Rail transport operatives roles in the UK earn a median of £59,000 per year, equivalent to £25.41 per hour as of 2025. Pay increased 10.7% compared to the previous year. Regionally, pay ranges from £53,000 in North West to £69,000 in South East. Pay has risen over the past 5 years. The ONS national median for this occupation is £57,088/yr (3% above our computed national average).
Median Annual Pay
£59,000
as of 2025
High confidenceMedian Hourly Pay
£25.41
per hour
Year-on-Year Change
+10.7%
vs 2024
Annual Pay Range
£42,000 – £75,000
25th – 75th percentile
There is currently not sufficient data available for this occupation to say anything about the labour market.
Median annual pay for Rail transport operatives across UK regions.
Source: ONS ASHE. Based on broad UK regions (NUTS1).
| Region | Median Pay |
|---|---|
| South East | £69,000 |
| London | £64,000 |
| West Midlands | £64,000 |
| North East | £61,500 |
| East | £58,500 |
| Scotland | £57,500 |
| South West | £55,000 |
| East Midlands | £54,500 |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | £54,000 |
| Wales | £54,000 |
| North West | £53,000 |
| UK | £59,000 |
Annual pay grew by +10.7% from 2024 to 2025.
National average (NUTS1 actuals) based on ONS ASHE April snapshot.
Annual percentage change in median pay for Rail transport operatives.
Percentage change from the prior year's April figure.
The median salary for a Rail transport operatives in the UK is £59,000 per year (about £25.41 per hour), based on official ONS data for 2025.
Most Rail transport operatives earn between £42,000 and £75,000 a year (the 25th to 75th percentile of UK pay).
Rail transport operatives pay rose by 10.7% from 2024 to 2025.
The highest median pay for Rail transport operatives is in South East, at £69,000 per year.
For job seekers
Check your salary against official UK data for Rail transport operatives roles — broken down by region and seniority level. Free, instant, no sign-up required.
For employers & recruiters
Rail transport operatives assist drivers in the operation of passenger and goods trains, drive locomotive engines in coal mines, guide wagons and coaches in marshalling yards and sidings to make up trains, operate signals and points to control the movement of rail traffic, and monitor the operation of surface and underground railways.
There are no formal academic entry requirements. Candidates may be required to have good hearing, eyesight, and normal colour vision and pass a medical examination for entry to some posts. Training is initially undertaken in training centres, followed by practical experience on-the-job. NVQs/ SVQs in Rail Services are available at level 2 and 3.
Salary data is sourced from official UK pay datasets and updated periodically.