Welcome and thanks for your interest in Where Are Trains?. This web application is the result of a sub-project which is part of the more global one called GMapify. Feel free to explore this website full of maps and geodata. Maybe you could find other interesting stuff ;)
This mashup has absolutely no affiliation with neither Réseau Ferré de France (RFF) the company that owns and maintains the French national railway network, nor la Société Nationale des Chemins de fer Français (SNCF), the french rail services operator, and also nor Alstom Transport, the french High Speed Train (TGV) builder. I have never been and I'm not an employee of one of those companies. This mashup uses only public available information to estimate more or less accurately train locations (See the FAQ for more details). It is offered as a free public resource, without any warranty, expressed or implied. In particular, any and all warranties of fitness for use or merchantability are disclaimed. I shall not be held responsible for any direct, indirect, incidental or consequential damages, that may result from anything that is viewed on this web site, or anything you do as a result thereof.
You are now warned... :)
Cette application n'est en aucun cas affiliée avec Réseau Ferré de France (RFF), la propriétaire du réseau ferroviaire français, ni avec la Société Nationale des Chemins de fer Français (SNCF), l'opérateur des trains (dont les TGV), ni également avec Alstom Transport, le constructeur du TGV. Je n'ai jamais été, et ne suis pas employé par l'une de ces compagnies. Ce mashup utilise uniquement des informations publiques pour estimer avec plus ou moins de précision la position des trains (Voir la FAQ pour plus de détails). Je décline toute responsabilité pour tout dommage indirect, spécial, fortuit ou consécutif de toute nature, en ce compris de manière non limitative les pertes financières, arrêts de travail, pannes ou dysfonctionnements informatiques, ou pour tout autre dommage ou perte qui pourrait résulter de l'utilisation de cette application.
It displays the location of trains on french rail tracks. Currently, only high speed trains (TGV, ICE) only on high speed lines
(LGV), only leaving () or going () to Paris, and only less than 2h away from Paris are displayed. In other words, are not displayed:
TGV on LGV going from Province to province (Bordeaux ‹-› Lille for example),
TGV on LGV going to Paris but still out of the 2h perimeter (Marseille-› Paris for example),
TGV on LGV having left Paris but now out of the 2h perimeter (Paris -› Marseille for example),
TGV no more or not yet on LGV but inside the 2h perimeter (Paris ‹-› Bordeaux below Tours for example).
On the other side a few trains, only arriving to Paris, which should not be displayed on LGV are displayed because a few cities (like Dijon) are served by both Corails
(using normal tracks) and TGV and app cannot differentiate them.
Anyway, that still means an average of 25 trains (off peak time) moving at about 300km/h.
It makes the difference between double TGV and simple ones using icons with 2 trains side-by-side ( and ). Usually, but not systematically, double TGV are splitted/joined in a station in province, so come from 2 different origins or go to 2 different destinations. That's why one finds a '+' in the label of those trains.
Animation is refreshed every 10 seconds for all trains.
#How 'WhereAreTrains?' works?
Everything would be quite simple if GPS sensors were embedded in TGV and SNCF were kind enough to offer a web service to get data. But it's not (still?) the case. So this app uses a indirect way by scrapping schedule boards of different stations (see departures from Montparnasse station
for example). It's done in real-time for Arrivals
and with at least a 1-h delay for Departures
using Dapps. Then app uses pre-builded time profiles
to estimate the current location of trains by-passing potential stopovers. That means trains with no stopovers are better located than those which stop in intermediary stations (). For example, several trains coming from Tours are bound to have a break at VendômeTGV altering the time profile. This app will consider them as direct trains to Paris.
#What an amazing mashup! I want to do the same thing with other trains and other rail lines in another country. Can you help me?
Sure but first thanks for your Enthusiasm :) Actually you need 2 things:
your own xml file (like this one) including the network topology (lines, stations) and time profiles,
See visitor map
) or going (
) to Paris, and only less than 2h away from Paris are displayed. In other words, are not displayed:
and 
). Usually, but not systematically, double TGV are splitted/joined in a station in province, so come from 2 different origins or go to 2 different destinations. That's why one finds a '+' in the label of those trains.
). For example, several trains coming from Tours are bound to have a break at VendômeTGV altering the time profile. This app will consider them as direct trains to Paris.