Rail photography in Italy

I will be travelling to Rome later in the month and will take a few daytrips by

train (Florence, Orvieto, Naples). Does anyone know what prohibitions there are

in taking photos around train stations and on the property in general?<p>I'd

like to get a few shots of trains approaching the platforms, views down the

tracks, outside of terminals, etc.<p> I know what my legal rights are stateside

(I'm a lawyer), but haven't a clue if the carabinieri will drag me away in

chains if I take a picture of an approaching train or my wife standing on the

platform.

Well, do as all tourists do: photograph to your heart's content.

 

I apologize: you come from a fear ridden society and fear the state/law. In Italy or anywhere in Europe, you need not bother with fear. Europe is quite civilized and civil in its rights of people and inside its police force. Just a bit different, more humane than over here at this time of regime-ordered belligerence, I am so sorry.

 

No fear, man! Snap-shoot away!

In general use of a tripod identifies you as a professional and then permit can be required. Of course a rural area or a small town wouldn't care...

I was in Italy in June and took several pictures in railroad stations in small towns (Viareggio and Manarola) and did not even think about posibl e restrictions nor did anyone confront me. I was also in the stations in Florence and Rome and did not try to take pictures. My arms were full of luggage and I would probably have been trampled to death if I even slowed down. Maybe in the off hours (if there are any) - - -

Good to hear! Railfan photographers in the USA are treated like criminals, harassed (illegally), detained, etc. What used to be a pleasant family hobby has turned into a nightmare here, as if taking a picture of a depot or approaching train could possiby aid terrorists. Ridiculous beyond all reason.

It's a sad state of affairs when people get harassed this way. In UK railfans are called trainspotters and they seem to be continuing on their merry way without any interference. There's not much serious train photography in UK because all our trains look the same now, but the trainspotters can be seen, loitering on platforms, scribbling furiously in notebooks, taking the odd shot with a compact cam. Rail staff and police treat them with a kind of bemused scorn. Maybe they're a bit sharper than their US equivalent and can tell the difference between a trainspotter and a terrorist.

No problems photographing in Italy around trains & stations. Some of the more disreputable

sections of the community tend to frequent these places so be sensible but not paranoid.

I would imagine you will not experience any problems at all. In Italy, photo-taking is

usually just restricted around military installations and clear panels indicate that.

 

At any rate, you will most likely be caught and fined if you step on the tracks. That's a

nono even in Italy.

 

As for the Carabinieri, you will not see them in stations: you have Polizia in there, Polizia

Ferroviaria (railway police) or Polfer onto the trains, and recently some rent-a-cop just at

the entrance of the new high-speed trains, more to avoid people getting caught in the

doors than other. On a side note, I would advise big smiles, some broken italian and a

non-confrontational attitude with officialdom in Italy: this will bring you a looooong way

forward in any case.

 

Now, for the stations, I've done no station pictures as I'm not in the genre but used heavily

the system, so here some remarks.

 

Rome has been cleared up and you find a modern shopping centre in its basement and in

the entrance hall. You might be interested in the small piece of roman wall which is

preserved in the basement. It is the same patch of walls which you can see to your right

once exiting the station through the main door. The ceiling of the cafe at the last platform

is interesting, is the kind of things people did in the 20's and 30's in Italy to evocate past

Roman grandeur. For the way the roofs above the platforms are built, you can get

interesting light effects at rush hour, with the sun shining on the faces of the commuters

gorged out by the commuter trains while all the rest is in darkness. A good hour to see

this effect, accounting for the angle of the sun, but before daylight saving time kicks in, is

the 830-930 braket. The commuter trains from "Velletri" or "Frascati" are a good bet.

There is one every 10 minutes or so. The area inside the station is relatively safe and,

provided you have your camera strap around your neck, I would not worry too much for

security. Outside the station and in darkness it might get dodgy.

 

Napoli station is pretty ugly a place, and you should be conscious of your surroundings if

you have an expensive looking camera. This is particularly true just outside the building

(which anyhow, together with the square, is undergoing some renovation of sorts). More

interesting is the Mergellina station of Napoli. Several trains from Rome stop there, or you

can get there by subway. The platforms are not impressive, but the whole building has

been recently renovated and it might interest you. It has some of this neo-classical

features which were en-vogue at the turn of the century. If you are interested in platform

paraphernalia, you can find some ironwork in the pillars and roofs of another Napoli

station, Campi Flegrei, also reachable from some trains from Rome and by subway. These

places are not so dodgy (in daylight) but you must keep your wits with you.

 

I cannot recall anything particular about Orvieto nor Florence at the moment.

 

Italy has recently introduced its high-speed trains (AV="Alta Velocita"). They have a sleek

and stylish design and if you like this kind of things they could make for a nice picture.

 

Enjoy!