Hitchhiking on the Camino?

[SuetoSantiago]

What are people's experience with hitchhiking along the camino if you are having an issue and can't walk?

 

[chinacat]

Personally, I probably wouldn’t hitch anywhere nowadays - not solo.
Having said that, I did thumb a lift in the middle of nowhere near Limoges, about 8 years ago.
It was an exceptional occasion.
In a couple it would probably be fairly easy.

 

[jsalt]

In my experience it has been VERY easy, and no hassles, hitching on the camino, especially if you look like a pilgrim in distress. The locals will help you out.

 

[J Willhaus]

Last summer we had a pilgrim who was "stranded" in a town where there was a fiesta going on and no open rooms. He was just standing on a corner looking forlorn when a couple swooped him up, loaded him in their car and drove him to our albergue a few miles away up a steep hill. He did not speak their language and they did not speak his, but they knew what he needed.

In another instance we had a pilgrim who had fallen in the mud on a rainy day and was lying by the road wrapped in his poncho. A car pulled up, the driver rolled down his window and shouted "Peregrino?". He popped the trunk and the pilgrim climbed in drenched and muddy and he was transported to the albergue where we were working that winter.

I've not seen anyone with their thumb out trying to get a ride, but if you are in need it is likely you will get a ride.

 

[Walkerooni]

"In another instance we had a pilgrim who had fallen in the mud on a rainy day and was lying by the road wrapped in his poncho. A car pulled up, the driver rolled down his window and shouted "Peregrino?". He popped the trunk and the pilgrim climbed in drenched and muddy and he was transported to the albergue where we were working that winter."

This is brilliant! Only on the Camino would you be grateful when someone is putting you in their trunk!

 

[MinaKamina]

if you are on your own, be wise and get a taxi. there also have been incidents where getting into the car of an unknown person did (almost) not end well.
you will meet a lot of helpful people but this does not mean that everyone on the Camino has good intentions.

 

[alexwalker]

Not a good idea these days, in a foreign country. The driver will also not be a pilgrim, Do as @MinaKamina advices, IMHO..

 

[JCLima]

The people around the Camino are just normal people. Some are good. Some are bad.

Be wise.

 

[peregrina2000]

Totally agree with @J Wilhaus. I have had several experiences getting rides on the Camino. Once on the Olvidado, my walking partner had terrible pains in one foot, and we were about 10 kms from Aguilar de Campóo. I flagged down a car on a not so busy road, and a woman stopped and happily gave her a ride. If the person who stopped had given me the wrong vibe, I had some story ready in which I would have asked them to call us a cab or something like that.

On another occasion LTfit and I had finished the Catalán in Santa Cilia in late morning and knew that there was a 5 pm bus from there to take us up to Somport to start the Aragonés, but that there was a much earlier bus from Jaca up to Somport. After trying the old stick-your-thumb-out technique with no success, we walked about 500 m to a spot where the road from Santa Cilia came out onto the road we had been hitching on. We flagged down a car that was turning in the direction of Jaca, asked him if he was going to Jaca and if he could take us, and he wound up taking us to Somport! I would not have done that by myself, but with another person and based on what our gut instincts told us, we felt fine.

I have a few more stories, but you get the picture.

I would do it again if necessary, but I think it’s important to trust your gut instincts.

 

[Anniesantiago]

I've hitched rides on the Camino more than once.
Joe and I took a ride on the Lourdes route once.
I took a ride into Merida once.
:: a nice man took me to the hospital when I fell outside of Ciraqui.

I don't know... I guess it'd just depend on the situation.

I'd suggest you get the phone number of a taxi company each night for the following day in case of emergency. Ask your albergue/lodging person - or watch for signs. They're posted everywhere.

 

[K_Lynn]

I had a panic attack a couple of km from my booked lodging when I realized that to get to it I had to navigate 2 roundabouts on a highway. I was not prepared for that. A delivery truck had pulled up near where I was melting down to check the straps etc on his truck and I asked if he would call a taxi for me. He offered to drive me and refused the money I tried to give him.

I made sure after that to check the locations of my accommodations and only book places in the actual town.

Buen Camino! If you are in need, someone will come to your rescue!

 

[nycwalking]

I’ve hitched twice, requested a ride once, and was told to, “get in car” one time.

Everytime my drivers were gracious, kind, caring, and safe.

Buen camino.

 

[SabsP]

Never! Not at home and not abroad.

As a student I hitchhiked but that was ages ago and way before the " Dutroux " case here in Belgium which changed forever our national mindset regarding hitchhiking and safety.
On a Camino I would always choose a taxi if needed.

I am not an anxious person but hitchhiking is a big no for me.

 

[DoughnutANZ]

I think, as someone else mentioned, that if I look like a pilgrim and you need help then someone will help you. There is a long tradition of helping pilgrims in Spain.

I flagged down a vehicle once and asked for help when I had an injury and received a ride from a very nice lady.

You will need to make your own assessment of the probable safety of the situation at the time that you seek help.

What I wouldn't do is plan a series of stops that I knew was beyond my capabilities and have in mind that when I got tired that I would just ask for a ride.

Depending on which Camino that you are thinking of walking but I suspect that the closer that you get to Santiago, especially in the last 100klms, then the less likely that you would get help from the general public. I think that as the number of pilgrims increases the public sympathy for pilgrims diminishes.

 

[MinaKamina]

what I find surprising .... when a pilgrim or peregrina reports an incident on this forum, the standard advice is to download the Alert Cops App for Spain and learn how to use it in case of emergencies.
I second this advice. I would give it to any solo woman who considers to go hitchhiking, especially if they are incapacitated and cannot run when needed.

imagine my surprise while reading the replies on this thread.

 

[dfox]

Personally, I probably wouldn’t hitch anywhere nowadays - not solo.

I also think it's not advisable to get into a vehicle not knowing the driver, etc.

When I needed a ride on the CF, I went to a cafe and asked the storekeeper to arrange a taxi, It was about
ne Euro per kilometer in 2019.

 

[happymarkos]

What are people's experience with hitchhiking along the camino if you are having an issue and can't walk?

Yes did so once before Pamplona as I injured my leg. Locals very helpful
Was with my wife so two of us. It was a couple who picked us up.

 

[CWBuff]

Im sorry but this is just too funny (at least to me)

... when a couple swooped him up, loaded him in their car and drove him to our albergue ...

(like two birds of Prey) ..swooped him up, loaded into the car, took him to albergue (...and had a wonderful dinner.. wonder what happened to his backpack... was it a carrion?)

Not a good idea these days, in a foreign country. The driver will also not be a pilgrim,

Now wait a darn minute! (To paraphraze Yost) not only they can use bikes (and eBikes) but now we can do the Pilgrimage in CARS?!?!?!

 

[Bellbutt]

"In another instance we had a pilgrim who had fallen in the mud on a rainy day and was lying by the road wrapped in his poncho. A car pulled up, the driver rolled down his window and shouted "Peregrino?". He popped the trunk and the pilgrim climbed in drenched and muddy and he was transported to the albergue where we were working that winter."

This is brilliant! Only on the Camino would you be grateful when someone is putting you in their trunk!

I had had a very hard day, pack too heavy (surprise), back aching and came into Los Arcos and NOTHING was available . I couldn't walk another step. A bartender (I needed a beer) told me of this place about 2 miles away and called for me to make a reservation. Then he said there were no taxis available . So I crawled (not really) to the road, and put my thumb up. A small van was parked near me and the driver saw me and said he'd like to help but there was no room as he had his small son with him. I looked into the back of his van where there were two bicycles taking up nearly all the space. I proceeded to crawl between the bikes, backpack on, and on my hands and knees, with handlebars sticking into my flanks, got driven to my 5 star abode. Well, maybe one half star--but it was heavenly to me.

 

[Debbiecb]

In my experience it has been VERY easy, and no hassles, hitching on the camino, especially if you look like a pilgrim in distress. The locals will help you out.

That's my experience too. I've never hitch hiked in the US, but I have in France on Le Puy route twice and they were so kind and gracious.

 

[KevinWilcox]

I guess the replies are all saying the same thing. 99.9% of the time you will get a lift from kind, generous people, because 999 out of a 1000 people who give lifts are by nature kind and helpful. And 1 in 1000 is not. That's probably an under-estimate if I'm honest, but who knows. Spotting the dodgy guys is the trick, and I don't know of any tricks to do that reliably. This is equally true about ad hoc companions. Sometimes you just have to apply common sense, go with your gut feeling and hope for the best. Personally, I would still hitch or accept an offer if I really needed to, but only then. I wouldn't set out with that as part of my plan.

 

[Jeff Crawley]

Im sorry but this is just too funny (at least to me)


(like two birds of Prey) ..swooped him up, loaded into the car, took him to albergue (...and had a wonderful dinner.. wonder what happened to his backpack... was it a carrion?)


Now wait a darn minute! (To paraphraze Yost) not only they can use bikes (and eBikes) but now we can do the Pilgrimage in CARS?!?!?!

On my last CF there was a group of 4 cars that went the whole way from SJPP to SdC supporting some European pilgrims. The took it in turns to drive/walk a few kilometres a day.

By the time we reached Castrojeriz they were even parking outside of the hostals and refugios.

On reaching SdC I gasped as one of the ladies, who was alongside me at the counter, confirmed that she had walked "all the way" (saw her later dodge under the barrier and place her hand on the Tree of David in the cathedral).

Why, is Carmino-ing not allowed nowadays?

 

[alexwalker]

I guess the replies are all saying the same thing. 99.9% of the time you will get a lift from kind, generous people, because 999 out of a 1000 people who give lifts are by nature kind and helpful. And 1 in 1000 is not. That's probably an under-estimate if I'm honest, but who knows. Spotting the dodgy guys is the trick, and I don't know of any tricks to do that reliably. This is equally true about ad hoc companions. Sometimes you just have to apply common sense, go with your gut feeling and hope for the best. Personally, I would still hitch or accept an offer if I really needed to, but only then. I wouldn't set out with that as part of my plan.

A hitchhiker once got a lift, and then said to the driver: "Why did you take me on; I might be a serial killer, for all you know!"

The driver replied: "Well, the probability of two serial killers sitting in the same car is very low...".

 

[KevinWilcox]

The driver replied: "Well, the probability of two serial killers sitting in the same car is very low...".

Gosh but you guys can get a bit dark. There was me, busting a gut to not mention the lift I once got from a Walton’s-like family complete with border collie and grandparents, who still turned out to be axe-wielding murderers, and you spoil it all for everyone by mentioning serial killers. I hope you feel very, very ashamed of yourself.

 

[David Tallan]

What are people's experience with hitchhiking along the camino if you are having an issue and can't walk?

I have a fair amount of experience but it dates back some 35 years. Back then I most frequently got rides from pilgrims driving from Italy and other European places to Santiago. It is possible things may be different now.

 

[David Tallan]

Now wait a darn minute! (To paraphraze Yost) not only they can use bikes (and eBikes) but now we can do the Pilgrimage in CARS?!?!?!

What do you mean now? You've been able to since cars were invented. It's just promoted a bit less now. And don't expect a Compostela.

This is from a guide to the Camino de Santiago that used to be given out by the tourist offices in Spain. It is pretty clear how they expected people to make their way to Santiago and the Saint. The fact that all the gas stations are indicated is a pretty good clue.

 

[Anniesantiago]

I almost forgot another time I hitchhiked when I was trying to walk from the Aragones up to the Monastery on the old washed out trail. The blog post was in 2015 but the experience was many years earlier. The trail was SO bad. I had walked (climbed and rock scrambled) many hours and didn't think I could take another step - then a car came by - they gave me water, bread, and a ride, a nice couple from France who were vacationing.
Another Hitching Story

 

[camino07]

On my first VDLP in 2012, I was looking for the Alcantara Albergue, walking ,walking and thought I must have passed it. a car stopped, going the other way and I asked the man if he knew where the Albergue was.
He said there is no albergue around here. I insisted that there was. Anyway he did a U turn and said he would drive me along the road to check. After another bridge I saw a sign with a big A and told him that would be it. He didn't want to let me take a chance as he was so sure there was nothing down the dirt road.
We saw a phone number in a tree and he phoned and was assured the albergue was down on the edge of the Embalse. Such a nice ,caring man. I didn't think twice about taking the lift. Only in Spain!

 

[MARSKA]

AH...ummm ..... well.... cough ..... def not solo!!!!!

 

[LTfit]

On another occasion LTfit and I had finished the Catalán in Santa Cilia in late morning and knew that there was a 5 pm bus from there to take us up to Somport to start the Aragonés, but that there was a much earlier bus from Jaca up to Somport. After trying the old stick-your-thumb-out technique with no success, we walked about 500 m to a spot where the road from Santa Cilia came out onto the road we had been hitching on. We flagged down a car that was turning in the direction of Jaca, asked him if he was going to Jaca and if he could take us, and he wound up taking us to Somport! I would not have done that by myself, but with another person and based on what our gut instincts told us, we felt fine.

I was just going to post that! Incredible that he took us all the way to Somport. That day we finished the Catalan and walked from Somport down to Canfranc! And I agree, I would not have done this on my own.

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

Now wait a darn minute! (To paraphraze Yost) not only they can use bikes (and eBikes) but now we can do the Pilgrimage in CARS?!?!

Part of my post from an earlier thread:

In the 1970’s my father’s godmother (in her late 60’s/ early 70‘s herself) drove a group of elderly nun’s (her word) to Santiago from Southhampton, UK . With the Bishops blessing, and a shell on the front of the car. Recognised and welcomed all along the way as the pilgrims they were .

 

[kmrice]

In 2016 we walked from Le Puy-en-Veley to Santiago. In our Camino family was a couple who had driven from France to Le Puy-en-Veley, where they left their car. At the end of the first day's walk, he hitched back to Le Puy-en-Veley, drove to the next stage past where we had stopped for the night, and hitched to our location. He did this all the way to Santiago. He'd walk with us the two stages, then hitch back, pick up the car, drive to the next stage ahead of us, and hitch back to where we were. He did this all the way to Santiago with no problem; pretty much always made it back to our location in time for an aperitif before dinner.

 

[WGroleau]

Now wait a darn minute! (To paraphraze Yost) not only they can use bikes (and eBikes) but now we can do the Pilgrimage in CARS?!?!?!

As hospitalero, more than once I heard a pilgrim cursing the folks who park out of sight, walk to an albergue for a sello, walk back, and drive on. In contrast, one day when we were full, an Irish trio were appalled at the suggestion they could take a taxi to the next village—“that would be cheating!” Then one of them said, “We coud take a taxi back here in the morning to continue.”

 

[Kiddstu]

What are people's experience with hitchhiking along the camino if you are having an issue and can't walk?

A few days ago I had to meet my sisters who were two days ahead of me on the Camino Frances. I arrived at SJPDP in the afternoon by train and walked out of town. Put my thumb out and a woman stopped (first vehicle to come by). It took me 4 lifts to get to Zubiri. Everyone was really nice and I only ever waited maximum 15 minutes.

 

[Flog]

As others have said, Spanish drivers are used to seeing pilgrims on camino routes and are generally willing and helpful if they see one in need. I've been offered a lift many times and gratefully accepted a couple of times, when I was in real need (one time in particular when I got caught in a hailstorm and stupidly left it too late to get into my wet gear and I was frozen and wet through).

Spain is safe, but common sense should prevail, as with hitching anywhere. especially if you're a lone female. If possible, try to hitch from the edge of a town or village rather than from a remote location and phone in hand, no harm in discretely taking a pic of the number plate.