Submitted by david90 in Privacy

I am a frequent traveler (mostly in Europe) and want to keep my personal information private, including my location. What are some techniques for doing this?

For example what are the most anonymous methods of transportation and accommodation which don't require any personal info or identification?

I do not like all of the mass surveillance which now exists, or the fact that at any given moment my bank, government, Google, and phone company know my location. I am a law abiding citizen but nevertheless have faced problems and threats. No good deed goes unpunished apparently. Being 'invisible' could prevent this.

I have heard of some people using passports from the dark web to keep their identity anonymous but am skeptical of how well they work. Is there any lower risk alternative to travel with true anonymity?

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moonlune wrote (edited )

It depends how far you want to go.

If you ditch your phone and credit card you can travel pretty much anywhere in the european union by road while staying anonymous, legally.

https://www.interrail.eu if you only take trains without reservation needed might also be possible to keep your traveling in eu anonymous.

I wouldn't recommend using darkweb passports for travel unless you really need it (risky and you're in deep shit if you're caught), but it's probably ok for hotel reservation and such, in that case photoshopping a scan yourself should be alright.

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AnarchoDoom wrote

I know about the Interrail pass, and also how it's been possible to get a fake pass, even tho they made it harder over the years. I know a legit pass is relatively inexpensive compared to taking tickets for every train fare, yet maybe not for every pocket.

But aren't they recording your trips when controllers scan your Interrail pass?

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moonlune wrote (edited )

But aren't they recording your trips when controllers scan your Interrail pass?

I'm not sure. Wouldn't it be illegal to keep a database of the people controlled in a train that doesn't have reservation? I guess paper tickets bought with cash, one train at a time, could be used if you want to be sure.

I agree that if it's a train with reservation you're in a database somewhere.

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AnarchoDoom wrote (edited )

It's always a worthy topic.

Ever heard of bicycles?

Not every region is fun to go through by bike, but it's practicable everywhere afaik, even if in some areas (i.e. some poor countries with shitty infrastructure loaded with cars) it can be deadly dangerous. But it's still a great way to get around anonymously, putting aside the border controls which can be hard to avoid in some regions. Police checkpoints might also disregard cyclists, unlike the harassment they do with drivers.

In some regions/countries it's also doable to just hop trains, but I recommend you get informed about it prior to doing it. In North American regions it's often easy to hop on local or regional passenger trains, but hoppers usually prefer to do the old hobo gimmick (wagon-hopping on merchandise trains), which ain't very comfy yet more adventurous, with potentials for meeting oogle friends? ;)

In some Euro countries you still can do passenger trains easily, like Italy and France are notoriously easy to do (I took the TGV several times without paying a dime).

In all cases if you get caught hopping (and you will, at some point), it's possible you'll get recorded in whatever system they got.

Also, ever head of... your own feet? You can also just.. walk + hitchhike too. ;-) In our day and age not everyone's that patient. If you won't be carrying like 50 kilos of luggage on your back and get some comfy & resistant shoes it can be a relax and anon way to get around.

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Zerush wrote

Traveling anonymously is possible only to certain countries, f.Exmpl. in the EU, but now because of the COVID is impossible that they don't control you in the borders, at least your vaccines. Don't use Darknet passports, that is guarantee to prison and a lot of stress. Anyway, to stay anonym as possible, don't use credit cards and don't use the mobile, at least desactivate the GPS, use locutorys, if you need to call someone or use an public internet terminal in libreries or universities. Not so easy to travel anonymously, less novaday with the COVID.

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moonlune wrote

covid certificate in eu doesn't log when/where it's checked iirc. If the states respect the law, only the person who checks should know your name/position.

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Zerush wrote (edited )

That is valid in cinema or in bars where you need a certificate for the entry, there are only employees wyhich control the entry, but not in the border, there is it stored in the immigration agency, if it is positive in a test it also goes to health.

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AnarchoDoom wrote

Are they controlling for Covid at every border crossing, within the EU!?

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Zerush wrote (edited )

The most controll it in its border, now with the increasing cases in all the countries. Yes, only the person which controlled your certificate see your identity, but it's a border police and he put your data online in the official red. It's not easy to travel anonymously in a pandemic and thousands of new infections in each country. That means, you can travel maybe discretly but not anonymously, at least for the moment.

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[deleted] wrote

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Zerush wrote

Maybe or maybe not you can have luck in the border with a car when you cross, but this depends of the restrictions of the country youwant to enter, If you want to stay anonymous, it's a risk in every case.

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david90 OP wrote

Thanks for all the comments. I was thinking mainly buses and ride-sharing for transportation. Trains tend to have more controls it seems.

How can I stay at hotels/apartments without showing ID? I've heard that in some countries hotels are required to send passport scans of all their guest to a central police database daily. This sounds like a huge invasion of privacy. If I stick to independently owned apartments on booking.com could I avoid this?

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Zerush wrote (edited )

I think not, booking.com also use a registry like the hotels. Currently is the worst moment for traveling anonymously, at least for leaving your country.

By far you can be lucky walking or biking on country lanes and staying in a tent in the woods.

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david90 OP wrote

I don't recall booking.com ever asking me to upload my passport scan. If I just make a new booking account with a fake name could I stay anonymous?

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Zerush wrote

And how will you identify you in the destiny where you have booked your apartment? Not so easy.

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david90 OP wrote

A lot of apartments from booking.com that I stayed in didn't ask to see any ID. I would say around 75% don't ask for it. Especially the independently owned apartments with no reception desk. The problem is you don't know which will be the case until you're already there. I guess I could write in advance and ask, but it mind appear suspicious.

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Zerush wrote (edited )

That is the point, maybe you are lucky, but at least I, if I had a rental apartment, I would like to check if the person who wants to use it is the one that booking.com announced. In many countries it is very difficult to get a pirate tenant to leave the house again, especially in what conditions they leave it later.

As I say before, camping in the wood and secondary streets is currently the only manner to travel relativly anonymous, with the Phone GPS off and without using a credit card.

Better to wait with the trip, until the COVID crisis has calmed down a bit.

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Churajnin wrote (edited )

Traveling anonymously and keeping your personal information private is a valid concern. While achieving complete anonymity can be challenging, there are steps you can take to enhance your privacy while traveling. When it comes to transportation, consider using cash for tickets and avoiding travel methods that require personal identification. Opting for accommodations that don't require personal information or using cash payments at smaller establishments can also help maintain privacy. Utilizing a virtual private network (VPN) and encrypted messaging apps can add an extra layer of security to your online activities and communications. If you're looking for a comfortable and luxurious travel experience, consider checking out these business class flights. They offer some great deals there.

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AlyviaJacobs wrote (edited )

For starters, try using cash instead of credit cards for transactions. It leaves less of a digital trail. When it comes to getting around, public buses and trains can be more anonymous than flights. And when it comes to accommodation, look for smaller guest houses or local hotels that don't ask for too much personal info. You can also use an oregon fake id to become more anonymous. It may be risky, but it's still a reliable solution. Also, don't forget to focus on minimizing your digital presence and being careful about what you share online.

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