Train Driver Salary in London
Official ONS earnings for London, covering 7,000 jobs.
Median salary — London
£77,889
gross, per year, all employees
▲ 20% change on the previous year
Mean
£77,915
Jobs measured
7,000
What a typical train driver takes home
On the median of £77,889, 2026/27 tax year, England, Wales and Northern Ireland rates, no pension or student loan.
Take-home a month
£4,644
Take-home a year
£55,733
Income Tax
£18,588
National Insurance
£3,568
What most train drivers actually earn
Half of train drivers in London earn between £39,817 and £76,784. Earning above £76,784 puts you in the top quarter of the profession.
ONS suppresses the detailed spread for this occupation at regional level, so this range describes the wider “Other Drivers and Transport Operatives” group in London.
The full pay range
Each bar is the salary at that percentile — the 25th means a quarter of train drivers earn less than this.
How London ranks for train driver pay
1st
of 3 GB regions with a published figure
London pays train drivers more than anywhere else ONS measures — £2,281 above East, the lowest of the 3.
Ranking compares published regional medians for the same occupation. It says nothing about cost of living — a higher median doesn't survive contact with rent. The cost of living calculator is the honest next step.
Where this figure comes from
- ONS occupation group
- Train and tram drivers
- SOC 2020 code
- 8231
- Measure
- Gross annual pay, all employees
- Edition
- ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, 2025 provisional
Source: Office for National Statistics, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Figures are estimates from a survey of PAYE jobs and are not financial advice.
Train Driver salary FAQs
What is the average Train Driver salary in London?
The median is £77,889 a year and the mean is £77,915, according to the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings. Those cover all employees; ASHE publishes no full-time split at regional level.
How much does a train driver earn per hour?
Across the UK the median hourly rate is £38.97 excluding overtime. ASHE publishes hourly pay by occupation nationally only, so there is no separate rate for London.
What is a good Train Driver salary?
Half of train drivers earn between £39,817 and £76,784. Anything above £76,784 is in the top quarter for the role.
What is the starting salary for a train driver?
ASHE does not record experience, so there is no official starting salary. What it does show is that the lowest-paid 10% of train drivers earn under £31,534 and the lowest quarter under £39,817 — the range a new entrant is most likely to be offered.
Do train drivers in London earn more than the UK average?
The median in London is £77,889 against £76,176 across the UK, 2.2% higher, which places it 1st highest of the 3 GB regions with a precise estimate.
Has train driver pay gone up in the last year?
ASHE puts the year-on-year change in the median at +20.0% for this occupation in London. That compares the latest survey with the one before it and is not adjusted for inflation.
How many train drivers are there in London?
ASHE counts around 7,000 employee jobs in “Train and tram drivers” (SOC 8231) in London. Self-employed work is not included.
Is this figure official?
Yes. It comes from the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, an accredited official statistic based on employer PAYE records.
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