The government has announced it is lowering the minimum age for train drivers from 20 to 18. The change, effective from 30 June 2026, will allow school leavers to apply for these skilled roles immediately after finishing education.
The Department for Transport (DfT), working with the Department for Work and Pensions, is laying legislation before Parliament during National Apprenticeship Week to make the shift possible.
This aligns the UK with countries like Switzerland, Germany, and Australia, where 18-year-olds already operate trains, and levels the playing field with other UK transport jobs, such as piloting Tube trains, trams, or even becoming an airline pilot at 18.
Battling an ageing workforce
The decision comes as the rail industry faces an ageing workforce. A quarter of the country’s train drivers are projected to reach retirement age by 2030, with the figure climbing to 32% in Scotland and the North East, and 38% in Wales.
The average age of Britain’s roughly 24,000 train drivers currently stands at around 48, and fewer than 4% (or one in 25) are under 30. Diversity remains low, with only 11% women and less than 13% from minority ethnic backgrounds.
Rail Minister Lord Peter Hendy called the change “a significant step forward for young people across Britain.” He added: “This will open doors for those wanting to move straight into the workplace, giving a younger generation the chance to build rewarding careers in the railway… It’s a move that will help secure the future of Great British Railways and the wider rail industry.”
Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden emphasised the broader economic and social benefits: “With almost a million young people not in education, employment or training, we need to open up new routes into skilled, well-paid careers. Lowering the minimum age for train drivers puts young people at the controls – of a train today, and of their own futures tomorrow.”
Industry voices welcomed the reform. The Rail Delivery Group’s Daniel Mann noted it would help attract a broader range of skills and perspectives to build the workforce of the future. ASLEF union representative Dave Calfe, whose organisation has campaigned for the change for years, said it would boost diversity and allow the industry to recruit the large numbers of drivers needed over the next five years, addressing how the previous age limit meant missing out on talent making career choices at 18.
The policy supports the government’s push for apprenticeships and ties into the creation of Great British Railways, aiming to ensure long-term resilience, pass on knowledge from experienced drivers, and reduce risks of service disruptions from shortages.
While training programs remain rigorous and recruitment processes can take time, the lower entry age is expected to create more pathways into well-paid, stable careers in passenger and freight services.
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