How to become a train and tram driver
Official title: Train and tram drivers
Also called: Driver, Loco driver, Tram driver, Train driver, Diesel driver, Engine driver, Shunter driver, Train operator, Rail car driver, Locomotive driver, Shuttle car driver, Railway engine driver
Train and tram drivers drive diesel, diesel-electric, electric and steam locomotives that transport passengers and goods on surface and underground railways, and transport passengers in trams.
Main tasks
- Checks controls, gauges, brakes and lights before start of journey and studies route, timetable and track information
- Checks safety equipment, regulates the heating of passenger compartments and records engine defects or unusual incidents on the journey
- Starts train or tram when directed and operates controls to regulate speed
- Watches for track hazards, observes signals and temperature, pressure and other gauges
- Stops as directed to allow passengers to embark/ disembark
- Makes scheduled stops for the loading and unloading of freight and coupling/uncoupling of carriages and tubs
- Maintains radio contact with control centre
- May make passenger announcements and controls automatic doors
How to become one
There are no formal academic requirements. Entrants must pass a series of tests and a medical examination. Age restrictions apply in some areas of work. Good hearing, good eyesight and normal colour vision are required. Off and on-the-job training is provided. NVQs/SVQs are available at level 2.
Ways in
- Apprenticeship (England): Train driver (level 3). England. Typically 12 months. Skills England standard ST0645.
Pay · Outlook
- Median full-time pay: £76,327 a year The middle half earn £68,924 to £83,129.
- About 25,600 people work in this job now, and about 25,400 are projected by 2035. (-0.6%)
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Questions people ask
How do I become a train and tram driver?
There are no formal academic requirements. Entrants must pass a series of tests and a medical examination. Age restrictions apply in some areas of work. Good hearing, good eyesight and normal colour vision are required. Off and on-the-job training is provided. NVQs/SVQs are available at level 2.
How much does a train and tram driver earn in the UK?
Median full-time pay is £76,327 a year (Office for National Statistics). The middle half earn £68,924 to £83,129.
Is a train and tram driver a growing career in the UK?
Employment is projected to stay about the same by 2035: about 25,600 people now and 25,400 later (Department for Education).
Do you need a degree to become a train and tram driver?
Not always. 28% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Train driver (level 3).
Sources
- Office for National Statistics: Annual Population Survey: employment by occupation (April 2025 to March 2026), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Office for National Statistics: SOC 2020 Volume 1: structure and descriptions (2026-08-27 edition), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Department for Education: Skills Imperative 2035: employment projections by occupation (2021 to 2035 (Warwick IER / Cambridge Econometrics)), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Office for National Statistics: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Table 14 (2025 provisional), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
Updated 2026-10-03