|state = Lesser Poland (Voivodeship)
|map = <map lat='50.05405277962895' lng='19.955291748046875' zoom='10' view='0' float='right'/>
|pop = 754 624762,500|plate = KR, KK|motorways = A4{{Apl|4}}
|expressways =
}}
== Hitchhiking out ==
=== West towards [[Katowice]], [[Wrocław]] {{Motorway Number PolandApl|4}} {{E|40}} ===* '''From bus stop behind junction with traffic lights'''From city center take tram 4, 8, 13 direction ''Bronowice Małe'' and get off at '''''Balicka Wiadukt''''' (one before the last one). Turn right (north), go down the stairs from the bridge and continue walking for about 700m till you get to the roundabout. Turn left (west) and hitch at the bus stop just behind the roundabout.You can get to the spot also by many buses e.g 172, 238 and get off at '''''Motel Krak'''''. There are streetlights which allow to hitchhike at night. It's better to write Katowice on your sign, not Wroclaw, seems to be easier to start. There are [[Toll station|toll booths] and [[Petrol station hitchhiking|petrol stations]] on the way to continue in the direction Wrocław/Dresden/Cottbus.
** '''Recent developmentNote:'''For quite a few months now, the formerly excellent spot near Motel Krak, is undergoing extensive road reconstruction, which according to plans will lead to a giant sort of cloverleaf being constructed here. Although this would be a bad development for hitchhiking here, there is still very little known about how the buses are going to be rerouted, and considering it wonDon't be upgraded to motorway standards, probably not even expressway standards, pedestrian access will likely still be possible, and it could very well be that there will be still some bus stops near this site after go towards Katowice if your destination is the reconstructionCzech Republic. For the time being, however, You risk getting stuck in my opinionKatowice's large urban agglomeration. Instead, this site should be downgraded to {{bad}}/{{senseless}} in terms of hitchhikingfollow the instructions below for [[Bielsko-Biała]].
* '''From [[Petrol station hitchhiking|petrol station]] in city suburbs'''
From bus stop ''Motel Krak'' (see above) you can walk down the road for about 1.5km or take any bus in that direction and get off at the second stop called '''''Pasternik Cmentarz''''' (you have to press the stop button otherwise the bus won't stop). There's petrol station and small parking for trucks.
* '''1 From Pasternik Cmentarz bus stop'''Get to the bus stop (roundabout) "Rondo Ofiar Katynia" (for public transformation info use [https://www.jakdojade.pl www.jakdojade.pl]) and from there another 2 stops to "Pasternik Cmantarz". There is a bus stop, petrol station and plenty of space for a car to pull over. '''2 From first petrol station on the highway'''It's about 1km further than toll booths, but the spot is better than booths. You must take bus [http://rozklady.mpk.krakow.pl/aktualne/0226/0226rw01.htm 226], [http://rozklady.mpk.krakow.pl/aktualne/0209/0209rw01.htm 209] or [http://rozklady.mpk.krakow.pl/aktualne/0258/0258rw01.htm 258] and get off on stop "Winna Góra". You will be already beside the motorway and the petrol station is close by. the best is to check the amazingly helpful page [http://krakow.jakdojade.pl/ jakdojade.pl] because the buses are running once for two hours. '''3 From [[Toll station|toll booths]]'''
From main railway station (Dworzec Główny Wschód) take bus 208 or 292 direction ''Port Lotniczy (Airport)''. If you take bus [http://rozklady.mpk.krakow.pl/aktualne/0208/0208rw01.htm 208] get off at '''''Balice Autostrada (NŻ)''''' (you have to press the stop button otherwise the bus won't stop). Walk back for about 30m and turn left (west). Continue walking, go over the motorway by the bridge from which you will see the toll booths. Here's the [http://www.pkt.pl/finddirections.ds?location=50.08418%2C19.80726&location=50.084%2C19.79184&routeStyle=PEDESTRIAN&tab=directions&locationType=latlng&locationType=latlng route] It's a bout 1.5km walk.
If you take the bus [http://rozklady.mpk.krakow.pl/aktualne/0292/0292rw01.htm 292] you have to walk a bit more (about 3km). Get off at the airport and follow this [http://www.pkt.pl/finddirections.ds?location=50.07193%2C19.80054&location=50.084%2C19.79184&routeStyle=PEDESTRIAN&tab=directions&locationType=latlng&locationType=latlng route].
[[File:Krakow to ukraine.JPG|thumb|left|200px|Hitching from Krakow to Ukraine]]
* '''From first gas station on the highway'''
It's about 1km further than toll booths, but the spot is better than booths. You must take bus [http://rozklady.mpk.krakow.pl/aktualne/0226/0226rw01.htm 226], [http://rozklady.mpk.krakow.pl/aktualne/0209/0209rw01.htm 209] or [http://rozklady.mpk.krakow.pl/aktualne/0258/0258rw01.htm 258] and get off on stop "Winna Góra", you will see the gas station from here. Also check [http://krakow.jakdojade.pl/ jakdojade.pl] because the buses are running once for two hours.
'''4 Take a train for about 40km to a good spot'''For a bit more than 10 ''złoty'' you can take a train from Krakow to the small town of '''Trzebinia'''. An even cheaper option is the minibus from the station behind the shopping mall next to the train station. Leave the train station, turn left, cross the bridge and follow ''road 79'' direction southwest. It's just another 1.5 km to get to the motorway junction and you can try hitching with a sign "Katowice" already, because a lot of traffic goes towards the motorway and you are already outside of Trzebinia. It takes about one hour to get from Krakow main station to Trzebinia. === North towards [[Warsaw|Warszawa]], [[Gdańsk]] {{National Road Number Poland|7}} {{E|77}} === Hitchhike after the inner bypass on ''Opolska'' street - you can get there by buses number 139,132,172,105,102,207 - bus stop name is '''''Opolska estakada''''' Bus stop '''''Belwederczyków''''' buses 257, 277, 280 from '''''Nowy Kleparz''''' and hitch directly from it, it's just outside the city, there is some place for a car to stop and You're visible from far away A better option is to take the bus number 217,247,277 until the stop '''''Kuźnicy Kołłątajowskiej'''''. Here there is a lot of space for cars to pull over and many cars are going even all the way to Warsaw. All these buses are avaible from the station '''''Nowy Kleparz''''' which you reach by bus from the center or walking. It is about 2 km north of the old town. If you go there by bus you might get off at a station where only the busses to '''''Opolska estakada''''' stop. The bus terminal where the buses 217,247,277 leave is about 100m further north from the crossroads at ''Plac Nowy Kleparz''. Watch out because the bus does not stop at the last stop but drives on so you want to know when to get off. There is a lot of space on deceleration lane going to the petrol station and cars are going extremely slow because there is a traffic light just ahead. === East towards [[Sandomierz]], [[Rzeszów]], [[Przemyśl]], [[Lviv]] ([[Ukraine|UA]]) {{National Road Number Poland|4}} {{E|40}} === Newly built highway in direction of the east. Take the [http://rozklady.mpk.krakow.pl/aktualne/0304/0304rw01.htm bus 304] and get off at '''Jerzmanowskiego''' (old ''Prokocim CPN''). There is a bus stop and plenty of space to stop even for a truck. You can also walk like 500m along the road and try straight from the highway entrance - there is enough space and you can be easily seen. But now (March 2016) it isn't a good place. From the northern entrance to highway there are the fence hindering drivers from seeing you and the road sign forbidding you to walk. From the southern entrance traffic is VERY poor and mostly going to Katowice, not to Rzeszów. To Ukraine you can't cross the border by foot in Korczowa, but in Medyka. At '''Radymno''' hitchhike {{National Road Number Poland|77}} South to Przemyśl and from there hitchhike ''Lwowska'' / {{National Road Number Poland|28}} to the border. For '''Sandomierz''' take tram number 10 or 21 till the last stop ''Pleszow''. From there you can start hitching along national road 79. Another option is an unused bus stop on Tadeusza Śliwaka street, right before the road junction leading to {{National Road Number Poland|4}} {{E|40}} going east, the GPS coordinates are: 50°02'15.0"N 20°03'34.0"E. Use https://krakow.jakdojade.pl/ to check the buses going near that spot, preferably use a connection that will end up at bus stop '''Przewóz''' (Bus 158), as it's the nearest one to the spot. This bus stop is right behind the traffic lights, with a lot of space for even a big truck to stop and You will be easily visible. It is not the most popular road leading out of Cracow to the east however, so waiting times may vary. If You are going to Ukraine, bear in mind that recently finished {{National Road Number Poland|4}} {{E|40}} highway leads to '''Korczowa-Krakovets''' border crossing, where You '''cannot''' cross the border on foot (it is permitted only '''Medyka-Shehyni'''). Also there are very, very few cars stopping at the gas stations and rest areas on highway east of [[Rzeszów]], so before You pass it, either enter a car going straight to Korczowa border crossing (and wait a long time in the car queue), or go straight to Przemyśl, where You can easily access Medyka-Shehyni crossing, avoid rides to towns like Łańcut or Przeworsk, as most likely You will get stuck there. === South and southwest towards [[Rabka-Zdrój]], [[Ružomberok]] ([[Slovakia|SK]]) {{National Road Number Poland|7}} {{E|77}}, [[Zakopane]] {{National Road Number Poland|47}} and [[Bielsko-Biała]] {{National Road Number Poland|52}} === Take tram no. 8, 19, 22, 23, 40 (operating only on Sundays and day offs) from the centre to the last stop ''Borek Fałęcki''. There is a small bus station here. You can either walk south for a couple of kilometres until you go under the highway overpass, or take bus 175, 235, 245, 255, 275, 285 and get out at the stop ''Opatkowice'' immediately after the highway overpass. You can hitch from the ''Opatkowice'' bus stop.
There are two common places: Start to hitchhike after Alternatively if you start out early in the inner bypass on ''Opolska'' street - morning, you can get there by buses number 139,132,172,105,102,207 - take the above mentioned bus stop name is '''285''Opolska estakada''''', but it is quite much farther away from the city to a busy much better spot. A better option Get off at Mogilany Ośrodek Zdrowia. This is to take a bus stop on the bus number 217highway,247hitch from here. Excellent spot! (In case nobody speaks English and you don't know where to get off,277 until if you are in the stop '''''Kuźnicy Kołłątajowskiej'''''. All these busses are avaible from front of the bus near the station '''''Nowy Kleparz''''' which driver, you reach by bus will see a red bridge from the center or walkdistance, this one: [https://www.google.com/maps/@49.939466,19.894601,3a,75y,172.78h, it is about 2km north of 92.74t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sG-2qOxM2yscYZqcBJ-67hg!2e0 Mogilany Wiadukt] As soon as you see the bridge in the old towndistance, get off immediately. If In case you go there by bus miss it, no worries, you might can get off at a station where only after the busses to bridge and walk back maybe one kilometer) '''WARNING''Opolska estakada': the bus operates very rarely (and '''doesn' stop. The bus terminal where the busses 217,247,277 leave is about 100m further north from the crossroads at t''Plac Nowy Kleparz''.Magda and Ron decided to try to hitch while waiting for the bus in Opolska estakada and it workedgo on Sundays! They found a ride with a truck driver all ), so you should check the way to Warszawatimetable here:[http://rozklady.mpk.krakow.pl/aktualne/0285/0285t001.htm 285 bus timetable]
Watch out because the bus does not stop at the last stop but drives on so you want to know when to get off. There is a lot of space on deceleration lane going to the petrol station and cars are going extremely slow because there is a traffic light just ahead.
=== East If you are going towards [[RzeszówBielsko-Biała]], [[Przemyśl]], [[Lviv]] ([[Ukraine|UA]]) {{National Road Number Poland|4}} {{E|40}} ===tell your driver immediately so that he knows to leave you at the fork in the road a few kilometres south of Krakow.
*The best option , is to take a minibus to the town of '''''Bochnia''''', 25 km east from Krakow (costs 5 PLN). The highway doesn't go further than this town. Just stand on the E40, and hitch rides (waiting times should not exceed 15-20 minutes). (more expensive though, since it's actually possible to get a normal bus ride without ticket and not a minibus ride)
* Since 2011, people usualy take the newly built highway in direction of the east. Take the [http://rozklady.mpk.krakow.pl/aktualne/0304/0304rw01.htm bus 304] and get off at '''''"Prokocim CPN"'''''. There is a bus stop and plenty of space to stop even for a truck.
To Ukraine If your are heading to Slovakia, the road splits towards SK in [[Rabka-Zdrój]]. At the fork in the road itself there is a good spot to hitchhike, though there is mainly local traffic and it may require a couple of lifts to reach the Slovak border. Alternatively, if you candon't cross the border by foot want to hitchhike in KorczowaKrakow or save some time, but in Medyka! In Korczowa you can wait take a bus to this spot for 9 PLN, which is not that pricier from what would you pay for 3 hours because there are public transport in Krakow. Bus stop is called ''Skomielna Biała, skrzyżowanie''. You can use [http://www.busy-krk.pl/en/rabka-zdroj-krakow.php this site] to check timetables. You can also take a lot of cars!similar mini-bus to Jabłonka (which is right at the border) for about 20 PLN.
=== South and southwest towards [[Rabka Zdrój]], [[Ružomberok]] ([[Slovakia|SK]]) {{National Road Number Poland|7}} {{E|77}}, [[Zakopane]] {{National Road Number Poland|47}} and [[Bielsko-Biała]] {{National Road Number Poland|52}} =Public Transport ==
Take tram no. 8, 19, 22, 23, 40(operating only on Sundays and day offs) from center or bus no. 141, 145, 151, 201, 204, 214, 215, 225, 244, 265, 451, 608(night) from suburbs in direction ''Zakopiańska'' and get off at the last stop (''Borek Fałęcki''). There is a small bus stationvery useful and simple to use [http://krakow. Walk south on ''Zakopiańska'' street for a few hundred meters, then you will see a traffic lights after which is a bus stop where you can hitchjakdojade. Cars drive here slowly, but pl/?locale=en website] showing you also how to get too much urban traffic. If you don't get a ride from one point to another by public transport in 30 min, it's better to take one of the local buses major Polish cities (175, 235, 245, 255, 275, 285in Polish and English) till after the highway crossing (stop ''Opatkowice''), where you get much better traffic heading your way.
If your are heading to Slovakia, the road splits towards SK is Rabka. On the split itself there is a good spot to hitchhike, although still a lot of local traffic. You can also take the bus from the main bus station to Rabka. It is 10PLZ. Make sure you tell the driver exactly where to drop you off.== Sleeping ==
=== From KRAKOW to PRAGUE ===Even though, Google Maps recommend to go to Prague via Katowice - Gliwice - all the way down to Chalupki The central station ( near Poland-Czech BorderDworzec Główny) Bohumanis open during the night, Osttrava.Nobody - I repeat nobody goes from here to Prague and getting a hitch hike is almost impossible. I was personally stuck here on Chalupki and then on but guards patrol the Czech Border in Bohuman before giving up and heading to Osttrava Central station constantly and catching a train wake up anyone who tries to Prague sleep (even people waiting for 18 Eurostrains). INSTEAD Go South ward, Bus in direction of Myslenice and reach Bus stop at Glogoczow and there is split in the road and you choose the road towards the Right Hand Side on the road. This is Better to find a country road and not host from a highway. This road leads to Wadowice and Bielsko-Biala and further to Cieszynhospitality exchange service or camp outside the city.
REMEMBER you have to head to Cieszyn You can sleep in "student academic" which is a border town on Czarnowiejska/Reymonta street and there are sleeping students from AGH ( Academy of Czech Science and Poland on Polish side and then go via Ostrava or Frydek-Mistek in Czech to PragueTechnology ). Here you will find lots of cars , trucks heading towards Prague via BRNOIt's like 30 zloty ( ~8 euro ) for one night.
Best of Luck :) The journey from the above route was done by my friend from Krakow a day later, I failed to take the Krakow-Katowice-Gliwice route. The whole journey takes upto 10 hours.
Updated by Vidhi Raj on 2 September 2011== Nomadwiki & Trashwiki ==
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[[Category:Poland]]