Do you need a driving licence to become a train driver?
· 3 min read
Sometimes. Some operators ask for a full UK driving licence on the vacancy. Some do not. It is a car licence, not proof that you have driven a train. You do not need railway experience either.
People mix this up because the job has “driver” in the name. The cab is not a car. The licence, when they want one, is usually about getting to the depot, or about a bar they chose to write. It is not the assessment.
Read that line on the advert
If the vacancy says you need a licence and you do not have one, the tests will not save you. If it does not mention a licence, do not add one from a forum about a different intake. Rules move. The PDF in front of you is the list that counts.
Points, bans, and how long you have held the licence are the operator's to set. Ask them, in writing if you need to. A thread that ends with “I got in with six points in 2019” is not a policy.
What still decides it
Selection is still the psychometric day, the interview, and the medical. A clean licence will not mark Group Bourdon for you. Practise the timed tasks. Then apply to a vacancy you actually meet.
Independent practice notes. This is not an official test, and we are not affiliated with train operators or RSSB.
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