Train driver
Also called metro driver, engine driver, train operator
Train drivers operate trains providing passenger or cargo transport services. They are responsible for driving the locomotive in safe manner, respecting all relevant safety, operational and communication regulations, and have full responsibility for the safety of passengers and cargo. The task involves cooperation and communication with the relevant staff under the infrastructure manager, as well as with staff on board the train.
What you'd do
Locomotive engine drivers · ILO- Driving or assisting in driving a steam, electric or diesel-electric locomotive engine
- Driving an underground or elevated passenger train
- Driving a locomotive to haul carriages underground or on the surface of a mine or quarry
- Watching for track hazards, observing signals and indicator gauges
- Operating communications systems to communicate with train crews and traffic controllers to ensure safe operation and scheduling of trains
- Mostly outdoors
- A mix of sitting and standing
- Lots of contact with people
- Some freedom to decide
- Often more than 40 hours a week
- Deadlines most weeks
- Some repetitive tasks
Will there be jobs?
Yes, good prospects9 EU countries are short of locomotive engine drivers now, but fewer jobs than in most work will need filling by 2035.
Solid: measured. Dashed: forecast.
What does it pay?
About averagePay depends a lot on the country: from about €1,000 a month (Bulgaria) to €5,100 (Denmark), before tax.
Pick a country at the top of the page to see typical pay there, for people under 30, and compared with all jobs.
Among plant and machine operators, and assemblers in the EU, women earn 21% less per hour than men. Plant and machine operators, and assemblers · Eurostat
What do I need to study?
Upper secondary or vocationalUpper secondary or vocational training in transport services is the usual route.
Pick a country at the top of the page to see where to study and the official course finders.
Will AI change it?
Very littleAI could help with only small parts of the tasks.
Average task score 0.20 on a scale from 0 (AI can't do it) to 1 (AI could do it fully).
See the score for each of the 5 tasks
Based on what AI could technically do when assessed in 2025. It is not a forecast for a future year, and not a forecast of job losses. Scores for locomotive engine drivers. Source: ILO (2025), adapted (credits).