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RailPhot

• You can ask for it at the public relations division of the Renfe in Madrid, but you must try VERY early: Madrid sent my autorisation only after 2 1/2 months (At this time, I was in Spain since more that 1 month...)
• You also can obtain it directly at the offices of the Renfe in the main stations of the big cities (Opening times: 09.00 a.m. to 14.00 p.m.). In my case (station of Valencia-Norte), the operation needed only few minutes, and I even got 2 CDs normally presented to the passengers of the "Club" class. Don't forget your passport, its number will be noted on the autorisation!
  

Note: This autorisation is valid only for the Renfe: If you also want to photograph the private railways (FGV, FGC, FEVE, etc.), you will need a separate authorisation for each railway company!

• Before photographying, speak to the railway personal of the station (usually very friendly and cooperative), the "Atención al cliente" office, or to the vigiles. Show them your authorisation and your passport.
• Don't trust the policemen, if you ask them! They will usually answer "Valé" ("OK") or "No problemo", but they are not habilited to allwo you to photograph: only the vigiles and the Railway personal have this right!
• As the vigiles are employed by numerous private services, their uniforms are various. Some of them also carry weapons. The only sign always allowing to identify them: they carry a white oval insigna with the words "Vigilante de Seguridad" and a matricule number. They also oftly wear a yellow warning suit with the inscription "Seguridad" on the back.
  
• The magic word if they speak only spanish: "¡Tengo la permission!" ("I got the autorisation!").
• Even if a vigile gives you OK, his colleague will naturally not always agree with him...
• I also had once to follow the vigiles to their office, because of these on the perrons didn't understand the signification of my authorisation.
• Instead, if a vigile takes his talkie-walkie and contacts his colleagues after having successfully checked your authorisation, you will no longer have much to fear..
  
• Even with a valid authorisation, there are several motives you should avoid to photograph: station halls, metallic structures, bridges, inside of trains, or generally everything that could be a potential target for terrorists.
• When you have got a valid authorisation, avoid to look "suspect": don't try to hide yourself of your camera, don't try to be "discrete". Don't forget, many stations are fullfilled with video cameras, and it's very difficult, not to be observed.
  
• In the case of a problem, the vigiles can ask you to delete the "dangerous" pictures (naturally in their own appreciation...). In this case: Don't resist, delete everything they want, and have in your laptop a software allowing to restore pictures "deleted by error".
• Generally, if you see that vigiles (other than those who gave you OK) begins to observe you, go to speak with them and show them the authorisation. Better go to them before they come to you.
  

• Don't go to Spain !
  

• The vigiles and the police are everywhere in this station, until the most unexpected places (even in the toilets, for example. No joke!)
• There are surveillance cameras everywhere.
• There is no access to the trains. The station is organised like an international airport: separated check-in and check-out zones, X-ray luggage controls, etc...
• The autorisation of photography has there no value. The "Atención al cliente" office sent me even to the communication office of the Renfe (near of the station of Chamartin, at the other end of the city), who only confirmed me that my autorisation was totally OK, and that there is no other...
  

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RailPhot