Tram driver
Also called driver of trams, metro train driver, light rail train driver
Tram drivers operate trams, take fares, and look after passengers.
What you'd do
Bus and tram drivers · ILO- Driving and tending motor buses, trolley buses or motor coaches to transport local or long-distance passengers, mail or goods
- Driving and tending street tramcars transporting passengers
- Opening and closing doors before or after passengers board or alight
- Assisting passengers with luggage
- Controlling lighting, heating and ventilation on buses and trams
- Observing traffic to ensure safe progress
- Collecting fares or verifying passenger has necessary ticket
- Mostly outdoors
- Sitting most of the day
- Lots of contact with people, including the public
- Little freedom to decide
- Often more than 40 hours a week
- Deadlines most weeks
- Some repetitive tasks
Will there be jobs?
Yes, good prospects18 EU countries are short of bus and tram 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 0.18 on a scale from 0 (AI can't do it) to 1 (AI could do it fully).
See the score for each of the 7 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 bus and tram drivers. Source: ILO (2025), adapted (credits).