There are several ways to find and connect with people on Couchsurfing, depending on what you're looking for: a host, a fellow traveler, someone nearby, or people who share your interests.
Here's a quick overview of your options:
- Search for Hosts or Travelers to find people in a specific destination
- Explore a Destination to see what's happening in a place before you reach out
- Browse Communities to connect with people who share your interests
- Discover Events to meet people at in-person activities and meetups
- Check Your Feed for personalized friend, host, and traveler suggestions
- Hangout to see who's nearby and ready to meet up, and connect with them in real time
- Get Introduced Through Friends when the platform suggests connecting your friends
- Search for a Specific Person by name or handle
Search for Hosts or Travelers
The quickest way to find people in a specific place is through search.
On mobile:
- Tap Explore
in the bottom navigation bar
- Select Hosts or Travelers
- Type a location into the search bar
- Find Hosts or Travelers near your location
On the web:
- Click Explore
in the left navigation bar
- Select Hosts or Travelers
- Type a location into the search bar
- Find Hosts or Travelers near your location
Results are personalized to you. People you're more likely to connect with (such as friends of friends, members with shared interests, or those who speak your language) appear higher in the list.
Explore a Destination
Searching for a location takes you to its Location Page, where you can see a snapshot of Couchsurfing activity in that place: who lives there, who's visiting, upcoming events, and local Communities. It's a good way to get a feel for a destination before reaching out to anyone.
Browse Communities
Communities are spaces built around shared interests, hobbies, or locations. Joining one is a natural way to meet people who care about the same things you do.
On mobile:
- Tap Explore
- Select Communities
- Type a topic or location into the search bar
- Browse Communities that match your interests
On the web:
- Click Explore
- Select Communities
- Type a topic or location into the search bar
- Browse Communities that match your interests
You don't need to join a Community to participate. You can browse and post in any Community without joining.
Discover Events
Events are a great way to meet people in person. You can find events near you or in a city you're visiting, and mark yourself as Interested or Going to connect with others who are attending.
Access Events from Events in your navigation bar.
Check Your Feed
Your Feed surfaces people you might want to connect with, based on your profile and activity. You'll see friend suggestions, host and traveler recommendations, and updates from people you're already connected with, all in one scrollable view.
Hangout
Landed in a new city and want to meet locals or fellow travelers tonight? Just feel like doing something and want to meet someone new? Hangout is for exactly that.
Step into the Hangout and you'll see nearby members who are also available right now. Browse their profiles, send a chat request, and make something happen. Your exact location is never shown; only a nearby pin is displayed.
Get Introduced Through Friends
If a friend has an upcoming trip, the platform may suggest introducing them to other friends who live at or have visited their destination. These Intros happen through a group chat and are a low-effort way to help your network connect.
Search for a Specific Person
If you're looking for someone you already know, you can search by their name or username.
On mobile:
- Tap Explore
- Select People
- Type their full name or username
- Find and connect with the person you're looking for
On the web:
- Click Explore
- Select People
- Type their full name or username
- Find and connect with the person you're looking for
Tips for Better Connections
- A complete profile makes it much easier for others to say yes to your requests. The more you share about yourself, the better your search results will be too. The platform personalizes results based on your interests, language, and connections.
- References from past stays and meetings build trust and make your profile more compelling to potential hosts and new friends.
Need more help? Get in touch. You can also reach us anytime through Settings → Contact Support.