Train station staff
Carry out essential tasks at a train station to help make travel easy and enjoyable for customers.
Also known as: train station worker
About the job
What it's like
You would carry out essential tasks at a train station to help make travel easy and enjoyable for customers.
You would:
Sell and check tickets
Make sure that passengers get on and off the train safely
Help to load and unload luggage
Signal the guard or driver to depart
Update message displays showing passenger information
Make passenger announcements
Look after CCTV cameras and footage
Give out information on services, routes, train times and delays
In smaller stations, you may have other tasks, such as cleaning or clearing snow and ice off platforms during the winter.
It would be important to follow health and safety rules carefully, as you would be working around trains.
Hours
You would usually work 37 to 39 hours a week, in shifts of up to 12 hours covering evenings, weekends and bank holidays.
Environment
Your time would be split between the information centre or ticket office and the station platforms. Your employer would provide you with a uniform.
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Related industries
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Transport
Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Top specialised skills
These are the top specialised skills that have been found in job vacancies across Scotland. From March 2024 to March 2025.
- resourcing
Meta skills
Here are some of the meta skills you'll need to do this job.
- recalling
- taking initiative
- respecting
- observation
- verbal communication
- listening
- supporting
- cooperating
- resilience
- positive attitude
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore each section to find more information about getting into this career.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
Administration and Information Technology
Skills for Work: Retailing
There are no formal qualifications required to enter this role but some employers may ask for qualifications at SCQF level 4/5.
A satisfactory standard of English is important, together with confident money-handling skills.
Qualifications and experience that show you are good at communicating with people and handling money such as Skills for Work Travel and Tourism (SCQF level 4/5).
Communication and language qualifications may also be helpful such as SQA Modern Languages for Life & Work Award (SCQF level 3/4).
It is helpful to have relevant work-based qualifications such as a Scottish Vocational Qualification in Customer Services (SVQ level 2/3) or be willing to work towards qualifications once in a job.
Before entering this job you will need to pass an interview at an assessment centre and a medical examination to check:
fitness
eyesight
colour vision
hearing
any alcohol or drugs use
Once you start work you could be tested for drugs or alcohol at any time.
You may need to be approved for membership of the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme run by Disclosure Scotland.
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