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SNCF Photography Policy

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I'm heading down to Paris on the Eurostar on Wednesday, and i plan on videoing and photographing some French trains, so i was just wondering what SNCF's photography policy was. I couldn't find anything on their website, and i'd rather find out so i don't end up being kicked off a station. Thanks.
 
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Peter Mugridge

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Officially it is "tolerated" rather than "permitted". Apply the usual common sense rules of not getting in the way or going out of bounds or showing lights. Avoid the use of tripods completely.

Be aware that the situation on RATP is a total ban - this does not just mean the Metro but also the RATP operated half of the RER system.


You could also stay in a hotel which is next to a railway...

https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...stions-and-reviews.55619/page-34#post-3623054
 
Joined
3 Jan 2017
Messages
10
Location
Bergen, Norway
Officially it is "tolerated" rather than "permitted". Apply the usual common sense rules of not getting in the way or going out of bounds or showing lights. Avoid the use of tripods completely.

Be aware that the situation on RATP is a total ban - this does not just mean the Metro but also the RATP operated half of the RER system.


You could also stay in a hotel which is next to a railway...

https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...stions-and-reviews.55619/page-34#post-3623054
Unfortunately a hotel is out of the question, since im returning on the same day (don't ask why, its complicated to explain), but thanks for the heads up about the RATP ban.
 

TRAX

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You won’t get in trouble for photographing and videoing in RATP stations, depending on how discreet you are and who the station staff is at that moment.
Just apply the same common sense rules as for SNCF - no tripod, no flash, be discreet (because of staff and "thugs") and stay where you should be.
French railway staff don’t expect you to follow the rules during your presence, they usually just don’t care.
In our experience RATP staff is more open-minded to enthusiasts than SNCF staff.
 

Peter Mugridge

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Now that's interesting because just about every time I've seen someone get a camera out on an RATP station, they've been surrounded by uniforms within a couple of minutes...
 

317666

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I've never had problems taking photos and videos on either SNCF or RATP property, although I tend to take them 'on the fly' rather than staying in one location for an extended period.
 

DelW

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On a trip a fortnight ago, I took a small number of photos on Metro stations (no trains in shot), and several at Gare du Nord of SNCF and Eurostar trains at the buffers, without being queried. I was using a handheld compact and shooting quite quickly though.
 

TRAX

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SNCF rules are quite clear on the matter - if you take pictures for a strictly private use and without selling them afterwards, you have the absolute right to photograph and video anything you want as long as you are somewhere that is open to the public, without needing any official authorisation.
Something important though: if you happen to have the face of an employee (or anyone for that matter) in one of your pictures, and that person asks you to delete that picture for whatever reason, you absolutely have to delete said picture.

Station staff usually don’t really care about your camera. Driving staff either, and there are more drivers who would actually give you a friendly wave than drivers that would flip you the bird, hide their face, or actually bother you.
 
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Wychwood93

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SNCF rules are quite clear on the matter - if you take pictures for a strictly private use and without selling them afterwards, you have the absolute right to photograph and video anything you want as long as you are somewhere that is open to the public, without needing any official authorisation.
Something important though: if you happen to have the face of an employee (or anyone for that matter) in one of your pictures, and that person asks you to delete that picture for whatever reason, you absolutely have to delete said picture.

Station staff usually don’t really care about your camera. Driving staff either, and there are more drivers who would actually give you a friendly wave than drivers that would flip you the bird, hide their face, or actually bother you.
Having been a regular traveller in France for 25+ years I have never had any issues - whilst I am more than pleased with many of the photos that I have taken I am not a photographer. Apertures etc. are not something I deal with - f6 etc. I understand, but I am more of a 'snapper'. Although Spain has not been mentioned in this thread - it is now! - I have had no issues there either. I know some who have. As assorted bits above say - just be sensible.
 

Segedunum

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I've photographed all over the Metro and RATP operated RER with no hassle, ever. On the SNCF operated RER E, the driver invited me into the cab when I snapped his train at Magenta.

I've used swathes of SNCF lines across France in 2018, and again, nobody really cared.

Even in Spain where @Wychwood93 mentions some having issues- I have quite literally strolled to the end of a platform on the Cercanias Madrid and been yelled at by security as they thought I was going to hop onto the tracks, followed by a collective 'ohhh' as I spun around and took a picture before heading back the other way. They told me photography is absolutely fine, and they were the rent a thug types :lol:

Ironically the only places I've ever places I've been told to stop photographing are Luton (Thameslink moron who was clearly just bored) and Liverpool Central (employee chased me onto the train and insinuated I was acting like a terrorist).
 

87electric

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On Le Mans platform for 5 minutes recently. 1 photo taken of the incoming TGV and asked to stop taking photos immediately by security.
 

TRAX

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Who do you define as security ? Was it SNCF staff or a security contractor ?
 

LLivery

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Officially it is "tolerated" rather than "permitted". Apply the usual common sense rules of not getting in the way or going out of bounds or showing lights. Avoid the use of tripods completely.

Be aware that the situation on RATP is a total ban - this does not just mean the Metro but also the RATP operated half of the RER system.


You could also stay in a hotel which is next to a railway...

https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...stions-and-reviews.55619/page-34#post-3623054

Seeing the iconic Paris Metro is one of the most photographed on earth, with the RATP Instagram page literally telling you to tag and share your photos with them, I find that somewhat baffling.
 

Peter Mugridge

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Seeing the iconic Paris Metro is one of the most photographed on earth, with the RATP Instagram page literally telling you to tag and share your photos with them, I find that somewhat baffling.

Can you show me a screenshot of that please? I don't use Instagram.

On every station on the Metro the rules and regulations poster still includes the phrase "...la photographie est interdit sauf l'authoritie de la Regie..." so there's evidently a bit of a conflict between RATP's right hand and left hand here...
 

LLivery

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Can you show me a screenshot of that please? I don't use Instagram.

On every station on the Metro the rules and regulations poster still includes the phrase "...la photographie est interdit sauf l'authoritie de la Regie..." so there's evidently a bit of a conflict between RATP's right hand and left hand here...

I never noticed that the last time I was there. Here's the screenshot:

Screenshot_20181022-234253_Instagram.jpg
 
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