Hitchhiker

Decent place for hitching out of Dresden towards the Czech border. A fair amount of CZ cars passing by. We were picked up by a couple going to Prague after about half an hour; they were not local (from Frankfurt), so it seems long-distance traffic passes through here. We stood at the bus station, where there is ample space for cars to stop. Traffic isn’t too fast thanks to the lights.

We got from here to Dresden fairly quickly. I get the point that the spot isn’t super accessible, but if you walk along the outskirts of the field, you don’t have to wade through too much shrubbery. It’s a very doable hike, even without appropriate shoes. (Just make sure not to step into the little stream running along the 14; it’s very obscured by tall grass, but you can jump across it.) Even though there’s no shoulder, cars can easily pull over on the grass.

Tried this spot last year and quickly got a ride to Michendorf. This time, we were offered a ride all the way to Leipzig by a guy going to Munich. He was local, so I suppose we got lucky. A good spot with ample space to stop, but a bit of a hike from the city center. The bus stop Deutscher Wetterdienst (also along the Michendorfer Chausee, closer to the center) might also be an option, though we didn’t have any luck there (probably because it was getting late).

Legendary place for going from Hamburg to Berlin, in my experience. I’ve been picked up twice by drivers going all the way to Berlin and never had to wait more than 15 minutes. Lots of commuters pass the roundabout, traffic is slow enough to stop and there’s a wonderfully wide shoulder. Chef’s kiss.

Perfect spot for getting farther South on the Continent. LOTS of European long-distance traffic. You can stand at the exit onto the highway, but I would recommend asking around. We quickly found a ride with a Swede going all the way to Belgium, who dropped us off in Hamburg.

Good place for catching a ride to Karlslunde (a great rest stop for those heading farther South towards Germany). There’s a lot of space to stop and you’re clearly visible.