The railway is one of the fastest and most convenient ways to travel. Modern railways depend a lot on technology and automation, but they’re not run by robots: people still play a vital role in keeping Britain moving.
A train driver apprenticeship could help you kick your transport career into first gear. Here’s how it works, which train companies run them, and what you need to apply.
The Basics
If you’re interested in becoming a train driver, an apprenticeship is a great way in. There are only a few sought-after train driver apprenticeships, but you’ll find plenty of related opportunities in rail too, especially in engineering.
Once you qualify you’ll be on site, in the cab. Infrastructure and technician roles also mean working on site, so expect some travel.
Health and safety is at the heart of the industry. Whether it’s testing equipment or replacing cables, every task follows strict safety rules, so it’s worth reading up on this before you apply, ready for your interviews.
The minimum age for a train driving licence in Great Britain dropped from 20 to 18 on 30 June 2026 (The Train Driving Licences and Certificates (Amendment) Regulations 2026). Operators are bringing it in at their own pace, and some still ask for 20 or 21, so check each advert. You’ll also need to pass a medical, including eyesight, hearing and colour vision tests, and psychometric assessments.
Where to Find Train Driver Apprenticeships
East Midlands Railway: Level 3 Train Driver
East Midlands Railway’s Level 3 Train Driver Apprenticeship is a 12-month programme that mixes classroom theory with practical work such as cab rides and signal box visits. Apprentices train at EMR’s Training Academy, which uses Virtual Reality to recreate real railway situations, and a cab simulator for practising in different conditions safely.
East Midlands Railway apprenticeships
Northern: Trainee Train Driver
Northern’s Trainee Train Driver Apprenticeship takes about 64 weeks. It starts with an intensive three-month block, split between the classroom in Manchester or Leeds and a local depot, covering safety, operations, driver responsibilities and customer service. You’ll need strong numeracy and literacy, typically GCSE grade 4 (C) or above in Maths and English, or equivalent. Northern currently asks applicants to be 20 or over.
You must live within a 45-minute drive of your workplace and be able to work shifts, including early mornings, late nights, weekends and bank holidays. Selection includes an interview, psychometric assessments and a medical.
GTR: Train Driver Apprenticeship
GTR’s 18-month programme teaches the rules, regulations and procedures for driving trains safely and on time, along with real driving experience. Finish it and you get a train driving licence, a Level 3 train driver qualification and a guaranteed train driver job.
London Northwestern Railway: Train Driver Apprenticeship
London Northwestern Railway’s Train Driver Apprentices learn to get passengers where they’re going safely and on time, with training across depots, sidings and maintenance sheds as well as on the trains themselves.
Many of the skills carry over to other rail jobs, so it can lead into operations management or training new drivers. Roles aren’t always open: join the West Midlands Railway and London Northwestern Railway apprenticeship mailing list to hear when they are.
London Northwestern Railway apprenticeships
LNER: Level 3 Train Driver
LNER’s Level 3 Train Driver Apprenticeship is a 13-month programme, plus 3 months for the End Point Assessment. You can apply from 18, with no upper age limit. At 18 you’ll need GCSE grades 9–4 (or a Level 2 equivalent) in English and maths; from 19 you don’t. You must live within 60 minutes of your depot.
Training starts with 15 weeks at LNER’s Academy in York, followed by about 300 hours of driving under an instructor’s supervision, with progress reviews every 12 weeks. Qualified drivers can move on to roles such as Instructor, Driver Team Manager or Training Delivery Manager.
TransPennine Express: Trainee Train Driver
TransPennine Express trains people with no driving experience through its Trainee Train Driver programme. It looks for strong customer focus, high levels of concentration and the ability to think on your feet.
Trainees work towards the Level 3 Train Driver qualification over an intensive 9 to 12 months of classroom and on-train learning, which can mean time away from home. TransPennine Express asks applicants to be over 21, live within an hour of the depot, and pass a medical including eyesight, hearing and colour vision tests.
TransPennine Express train driver recruitment
Other Rail Roles to Check Out
Network Rail
Network Rail’s Level 3 Rail Engineering Technician Apprenticeship pays £22,293 and lasts three years, with one intake a year in November. You need to be 18 by the start date. Applications for November 2026 have closed; register your interest to hear when the 2027 intake opens.
Level 3 Rail Engineering Technician Apprenticeship · Network Rail on Best Apprenticeships
Transport for London (TfL)
For something longer term, Transport for London runs advanced, higher and degree-level apprenticeships, so you could earn a full degree while working for one of the best-known names in transport.
TfL apprenticeship roles · TfL on Best Apprenticeships
GWR
GWR runs an 18-month Customer Service Apprenticeship, plus four-year Engineering and Engineering Plant Technician apprenticeships. GWR apprenticeships
Colas Rail
Fancy working behind the scenes rather than in the cab? Colas Rail offers Level 3 apprenticeships in track, signalling, overhead lines, design, and traction and rolling stock. Colas Rail apprenticeships
Entry Requirements
Most train driver and railway apprenticeships ask for GCSE grade 4 (C) or above in English and maths, or equivalent. Some ask for more: Network Rail’s engineering apprenticeship also wants grade 4 in science and one other subject, and grade 5 in maths. Since 30 June 2026 you can be licensed to drive trains from 18, but some operators still set their own minimum of 20 or 21.
Not old enough yet for the operator you want? You don’t have to wait to start in rail. A customer service, station or engineering apprenticeship gets you into the industry, and you can move into driving later.
Rail Apprenticeships by Level
Level 3 (advanced): equivalent to 2 A levels.
- Train Driver Apprenticeship: gov.uk
- Train Driver Apprenticeship: East Midlands Railway
- Rail Engineering Technician (Track and Signalling): Colas Rail
- Rail Engineering Technician (England and Wales): Network Rail
- Engineering Apprenticeship (Scotland): Network Rail
- Rail Infrastructure Operations: Network Rail
Levels 4 and 5 (higher): equivalent to a foundation degree.
- Project Management (Level 4): Network Rail
Levels 6 and 7 (degree): you finish with a full bachelor’s or master’s degree, without going to university.
- Rail and Rail Systems Engineering (Signalling): Network Rail
- Civil Engineering: Network Rail
- Land Surveying Degree Apprenticeship: TfL (register your interest for the next intake)
A Greener Way to Travel
As the world focuses more on sustainability, the railway is working to make travel greener, so it’s a good fit if you care about the planet. Many big rail firms work with research and science teams to plan infrastructure projects that do less harm to the environment.
Think a career as a train driver is right for you? Find out more about getting a railway apprenticeship.
