FAQs

Most filming is defined as commercial regardless of use.  The income earned is reinvested into the running of the railway and therefore almost all film and photography requests are subject to fees, charges and contracts.  All applicants using our service are provided with a dedicated member of highly-experienced staff, who can provide suggestions and guidance and as is required.

Only those shoots considered non-commercial are subject to an exemption and these are defined as follows (click the links for further information) :

• News crews
• Amateur rail enthusiasts
• Qualifying observational documentaries of the railway environment (though staff fees can still apply)

Please refer to the risk assessment guidance page.

It depends.  If filming at a station or nearby to a working railway line, we need to be informed of your filming activity and all of your equipment (including props) in advance.  This, along with a site specific risk assessment and method statement (RAMS), needs to be accepted before your shoot can go ahead.

Boom poles and dolly track are generally not permitted on platforms.

Lighting can only be considered in pre-agreed areas and care must be taken to prevent light or reflections being seen from railway lines.  For further information please refer to our golden rules of safety and risk assessment guidance pages.

No.  If the station you wish to film in is not listed in our location library then you will need to contact the Train Operating Company (TOC) of the relevant station.  More detail as to who to contact can be found under the other railway stations and TfL tab on our about our service page.

Yes, for larger projects we have an agreement with Virgin Trains to allow filming on-board trains and on static carriages.  You can find more detail in the location library.

Yes, although in certain instances you will require a staff escort which may be subject to additional fees.  We would of course advise you in advance if this is the case.

If you want to feature a train you will need to obtain permission from the relevant Train Operating Company (TOC) before you apply to film (unless it isa  Virgin train, in which case we can agree).  More detail as to who to contact can be found under the other railway stations and TfL tab on our about our service page.

Yes, you are required to have Public Liability Insurance for all of your proposed activities and this must be in pounds sterling.  We generally require cover of up to £10million for productions in Bands C and E, but can accept £5million for those in Bands A and B.

If you are a student (Band D), you will need your either your college or university to indemnify you under their insurance.  We need confirmation of this by way of both a letter from the course tutor and a copy of your faculty's Public Liability Insurance certificate.

Yes, all filming and photography at our stations needs to take place outside of peak hours.  This means filming either between 10.00hrs and 16.00hrs, or between 20.00hrs and 06.30hrs, Monday to Friday.  You can usually film without restriction on Saturdays, Sunday and Bank Holidays.

No-one is permitted to work beyond 12-hrs on our property, so you may need to factor in crew shifts for longer days.

You are responsible for notifying local tenants and residents in writing of any activity that may affect them or their business.

Platform 9 ¾

In London King's Cross, Harry Potter Platform 9 ¾ is the property of Warner Bros. Studios and permission must be obtained and evidenced prior to filming.  Warner Bros. can be contacted through James.Dudley@warnerbros.com.

Statues
If you are featuring the statues at our stations other than an incidentally,  you will need to obtain permissions from the sculptor, their representative or the managing estate.

In London Liverpool Street, both Kindertransport statues are the property of the Association of Jewish Refugees and permission must be obtained and evidenced prior to filming.  The AJR can be contacted either on 020 8385 3070 / enquiries@ajr.org.uk.

In London Paddington, the Paddington Bear statue was created by Marcus Cornish who can be contacted directly through info@marcuscornish.com.

In London St. Pancras International, The Meeting Place statue was created by Paul Day who can be contacted directly through paul@pauldaysculpture.com.  The John Betjeman statue was created by Martin Jennings who can be contacted through Pete Woronkowicz, Licensing Executive at DACS either on 020 7553 9068 / pete.woronkowicz@dacs.org.uk.

Event spaces in our stations are managed by Space and People and all event-related filming is facilitated by them on our behalf.

Occasionally.  Filming or photography on operational railway track is heavily dependent on location and usually requires a bare minimum of 4 weeks notice, as more time is often required.  Staff members would be required to provide safe access for which charges will apply for both recces and filming.  Restrictions on crew numbers, equipment and lighting will apply.

Track Visitor Permits (TVPs) must be arranged by Network Rail in advance upon receipt of a completed TVP application per person visiting the track.  Additional administration charges may apply.  Accessing track without permission is an offence, and offenders will be prosecuted.

You may need to inform our Asset Protection team, please refer to our filming nearby page.

Parking agreements are generally not provided within our locations.  Public car parks at Network Rail managed stations are managed by APCOA and available space varies.  Contact them direct to make a booking.

Filming within the Eurostar restricted zones (i.e. Eurostar platforms, departures lounge and arrivals area) at London St. Pancras International and Ebbsfleet International is managed by Eurostar International, on 020 7843 5300 or email press.office@eurostar.com.

Fees start from £750 per hour + VAT for a maximum of six people.  For additional people an extra escort/s will be required, and the fee will increase by £75.00 per hour for every six extra people, along with an escort fee of £50 per hour per escort.

There are restrictions on the number of people who can be accommodated, and this will depend on the location. In addition to this fee, if filming a journey, then tickets for each individual will also need to be purchased.

For every enquiry, Eurostar will require a full proposal giving details of the client, content, timing, numbers of people, and equipment to be used. This is for an initial assessment. If accepted, then a full risk assessment, method statement, equipment list and proof of Insurance will be required.

The station's forecourt (excluding the steps down to Pancras Road) is managed by the St. Pancras Renaissance hotel.  Permission must be obtained from the hotel directly where separate fees will apply.

Both the St. Pancras Grand Brasserie and the Champagne Bar are owned and managed by Searcys who can advise you on filming and photography requests where separate location fees will apply.  The highly reflective stainless steel construction of the Champagne Bar and close proximity to platforms means lights must be screened to avoid dazzling train drivers.