All of Britain’s Train Operating Companies and Network Rail welcome rail enthusiasts to their stations. Here we have included some guidelines to make sure you have a safe and enjoyable experience.

Before you enter the platform

At major stations, please let the duty station manager know you are there. This means that the station staff will be informed and can go about their jobs without concern. At smaller stations you should speak to a member of the station staff to let them know you are there.

On the station platforms

You should act safely and sensibly at all times. Please remember the following:

• stay clear of the platform edge and behind the yellow lines where they are provided for safety reasons
• do not trespass onto any area of the railway that is not available to passengers
• do not climb on any structure or interfere with platform equipment
• do not obstruct any signalling equipment or signs which are vital to the safe running of the railways
• avoid wearing anything which is similar in colour to safety clothing, such as a high-visibility jacket as this could be confusing for train drivers or other employees
• avoid congregating at busy areas of the platform (eg. customer information points, departure screens, waiting areas, seating, etc) or where you may interfere with the duties of station staff
• be aware of your surroundings. We kindly ask you to take note of any unusual behaviour and activities and report anything suspicious to a member of staff or, for more serious incidents, to British Transport Police on 0800 40 50 40. In an emergency, dial 999. Your presence at the station can be very helpful to us as extra eyes and ears and can be a positive security benefit

Photography

You are allowed to take photographs on stations if it is for personal use. For any commercial photography, you must seek prior permission from the appropriate train operator or from Network Rail at their 17 major stations. On busy stations using a tripod may cause a dangerous obstruction to passengers so you may be asked to remove it. You must also keep tripod legs away from platform edges and behind the yellow lines. You are not allowed to use flash photography on platforms as it may distract the attention of train drivers and train dispatch staff and is therefore a potential safety hazard. You are also not allowed to take photographs of security related equipment such as CCTV cameras.

Railway bylaws

To ensure ease of travel and safety on the railway system, which includes passengers, staff, property and equipment, everyone must observe the railway bylaws. You can pick up a copy at any station or download one from the Department for Transport (DfT) website.

General

A key priority for BTP and train operators is to ensure the safety of all passengers and staff. You may sometimes be asked to move to another part of the station or to leave the station altogether. Station staff should be happy to explain the reason for this. If you are travelling by train they may ask you to stay in the normal waiting areas with other passengers. Please follow their instructions – members of staff are authorised to consider the safety and security of all passengers at all times.

Thank you for reading and complying with these guidelines. We hope you find this information useful and enjoy your next station visit.