u/RevengedTV

Hey zusammen,

diesen Sommer starte ich etwas, das ich schon lange machen wollte: meine erste Solo-Hitchhiking-Reise.

Mein Plan ist es, von Berlin nach Tirana (ca. 1.850 km) fast ausschließlich per Anhalter zu reisen. In Albanien bleibe ich dann etwa eine Woche, um das Land zu erkunden, bevor ich zurückfliege. Den Rückflug habe ich bereits gebucht, etwa zwei Wochen nach Abreise – der Zeitrahmen steht also fest.

Geplante Route:
Berlin → Prag → Budapest → Belgrad → Niš → Prishtina (Kosovo) → Tirana

Meine Challenge:
Ich möchte es schaffen, Albanien zu erreichen, ohne Geld für Transport oder Unterkunft auszugeben. Nur Essen und grundlegende Dinge werde ich unterwegs bezahlen. Sobald ich in Albanien bin, endet die Challenge und ich bin wieder flexibel (Unterkünfte, Busse, Aktivitäten etc.).

Für die Übernachtungen plane ich, wenn möglich in einer Hängematte mit Moskitonetz und Tarp zu schlafen und nur im Notfall Hostels zu nutzen.

Ich bin 20 Jahre alt und reise alleine, es ist meine erste Hitchhiking-Erfahrung. Ich habe mich zwar intensiv mit Routen, Sicherheit, Grenzen und Hitchwiki beschäftigt, aber echte Erfahrungen sind natürlich durch nichts zu ersetzen.

Fragen an euch:

• Wie schwierig ist Hitchhiking in Serbien?
• Würdet ihr eher über Kosovo oder Nordmazedonien fahren und warum?
• Gibt es Strecken, Grenzübergänge oder Regionen, die ihr vermeiden würdet?
• Ist Schlafen in einer Hängematte entlang dieser Route realistisch?
• Wie oft bekommt man in der Region Essen oder Unterkunft angeboten?
• Was war euer größter Anfängerfehler beim Langstrecken-Hitchhiking?
• Gibt es etwas, das ihr unbedingt an meiner Ausrüstung ändern würdet?

Meine Ausrüstung:

• Rucksack
• Hängematte + Moskitonetz
• Schlafsack
• Isomatte
• Regenponcho
• Wasserflasche
• Stirnlampe
• Powerbank
• kleines Schloss
• Drybags
• Geldgürtel
• Mückenspray
• Offline-Karten & Übersetzer
• einfache Kleidung für ca. 2 Wochen
  • ein paar Kleinigkeiten

Ich überlege außerdem, kleine Souvenirs aus meiner Heimat für Fahrer mitzunehmen oder gelegentlich an einer Raststätte einen Kaffee auszugeben. Das ist für mich keine „Bezahlung“, eher eine kleine Geste der Wertschätzung. Ich bin mir aber unsicher, ob das unterwegs überhaupt sinnvoll oder praktikabel ist, wie handhabt ihr sowas?

Bei meiner Recherche habe ich außerdem gelesen, dass manche Fahrer auf dem Balkan ungern Anhalter über Grenzen mitnehmen. Mein Plan wäre deshalb, mich vor Grenzübergängen absetzen zu lassen und dann jemanden zu finden, der ohnehin legal über die Grenze fährt. Entspricht das eurer Erfahrung?

Ich würde außerdem sehr gerne eure besten Hitchhiking-Geschichten aus dem Balkan hören, egal ob lustig, verrückt oder komplett chaotisch. Genau solche Erfahrungen sind ehrlich gesagt einer der Hauptgründe, warum ich diese Reise mache.

Danke euch! Ich hoffe, ich kann danach hier berichten, wie es gelaufen ist.

Hey everyone,

This summer I’m attempting something I’ve wanted to do for a long time: my first ever solo hitchhiking trip.

The plan is to get from Berlin to Tirana (around 1,850 km) almost entirely by hitchhiking. Once I arrive in Albania I’ll spend about a week exploring the country before flying home. I also already have a return flight booked for about two weeks after my departure, so the timeline is fixed.

Current route:

Berlin → Prague → Budapest → Belgrade → Niš → Prishtina (Kosovo) → Tirana

The challenge I’ve set for myself is simple:

Reach Albania without spending any money on transportation or accommodation. The only things I’m planning to pay for before arriving are food and other essentials. Once I’m in Albania, the challenge is over and I’m happy to spend money on accommodation, buses, activities, etc.

For accommodation on the way, I’m planning to sleep in a hammock with a bug net and tarp whenever possible, using hostels only if something goes completely wrong or the weather makes it necessary.

I’m 20 years old, traveling solo, and this will be my first hitchhiking experience. I’ve spent weeks researching borders, safety, gear, insurance, and Hitchwiki, but I know that nothing beats hearing from people who’ve actually done it.

A few things I’d love to hear your thoughts on:

• How difficult is Serbia for hitchhiking these days?
• Would you recommend going through Kosovo or North Macedonia, and why?
• Are there any roads, border crossings, or areas you’d avoid?
• Is sleeping in a hammock a realistic plan along this route?
• What’s one mistake you made on your first long hitchhiking trip that you’d warn me about?
• Is there anything you’d definitely add or remove from my gear?

Current gear:

• Backpack
• Hammock + bug net
• Sleeping bag
• Sleeping pad
• Rain poncho
• Water bottle
• Headlamp
• Power bank
• Small lock
• Dry bags
• Money belt
• Mosquito spray
• Offline maps & translator
• Basic clothing for around two weeks

And some more small stuff…

I’m also considering bringing a small souvenir from home with me for drivers or occasionally offering to buy them a coffee at a rest stop. It’s not something I see as a “payment,” more just a gesture of appreciation. That said, I’m still unsure if this is actually appropriate or even practical while hitchhiking, so I’d be curious how others handle situations like this.

One thing I found during my research is that some drivers in the Balkans are reluctant to take hitchhikers across borders, so my plan is to get dropped off before the border and find someone who’s already crossing legally. Has that matched your experience?

I’d also love to hear your best hitchhiking stories from the Balkans whether they were amazing, hilarious, or complete disasters. Those kinds of experiences are honestly one of the main reasons I’m doing this trip.

Thanks! Hopefully I’ll be able to come back here afterwards and share how it went.

Hey everyone,

This summer I’m attempting something I’ve wanted to do for a long time: my first ever solo hitchhiking trip.

The plan is to get from Berlin to Tirana (around 1,850 km) almost entirely by hitchhiking. Once I arrive in Albania I’ll spend about a week exploring the country before flying home. I also already have a return flight booked for about two weeks after my departure, so the timeline is fixed.

Current route:

Berlin → Prague → Budapest → Belgrade → Niš → Prishtina (Kosovo) → Tirana

The challenge I’ve set for myself is simple:

Reach Albania without spending any money on transportation or accommodation. The only things I’m planning to pay for before arriving are food and other essentials. Once I’m in Albania, the challenge is over and I’m happy to spend money on accommodation, buses, activities, etc.

For accommodation on the way, I’m planning to sleep in a hammock with a bug net and tarp whenever possible, using hostels only if something goes completely wrong or the weather makes it necessary.

I’m 20 years old, traveling solo, and this will be my first hitchhiking experience. I’ve spent weeks researching borders, safety, gear, insurance, and Hitchwiki, but I know that nothing beats hearing from people who’ve actually done it.

A few things I’d love to hear your thoughts on:

• How difficult is Serbia for hitchhiking these days?
• Would you recommend going through Kosovo or North Macedonia, and why?
• Are there any roads, border crossings, or areas you’d avoid?
• Is sleeping in a hammock a realistic plan along this route?
• What’s one mistake you made on your first long hitchhiking trip that you’d warn me about?
• Is there anything you’d definitely add or remove from my gear?

Current gear:

• Backpack
• Hammock + bug net
• Sleeping bag
• Sleeping pad
• Rain poncho
• Water bottle
• Headlamp
• Power bank
• Small lock
• Dry bags
• Money belt
• Mosquito spray
• Offline maps & translator
• Basic clothing for around two weeks

And some more small stuff…

I’m also considering bringing a small souvenir from home with me for drivers or occasionally offering to buy them a coffee at a rest stop. It’s not something I see as a “payment,” more just a gesture of appreciation. That said, I’m still unsure if this is actually appropriate or even practical while hitchhiking, so I’d be curious how others handle situations like this.

One thing I found during my research is that some drivers in the Balkans are reluctant to take hitchhikers across borders, so my plan is to get dropped off before the border and find someone who’s already crossing legally. Has that matched your experience?

I’d also love to hear your best hitchhiking stories from the Balkans whether they were amazing, hilarious, or complete disasters. Those kinds of experiences are honestly one of the main reasons I’m doing this trip.

Thanks! Hopefully I’ll be able to come back here afterwards and share how it went.