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" I was just crossing Greece from Bulgaria to Turkey and I expected easy way but it was totally different. I spent there about 4 days hitch-hiking full of depressions. Greeks just didn't stop and waiting time about 3 hours wasn't anything special. For me it was the worst hitch-hiking country ever. For me Greece was even worse than Italy or Spain!" (August 2016) => Local's answer : There's a big wave of refugees since the war in Syria and people are scared. A driver could be detained for trafficking, if he's carrying passengers who entered Greece illegally. If you try NOT to look like a refugee and speak to people in gas stations, East Macedonia + Thraki could be crossed in less than 48h.
Not looking like a refugee is easily ''August 2016 - I was just crossing Greece from Bulgaria to Turkey and I expected easy way but it was totally different. I spent there about 4 days hitch-hiking full of depressions. Greeks just didn't stop and waiting time about 3 hours wasn't anything special. For me it was the worst advice Ihitch-hiking country ever. For me Greece was even worse than'' Italy or Spain! (Local's answer : There've heards a big wave of refugees since the war in Syria and people are scared. A driver could be detained for trafficking, I if he's carrying passen''gers who entered Greece illegally. If you try NOT to look like what most a refugee and speak to people would consider a hipster in gas stations, East Macedonia + Thraki could be crossed in less than 48h).'' ''Early September 2018 - Hitchhiking to Athens seems to be extremely easy. In fact we only needed one car all the way from Thessaloniki and even on the way back people were offering us rides to Athens on gas stations and still a very nice certain points. Hitchhiking north however is an absolute nightmare! Barely anyone outside the bigger cities speaks even elementary English and helpful worker at a petrol station thought that Iit seems some pretend not to as to avoid conflict. The national road not only has an exit to every village (which means people go 5km ahead like on local roads) but it'm an Algerian s also illegal to be on it. We got displaced by the yellow inquisition multiple times for an hour even though Iwalking or hitchhiking on it so if you're not the entrance you've said that Igot high chances you'll get to meet them too. The police doesn'm Hungarian t seem to care but these guys are ruthless. Local roads are sometimes way easier to hitchhike (From Kastro to Tragana you have a good chance to ride in Greekthe back of a pick up truck) often with nicer people but their layout is a bit nonsensical, just because and drinkable water isn't a standard in a big part of my Mediterranean complexionGreece.HoweverOverall it's not an easy journey (at least in the southern and central parts) but definitely a fun challenge! SO if you're looking to test your willpower and strength, I didnthis is the way to go! If you't have absurd waiting times but re looking for speed on the existence other hand and are going north of highways without good possibilities Athens I recommend not settling for hitchhikers cars that will take you to use them makes Greece easily villages/smaller towns. It might seem like it's taking longer but a single truck driver is way better than spending 2 days on some national road entrances in the worst Balkans country to hitchhikemiddle of nowhere.''
Early September 2018: Hitchhiking to Athens seems to be extremely easy. In fact we only needed one car all the way from Thessaloniki and even on the way back people were offering us rides to Athens on gas stations and certain points. Hitchhiking north however is an absolute nightmare! Barely anyone outside the bigger cities speaks even elementary English and it seems some pretend not to as to avoid conflict. The national road not only has an exit to every village (which means people go 5km ahead like on local roads) but it's also illegal to be on it. We got displaced by the yellow inquisition multiple times for walking or hitchhiking on it so if you're not the entrance you've got high chances you'll get to meet them too. The police doesn't seem to care but these guys are ruthless. Local roads are sometimes way easier to hitchhike (From Kastro to Tragana you have a good chance to ride in the back of a pick up truck) often with nicer people but their layout is a bit nonsensical, and drinkable water isn't a standard in a big part of Greece. Overall it's not an easy journey (at least in the southern and central parts) but definitely a fun challenge! SO if you're looking to test your willpower and strength, this is the way to go! If you're looking for speed on the other hand and are going north of Athens I recommend not settling for cars that will take you to villages/smaller towns. It might seem like it's taking longer but a single truck driver is way better than spending 2 days on some national road entrances in the middle of nowhere.
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[[trash:Greece]]
[[wikipedia:Greece]]
→Nomadwiki & Trashwiki
Because there are few [[highway|motorways]] in Greece, the national roads become great havens of locals and long distance drivers pouring in from the south east to west and vice versa, up into the north. Also, tolls have increased as of recently, making motorways less attractive for long distance drivers. Greek drivers will never directly ask for money. In very few cases, some might say they don't have enough to pay the tolls, or that they have not enough petrol to arrive to their destination and no money to buy more.
You can cross the border by foot! (If you´re youre crossing border to Turkey between Alexandroupoli and Tekirdag it´s not possible to go by foot. Between greek and turkish border there is a bridge and soldiers will tell you that you have to go by car on this bridge of course because of national security).
It would be smart not to mention "Macedonia" as a country. Greeks call "Macedonia" the northern part of Greece. If you're going to [[North Macedonia]], and want to avoid the political conversation, just say that you're going to [[North Macedonia]] or [[Skopje]]
In summer it can get very hot in Greece, so be careful that you don't get sunburned and carry plenty of water with you. It is also wise to have a large cardboard sign which you can use as makeshift umbrella while you're waiting for cars.
== Number plates ==The number plates of Greece consist of 3 letters and 4 digits. The first 1 or 2 letters represent a state. The plates are valid for the whole life of the vehicle even if its owner moves to an other town, so you can not be absolutely sure about where the vehicle is from. == [[Wild camping]] ==
Wild camping in Greece is forbidden by law. If you camp next to hotels, organized campgrounds or other kind of tourist accommodation, their owner can call the police. [[Police]] may fine you (150 euro) during the summer months (July and August especially), so it's best to ask other wild campers when you arrive at a beach.
== Personal Experiences ==
''November 2018: - hitched from Kulata (Bulgaria-Greece border) to Thessaloniki then to Evia (Island E of Athens) solo male. Hard getting lifts, parent generation of Greeks very friendly once you've had a conversation with them; one family gave me a cornucopian meal, bought me a pack of cigarettes gave me some wine and paid for my ferry ticket. But was after 3 days of being stuck trying to hitch out of Larissa. Hitchiking from Meteora to Albanian border very hard. Getting rides on islands is easier. _-*-_''
== Nomadwiki & Trashwiki ==
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[[Category:Route to Istanbul#From Greece|Turkey]]
