Spotting and travelling on foreign trains

[aspierail]

Has anyone done any travelling and spotting trains in any foreign country if you have what were your positives experiences and what were your negative experiences.

 

[SteamontheMet]

All my Overseas experiences of Train spotting have been very good, Most of Europe, Malaysia, Singapore, Canada and Australia have been great, members of the public and railway staff out there are very friendly.

France and the UK are the only places where I have had problems, in Paris Gare Du Lyon I was asked to leave by Police for Filming and Photographing trains.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I've done a lot in France and Belgium. Never had any problems personally.

SteamontheMet - France is currently still enforcing "Plan Vigipirate"; this is their higher security level equivalent and it means the tolerance of photography on SNCF is suspended as long as the plan is in force. You shouldn't have any problems just spotting, though.

 

[Anvil1984]

I put something on here but made no sense - just ignore me lol

 

[starrymarkb]

I've done a lot in France and Belgium. Never had any problems personally.

SteamontheMet - France is currently still enforcing "Plan Vigipirate"; this is their higher security level equivalent and it means the tolerance of photography on SNCF is suspended as long as the plan is in force. You shouldn't have any problems just spotting, though.

Thanks for the warning there. *makes note not to take pics at Lille Europe*

 

[gordonthemoron]

I've never seen photographers on the platforms at Munich Hbf, but it is quite common to see them on Hackerbrücke outside my office, taking photos of trains in the station and departing/arriving. When they do the occasional steam trains from Munich Ost, there are a lot of photographers

 

[steamybrian]

I have travelled by rail in France, Belguim, Netherlands, Germany,Austria, Switzerland, Spain, Portugal and just into Italy as well as USA and Canada. In all the countries I visited I have never had any problems with spotting or photography.
It would appear the biggest problem was on home soil..!!!
It was after one of my recent trips abroad that read the publicity about enthusiasts being prevented filming in England was it at Macclesfield station ??

 

[gareth taylor]

It was after one of my recent trips abroad that read the publicity about enthusiasts being prevented filming in England was it at Macclesfield station ??

It was Macclesfield, I saw it on BBC local news. Dont know about any where in the UK.

 

[SteamontheMet]

SteamontheMet - France is currently still enforcing "Plan Vigipirate"; this is their higher security level equivalent and it means the tolerance of photography on SNCF is suspended as long as the plan is in force. You shouldn't have any problems just spotting, though.

Thank you for that Peter, I don't plan to visit France anytime soon but if I do I will research further into that.

After leaving Gare De Lyon I went round to corner to a couple of high rise flats over looking the railway, good for Photos

Here's a video of the spot:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cX5ecuUQJm8

Anyone been to Japan, South Korea or Taiwan, whats Spotting like out there?

 

[TGVDUDE]

I've filmed and photographed TGVs at Marne La Vallee (Disney) :P before with no problems from staff

 

[class313]

I have done a fair bit of Photography in Finland while on holiday, mostly at Jyvaskyla (central Finland) and Helsinki, and they did not take any notice, there was even some locals there filming as well, and they were most accommodating, even with their lack of English.

 

[class156]

The only foreign country i've been spoting in is the Netherlands, in particular Amsterdam Centraal and the staff there didn't bat an eyelid.

 

[Broken Viking]

No-one's ever objected to me spotting at Hamburg Hbf, Helsinki Rautatientori, Oslo Central, or NY Grand Central/Penn stations. I have in the past though been asked not to take photographs on the Hamburger Vehrkersverbund, Paris RATP, and the Los Angeles metro.

Seems to me that spotting and photting is considered much more of a security risk on mass transit systems than mainline railways...Though that said, I did once have a driver on the NY MTA actually prop his cab door open on a run from 42nd St to Coney Island so that we could chat and I'd be able to get a drivers-eye view of the route whilst still staying in the passenger space!

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Well, RATP in Paris is a long standing permanent ban.

If you look at the notices on the platforms - the ones with all the smallprint conditions of carriage on - they do actually say "No photography without the authority of the "regie" bla bla bla ".

Now, "regie" ( Not sure I've spelt that right ) presumably means RATP in this instance, and that is confirmed by staff.

But you try getting through the bureaucracy at RATP HQ to get a permit... I can guarantee you won't!

However..... if you participate on one of the overnight ADEMAS tours ( do they still do them? ) of the Metro, nobody objects to any photography during those tours - including at the depot prior to the tour starting.

 

[Techniquest]

I didn't do much spotting there, but had no problems in Dublin. Did plenty more in Belfast and the surrounding area, again no problems.

I've done a bit of filming on the Metro/RER system in Paris before, but that was in summer 2007 when things may have been considerably different. No idea where that footage is at the moment otherwise I'd upload it to YouTube. Didn't know of 'Vigipirate', shall check if that still applies when I go over to France next. Won't be for some months yet as I've got to get my new passport first.

Spotting whilst over there, I had no problems at all. Again, that was summer 2007 so could have been vastly different.

EDIT: As for travelling experiences on foreign trains, I've had no problems there at all. Getting used to the rather limited amount of trains in some countries takes a while. Still find it hard to believe there's not all that many trains between Dublin and Cork, for example.

 

[Zamracene749]

I've never had a problem taking snaps/ short films in Germany, Czech republic, Poland, Netherlands. In fact i've had friendly waves/nods/chats in the first three from drivers and train/ station staff

Travelling in Europe is normally a pleasure. There is some overcrowding on the trains but in my experience generally not as bad as in the UK, usually found (as it is here) on prime inter city services or of course peak suburban runs.

If there is one problem with travel in Europe, it's the crap signeage at some small stations- often only one (sometimes illegible) sign in the centre of the platform- and rather dimly lit at night too- if you're alighting somewhere obscure have a timetable to hand and keep careful count of the stops!

My advice- do it you'll love it

 

[northwichcat]

It was Macclesfield, I saw it on BBC local news. Dont know about any where in the UK.

It was a Chinese man who VT staff removed from the station for using photographic equipment. He told the media reporting on the story that English rail stations are like communist China.

 

[SteamontheMet]

seems to me that spotting and photting is considered much more of a security risk on mass transit systems than mainline railways.

Much the case in many parts of the world, while in Sydney staff where very tolerant towards photographing the Metro, but on the Monorail it was a defiant NO-NO. In Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) and Singapore there where many clear signs of no photographing light rail and mass transit systems and authorities took a hard line on it, but mainline railways were perfectly fine, some passers by took a deep interest in me and dad watching trains and told me it is "Rare for trainspotters in South East Asia".

 

[Csalem]

Never had any problems in Germany, France or Belgium. Indeed, some of the drivers would wave or toot the horn as they passed in those locations. Only problems I've ever had was in the UK.

 

[Drsatan]

I've taken photos of trains in Switzerland (on SBB, RhB and MOB property) without any problems. Swiss stations are, without exception, immaculate.

 

[Matt Taylor]

I've done the following and never had a problem:

France
Germany
Belgium
Luxembourg
Norway
Spain
USA
Malaysia
Singapore
Australia
New Zealand

I did once get a quick verbal warning off a PCSO type chap at Sydney Central for taking a picture of one of the suburban units but never had a problem on the mainline side of the station.

 

[silvermachine]

I found Japan was very welcoming and had no problems taking photos of trains there.

Indeed the japanese are very enthusiastic about their trains and have a big enthusiast following.

 

[The passenger]

Hello and good evening,

usually you've no problems to make pictures of trains, if you are on public territory. For train enthusiasts there should be also some press release on the DB website, but I can't find it at the moment. Sometimes the police (esp. 'Bundespolizei') and the DB owned security service 'BSG' tries to ban picture taking railfans from the station area, because they're not up to date to the photo regulations.

The best experiences for railfanning I made in
=> Europe: Czech Republic (!), Slovak Republic, Switzerland, Austria and Italy
=> Asia: Japan.

In Czech Republic nobody disturbs you unless you're respecting the usual rules (situated on public territory, no using of flashlight and tripod). If you're a lucky guy, you'll be invited to the cab. In Italy I was also invited to cab and was also invited to share their 'evening dinner' with the engineers including to accompany them as a 'third engineer' on the highspeed line from Rome to Florence.

In Japan railfanning is quite common and rail travel has a very good reputation over there. So nobody is confused about taking pictures of trains. The railway staff is usually very proud of their trains and company and is also proud, that you're taking pictures of his train! Quite uncommon in Europe.

Kind regards
The passenger

 

[Gordon]

.

I have photographed in the following countries over the years with only a few problems:

France, Spain, Portugal, Benelux, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Italy, Czecho
Slovakia, Hungary, Yugoslavia (pre-disitegration), Greece, Turkey, Poland, Norway, China, USA, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay

In recent times there has been quite a bit of hyperbolic reaction in the enthisiast fraternity to specific instances where people have encountered problems. These tend to get more 'air time' than the many thousands of hours other people have spent spotting and photting without encountering any problems.

At a rough estimate I have spent about 200 weeks of my adult life abroad photographing trains (since around 1969 when I could first take an acceptable photo on the 'low tech' kit of the time)

In the past 10 years (ie since the 'post9/11' era started) I have had occasional problems but the instances have been few and far between. I had an instance at Grenoble in France, but on the same trip took hundreds of photos at other locations without problems. Lots of peolple warn against photting in large stations, but even in the last few years of 'high alert' in France I have not been challenged when taking photographs at Paris termini such as Nord, Est and Gare de Lyon. I have also take photos virtaully every year for the past 10 at Luyion Part Dieu without once being challenged.

To add some historical balance to this debate, many years ago even some 'free' European countries had tight restrictions on photography (eg Italy). Before about 1980 you officially needed a permit to photograph on SNCF, but hardly anyone realised because they were so seldom challenged. I was only challegend once in that era and bizarrely it was at a tiny wayside station where the station master probaly was just exerting his right to self importance (as most rural SNCF stations only saw about 3 trains a day at that time)

BTW the results of many of these trips can be found in my Fotopic sites:

http://europtrains.fotopic.net

http://frenchrailways.fotopic.net/





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[Benno]

I have never had a problem photographing in Europe. Last year I had 4 days in Paris and photographed at all the terminus stations without any bother at all.

This might help if you are heading to France
http://www.sncf.com/en_EN/html/media/CH0007-Culture/BR0252-Amateur-photography/MD0005_20070522-Read-article.html

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Is there a French language version of that page please? Might be rather useful to print it with English on one side, French on the other and then laminate it.




( Officially "Vigipirate" is currently in force, although from the most recent posts on this thread it appears it is not being enforced... )

 

[Benno]

Is there a French language version of that page please? Might be rather useful to print it with English on one side, French on the other and then laminate it.

There is a French language version:

http://www.sncf.fr/fr_FR/html/media/CH0007-Culture/BR0252-Photographie-amateur/MD0005_20070522-Lire-l-article.html

( Officially "Vigipirate" is currently in force, although from the most recent posts on this thread it appears it is not being enforced... )

I did wonder what the reaction would be in Paris, but having photographed at all the main termini we were not stopped once. Plenty of staff and Police saw what we were doing but weren't bothered at all.

In fact over 9 days was spent in France, Luxembourg, Belgium, Germany and Holland, and only at Amersfoort was I asked what I was doing by their version of the transport Police. Once I told him I was photographing the trains he wished me a good day and went on his way.

Europe - I love it over there.

 

[gordonthemoron]

also, in germany, don't be put off by the large numbers of police who are frequently seen in railway stations, aside from terrorist alerts, they're usually on the lookout for football hooligans

 

[safira218]

Well, RATP in Paris is a long standing permanent ban.

If you look at the notices on the platforms - the ones with all the smallprint conditions of carriage on - they do actually say "No photography without the authority of the "regie" bla bla bla ".

Now, "regie" ( Not sure I've spelt that right ) presumably means RATP in this instance, and that is confirmed by staff.

But you try getting through the bureaucracy at RATP HQ to get a permit... I can guarantee you won't!

However..... if you participate on one of the overnight ADEMAS tours ( do they still do them? ) of the Metro, nobody objects to any photography during those tours - including at the depot prior to the tour starting.

I've done a bit of filming on the Metro/RER system in Paris before, but that was in summer 2007 when things may have been considerably different. No idea where that footage is at the moment otherwise I'd upload it to YouTube. Didn't know of 'Vigipirate', shall check if that still applies when I go over to France next. Won't be for some months yet as I've got to get my new passport first.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

For info, I've been advised that the ADEMAS tours are no longer running as RATP have imposed a ban on the use of the non-passenger crossovers and links between lines which were the main purpose of the tours. This followed what I have been told was a derailment; not clear if this involved the Sprague rake or not.