übertragbar'' can take along another adult on Sundays and holidays.<br />
<br />
== abgefahren e.V. ==<br />
The german autostop club [[abgefahren e.V.]] is very active in Freiburg. In September 2007, [[abgefahren e.V.]] held its first gathering near Freiburg and also published the first (un)official German hitchhiking-spot in Freiburg. In 2011 abgefahren started their 4th race in Freiburg the [[abgefahren hitchhiking race 2011]].<br />
<br />
__NOTOC__<br />
<br />
[[Category:Germany]]<br />
<br />
[[de:Freiburg im Breisgau]]</div>Mangoldmajohttps://hitchwiki.org/en/index.php?title=Freiburg_im_Breisgau&diff=74912Freiburg im Breisgau2014-04-25T12:59:42Z<p>Mangoldmajo: </p>
<hr />
<div>{{Infobox German Location<br />
|country = Germany<br />
|pop = 217,548 (31 Dec 2006)<br />
|state = Baden-Württemberg<br />
|plate = FR<br />
|motorways = [[A5 (Germany)|A5]]<br />
}}<br />
'''Freiburg im Breisgau''' is a student-city in the South of [[Germany]]. It is very close to the French border, and not far away from [[Switzerland]] as well. (It's the biggest Freiburg in Germany, there is also [[Freiburg/Elbe]] and [[Freiburg im Üechtland]] in Switzerland.)<br />
<br />
Freiburg might be a good stopover for a longer trip in [[Europe]] because it's quite central and easy to exit and to leave. Another advantage is that it's easy to find free [[finding accommodation|accommodation]] via [[finding accommodation|hospitality exchange networks]] in Freiburg.<br />
<br />
Freiburg is a nice student town with around 220.000 inhabitants – 40.000 of them are students. So you definitely gonna find someone to drink a beer with.<br />
<br />
== Hitchhiking out ==<br />
=== Direction East [[Donaueschingen]], [[Engen]], [[Konstanz]], [[Singen]], [[Ravensburg]] ===<br />
<br />
Get to the south east of the city where the ''Leo-Wohleb-Straße'' and ''Schwarzwaldstraße'' meet (B31). Somewhere there is a strip of grass right in front of a side road. As this is a busy road leading out of the town, waiting times are not very long.<br />
You should walk until the point where the road leads into a tunnel. There are some nice spots about 50 metres before the entrance where you can get rides easily. <br />
<br />
<br />
'''Alternative for holders of '''Regio Karten''' (Monthly Tickets for the Public Transportation in the [http://www.rfv.de RVF]) or ''Semester Tickets'''''<br />
<br />
You can take a train to [[Löffingen]] (switch trains in Neustadt, trains depart every hour), for free if you have a ''Semsterticket/Regio Karte'' and from there you can walk through the town to the B31. In [[Löffingen]] is a petrol station where it s quite easy to get rides to the '''A81''' ([[Singen]]–[[Stuttgart]]).<br />
<br />
=== North ([[Karlsruhe]]) and South ([[Mulhouse]], [[Basel]]) {{Autobahn|5}} ===<br />
<map lat='47.9909987154148' lng='7.84449577331543' zoom='15' view='3' float='right' /><br />
<br />
Take a tram till "Holzmarkt". Line 2,3 or 5 are heading there. Walk from the stop outside of the city towards direction of the river ''Dreisam''. There you are turning right and at the traffic light you can ask the cars for your destination. You can as well wait after the crossroad with a sign. (I don't recommend that, but if you don t speak German make sign "A5 -> KA ([[Karlsruhe]]) or BS ([[Basel]]".)<br />
<br />
For heading north the next petrol station is "Mahlberg" right before [[Offenburg]]. For heading south there is no petrol station before the motorway leads to [[France]] ([[Mulhouse]], [[Besançon]], [[Lyon]]) but there is one before [[Basel]] ([[Switzerland]]).<br />
<br />
If you want to go to France it might be better to get to the ramp ''Freiburg Nord''. You can get there with tram line 2 towards ''Zähringen'', get out at the last station. From there it's a 400 meters walking to the spot. Try to get a ride from there to the [[A5 (Germany)|A5]] direction south. This way you pass by the service station ''Schauinsland'' which is the last one before France.<br />
<br />
Another option to get to the service station ''Schauinsland'' is to take Bus No. 36 towards Hochdorf, exit Bus station Högestraße. From there it's just a few minutes walk to the service station. (see map)<br />
<br />
I've personally never tried any of those options above, but I recommend hitching from the Aral petrol station on Leo-Wohleb-Straße 2. Freiburg is relatively small, so if you are in the city anyway you can very easily walk to this spot. This road goes along the Dreisam river and leads onto the A5 autobahn. In fact you will pass the hitching spot recommended in the first paragraph. I don't recommend that spot because its a 4-lane traffic and difficult for cars to pull over, although many people hitch from there. Waiting times at that Aral petrol station vary but it is recommended to start early so you catch workers commuting to other cities. You'll get drivers going north and south, you just need to ask around.<br />
<br />
== Hitching In ==<br />
It's not recommended to get off at "Schauninsland" petrol station if you are coming from the north. But if you get stuck there you can walk to the next village (Hochdorf) and take the bus 25 or 36 to Freiburg. It will take about 40 minutes to the center. It's better to find someone in [[Mahlberg]], [[Baden-Baden|Baden Baden]] or [[Bruchsal]] who is going straight into town. The motorway doesn't go directly through the city so drivers are unlikely to go 15 km extra just to drop you off in the city if they want to continue their trip. <br />
<br />
If you are coming from the south you can get off at the "Breisgau" service station. There shouldn't be a problem with finding someone who is going into town.<br />
<br />
Another solution, though not the best one, is to get off at exit 61 "Freiburg Nord" on the A5. The driver can make U-Turn and get back on the motorway (well, if it's not a truck). There's not really much space to stop, so you'll have to ask people stopping on the red light, most of them will be going to the city. Better don't go there if you're not alone, as you'll have to hop in very quickly.<br />
<br />
== Public transport ==<br />
People who have the transferable monthly ticket ''RegioKarte Übertragbar'' can take along another adult on Sundays and holidays.<br />
<br />
== abgefahren e.V. ==<br />
The german autostop club [[abgefahren e.V.]] is very active in Freiburg. In September 2007, [[abgefahren e.V.]] held its first gathering near Freiburg and also published the first (un)official German hitchhiking-spot in Freiburg. In 2011 abgefahren started their 4th race in Freiburg the [[abgefahren hitchhiking race 2011]].<br />
<br />
__NOTOC__<br />
<br />
[[Category:Germany]]<br />
<br />
[[de:Freiburg im Breisgau]]</div>Mangoldmajohttps://hitchwiki.org/en/index.php?title=Cologne&diff=74911Cologne2014-04-25T12:52:00Z<p>Mangoldmajo: </p>
<hr />
<div>{{Hitchhiking Zine nomination}}<br />
{{Infobox German Location<br />
|map = <map lat='50.93982519613568' lng='6.961555480957031' zoom='12' view='3' height='500' width='350'/><br />
|country = Germany<br />
|pop = 1,024,346 (31 December 2008)<br />
|state = North Rhine-Westphalia<br />
|plate = K<br />
|motorways = [[A1 (Germany)|A1]], [[A3 (Germany)|A3]], [[A4 (Germany)|A4]], [[A57 (Germany)|A57]], [[A59 (Germany)|A59]]<br />
}} __NOTOC__<br />
'''Cologne''', or '''Köln''' in German, is a big city in North Rhine-Westphalia.<br />
<br />
Cars number plates starting with the letter '''K''' are registered in this locality. While the following are localities in the neighbourhood of Cologne: ''(LEV - GL - SU - BM) clockwise from the North''<br />
<br />
The whole '''[[Ruhr Area]]''' is a well-known pain in the ass for anyone crossing that region. If you observe the motorway system, you'll find out that they zig zag and cross each other in the Ruhr, specially right North of Cologne. There is no "belt" motorway around the city, just those zig zags.<br />
The flow of cars is highly difficult to predict because cars go from one motorway to another. There are generally 3-4 possible motorways one can take to travel North/South or East/West. It's the most densely populated zone in Germany, so a lot of transport is local or regional, making it even more difficult. Think about it - if you're passing by, avoid getting dropped there!<br />
<br />
== Hitchhiking out ==<br />
=== South towards [[Bonn]], [[Koblenz]], [[Frankfurt am Main]] ===<br />
<br />
To get out of '''Cologne''' towards [[Bonn]] or [[Koblenz]], the best possibility is to go to the ''Verteilerkreis Süd'', a big [[roundabout]] where all vehicles that are heading for the motorway to the South or West are passing by. There is also a petrol station beside it and a traffic light where one can ask people for a lift.<br />
<br />
If you're headed to [[Frankfurt am Main]], take the train to the last stop ''Königsforst'' (tram U9), walk straight for about 15 min. Then after a right turn you are on a decent on ramp of the [[A3 (Germany)|A3]], most of the cars will go to [[Frankfurt am Main]] or can drop you at least on the ''Rasthof Siegburg'' (about 20 km South), which is it worth for long-distance rides.<br />
:''[[User:Frixge|Frixge]]: I hitched at Königsforst in August 2011 by chance. And found it hard to imagine that people would stop, because it is outside of town and a lot of people ignore hanging out hitchhikers. But the next times I went there I got a ride in 5 to 30min. Especially it is easier to get southwards, because there is no other option than the A3.''<br />
<br />
[[File:Dariocraigmalaysia.jpg|thumb|250px|left|[[User:Halt, Stop! Reudnitz kommt.|Craig]] & Dario hit the road for '''Thumbing Asia West to East''' (Königsforst always a good option!)]]<br />
Another possibility for the [[A3 (Germany)|A3]] direction [[Frankfurt]] is to take the train “RB 25” from the main station in the direction “Marienheide” or “Overath” for EUR 3.20. Leave at “Stümpen” and turn right and go up to the “Kiefernweg” and turn right. Follow the street that is later called “Dammelsfurther Weg” up to the “Pestalozziweg” for maybe 500 meters and turn right. Now you pass the Autobahn and turn right again in the “Plantage”. Follow this way a few hundred meters through the forest and you will see a service station on the right side. Maybe you have to climb a fence. Now you are on the a station without oil station but much traffic and it's easy to get a ride there. It takes approximately 40 minutes to reach it from Cologne Hbf (main train station).<br />
<br />
Furthermore going in direction of FFM you can use the traffic lights at the ramp Köln-Dellbrück (Mülheim/Buchheim) or at the ramp onto the 55a (Frankfurterstraße). Ask the driver to bring you at least on the ''Rasthof Siegburg''. To Köln-Dellbrück you can catch the bus 159 in direction ''Buchheim'' to ''Gronauerstraße'' for example at ''Wiener Platz'' (3 stops). To the ramp at Frankfurterstraße take bus 151, 152 or 153 to ''Beuthenerstraße''.<br />
:''[[User:Frixge|Frixge]] mostly waited between 5 and 15 minutes. But I once waited two hours at Köln-Dellbrück. It was early in the morning. Maybe most of the traffic at that daytime is local.''<br />
<br />
=== North or East towards [[Berlin]], [[Dortmund]], [[Hannover]] and [[Münster]] ===<br />
<br />
Hitching in that direction seems to be legendarily difficult unless you take a regional train and walk an hour. Several experienced hitchhikers got trapped countless hours and decided to take a train instead. Nevertheless it's of course possible to hitch out of Cologne, experiences about this vary extremely. So far there are four options:<br />
<br />
* '''Option 1:''' Close to the city, you may want to try one of the on-ramps in the North East of Cologne. On-ramp ''Köln-Dellbrück'' (exit 26 on the [[A3 (Germany)|A3]]) seems to be good for hitchhiking in direction Remscheid or further along the A1. Also traffic North the A3 passes here. There's no hard shoulder but some green space to stop cars ~60m behind the Autobahn sign. Another possibility is to ask the drivers directly at the traffic light with an extra lane for the motorway. You can get there by taking the metro U18 to ''Holweide-Vischeringstrasse'', cross the railways towards the main road and to the left you'll find the on-ramp. Or Follow the description for ''Köln-Dellbrück'' (see south towards). You just have to walk a bit more. Make sure to have a "Remscheid" or "RS" sign in case of going towards A1 because there is only one tiny resting area ahead of the A3/A1 crossing and as of 06/2011, it is mainly used as a meeting spot for male homosexuals.<br />
<br />
:''[[User:Platschi|Platschi]] hitched at Dellbrück in May 2010 and got a ride easily within ten minutes towards Remscheid service station, with even two cars stopping in the meantime but driving northbound.''<br />
:''[[User:artti|artti]] hitchhiked there in May 2011 and two police cars didn't do anything, but third one nicely asked him to leave, because it might not be safe, because cars don't have actually proper place to stop. He took a U-bahn number 4 to last stop Schlebusch (it is possible without ticket) and about twenty meters away you can catch a bus number 260, if lucky driver doesn't ask you to show ticket, but if you must buy, then ticket to Kaltenherberg Ort is eur 2.50.''<br />
:''[[User:Frixge|Frixge]] tried twice to get off at the traffic light at ''Köln-Dellbrück'' to Berlin. First time at 15:00-16:00 there was an huge amount of traffic and he just had to walk along and ask the drivers. After 10 min he found someone who passed the service-station Remscheid. Second time at 13:00 he waited for 2 hours at the traffic light. There was few traffic, mostly local. Next time he will try the option 4.''<br />
<br />
* '''Option 2:''' It's also possible to hitch from the South East of the city because there is a petrol station on the A59. The closest bus stop is "Eil Heumarer", bus #152. You can take it from Steinstr. S-Bahn, which is relatively close from the main station.<br />
<br />
* '''Option 3:''' In case you try to use a ramp from Cologne, a good take-off sign is "Remscheid", because the first service area on the [[A1 (Germany)|A1]] is "Rasthof Remscheid", just before the exit for Remscheid. There are lots of commuters. You can also get there by train from Cologne Dom/Hbf for 6,50 Euros via Remscheid Hbf and walk 5 km to the area (map [http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Remscheid+Hbf&daddr=Unknown+road&hl=en&geocode=FTLnDAMdiNttAClRpZsmWyq5RzGlIfHuvHkWrQ%3BFayeDAMdfEduAA&mra=dme&mrcr=0&mrsp=1&sz=15&dirflg=w&sll=51.157143,7.226601&sspn=0.008559,0.023174&ie=UTF8&ll=51.169872,7.215099&spn=0.034228,0.092697&t=h&z=13 here]). If you're lucky, catch the bus 672 or 673 (valid with your zone 4 ticket) to Talsperre/Mebusmühle or Talsperre/Raststätte (closer but only 673) and avoid the walk. These buses do not pass very often, though.<br />
<br />
* '''Option 4:''' There is also the possibility to take the bus nr 260 from the central station towards Remscheid. Get off at the bus stop Kaltenherberg Ort, From there you just have to walk for about 2 minutes, the motorway is already visible. All drivers that pass can at least take you to the petrol station in Remscheid which is just about a few kilometres from there. Like that you avoid the ring and are straight on the A1. I never waited long at that place.<br />
:''[[User:Frixge|Frixge]] Taking the bus is a good alternative. By the way the first car in Kaltenherberg took me to the service station. I was surprised because there is not a lot of space on the ramp.''<br />
<br />
=== East towards [[Siegen]] or [[Gießen]] ([[A4 (Germany)|A4]]) ===<br />
<br />
Trying to get onto A4 seems to be as difficult as getting anywhere north-east. [[User:Caro|Caro]] tried Mid-July 2010 to hitchhike at the on-ramp in Merheim, giving up after 3 hours using the following spot.<br />
<br />
One but long (and maybe worthwhile) possibility is to go to petrol station ''Aggertal''. Take "Regionalbahn (RB) 25" direction Marienheide Bf. Get off at Overath Bf and take bus 310 direction Gummersbach. Get off (2nd halt) at Klef/Hotel Lüdenbach and walk 20 minutes to the gas staion. Check [http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Klef&daddr=Unbekannte+Stra%C3%9Fe&hl=de&geocode=FZ5pCQMdtIFvAA%3BFZ52CQMdD6xvAA&mra=ls&dirflg=w&sll=50.948613,7.31123&sspn=0.01287,0.027595&ie=UTF8&ll=50.950154,7.312946&spn=0.012869,0.027595&z=15 map] before! From there you can go anywhere eastwards, including long distance rides too.<br />
<br />
:''[[User:janpa|janpa]] suggests to not take the bus, but hitch to the petrol station from Overath Bf. It's probably faster to take a lift to the on-ramp, and then directly to the petrol station, since it is only two kilometres. From Köln it takes about one hour to get to the spot.''<br />
<br />
=== North towards [[Düsseldorf]] or [[Nijmegen]] ===<br />
<br />
Take the tram no. 5 or 13 to ''Nußbaumer Str.''. There is an on-ramp. A lot of traffic goes in your direction, but it is very dangerous for drivers to stop there.<br />
[[User:Perilisk|Perilisk]] tried this spot in 2008 but was unsuccessful and uncomfortable stopping cars there. [[User:Clint.hotvedt|Clint.hotvedt]] tried this spot a few times in the fall of 2009 and was not able to get out for some hours as well, in the end accepting a ride to Ausfahrt 26 ''K-Worringen'', where it was much easier. At least for direction [[Krefeld]]/[[Nijmegen]] this user recommends riding the S-bahn to ''Worringen'' and try it from there, average waiting time around 30-60 minutes.<br />
<br />
=== West towards [[Aachen]], [[Maastricht]], [[Eindhoven]] and [[Belgium]] ===<br />
<br />
On the motorway ring around Cologne, to the west of the city, there's the motorway service area ''Köln-Frechen'', Germany's busiest(?) service station. You can reach it by catching a train to Königsdorf S-Bahn (around 20 minutes). Turn right on the stairs at the station, walk through the car park, turn left on Augustinus Straße, walk straight for 2 minutes and then turn right on to Marienhöfer Weg. Keep walking up this path into the forest for 5 minutes. Eventually you will come to a crossroad with the service station on the left.<br />
<br />
There you can get lifts to the [[Netherlands]], [[Belgium]] and [[United Kingdom|Great Britain]] from one of around 200. Trucks are going in the direction of [[Aachen]] or [[Maastricht]], at least.<br />
<br />
Another way to get out of Cologne in that direction is to go near the [[A4 (Germany)|A4]], Exit 11a Klettenberg and 11b Köln-Eifeltor. When at the latest, walking slightly North there is an extra lane that looks like an ideal place for people to stop, and slightly South of it is a big truck stop and petrol station where you can try and ask people. To reach these exits from the centre, take the tram U18 to "Efferen" (for 11a) or to "Eifelwall" and then bus 138 to "Güterverkehrszentrum". This option is especially interesting to know if you get trapped in Cologne while trying to cross the Ruhr area.<br />
<br />
== Hitching In ==<br />
When you arrive Cologne via the [[A1 (Germany)|A1]], it's difficult to get into the town centre, because the motorway is very far outside. One option is to get off at the exit '''Köln-Niehl'''. There is a tram station, close to the motorway, in east direction, 15 minutes walking. At daytime, you can get to the town centre in like 15 minutes.<br />
<br />
From the same motorway ([[A1 (Germany)|A1]]), you may as well get out at '''Köln-Lövenich''' and catch Tram #1 on Aachener Straße direction down town at either ''Bahnstraße'' or ''Mohnweg'' stops.<br />
<br />
You could as well try to catch a ride from the A1 onto the A3. And then get off for example at '''Köln-Dellbrück'''. There you walk 5min in direction west, catch the bus 159 to ''Wiener Platz'', where can get a tram.<br />
<br />
Coming from the South on the A555 or through the A4, you may as well as the driver to leave you at the ''Am Verteilerkreis'' roundabout situated just at the complete end of the A555, at the ''Kreuz Köln-Süd'' (Junction A555-A4). The driver can really leave you at a petrol station and gain the motorway back with complete ease. From there, you can walk along the Bonner Straße to catch a bus to the heart of Köln.<br />
<br />
== Public Transport ==<br />
* Students and people with a monthly ticket can take one person for free on weekdays between 19:00 and 03:00 as well as on weekends at any time. Ask around tram/bus stops.<br />
<br />
== Useful Links ==<br />
<br />
* [http://www.kvb-koeln.de/german/home/ KVB], the local/regional public transportation network has a good route planner. Very useful!<br />
<br />
{{IsIn|North Rhine-Westphalia}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:North Rhine-Westphalia]]<br />
[[Category:Germany]]<br />
<br />
[[de:Köln]]<br />
[[trash:Cologne]]</div>Mangoldmajohttps://hitchwiki.org/en/index.php?title=Bologna&diff=74910Bologna2014-04-25T12:45:35Z<p>Mangoldmajo: </p>
<hr />
<div>{{Infobox Italian Location<br />
|country = Italy<br />
|map = <map lat='44.51' lng='11.33' zoom='10' view='0' float='right'/><br />
|pop = 374,425<br />
|plate = BO<br />
|motorways = A1, A13, A14<br />
}}<br />
'''Bologna''' is the capital city of the region [[Emilia-Romagna]] in [[Italy]]. It is situated between the Appennines and the river Po in the north of Italy. The city is home of the oldest university in the world. There are now over 100 000 students.<br />
<br />
== Hitchhiking out ==<br />
=== Towards all directions ===<br />
There is a service station near Cantagallo. Take the bus #20B to its last station "San Biagio". There you walk 200 metres until you reach the fences of the service station. Another option to get there is to take the bus #20 to ''Casalecchio'' (departs at ''Via dell Indipendenza''). There change the bus or take the bus #89 and go to its last station called ''San Biagio''. There you walk 200 metres until you reach the fences of the service station.<br />
<br />
Normally you can't enter the service station. There are fences you can't cross. But there is a little parking lot of the service station staff. You can ring there and maybe they will open you. If not, at the service station on the other side of the motorway there is a little hole in the fence, where you can enter.<br />
<br />
== Some clarifications:<br />
If you're heading north (Genova, Milano, Parma etc.), get off the bus at Casalecchio C.S. Allende. Cross the road, follow the path off the main road, then turn right - there's a parking lot and the entrance to the service station. It was closed when we came, but the staff was friendly and opened the door for us on condition that we wouldn't tell anyone that they did it.<br />
<br />
If you're heading south (Florence, Rome etc.), get off at San Biagio and go to the right along the motorway. There's some sort of park there, and in the end there's a place where you cross the railway and reach the fence of the service station. Go further to the right along the service station, and around the corner there're stairs going up to the service station with no fences. ==<br />
<br />
== <br />
EDIT/UPDATE: If you walk around the side of the fence you will find a small gate. It was open when we went, but anyway it is very low and easy to climb over. This takes you straight into the service area! ==<br />
<br />
Crossing the motorway outside the service station is a bit difficult. You can try it under the motorway through the building site, but it is muddy. It is easier to get off the bus #89 one stop before, before it crosses the motorway. The name of the stop is: Casalecchio C.s. Allende.<br />
<br />
Once you are inside the service station, you can cross the motorway easily. Enter the building and go up on the stairs to the restaurant. Now go down on the other side of the motorway. Attention: You are not able to cross the motorway in the morning, because the restaurant is closed. But if you have luck, the barmen will help you.<br />
<br />
=== North towards [[Ferrara]], [[Padova]] and [[Venice]] on A13 ===<br />
You have to get to the first service area on the motorway about 20 kms from the centre. It is called ''Castel Bentivoglio''. There is a bus stop close by, called ''Bentivoglio Zona industriale Barche'' (often abbreviated like ''Bentivoglio Z. i. Barche''). Some of the bus lines only go few times a day, mainly in the morning and evening, taking (very helpful) workers to work and back home. Easiest is to take #376 or #377 which go directly from the Bologna central bus station 4-6 times a day (timetable [http://www.atc.bo.it/orari_percorsi/linee/pdf/atc_01376.pdf]). You can also use the route planner of the Bologna public transport company here: [http://www.atc.bo.it/orari_percorsi/planner/plannerEN.asp]. For the arrival town, put ''Bentivoglio'', for the stop: ''Bentivoglio Z. i. Barche''.<br />
<br />
From the bus stop, you take the road parallel to the motorway. You pass some factories, the motorway should be behind them. After 500 m there is a crossroad to the right. The service area is just at the end of it. There is a fence, but I had no problem of getting in, the door was open. If it is closed, you can try to ring or ask for the help of the 'locals'.<br />
<br />
Personal experience from an anonymous Hitchwiki contributor:<br />
:''I got a ride easily from here until Padova. The people working in the [[petrol station hitchhiking|petrol station]] didn't like that I was asking drivers there, so I was at the exit holding a [[signs|sign]]. The day before I tried the other petrol station described above in the all directions section, but it was a complete failure, no one going on the A13.''<br />
<br />
=== Going to and from the Airport ===<br />
Actually you are supposed to take the BLQ Airport Express bus to and from the Airport towards Bologna main station. But it costs 5 Euros, which is a lot compared to any normal bus ticket, which costs you just 1 Euro. So, instead of taking the Express bus, take buses #91 and #81 from the main station and get off at stop "Birra". It is the last urban area before you cross the motorway to get to the airport.<br />
Obtain the 1€ ticket in advance @ the tabac as since 01.01.2010 you may not do it while entering the bus #91, #81. There is also a supermarket "Conad" right next to the stop & small fenced park allowing you to rest in a shade. To get to the Airport will take you 15 minutes by foot from there, pavements are provided the whole way. Just follow the direction the bus goes and you cannot miss it. Stick to the left side of the road. To get there FROM the airport is quite easy if you have a map, if you do not you may get it free at the airport tourist information (together with may other useful info end even exact map of the region of Emilia-Romania). <br />
From the arrival hall head straight ahead. Cross the round-about with a city center marks visible and follow it. Then the pavement path turns right and leads you under the motorway bridge. from there you may already some buildings 100 m. away. Go towards them. <br />
The mentioned busses run from the morning until 8 p.m.<br />
<br />
{{IsIn|Italy}}<br />
[[trash:Bologna]]<br />
<br />
[[Category:Italy]]<br />
[[Category:E35]]<br />
[[Category:E45]]<br />
[[fr: Bologne]]<br />
[[nomad:Bologna]]</div>Mangoldmajohttps://hitchwiki.org/en/index.php?title=Bologna&diff=74905Bologna2014-04-24T20:16:20Z<p>Mangoldmajo: </p>
<hr />
<div>{{Infobox Italian Location<br />
|country = Italy<br />
|map = <map lat='44.51' lng='11.33' zoom='10' view='0' float='right'/><br />
|pop = 374,425<br />
|plate = BO<br />
|motorways = A1, A13, A14<br />
}}<br />
'''Bologna''' is the capital city of the region [[Emilia-Romagna]] in [[Italy]]. It is situated between the Appennines and the river Po in the north of Italy. The city is home of the oldest university in the world. There are now over 100 000 students.<br />
<br />
== Hitchhiking out ==<br />
=== Towards all directions ===<br />
There is a service station near Cantagallo. Take the bus #20 to ''Casalecchio'' (departs at ''Via dell Indipendenza''). There change the bus or take the bus #89 an go to its last station called ''San Biagio''. There you walk 200 metres until you reach the fences of the service station.<br />
<br />
Normally you can't enter the service station. There are fences you can't cross. But there is a little parking lot of the service station staff. You can ring there and maybe they will open you. If not, at the service station on the other side of the motorway there is a little hole in the fence, where you can enter.<br />
<br />
== Some clarifications:<br />
If you're heading north (Genova, Milano, Parma etc.), get off the bus at Casalecchio C.S. Allende. Cross the road, follow the path off the main road, then turn right - there's a parking lot and the entrance to the service station. It was closed when we came, but the staff was friendly and opened the door for us on condition that we wouldn't tell anyone that they did it.<br />
<br />
If you're heading south (Florence, Rome etc.), get off at San Biagio and go to the right along the motorway. There's some sort of park there, and in the end there's a place where you cross the railway and reach the fence of the service station. Go further to the right along the service station, and around the corner there're stairs going up to the service station with no fences. ==<br />
<br />
== <br />
EDIT/UPDATE: If you walk around the side of the fence you will find a small gate. It was open when we went, but anyway it is very low and easy to climb over. This takes you straight into the service area! ==<br />
<br />
:''[[User:Mangoldmajo|Mangoldmajo]]: The bus #20 B takes you directly to San Biagio (last station). From there you can see the highway and also the gas station. We walked around the side of the fence as described here before, but the gate was closed. It was possible to climb over without problems and once we were inside we got a ride immediatly.''<br />
<br />
Crossing the motorway outside the service station is a bit difficult. You can try it under the motorway through the building site, but it is muddy. It is easier to get off the bus #89 one stop before, before it crosses the motorway. The name of the stop is: Casalecchio C.s. Allende.<br />
<br />
Once you are inside the service station, you can cross the motorway easily. Enter the building and go up on the stairs to the restaurant. Now go down on the other side of the motorway. Attention: You are not able to cross the motorway in the morning, because the restaurant is closed. But if you have luck, the barmen will help you.<br />
<br />
=== North towards [[Ferrara]], [[Padova]] and [[Venice]] on A13 ===<br />
You have to get to the first service area on the motorway about 20 kms from the centre. It is called ''Castel Bentivoglio''. There is a bus stop close by, called ''Bentivoglio Zona industriale Barche'' (often abbreviated like ''Bentivoglio Z. i. Barche''). Some of the bus lines only go few times a day, mainly in the morning and evening, taking (very helpful) workers to work and back home. Easiest is to take #376 or #377 which go directly from the Bologna central bus station 4-6 times a day (timetable [http://www.atc.bo.it/orari_percorsi/linee/pdf/atc_01376.pdf]). You can also use the route planner of the Bologna public transport company here: [http://www.atc.bo.it/orari_percorsi/planner/plannerEN.asp]. For the arrival town, put ''Bentivoglio'', for the stop: ''Bentivoglio Z. i. Barche''.<br />
<br />
From the bus stop, you take the road parallel to the motorway. You pass some factories, the motorway should be behind them. After 500 m there is a crossroad to the right. The service area is just at the end of it. There is a fence, but I had no problem of getting in, the door was open. If it is closed, you can try to ring or ask for the help of the 'locals'.<br />
<br />
Personal experience from an anonymous Hitchwiki contributor:<br />
:''I got a ride easily from here until Padova. The people working in the [[petrol station hitchhiking|petrol station]] didn't like that I was asking drivers there, so I was at the exit holding a [[signs|sign]]. The day before I tried the other petrol station described above in the all directions section, but it was a complete failure, no one going on the A13.''<br />
<br />
=== Going to and from the Airport ===<br />
Actually you are supposed to take the BLQ Airport Express bus to and from the Airport towards Bologna main station. But it costs 5 Euros, which is a lot compared to any normal bus ticket, which costs you just 1 Euro. So, instead of taking the Express bus, take buses #91 and #81 from the main station and get off at stop "Birra". It is the last urban area before you cross the motorway to get to the airport.<br />
Obtain the 1€ ticket in advance @ the tabac as since 01.01.2010 you may not do it while entering the bus #91, #81. There is also a supermarket "Conad" right next to the stop & small fenced park allowing you to rest in a shade. To get to the Airport will take you 15 minutes by foot from there, pavements are provided the whole way. Just follow the direction the bus goes and you cannot miss it. Stick to the left side of the road. To get there FROM the airport is quite easy if you have a map, if you do not you may get it free at the airport tourist information (together with may other useful info end even exact map of the region of Emilia-Romania). <br />
From the arrival hall head straight ahead. Cross the round-about with a city center marks visible and follow it. Then the pavement path turns right and leads you under the motorway bridge. from there you may already some buildings 100 m. away. Go towards them. <br />
The mentioned busses run from the morning until 8 p.m.<br />
<br />
{{IsIn|Italy}}<br />
[[trash:Bologna]]<br />
<br />
[[Category:Italy]]<br />
[[Category:E35]]<br />
[[Category:E45]]<br />
[[fr: Bologne]]<br />
[[nomad:Bologna]]</div>Mangoldmajohttps://hitchwiki.org/en/index.php?title=Freiburg_im_Breisgau&diff=74904Freiburg im Breisgau2014-04-24T20:09:10Z<p>Mangoldmajo: </p>
<hr />
<div>{{Infobox German Location<br />
|country = Germany<br />
|pop = 217,548 (31 Dec 2006)<br />
|state = Baden-Württemberg<br />
|plate = FR<br />
|motorways = [[A5 (Germany)|A5]]<br />
}}<br />
'''Freiburg im Breisgau''' is a student-city in the South of [[Germany]]. It is very close to the French border, and not far away from [[Switzerland]] as well. (It's the biggest Freiburg in Germany, there is also [[Freiburg/Elbe]] and [[Freiburg im Üechtland]] in Switzerland.)<br />
<br />
Freiburg might be a good stopover for a longer trip in [[Europe]] because it's quite central and easy to exit and to leave. Another advantage is that it's easy to find free [[finding accommodation|accommodation]] via [[finding accommodation|hospitality exchange networks]] in Freiburg.<br />
<br />
Freiburg is a nice student town with around 220.000 inhabitants – 40.000 of them are students. So you definitely gonna find someone to drink a beer with.<br />
<br />
== Hitchhiking out ==<br />
=== Direction East [[Donaueschingen]], [[Engen]], [[Konstanz]], [[Singen]], [[Ravensburg]] ===<br />
<br />
Get to the south east of the city where the ''Leo-Wohleb-Straße'' and ''Schwarzwaldstraße'' meet (B31). Somewhere there is a strip of grass right in front of a side road. As this is a busy road leading out of the town, waiting times are not very long.<br />
You should walk until the point where the road leads into a tunnel. There are some nice spots about 50 metres before the entrance where you can get rides easily. <br />
<br />
<br />
'''Alternative for holders of '''Regio Karten''' (Monthly Tickets for the Public Transportation in the [http://www.rfv.de RVF]) or ''Semester Tickets'''''<br />
<br />
You can take a train to [[Löffingen]] (switch trains in Neustadt, trains depart every hour), for free if you have a ''Semsterticket/Regio Karte'' and from there you can walk through the town to the B31. In [[Löffingen]] is a petrol station where it s quite easy to get rides to the '''A81''' ([[Singen]]–[[Stuttgart]]).<br />
<br />
=== North ([[Karlsruhe]]) and South ([[Mulhouse]], [[Basel]]) {{Autobahn|5}} ===<br />
<map lat='47.9909987154148' lng='7.84449577331543' zoom='15' view='3' float='right' /><br />
<br />
Take a tram till "Holzmarkt". Line 2,3 or 5 are heading there. Walk from the stop outside of the city towards direction of the river ''Dreisam''. There you are turning right and at the traffic light you can ask the cars for your destination. You can as well wait after the crossroad with a sign. (I don't recommend that, but if you don t speak German make sign "A5 -> KA ([[Karlsruhe]]) or BS ([[Basel]]".)<br />
<br />
For heading north the next petrol station is "Mahlberg" right before [[Offenburg]]. For heading south there is no petrol station before the motorway leads to [[France]] ([[Mulhouse]], [[Besançon]], [[Lyon]]) but there is one before [[Basel]] ([[Switzerland]]).<br />
<br />
If you want to go to France it might be better to get to the ramp ''Freiburg Nord''. You can get there with tram line 2 towards ''Zähringen'', get out at the last station. From there it's a 400 meters walking to the spot. Try to get a ride from there to the [[A5 (Germany)|A5]] direction south. This way you pass by the service station ''Schauinsland'' which is the last one before France.<br />
<br />
Another option to get to the service station ''Schauinsland'' is to take Bus No. 36 towards Hochdorf, exit Bus station Högestraße. From there it's just a few minutes walk to the service station. (see map)<br />
<br />
:''[[User:Mangoldmajo|Mangoldmajo]]: "Schauinsland" was a perfect place to start. Easy to reach, a lot of cars, friendly people. We got a ride in 5 minutes.''<br />
<br />
I've personally never tried any of those options above, but I recommend hitching from the Aral petrol station on Leo-Wohleb-Straße 2. Freiburg is relatively small, so if you are in the city anyway you can very easily walk to this spot. This road goes along the Dreisam river and leads onto the A5 autobahn. In fact you will pass the hitching spot recommended in the first paragraph. I don't recommend that spot because its a 4-lane traffic and difficult for cars to pull over, although many people hitch from there. Waiting times at that Aral petrol station vary but it is recommended to start early so you catch workers commuting to other cities. You'll get drivers going north and south, you just need to ask around.<br />
<br />
== Hitching In ==<br />
It's not recommended to get off at "Schauninsland" petrol station if you are coming from the north. But if you get stuck there you can walk to the next village (Hochdorf) and take the bus 25 or 36 to Freiburg. It will take about 40 minutes to the center. It's better to find someone in [[Mahlberg]], [[Baden-Baden|Baden Baden]] or [[Bruchsal]] who is going straight into town. The motorway doesn't go directly through the city so drivers are unlikely to go 15 km extra just to drop you off in the city if they want to continue their trip. <br />
<br />
If you are coming from the south you can get off at the "Breisgau" service station. There shouldn't be a problem with finding someone who is going into town.<br />
<br />
Another solution, though not the best one, is to get off at exit 61 "Freiburg Nord" on the A5. The driver can make U-Turn and get back on the motorway (well, if it's not a truck). There's not really much space to stop, so you'll have to ask people stopping on the red light, most of them will be going to the city. Better don't go there if you're not alone, as you'll have to hop in very quickly.<br />
<br />
== Public transport ==<br />
People who have the transferable monthly ticket ''RegioKarte Übertragbar'' can take along another adult on Sundays and holidays.<br />
<br />
== abgefahren e.V. ==<br />
The german autostop club [[abgefahren e.V.]] is very active in Freiburg. In September 2007, [[abgefahren e.V.]] held its first gathering near Freiburg and also published the first (un)official German hitchhiking-spot in Freiburg. In 2011 abgefahren started their 4th race in Freiburg the [[abgefahren hitchhiking race 2011]].<br />
<br />
__NOTOC__<br />
<br />
[[Category:Germany]]<br />
<br />
[[de:Freiburg im Breisgau]]</div>Mangoldmajohttps://hitchwiki.org/en/index.php?title=Freiburg_im_Breisgau&diff=74903Freiburg im Breisgau2014-04-24T20:07:44Z<p>Mangoldmajo: </p>
<hr />
<div>{{Infobox German Location<br />
|country = Germany<br />
|pop = 217,548 (31 Dec 2006)<br />
|state = Baden-Württemberg<br />
|plate = FR<br />
|motorways = [[A5 (Germany)|A5]]<br />
}}<br />
'''Freiburg im Breisgau''' is a student-city in the South of [[Germany]]. It is very close to the French border, and not far away from [[Switzerland]] as well. (It's the biggest Freiburg in Germany, there is also [[Freiburg/Elbe]] and [[Freiburg im Üechtland]] in Switzerland.)<br />
<br />
Freiburg might be a good stopover for a longer trip in [[Europe]] because it's quite central and easy to exit and to leave. Another advantage is that it's easy to find free [[finding accommodation|accommodation]] via [[finding accommodation|hospitality exchange networks]] in Freiburg.<br />
<br />
Freiburg is a nice student town with around 220.000 inhabitants – 40.000 of them are students. So you definitely gonna find someone to drink a beer with.<br />
<br />
== Hitchhiking out ==<br />
=== Direction East [[Donaueschingen]], [[Engen]], [[Konstanz]], [[Singen]], [[Ravensburg]] ===<br />
<br />
Get to the south east of the city where the ''Leo-Wohleb-Straße'' and ''Schwarzwaldstraße'' meet (B31). Somewhere there is a strip of grass right in front of a side road. As this is a busy road leading out of the town, waiting times are not very long.<br />
You should walk until the point where the road leads into a tunnel. There are some nice spots about 50 metres before the entrance where you can get rides easily. <br />
<br />
<br />
'''Alternative for holders of '''Regio Karten''' (Monthly Tickets for the Public Transportation in the [http://www.rfv.de RVF]) or ''Semester Tickets'''''<br />
<br />
You can take a train to [[Löffingen]] (switch trains in Neustadt, trains depart every hour), for free if you have a ''Semsterticket/Regio Karte'' and from there you can walk through the town to the B31. In [[Löffingen]] is a petrol station where it s quite easy to get rides to the '''A81''' ([[Singen]]–[[Stuttgart]]).<br />
<br />
=== North ([[Karlsruhe]]) and South ([[Mulhouse]], [[Basel]]) {{Autobahn|5}} ===<br />
<map lat='47.9909987154148' lng='7.84449577331543' zoom='15' view='3' float='right' /><br />
<br />
Take a tram till "Holzmarkt". Line 2,3 or 5 are heading there. Walk from the stop outside of the city towards direction of the river ''Dreisam''. There you are turning right and at the traffic light you can ask the cars for your destination. You can as well wait after the crossroad with a sign. (I don't recommend that, but if you don t speak German make sign "A5 -> KA ([[Karlsruhe]]) or BS ([[Basel]]".)<br />
<br />
For heading north the next petrol station is "Mahlberg" right before [[Offenburg]]. For heading south there is no petrol station before the motorway leads to [[France]] ([[Mulhouse]], [[Besançon]], [[Lyon]]) but there is one before [[Basel]] ([[Switzerland]]).<br />
<br />
If you want to go to France it might be better to get to the ramp ''Freiburg Nord''. You can get there with tram line 2 towards ''Zähringen'', get out at the last station. From there it's a 400 meters walking to the spot. Try to get a ride from there to the [[A5 (Germany)|A5]] direction south. This way you pass by the service station ''Schauinsland'' which is the last one before France.<br />
<br />
Another option to get to the service station ''Schauinsland'' is to take Bus No. 36 towards Hochdorf, exit Bus station Högestraße. From there it's just a few minutes walk to the service station. (see map)<br />
<br />
:''[[User:Mangoldmajo|Mangoldmajo]]: A perfect place to start. Easy to reach, a lot of cars, friendly people. We got a ride in 5 minutes.''<br />
<br />
I've personally never tried any of those options above, but I recommend hitching from the Aral petrol station on Leo-Wohleb-Straße 2. Freiburg is relatively small, so if you are in the city anyway you can very easily walk to this spot. This road goes along the Dreisam river and leads onto the A5 autobahn. In fact you will pass the hitching spot recommended in the first paragraph. I don't recommend that spot because its a 4-lane traffic and difficult for cars to pull over, although many people hitch from there. Waiting times at that Aral petrol station vary but it is recommended to start early so you catch workers commuting to other cities. You'll get drivers going north and south, you just need to ask around.<br />
<br />
== Hitching In ==<br />
It's not recommended to get off at "Schauninsland" petrol station if you are coming from the north. But if you get stuck there you can walk to the next village (Hochdorf) and take the bus 25 or 36 to Freiburg. It will take about 40 minutes to the center. It's better to find someone in [[Mahlberg]], [[Baden-Baden|Baden Baden]] or [[Bruchsal]] who is going straight into town. The motorway doesn't go directly through the city so drivers are unlikely to go 15 km extra just to drop you off in the city if they want to continue their trip. <br />
<br />
If you are coming from the south you can get off at the "Breisgau" service station. There shouldn't be a problem with finding someone who is going into town.<br />
<br />
Another solution, though not the best one, is to get off at exit 61 "Freiburg Nord" on the A5. The driver can make U-Turn and get back on the motorway (well, if it's not a truck). There's not really much space to stop, so you'll have to ask people stopping on the red light, most of them will be going to the city. Better don't go there if you're not alone, as you'll have to hop in very quickly.<br />
<br />
== Public transport ==<br />
People who have the transferable monthly ticket ''RegioKarte Übertragbar'' can take along another adult on Sundays and holidays.<br />
<br />
== abgefahren e.V. ==<br />
The german autostop club [[abgefahren e.V.]] is very active in Freiburg. In September 2007, [[abgefahren e.V.]] held its first gathering near Freiburg and also published the first (un)official German hitchhiking-spot in Freiburg. In 2011 abgefahren started their 4th race in Freiburg the [[abgefahren hitchhiking race 2011]].<br />
<br />
__NOTOC__<br />
<br />
[[Category:Germany]]<br />
<br />
[[de:Freiburg im Breisgau]]</div>Mangoldmajohttps://hitchwiki.org/en/index.php?title=Cologne&diff=74902Cologne2014-04-24T19:59:40Z<p>Mangoldmajo: </p>
<hr />
<div>{{Hitchhiking Zine nomination}}<br />
{{Infobox German Location<br />
|map = <map lat='50.93982519613568' lng='6.961555480957031' zoom='12' view='3' height='500' width='350'/><br />
|country = Germany<br />
|pop = 1,024,346 (31 December 2008)<br />
|state = North Rhine-Westphalia<br />
|plate = K<br />
|motorways = [[A1 (Germany)|A1]], [[A3 (Germany)|A3]], [[A4 (Germany)|A4]], [[A57 (Germany)|A57]], [[A59 (Germany)|A59]]<br />
}} __NOTOC__<br />
'''Cologne''', or '''Köln''' in German, is a big city in North Rhine-Westphalia.<br />
<br />
Cars number plates starting with the letter '''K''' are registered in this locality. While the following are localities in the neighbourhood of Cologne: ''(LEV - GL - SU - BM) clockwise from the North''<br />
<br />
The whole '''[[Ruhr Area]]''' is a well-known pain in the ass for anyone crossing that region. If you observe the motorway system, you'll find out that they zig zag and cross each other in the Ruhr, specially right North of Cologne. There is no "belt" motorway around the city, just those zig zags.<br />
The flow of cars is highly difficult to predict because cars go from one motorway to another. There are generally 3-4 possible motorways one can take to travel North/South or East/West. It's the most densely populated zone in Germany, so a lot of transport is local or regional, making it even more difficult. Think about it - if you're passing by, avoid getting dropped there!<br />
<br />
== Hitchhiking out ==<br />
=== South towards [[Bonn]], [[Koblenz]], [[Frankfurt am Main]] ===<br />
<br />
To get out of '''Cologne''' towards [[Bonn]] or [[Koblenz]], the best possibility is to go to the ''Verteilerkreis Süd'', a big [[roundabout]] where all vehicles that are heading for the motorway to the South or West are passing by. There is also a petrol station beside it and a traffic light where one can ask people for a lift.<br />
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If you're headed to [[Frankfurt am Main]], take the train to the last stop ''Königsforst'' (tram U9), walk straight for about 15 min. Then after a right turn you are on a decent on ramp of the [[A3 (Germany)|A3]], most of the cars will go to [[Frankfurt am Main]] or can drop you at least on the ''Rasthof Siegburg'' (about 20 km South), which is it worth for long-distance rides.<br />
:''[[User:Frixge|Frixge]]: I hitched at Königsforst in August 2011 by chance. And found it hard to imagine that people would stop, because it is outside of town and a lot of people ignore hanging out hitchhikers. But the next times I went there I got a ride in 5 to 30min. Especially it is easier to get southwards, because there is no other option than the A3.''<br />
:"[[User:Mangoldmajo|Mangoldmajo]]: We tried to get a ride in April 2014 and it was quite hard to get a ride. Only a few cars went by, but if you have time it is a good place to start."<br />
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[[File:Dariocraigmalaysia.jpg|thumb|250px|left|[[User:Halt, Stop! Reudnitz kommt.|Craig]] & Dario hit the road for '''Thumbing Asia West to East''' (Königsforst always a good option!)]]<br />
Another possibility for the [[A3 (Germany)|A3]] direction [[Frankfurt]] is to take the train “RB 25” from the main station in the direction “Marienheide” or “Overath” for EUR 3.20. Leave at “Stümpen” and turn right and go up to the “Kiefernweg” and turn right. Follow the street that is later called “Dammelsfurther Weg” up to the “Pestalozziweg” for maybe 500 meters and turn right. Now you pass the Autobahn and turn right again in the “Plantage”. Follow this way a few hundred meters through the forest and you will see a service station on the right side. Maybe you have to climb a fence. Now you are on the a station without oil station but much traffic and it's easy to get a ride there. It takes approximately 40 minutes to reach it from Cologne Hbf (main train station).<br />
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Furthermore going in direction of FFM you can use the traffic lights at the ramp Köln-Dellbrück (Mülheim/Buchheim) or at the ramp onto the 55a (Frankfurterstraße). Ask the driver to bring you at least on the ''Rasthof Siegburg''. To Köln-Dellbrück you can catch the bus 159 in direction ''Buchheim'' to ''Gronauerstraße'' for example at ''Wiener Platz'' (3 stops). To the ramp at Frankfurterstraße take bus 151, 152 or 153 to ''Beuthenerstraße''.<br />
:''[[User:Frixge|Frixge]] mostly waited between 5 and 15 minutes. But I once waited two hours at Köln-Dellbrück. It was early in the morning. Maybe most of the traffic at that daytime is local.''<br />
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=== North or East towards [[Berlin]], [[Dortmund]], [[Hannover]] and [[Münster]] ===<br />
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Hitching in that direction seems to be legendarily difficult unless you take a regional train and walk an hour. Several experienced hitchhikers got trapped countless hours and decided to take a train instead. Nevertheless it's of course possible to hitch out of Cologne, experiences about this vary extremely. So far there are four options:<br />
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* '''Option 1:''' Close to the city, you may want to try one of the on-ramps in the North East of Cologne. On-ramp ''Köln-Dellbrück'' (exit 26 on the [[A3 (Germany)|A3]]) seems to be good for hitchhiking in direction Remscheid or further along the A1. Also traffic North the A3 passes here. There's no hard shoulder but some green space to stop cars ~60m behind the Autobahn sign. Another possibility is to ask the drivers directly at the traffic light with an extra lane for the motorway. You can get there by taking the metro U18 to ''Holweide-Vischeringstrasse'', cross the railways towards the main road and to the left you'll find the on-ramp. Or Follow the description for ''Köln-Dellbrück'' (see south towards). You just have to walk a bit more. Make sure to have a "Remscheid" or "RS" sign in case of going towards A1 because there is only one tiny resting area ahead of the A3/A1 crossing and as of 06/2011, it is mainly used as a meeting spot for male homosexuals.<br />
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:''[[User:Platschi|Platschi]] hitched at Dellbrück in May 2010 and got a ride easily within ten minutes towards Remscheid service station, with even two cars stopping in the meantime but driving northbound.''<br />
:''[[User:artti|artti]] hitchhiked there in May 2011 and two police cars didn't do anything, but third one nicely asked him to leave, because it might not be safe, because cars don't have actually proper place to stop. He took a U-bahn number 4 to last stop Schlebusch (it is possible without ticket) and about twenty meters away you can catch a bus number 260, if lucky driver doesn't ask you to show ticket, but if you must buy, then ticket to Kaltenherberg Ort is eur 2.50.''<br />
:''[[User:Frixge|Frixge]] tried twice to get off at the traffic light at ''Köln-Dellbrück'' to Berlin. First time at 15:00-16:00 there was an huge amount of traffic and he just had to walk along and ask the drivers. After 10 min he found someone who passed the service-station Remscheid. Second time at 13:00 he waited for 2 hours at the traffic light. There was few traffic, mostly local. Next time he will try the option 4.''<br />
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* '''Option 2:''' It's also possible to hitch from the South East of the city because there is a petrol station on the A59. The closest bus stop is "Eil Heumarer", bus #152. You can take it from Steinstr. S-Bahn, which is relatively close from the main station.<br />
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* '''Option 3:''' In case you try to use a ramp from Cologne, a good take-off sign is "Remscheid", because the first service area on the [[A1 (Germany)|A1]] is "Rasthof Remscheid", just before the exit for Remscheid. There are lots of commuters. You can also get there by train from Cologne Dom/Hbf for 6,50 Euros via Remscheid Hbf and walk 5 km to the area (map [http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Remscheid+Hbf&daddr=Unknown+road&hl=en&geocode=FTLnDAMdiNttAClRpZsmWyq5RzGlIfHuvHkWrQ%3BFayeDAMdfEduAA&mra=dme&mrcr=0&mrsp=1&sz=15&dirflg=w&sll=51.157143,7.226601&sspn=0.008559,0.023174&ie=UTF8&ll=51.169872,7.215099&spn=0.034228,0.092697&t=h&z=13 here]). If you're lucky, catch the bus 672 or 673 (valid with your zone 4 ticket) to Talsperre/Mebusmühle or Talsperre/Raststätte (closer but only 673) and avoid the walk. These buses do not pass very often, though.<br />
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* '''Option 4:''' There is also the possibility to take the bus nr 260 from the central station towards Remscheid. Get off at the bus stop Kaltenherberg Ort, From there you just have to walk for about 2 minutes, the motorway is already visible. All drivers that pass can at least take you to the petrol station in Remscheid which is just about a few kilometres from there. Like that you avoid the ring and are straight on the A1. I never waited long at that place.<br />
:''[[User:Frixge|Frixge]] Taking the bus is a good alternative. By the way the first car in Kaltenherberg took me to the service station. I was surprised because there is not a lot of space on the ramp.''<br />
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=== East towards [[Siegen]] or [[Gießen]] ([[A4 (Germany)|A4]]) ===<br />
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Trying to get onto A4 seems to be as difficult as getting anywhere north-east. [[User:Caro|Caro]] tried Mid-July 2010 to hitchhike at the on-ramp in Merheim, giving up after 3 hours using the following spot.<br />
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One but long (and maybe worthwhile) possibility is to go to petrol station ''Aggertal''. Take "Regionalbahn (RB) 25" direction Marienheide Bf. Get off at Overath Bf and take bus 310 direction Gummersbach. Get off (2nd halt) at Klef/Hotel Lüdenbach and walk 20 minutes to the gas staion. Check [http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Klef&daddr=Unbekannte+Stra%C3%9Fe&hl=de&geocode=FZ5pCQMdtIFvAA%3BFZ52CQMdD6xvAA&mra=ls&dirflg=w&sll=50.948613,7.31123&sspn=0.01287,0.027595&ie=UTF8&ll=50.950154,7.312946&spn=0.012869,0.027595&z=15 map] before! From there you can go anywhere eastwards, including long distance rides too.<br />
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:''[[User:janpa|janpa]] suggests to not take the bus, but hitch to the petrol station from Overath Bf. It's probably faster to take a lift to the on-ramp, and then directly to the petrol station, since it is only two kilometres. From Köln it takes about one hour to get to the spot.''<br />
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=== North towards [[Düsseldorf]] or [[Nijmegen]] ===<br />
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Take the tram no. 5 or 13 to ''Nußbaumer Str.''. There is an on-ramp. A lot of traffic goes in your direction, but it is very dangerous for drivers to stop there.<br />
[[User:Perilisk|Perilisk]] tried this spot in 2008 but was unsuccessful and uncomfortable stopping cars there. [[User:Clint.hotvedt|Clint.hotvedt]] tried this spot a few times in the fall of 2009 and was not able to get out for some hours as well, in the end accepting a ride to Ausfahrt 26 ''K-Worringen'', where it was much easier. At least for direction [[Krefeld]]/[[Nijmegen]] this user recommends riding the S-bahn to ''Worringen'' and try it from there, average waiting time around 30-60 minutes.<br />
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=== West towards [[Aachen]], [[Maastricht]], [[Eindhoven]] and [[Belgium]] ===<br />
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On the motorway ring around Cologne, to the west of the city, there's the motorway service area ''Köln-Frechen'', Germany's busiest(?) service station. You can reach it by catching a train to Königsdorf S-Bahn (around 20 minutes). Turn right on the stairs at the station, walk through the car park, turn left on Augustinus Straße, walk straight for 2 minutes and then turn right on to Marienhöfer Weg. Keep walking up this path into the forest for 5 minutes. Eventually you will come to a crossroad with the service station on the left.<br />
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There you can get lifts to the [[Netherlands]], [[Belgium]] and [[United Kingdom|Great Britain]] from one of around 200. Trucks are going in the direction of [[Aachen]] or [[Maastricht]], at least.<br />
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Another way to get out of Cologne in that direction is to go near the [[A4 (Germany)|A4]], Exit 11a Klettenberg and 11b Köln-Eifeltor. When at the latest, walking slightly North there is an extra lane that looks like an ideal place for people to stop, and slightly South of it is a big truck stop and petrol station where you can try and ask people. To reach these exits from the centre, take the tram U18 to "Efferen" (for 11a) or to "Eifelwall" and then bus 138 to "Güterverkehrszentrum". This option is especially interesting to know if you get trapped in Cologne while trying to cross the Ruhr area.<br />
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== Hitching In ==<br />
When you arrive Cologne via the [[A1 (Germany)|A1]], it's difficult to get into the town centre, because the motorway is very far outside. One option is to get off at the exit '''Köln-Niehl'''. There is a tram station, close to the motorway, in east direction, 15 minutes walking. At daytime, you can get to the town centre in like 15 minutes.<br />
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From the same motorway ([[A1 (Germany)|A1]]), you may as well get out at '''Köln-Lövenich''' and catch Tram #1 on Aachener Straße direction down town at either ''Bahnstraße'' or ''Mohnweg'' stops.<br />
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You could as well try to catch a ride from the A1 onto the A3. And then get off for example at '''Köln-Dellbrück'''. There you walk 5min in direction west, catch the bus 159 to ''Wiener Platz'', where can get a tram.<br />
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Coming from the South on the A555 or through the A4, you may as well as the driver to leave you at the ''Am Verteilerkreis'' roundabout situated just at the complete end of the A555, at the ''Kreuz Köln-Süd'' (Junction A555-A4). The driver can really leave you at a petrol station and gain the motorway back with complete ease. From there, you can walk along the Bonner Straße to catch a bus to the heart of Köln.<br />
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== Public Transport ==<br />
* Students and people with a monthly ticket can take one person for free on weekdays between 19:00 and 03:00 as well as on weekends at any time. Ask around tram/bus stops.<br />
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== Useful Links ==<br />
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* [http://www.kvb-koeln.de/german/home/ KVB], the local/regional public transportation network has a good route planner. Very useful!<br />
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{{IsIn|North Rhine-Westphalia}}<br />
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[[Category:North Rhine-Westphalia]]<br />
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[[trash:Cologne]]</div>Mangoldmajo