Is a Train Driver a good job UK?

A job in the UK rail industry can be rewarding, lucrative, and a promising career pathway. Every day, millions of people across the UK take a train, and for many, it's essential to the way they live their lives. Train drivers play a critical role in getting passengers to their destination safely and promptly.



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A train driver is a sought-after role across every train operating company for which the number and calibre of applicants is very high.

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Research from Glassdoor discovered that train drivers on average are paid £3,190 more than doctors. Glassdoor found key workers get paid: Train Driver, average median annual base pay: £54,959 in London £54,974 outside London.

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The training usually takes around 12-18 months to complete, and you'll need some GCSEs in English and maths to apply. start work as a rail passenger assistant or train conductor. You can then apply for a trainee driver position. apply directly to a rail company to become a trainee driver.

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You must have the right to live and work in Britain and have a good standard of written and spoken English. Foreign train driving qualifications are not recognised on Network Rail or vice-versa.

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As a part of the rail industry, you will reap all benefits provided from the industry, such as free or discounted travel on the rail company route you work for, reduced rate on UK rail routes, discounts on international rail travel (rail companies across Europe and Australia), and excellent pension benefits.

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Train drivers work 35 hours per week, spread over 4 to 5 shifts (also known as turns). These may include weekends, evenings, nights and Bank Holidays. Freight engine drivers tend to work more night shifts and do long-distance routes, which often entails overnight stays away from home.

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You can apply directly to a train operating company to become a trainee driver. Employers usually expect you to have GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) in English and maths, or equivalent qualifications. Training can last between 12 and 24 months.

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Estimated average gross monthly earnings of train drivers in purchasing power standard still show UK drivers the highest earners by far: 4392 (UK), 3310 (Denmark), 2792 (Germany and France). These figures are gross, so do not take into account different taxation levels.

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The estimated total pay for a Train Driver is $51,666 per year in the United States area, with an average salary of $47,872 per year. These numbers represent the median, which is the midpoint of the ranges from our proprietary Total Pay Estimate model and based on salaries collected from our users.

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This is supplemented by a variable number (typically eight to ten) of odd days – floaters – to be taken off, by application, when you want. Bank Holidays are nowadays treated as ordinary working days, apart from Christmas Day & Boxing Day when the railway virtually shuts down and almost everyone is booked off anyway.

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On Britain's biggest rail franchise, GTR, all Thameslink and Great Northern trains are driver-only operation, including routes from Peterborough to Horsham (118 miles), Brighton to Bedford (103 miles) and London King's Cross to King's Lynn (99 miles).

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Children aged 5 to 15 inclusive get half-price fares for most tickets across the UK rail network. If your child is 4 or under, they can travel for free alongside a fare-paying parent or guardian.

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The minimum age for a train driver on Network Rail lines is 21; 18 on the London Underground or for employment wholly within depot confines. Remember that these are only legal minimums; the way the industry works these days means you will probably be well above these ages before you get a driving job.

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A suitable answer shows enthusiasm for the role and the network. Example: 'My fascination with trains started as a small child when my grandparents took me on train journeys into the city on weekends. I knew from the first moment I set foot on a train that I wanted to drive one.

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