CrossCountry Train Driver Application Guide: How to Get Hired
Quick answer
To become a train driver with CrossCountry, you apply online through their Workday recruitment system, then pass the train driver psychometric tests, a competency interview, and a railway-standard medical. Qualified CrossCountry drivers earn in the region of £65,000, while apprentice and trainee drivers start at roughly £34,000, rising to around £45,000 on completion of training.
CrossCountry operates the most geographically extensive network of any British train company — long-distance services stretching from Aberdeen and Edinburgh in the north to Penzance and Bournemouth in the south, almost none of which serve London. With its hub at Birmingham New Street and depots across the Midlands, it offers drivers some of the longest and most varied routes in the country. This guide covers everything you need to apply and prepare.
About CrossCountry and Their Network
CrossCountry connects Scotland, the North East, Yorkshire, the Midlands, the South West and the South Coast, with Birmingham New Street as its central interchange. Uniquely among the major operators, it runs almost no services into London, instead linking regional cities directly to one another. Its fleet is largely diesel — Voyager units and longer-formation trains for the busiest flows — and driver depots are concentrated around the Midlands at locations such as Birmingham, Leicester and Derby. CrossCountry is operated by Arriva under contract to the Department for Transport.
CrossCountry Train Driver Salary
Recent CrossCountry apprentice and trainee campaigns have advertised a starting salary of around £34,000, rising to roughly £45,000 on completion of basic training (some earlier campaigns quoted lower figures, so check the specific advert). Qualified CrossCountry drivers earn in the region of £65,000. As with every UK operator, pay is negotiated through ASLEF and increases with experience, shift premiums and unsocial-hours working. Treat these figures as indicative — confirm the exact salary on the live vacancy.
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The Application Process at CrossCountry
CrossCountry advertises vacancies on its own careers site and recruits through the Workday system, where you create an account and submit your details and CV. The stages typically include: (1) Online application and CV; (2) Online assessments and psychometric screening; (3) The train driver psychometric assessment at an assessment centre; (4) A structured competency interview; (5) A railway-standard medical; and (6) The driver training programme. Apprentice driver campaigns are often advertised for specific depots — recent rounds have included Leicester, Derby and Cambridge — with fixed application closing dates, so act quickly when a vacancy opens.
Train Driver Tests at CrossCountry
RSSB standard RIS-3751-TOM sets out the standard battery used across GB mainline operators: Group Bourdon and TEA-Occ (attention), the WAFV vigilance test, TRP1b and TRP2 (rules and procedures), the ATAVT (perception), 2HAND (hand coordination), a situational judgement exercise and a multi-modal interview. Each company chooses its own pass marks and may add tests. A consistent performance across every test matters — a single weak area can affect the outcome.
Preparing for CrossCountry's Psychometric Tests
Combine an understanding of each test with timed practice and the official practice materials the train company sends you at least a week before your assessment. Build Vigilance stamina towards a full-length session; practise brief-flash scene tasks for the ATAVT, scanning systematically for every category; and rehearse rules retention by reading dense procedural text and recalling the detail under time pressure. Also rehearse the coordination and concentration formats so they feel familiar.
CrossCountry Interview Tips
CrossCountry's competency interview probes safety awareness, decision-making under pressure, communication, and motivation for the role. Prepare specific real-life examples that show calm, responsible behaviour and attention to detail, structured with the STAR method. Showing that you understand CrossCountry's unusual long-distance, regional-hub model — and the demands of very long routes and diagram diversity — signals genuine interest. Expect to be asked why you want to drive trains specifically, rather than simply wanting any transport role.
Frequently asked questions
Does CrossCountry run trains to London?
No — CrossCountry is unusual in that almost none of its services run into London. It connects regional cities across Britain directly, with Birmingham New Street as its central hub, which is why its routes are among the longest in the country.
How much do CrossCountry train drivers earn?
Qualified CrossCountry drivers earn in the region of £65,000, while apprentice and trainee drivers start at roughly £34,000 and rise to around £45,000 on completion of training. Figures are indicative and negotiated through ASLEF — always check the live vacancy.
Can I apply to CrossCountry with no railway experience?
Yes. Most CrossCountry driver recruits come from non-railway backgrounds. You need to meet the eligibility criteria, pass the train driver psychometric tests and interview, and clear the medical — previous transport experience helps but is not required.
How hard are the train driver tests at CrossCountry?
They use the same standardised train driver test battery as most UK operators. The tests are not designed to be impossible, but they demand sustained concentration and quick, accurate responses. Practicing the formats in advance means you do not arrive unprepared.