How to Become a Train Driver

Pursuing a career as a train driver is a childhood dream for many, but it is a dream that can easily be turned into a reality. Train drivers are highly trained professionals who operate trains either across the national rail network or for private operators, both in the UK and internationally. They can drive either passenger trains or freight trains, meaning that there are huge opportunities to have a varied and exciting career.

If you like the idea of speeding across the country for a living, have a keen interest in vehicles and engineering, and have good customer service skills then a career as a train driver could be the right choice for you. The rail industry in the UK currently employs 115,000 people, with 1.7 billion people in the UK travelling by rail in 2019/2020. It is a career path that offers both stability and job satisfaction. Wondering how to find train driver jobs or what train driver salary you can expect? Here’s everything you need to know about how to become a train driver:

What is a Train Driver

A train driver is a technical operative who drives a train. When we think of train drivers, we often think of passenger train drivers who largely work for the National Rail network in the UK, but you could also operate a freight train and work for a huge number of private enterprises. The Eurostar and Eurotunnel, tube network, and tram networks in the UK are also operated by train drivers. As a train driver, your role will involve completing a huge number of tasks, such as checking the engine status, ensuring the train performs efficiently, and maintaining the safety of the vehicle.

Whilst you will spend a significant amount of your working time on a train, you may also spend time inspecting engines in train yards or sheds. Your work environment is likely to be noisy and cramped when you are working on an engine, or dirty and hands-on when you are working in a yard. You may need to wear a uniform when you are working on engines, or protective clothing when you are working in a yard or shed.

Train drivers work between 35 and 40 hours a week, although overtime is often available, and you can expect to work to shift schedules, which means that you may be expected to work occasional evenings, weekends and holidays. You may also sometimes be expected to spend nights away from home.

Personal Qualities of a Train Driver

To successfully pursue a career as a train driver, you should have the following personal qualities:

• The ability to concentrate for long periods of time without becoming distracted, even when the task may seem routine or monotonous
• A thorough approach to everything that you undertake and the ability to pay attention to details, no matter how small they might seem
• A patient and approachable manner, coupled with the ability to remain calm in stressful situations. When things go wrong, both customers and other staff members will turn to you, so it is important that you are able to keep your cool, explain complex issues clearly, and react quickly
• Good people skills and excellent customer service skills are also integral if you wish to become a successful train driver, as it is often a customer-facing role
• The ability to work well both independently and as part of a team
• You should be a responsible individual who has a conscientious attitude and who appreciates and understands the importance of safety management to their role
• The ability to operate and control often complex equipment, and to follow operational instructions clearly
• Excellent observation and recording skills, including a high level of written communication skills, so that equipment and journey reports can be concluded thoroughly and kept up to date
• The ability to work well under pressure and to accept criticism when things go wrong
• A high level of computer literacy, including the ability to carry out tasks on both a computer and on a hand-held device

From a practical point of view, you’ll also need to be over 20 years of age to begin train driver training (some companies will require that you are over 21 years of age), live within one hour of the depot where you wish to work, pass a medical fitness test, and pass an enhanced DBS check.

What a Train Driver Does

You would be forgiven for thinking that the main day-to-day responsibility of a train driver is simply to drive a train. But in reality, the role of the train driver is much more complex than that. Some of the duties that you can expect to perform as a train driver include:

• Check the controls and technical equipment on board the train you are driving before each journey
• Drive the train according to a schedule between stations or freight depots, ensuring that either passengers or cargo arrive where they are expected to or when they are expected to be there
• Communicate regularly with the control centres along your route to ensure you are aware of any issues or hazards that could impact your journey
• Follow all safety, speed, and track signalling instructions that you are given either before or during your journey
• If you are driving a passenger train, your role will involve making passenger announcements throughout the journey. This will include announcing the route, your arrival time, and the name of each station as you pull into it. You will also clearly announce any delays or problems to your route so that passengers are always well informed
• If you are driving a freight train, then your role will involve ensuring that the correct freight has been loaded onto your vehicle
• Follow regulations to ensure that you both leave platforms and pull into stations safely
• Monitoring weather and track conditions and making decisions about whether it is safe to continue your current journey, or if you need to reduce your speed
• You will control the automatic doors on the train, ensuring that they are opened and closed safely. If ramp access is needed to and from the train at any point, you will also be responsible for ensuring that this is fitted correctly and safe to use
• Complete full reports on the status of the train that you operate and position it correctly before completing a handover to the driver on the next shift
• Record incidents like equipment problems, onboard issues or delays, and share these promptly with senior members of the team

How Much Does a Train Driver Earn?

Your earning potential as a train driver will depend on where you are working, and how many years of experience you have in the industry. A train driver in London will typically earn more than a train driver in a more rural location, for example. The pay scale for train drivers in the UK ranges from approximately £24,000 for a trainee or newly qualified train driver to approximately £65,000 for experienced train drivers. ONS figures showed that for 2021, the median average salary for train and tram drivers was £59,189.

As well as financial benefits, other benefits of working as a train driver in the UK include access to a generous employer pension scheme (if you are working for National Rail, though other providers may also offer pension provisions), free or reduced travel across the rail network, and paid holiday leave.

Qualifications Needed for a Train Driver

There are no specific educational requirements to apply for a job to become a train driver, but most employers will ask that you have completed secondary education and that you have a good general standard of education, including GCSEs at grade C/4 or above in both English and Maths. If you have these qualifications in place and can verify that you are over the age of 21 (this can be demonstrated by showing either your passport or your driver’s licence) then you can follow the following steps to becoming a train driver:

• Take a Medical Fitness Test. To be a train driver working for National Rail in the UK (The UK’s largest employer of train drivers) you must pass a medical evaluation. This would be carried out by a doctor who is listed on the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) physician register. As well as assessing your general fitness, this test will also look at your hearing, eyesight and colour accuracy, which are essential skills for train drivers
• Take a Psychometric Test. As well as being physically fit to drive a train, you must also be deemed to be mentally fit. A certified psychologist will conduct a psychometric test, and it is helpful if you choose a psychologist who is registered with the ORR. Once this test is completed you can retain it to use for future job applications
• Apply for your Train Drivers Licence. You can do this on the government’s rail licensing website. You will need to fill in all your personal details (such as your name, address and date of birth) as well as attach a passport photo, and the medical and psychological evaluations outlined above. You can download a digital copy of your application as soon as it is submitted, and the ORR will send you your licence as soon as it is approved
• Find a Trainee Drivers Job. The most common route to becoming a train driver is to apply for a role as a trainee train driver. This is an entry-level role where you will first learn to drive a simulator, and then shadow an experienced driver, before being able to drive a train independently. To secure a trainee position you will need to undergo two structured job interviews, and you may be asked to submit to random drug and alcohol testing both before you are offered the role and throughout your employment
• Complete Train Driver Training. All train drivers must undergo a lengthy training process. During the training period, you will learn about the essential safety procedures and protocols that are required to be a train driver. Your employer should also offer you a certification that identifies you as qualified to work with them professionally. This certification is important as it is what will enable you to drive independently. Suppose you ever transition to a different job, working as a train driver for a different company for example. In that case, your new employer might require you to get certified again with them, which means you may need to undergo a separate training programme
• Apply for a Train Driver Position. Once you have completed your trainee programme and have some experience in operating a train, and the other skills that are needed for the role, you will be in a position to apply for a train driver position. The number of years you must operate as a trainee train driver before you can transition to a train driver role varies from company to company. Most companies will allow you to transition from a trainee train driver to a train driver after one or two years of experience. You can find job openings for train drivers online using search engines and job search websites: you should also look out for internal roles within the company you are training with

On-the-Job Training

On-the-job training is integral to becoming a train driver. Whilst you will spend some time in a train simulator, much of the training for this career is focused on hands-on, on-the-job learning rather than on book learning or examination.

Once you have passed your trainee train driver period and have secured a role as a train driver, on-the-job training will still be important as part of your continued professional development (CDP). Periodic training should carry on throughout your whole career to ensure that you remain up to date with new technology, new engine types, and new approaches. CPD will help you to develop your sector-specific expertise, and prepare you for promotion opportunities, ultimately helping you to enhance your career.

Professional Bodies

Once you are a qualified train driver, you might wish to join a union that represents the rights and interests of train drivers in the UK. ASLEF is Britain’s trade union for train drivers. Its 23,500 members are employed in the train operating companies, the freight companies, London Underground and some Light Rapid Transport. Some of the benefits of ASLEF membership include access to support and career development materials, access to dedicated health and safety specialists to ensure that your working environment remains as safe as possible, and protection and legal advice in the unlikely event that you might need it.