Secondary training to become an engine driver for work trains begins several times during the year and lasts around nine months. Varied training courses, which are held in Zurich Altstetten, Olten, Bern, Lausanne or Bellinzona, provide you with the best possible preparation for embarking on your daily work.

Do you want to receive more detailed information on the career profile, training and requirements?

Those interested in training to become an engine driver for work trains fulfil the following requirements:

• You have completed a minimum two-year recognised apprenticeship with a certificate of qualification, ideally in the construction industry and with experience in track construction, or you have completed school-leaving examinations.
• You have held a driving licence for road vehicles, category B, for at least two years.
• Good working knowledge of computers and tablets.
• Very good oral and written proficiency in German.
• Good health with unimpaired hearing and no colour vision defects.
• You are prepared to work irregular hours and perform on-call duties.
• You have a strong sense of responsibility and awareness of safety and keep a clear overview, even in difficult or stressful situations.

You can find our advertisement on our «Job search» website under the heading «engine driver for work trains» or under «train driver».

After we have looked through your application documents, you will be invited to an interview and medical examination (e.g. eye test, hearing test, psychological interview etc.).

If you successfully complete the application process, you will begin your six-month, practice-oriented secondary training. You will then demonstrate your suitability for the role at the subsequent proficiency test.

Anyone applying to train as a traffic controller or engine driver must undergo a psychological examination by an approved psychologist. During the psychological examination, an approved psychologist assesses whether the examined person can be declared psychologically fit for the safety-relevant activity.

Remuneration system.

We have a fair and progressive remuneration system. We reward individual performance, take the nature of the job market into account and create transparency. We have also been awarded the We Pay Fair label.

Your salary during and after training.

Your gross monthly salary including the thirteen month's pay depends on age, experience and location. The graphics show the salary scale excluding extra pay. 

Your salary during training.

Your salary after training.

Extra pay.

• Up to 500-800 for night and Sunday work, depending on the shift plan. (Hourly rate for night work: CHF 6 / hourly Sunday rate: CHF 16). 
• Flat-rate subsistance allowance: CHF 19 per day.
• Child benefit: CHF 320 for the first child (CHF 205 for each additional child) and other SBB benefits 

Individual salaries will be fixed as part of the employment contract following our remuneration system which forms part of the collective agreement. 

Special offers for SBB employees.

Our employees benefit from attractive discounts with companies throughout Switzerland – that includes everything from insurance through to language courses and electronic devices.

GA travelcard.

Our employees are issued a 2nd class GA travelcard – the only requirement is that they work at least 50% of full-time working hours and have been employed at SBB for more than a year. Our staff also benefit from discounted rail journeys abroad.

As an engine driver for work trains, you can look forward to challenging tasks and stimulating activities. Here you can achieve great things, contribute your expert knowledge and quickly take on responsibility. Your qualifications and dedication are crucial for our success.

SBB operates around the clock, which means you’ll be travelling through Switzerland on weekdays, weekends and holidays. Irregular working hours are the norm at SBB. This means you can enjoy quiet ski slopes during the week, you’ll no longer have to go shopping during busy times and you’ll be able to structure your free time more flexibly. Attractive conditions of employment are important to us: thanks to time bonuses, our locomotive drivers have more free time than office workers.

Without SBB, the country would come to a standstill. And so would SBB without you. Here, you can be proud of your work. You play an important role in the safety and renewal of our public transport network. You also make a crucial contribution to the safety of all involved. SBB’s extensive rail network has to be serviced and maintained, meaning there is always work to be done.

We support our employees in line with their personal needs and goals. To this end, we offer a broad range of internal cross-departmental and cross-divisional training and continuing education programmes. For example, as an engine driver for work trains, you have the opportunity to complete further training in the transportation of dangerous goods or in crane operation.

By completing relevant further training, different career paths are open to you: examination specialist, engine crew supervisor, engine driver training manager, staff deployment manager or team leader.