|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 = {{Apl|4}}
|expressways =
=== West towards [[Katowice]], [[Wrocław]] {{Apl|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, Don't go towards Katowice if your destination is 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 hereCzech Republic. 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 wonYou risk getting stuck in Katowice't be upgraded to motorway standards, probably not even expressway standardss large urban agglomeration. Instead, 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 follow the reconstruction. For the time being, however, this site should be downgraded to {{bad}}/{{senseless}} in terms of hitchhikinginstructions 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 about a bit more than 10-11 Polish Zloty ''złoty'' you can take a train from Krakow to the small town of '''Trzebinia''' (As of October 2012 the regional train was 18 Zloty. It will be An even cheaper if you take a option is the minibus, from the station is behind the shopping mall next to the train station). Leave the train station, turn left, cross the bridge and follow ''road 79'' direction southwest. Its It's just another 1,.5 km to get to the motorway junction and you can try hitch hiking hitching with a KATOWICE-sign "Katowice" already, because a lot of traffic goes towards the motorway and you are already outside of Trzebinia. [[User:Cyclebear|Cyclebear]] tried this spot in june 2012 and found it a good alternative to the difficult situation that is now at the ''Motel Krak'' spot. It takes about one hour to travel get from Krakow main station to Trzebinia, but compared to the other right now existing options, he found it much more comfortable.
=== North towards [[Warsaw|Warszawa]], [[Gdańsk]] {{National Road Number Poland|7}} {{E|77}} ===
There are two common places: Start to 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''''', but it is quite a busy spot. Magda and Ron decided to try to hitch while waiting for the bus in Opolska estakada and it worked! They found a ride with a truck driver all the way to Warszawa. Although, Nina_Unexia followed their example twice, and it wasn't the luckiest place.
A better option is to take the bus number 217,247,277 until the stop '''''Kuźnicy Kołłątajowskiej'''''.
All these busses are avaible from the station '''''Nowy Kleparz''''' which you reach by bus from the center or walk, it is about 2km 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 busses 217,247,277 leave is about 100m further north from the crossroads at ''Plac Nowy Kleparz''.
Watch out because Hitchhike after the bus does not stop at the last stop but drives inner bypass on so ''Opolska'' street - you want to know when to can get off. There is a lot of space on deceleration lane going to the petrol station and cars are going extremely slow because there by buses number 139,132,172,105,102,207 - bus stop name is a traffic light just ahead.'''''Opolska estakada'''''
50.095057,19.961504 - put this to google maps, that's the location of the petrol station.
50.097929Bus stop '''''Belwederczyków''''' buses 257, 277, 280 from '''''Nowy Kleparz''''' and hitch directly from it, it's just outside the city,19.961807 - I believe this 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}} ===
* 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 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.
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. In Korczowa you can wait for 3 hours because there are a lot of cars!
For '''Sandomierz''' take tram number 10 or 21 till the last stop ''Pleszow''. From there you can start hitching along national road 79.
For '''Sandomierz''' take tram number 10 till the last stop PLESZOW. From there you can start hitching along road number {{National Road Number Poland|79}} .
=== South and southwest towards [[Rabka Zdrój]]Another option is an unused bus stop on Tadeusza Śliwaka street, [[Ružomberok]] ([[Slovakia|SK]]) right before the road junction leading to {{National Road Number Poland|74}} {{E|7740}}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, [[Zakopane]] {{National Road Number Poland|47}} 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 [[Bielsko-Biała]] {{National Road Number Poland|52}} ===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.
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 station. 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 hitch. Cars drive here slowly, but you also get too much urban traffic. If you don't get a ride in 30 min, it's better to take one of the local buses (175, 235, 245, 255, 275, 285) till after the highway crossing (stop ''Opatkowice''), where you get much better traffic heading your way.
If your You are heading going to Ukraine, bear in mind that recently finished {{National Road Number Poland|4}} {{E|40}} highway leads to Slovakia'''Korczowa-Krakovets''' border crossing, where You '''cannot''' cross the road splits towards SK border on foot (it is Rabkapermitted only '''Medyka-Shehyni'''). On Also there are very, very few cars stopping at the split itself there is gas stations and rest areas on highway east of [[Rzeszów]], so before You pass it, either enter a good spot car going straight to hitchhike, although still Korczowa border crossing (and wait a lot of local traffic. You can also take long time in the bus from the main bus station car queue), or go straight to Rabka. It is 10PLZ. Make sure you tell the driver exactly Przemyśl, where You can easily access Medyka-Shehyni crossing, avoid rides to drop you offtowns like Łańcut or Przeworsk, as most likely You will get stuck there.
=== Route to South and southwest towards [[PragueRabka-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}} ===
Google Maps recommends to go Take tram no. 8, 19, 22, 23, 40 (operating only on Sundays and day offs) from the centre to Prague via Katowice - Gliwice - Chalupki (near the Polish-Czech border) - Bohuman - Ostravalast stop ''Borek Fałęcki''. But: nobody goes from There is a small bus station here to Prague. 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 getting a get out at the stop ''Opatkowice'' immediately after the highway overpass. You can hitch hike is almost impossible. [[User:Vidhiraj|Vidhi Raj]] was stuck here in Chalupki and then on from the Czech border in Bohuman before giving up and heading to Ostrava Central station to catch a train to Prague for 18 Euros''Opatkowice'' bus stop.
Instead: Go Southward. Take a bus Alternatively if you start out early in direction of Myslenice and reach the morning, you can take the above mentioned bus stop '''285''' much farther away from the city to a much better spot. Get off at GlogoczowMogilany Ośrodek Zdrowia. There This is a split in bus stop on the road highway, hitch from here. Excellent spot! (In case nobody speaks English and you choose don't know where to get off, if you are in the road towards front of the bus near the driver, you will see a red bridge from the right hand sidedistance, this one: [https://www.google.com/maps/@49.939466,19.894601,3a,75y,172. This is a country road and not a highway78h,92. The road leads to Wadowice and Bielsko74t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sG-2qOxM2yscYZqcBJ-Biala and further on to Cieszyn67hg!2e0 Mogilany Wiadukt] As soon as you see the bridge in the distance, get off immediately. Remember that In case you miss it, no worries, you have to head to Cieszyn which is a border town between Czech Republic can get off after the bridge and Poland on walk back maybe one kilometer) '''WARNING''': the Polish side bus operates very rarely (and then '''doesn't''' go via Ostrava or Frydekon Sundays!), so you should check the timetable here:[http://rozklady.mpk.krakow.pl/aktualne/0285/0285t001.htm 285 bus timetable] If you are going towards [[Bielsko-Mistek in Czech Republic Biała]], tell your driver immediately so that he knows to Prague. Here leave you will find lots at the fork in the road a few kilometres south of cars and trucks Krakow. If your are heading to Slovakia, the road splits towards Prague via SK in [[BrnoRabka-Zdrój]]. The journey takes up 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 don't want to hitchhike in Krakow or save some time, you can take a bus to ten hoursthis spot for 9 PLN, which is not that pricier from what would you pay for public transport in Krakow. Best of luck! 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 similar mini-bus to Jabłonka (which is right at the border)for about 20 PLN.
== Public Transport ==
There is a good very useful and simple to use [http://krakow.jakdojade.pl/Welcome.jsp?locale=en website] showing you how to get from one point to another by public transport in major Polish cities (in Polish and English).
== Sleeping ==
The central station (Dworzec Główny) is open during the night. Guards will , but guards patrol the station constantly and wake you up quite early around 5am but wonanyone who tries to sleep (even people waiting for trains). Better to find a host from a hospitality exchange service or camp outside the city. You can sleep in "student academic" which is on Czarnowiejska/Reymonta street and there are sleeping students from AGH ( Academy of Science and Technology ). It't bother you at all during the s like 30 zloty ( ~8 euro ) for one night. == Nomadwiki & Trashwiki == {{nomadwiki}}
I don't know how old the above information is but from my experience the central station is not a good place to try and sleep. The benches are designed so that you cannot sleep comfortably, the security guards were waking everybody up - even if they were just sleeping while waiting for a train that left hours later - and if you tried to even sit on the floor (much more comfortable) they would come along and make you sit on the benches. Avoid.
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[[Category:Poland]]
[[pl:Kraków]]
[[trash:Kraków]]