Southeastern Train Driver Application: Process, Salary and How to Prepare
Quick answer
Southeastern recruits trainee train drivers across its Kent and South East London network. Trainees start at around £27,639, rising to approximately £33,867 after passing the rules and regulations stage, and to around £54,002 once signed off as competent — usually within about 12 months. The selection process uses the standard train driver psychometric battery, and no previous rail experience is required.
Southeastern operates one of the busiest commuter networks in the country, running services across Kent and South East London into the London terminals, plus high-speed Javelin services. For aspiring train drivers in the South East, it is one of the most accessible major operators to target — but the competition is fierce, and the selection process is the same demanding train driver test battery used across the industry. Here is what applying to Southeastern involves and how to prepare.
Salary and Progression
Southeastern's trainee pay rises in steps as you pass through the stages of training. Trainees start at approximately £27,639, increasing to around £33,867 once you have passed the rules and regulations section (roughly three months in), and then to approximately £54,002 once you have been signed off as competent by your driver manager and completed your first driving duties — typically around 12 months from joining.
You are paid throughout training, and the qualification you earn is nationally recognised and portable across the industry. Pay figures are set through collective agreements and change over time, so always confirm the current rates on Southeastern's own careers pages.
Where You Would Be Based
Southeastern runs driver depots across its network. Recruitment is depot-specific, and you generally need to live within a reasonable travelling time of the depot you apply to — commonly around a 40-minute drive, with shorter public-transport times for London depots.
- ✓Kent and South East depots including Ashford, Tonbridge, Dartford, Dover, Faversham, Gillingham, Hastings, Ramsgate and Slade Green
- ✓London depots including Charing Cross, Victoria, Grove Park and Orpington
- ✓Exact recruiting depots vary by campaign — check the live vacancy for which depot it covers
Existing customers
Log in to practise
Interactive simulations of the train driver tests — log in to your account to keep practising.
The Selection Process
Southeastern uses the standard train driver psychometric battery set out in RSSB standard RIS-3751-TOM, like other GB mainline operators, though each company chooses its own pass marks. Selection typically runs from an online application and sift, through the train driver aptitude tests, to an assessment day and a structured competency interview, followed by medical and reference checks.
No prior railway experience is required — Southeastern, like other operators, recruits on aptitude and the right behaviours and trains you from scratch.
- ✓Vigilance (WAFV) — sustained attention over a long session (widely reported as about 30 minutes)
- ✓ATAVT — rapid perception and recall of a visual scene
- ✓TRP1 — following rules and procedures accurately
- ✓TEA-Occ — divided attention
- ✓Group Bourdon — concentration and perceptual speed
- ✓Competency interview — safety-focused behavioural questions
How to Prepare
The candidates who succeed at Southeastern are almost always those who have practised the train driver tests thoroughly before the assessment day. The tests are time-pressured and unfamiliar, and familiarity helps remove the hesitation that costs marks.
Practise each type of test under timed conditions, work through the official practice materials the train company sends you, and prepare safety-focused STAR examples for the interview. Read the full assessment day guide to know what to expect.
Frequently asked questions
How much do Southeastern train drivers earn?
Trainees start at approximately £27,639, rising to around £33,867 after the rules and regulations stage and to approximately £54,002 once signed off as competent (typically within about 12 months). Confirm current figures on Southeastern's careers site, as pay is set through collective agreements.
Do you need experience to become a Southeastern train driver?
No. Southeastern recruits trainee drivers without prior railway experience and provides full training. Selection is based on the train driver aptitude tests, a competency interview, and medical checks.
Where are Southeastern's train driver depots?
Southeastern has depots across Kent and South East London, including Ashford, Tonbridge, Dartford, Dover, Faversham, Gillingham, Hastings, Ramsgate, Slade Green, and London depots such as Charing Cross and Victoria. Recruitment is depot-specific.
What tests does Southeastern use for train drivers?
Southeastern uses the standard train driver psychometric battery set out in RSSB standard RIS-3751-TOM — Group Bourdon, TEA-Occ, the WAFV vigilance test, TRP1b, TRP2, the ATAVT, 2HAND, a situational judgement exercise and a multi-modal interview — alongside its own interview. Each company chooses its own pass marks.
How close do you have to live to a Southeastern depot?
Recruitment is depot-specific and you generally need to live within a reasonable travelling time — commonly around a 40-minute drive, with shorter public-transport times for London depots. Check the specific vacancy for its requirement.