Train Conductor

Typical Salary

£23,000 To £39,000

Typical Hours

43 to 45 a week

evenings / weekends / bank holidays on shifts

How To Become a Train Conductor

You can get into this job through:

a college course
an apprenticeship
working towards this role
applying directly

College / University

You could do a college course like a Level 2 Certificate in Customer Service, which would teach you some of the general skills you need. This may help when you apply for jobs.

2 or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D), or equivalent, for a level 2 course

Apprenticeship

You may be able to get into this career by completing a passenger transport onboard and station team member intermediate apprenticeship with a train operating company.

some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship

Routes into this Career

You may be able to move into this job after first working as a member of the platform or ticketing staff at a train station.

There are no set entry qualifications if you want to apply directly to train operating companies, although employers will expect you to have a good standard of English and maths.

If selected for interview, companies will usually test you on your maths, communication, and customer service skills.

Other Routes

Other Routes are not listed for this job.

Skills And Knowledge

You'll need:

to be thorough and pay attention to detail
patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
knowledge of transport methods, costs and benefits
excellent verbal communication skills
knowledge of public safety and security
the ability to work on your own
the ability to work well with others
to be flexible and open to change
to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

Day To Day Tasks

On a typical day you may:

check the carriages are clean before the start of a journey
make sure equipment, doors and controls are working properly
walk through carriages during the journey to check tickets and travel documents
answer passengers' questions about routes, arrival times and connections
make announcements over the public address system
make sure passengers get on and off the train safely
deal with unexpected delays or emergencies, for example a passenger falling ill

Working Environment

You could work on a station platform or from a vehicle.

Your working environment may be crowded, cramped and outdoors some of the time.

You may need to wear a uniform.

Career Path & Progression

Train operating companies often promote existing station staff to conductor jobs, so you may be able to transfer from a platform assistant or onboard catering host role.

With experience, you may be able to progress to senior conductor or train manager, or transfer to a driver training programme.

Volunteering Opportunities

Volunteering Opportunities are not listed for this job.

Tips & Information

Career tips

Experience of working with the public in retail or customer service could give you an advantage. It will also help if you have good knowledge of UK geography and the rail network.

Further information

You can find out more about jobs in passenger transport from Careers That Move.

You'll find train operating companies through the Rail Delivery Group.

Restrictions & Requirements

You'll need to:

pass a medical check
be screened for drugs and alcohol