How to find other players?

[Mantab Souls]

is there a hub or something like that?

[AmberAnvil]

Just start a new game, follow directions and you'll be led to the "hub" in pretty short order.

[Vintorez]

While in space between planets, your utility bar should have an option to summon the Anomaly, this is the multiplayer hub. You may have to progress the main story a bit first.

Joining expeditions is also a reliable way to play with others, you can join with your current save at the Anomaly or start a new save in the expedition. Though the current expedition, Adrift, is specially adjusted to be a (mostly) solo experience.

The areas closest to the center of the universe also tend to have more player activity.

[Jaggid Edje]

Sytems that were previously part of an expedition tend to also get regular player traffic. I have bases in "rendezvous" systems from every expedition back to the 1st one, and I still see other players pretty regularly in those systems even for the expeditions that were years ago.

I agree that the Anomaly is (obviously) the best place to run into other players, but beyond that, setting up bases in expedition systems is another good way, even long after the expeditions are over.

[Consoomer]

Yeah, they are called "civs". The biggest of many: https://nmsgalactichub.miraheze.org/wiki/Main_Page

Discord is here: https://discord.gg/XswNSx7T