If you have to join this group, all you have to do is sign up. You can then contact the community of the place you want to visit or search through profiles to find the person you think is most suited to host you.

Travel guide
couchsurfing.com is a site for travellers looking for a cultural experience and not touristy trips. It gives you a chance to view a city from an insider’s perspective and, of course, gets you a place to stay for free. It’s NOT a dating site.
* Travel enthusiasts can join the site after filling in a simple online form that asks you for your name, address and hobbies. You also have to mention if you have a couch to offer.
* To ensure that travellers trust you and people want to host you, you can get your address verified by paying $9.04 (Rs 362 approx) through your credit card. The card information is used to check if the name and address provided by you is correct.
* Complete your profile, from putting up your picture to listing all that you are interested in. This helps people choose you as a host and helps a host get to know about you before he agrees to have you over.
* If you are hosting, make your conditions clear. If you have any pet peeves tell them. If you don’t want smokers, say so. Check the traveller’s security status.
* If you are travelling, go through profiles to pick a host who is most likely to match your interests. Make sure you are verified, it helps the host select you.

... contd.