The Train Driver
Aptitude Test
It is not one test — it is a battery of them. Vigilance, hazard perception, concentration, coordination, rules and judgement. Here are the tests you are likely to face, what each one measures, and how to prepare for assessment day.
Independent practice — not the official test
Train Driver Tests is not affiliated with RSSB, any test publisher or any train company. Our questions are original practice for the abilities the assessment measures. If you're invited to an assessment, the train company will give you the official approved practice materials at least a week before your assessment date — if they haven't arrived, contact the company you applied to (RSSB candidate FAQ, Q18).
What is the train driver aptitude test?
When people talk about the "train driver aptitude test", they are really describing a whole battery of psychometric assessments — not a single exam. These tests are usually administered together at an assessment centre and are designed to measure the specific cognitive abilities that make a safe train driver: the capacity to sustain attention for long periods, to perceive and process visual scenes quickly, to concentrate accurately on repetitive tasks, to coordinate physical control, to absorb and apply rules, and to exercise sound safety judgement.
RSSB standard RIS-3751-TOM sets out a standard battery used across GB mainline rail, which is why you will also hear it called the "train driver aptitude test" or the "train driver psychometric test". Companies choose their own pass marks and may add tests. Below is every test you are likely to meet — click through to any of them for a full breakdown and practice.
The battery
Every test, explained
Vigilance Test (WAFV)
Sustained attentionA long test (widely reported as about 30 minutes) of your ability to stay alert on an uneventful task. A stimulus changes at random intervals and you respond the instant it does. It measures the concentration needed on quiet stretches of track.
Full guide & practice →ATAVT (Hazard Perception)
Perceptual speedA traffic scene flashes up briefly (the real test adapts the exposure time); you identify which elements were present. Tests how quickly and accurately you take in a complex visual scene — the rapid scene-reading drivers do at speed.
Full guide & practice →Group Bourdon
ConcentrationA paper concentration task: scan rows of dot groups and mark every group containing exactly four dots. Measures accurate, systematic working sustained over time without losing focus.
Full guide & practice →SCAAT
Concentration & attentionThe Safe Concentration and Attention Test, published by The OPC. Not part of RSSB's standard battery, but used by some employers. Measures concentration on a monotonous task, on two things at once, and switching attention.
Full guide & practice →TEA-OCC
Divided attentionA divided-attention task that asks you to track more than one stream of information at once. Measures your ability to split and switch attention accurately — central to safe cab work.
Full guide & practice →2-Hand Coordination
Psychomotor controlA psychomotor test requiring both hands to work together to control an on-screen path. Measures fine motor coordination and steady control under time pressure.
Full guide & practice →TRP1b & TRP2 (Rules & Procedures)
Rule retentionTRP1b: you read a set of rules, then answer questions from memory. TRP2 tests reasoning with rules. Together they measure how well you absorb, retain and apply procedural information. Our practice covers the TRP1 memory format.
Full guide & practice →Situational Judgement (SJE)
Judgement & safetyWorkplace scenarios with response options to rank or choose. Measures whether your instincts align with a safe, professional, rule-following train driver.
Full guide & practice →Some processes also include other elements — a mechanical comprehension test (historically common, now largely phased out for passenger drivers), online numerical and verbal reasoning at the application stage, and a competency-based interview.
What to expect on assessment day
The aptitude tests are usually completed in a single session, often as part of a longer assessment-centre day that may also include a competency interview. The battery is a mix of paper-and-pencil and computer-based tests; the Group Bourdon is on paper. The Vigilance Test is widely reported as the longest single component, at about 30 minutes, and many candidates find it the most demanding simply because of how long you must hold your concentration.
Pass marks are not published. RSSB recommends them, but each train company decides which pass marks it uses. Because every test counts, even, reliable performance matters more than excelling at one test and fading on another — which is why practising the full range, not just your strongest test, is the smart approach. If you're invited to an assessment, the train company will give you the official approved practice materials at least a week beforehand.
How to prepare
A practical plan
Practice the full battery, not just one test
Every test in the battery counts. Spreading your practice across Vigilance, ATAVT, Group Bourdon, SCAAT, TEA-OCC, coordination, TRP1 and the SJT protects you from a single weak test dragging down the overall picture.
Build Vigilance stamina early
Long, unbroken concentration is the hardest single demand. Start practicing the Vigilance Test weeks in advance and build up — leaving it to the last few days is the most common preparation mistake.
Train accuracy before speed
Across the concentration and perception tests, errors hurt you more than a slightly lower volume. Get the rule right consistently first; speed follows naturally as recognition becomes automatic.
Practise in quiet, test-like conditions
Sit timed, full-length runs in a quiet room without interruptions. Familiarity with the style of each task removes a major source of assessment-day anxiety so you can focus entirely on performance.
Arrive rested
Fatigue measurably degrades attention and reaction scores. A good night's sleep before assessment day is one of the simplest and most effective things within your control.
FAQ
Common questions about the train driver aptitude test
What is the train driver aptitude test?
The train driver aptitude test is not a single exam — it is a battery of psychometric tests, usually administered at an assessment centre, that measure the abilities a train driver needs. RSSB standard RIS-3751-TOM sets out the standard battery: 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 (SJE) and a multi-modal interview (MMI). Some employers also use other tests, such as the SCAAT.
Is the aptitude test the same as the psychometric test?
Broadly, yes — the terms are used interchangeably. 'Train driver aptitude test' and 'psychometric test' both refer to the same group of cognitive assessments used to select train drivers. RSSB sets a standard battery, companies choose their own pass marks and may add tests, and the underlying abilities measured — sustained attention, concentration, perceptual speed, coordination and judgement — are consistent.
How hard is the train driver aptitude test?
Harder than it looks, mainly because of the sustained-attention demands. The Vigilance Test in particular — widely reported as about 30 minutes of unbroken concentration — catches many people out. The tests are not academically difficult, but maintaining accuracy and focus across a full battery is genuinely demanding. Practicing in advance means none of it is new to you on the day.
What is a good score on the train driver aptitude test?
Pass marks are not published. RSSB recommends pass marks, but each train company decides which ones it uses, and some use an enhanced standard. Aim for consistent, accurate performance across the battery — low error rates, sustained focus and good judgement — rather than excelling at one test and dropping off on another.
How long does the assessment take?
The aptitude testing is typically completed in a single session, often as part of a longer assessment-centre day that may also include a competency interview and other exercises. The timings of individual tests are not published, but the Vigilance Test is widely reported as the longest single component, at about 30 minutes.
Can you practice for the train driver aptitude test?
Yes, and you should. While you cannot revise facts for an aptitude test, the abilities it measures — sustained attention, concentration, perceptual speed, coordination — all improve with practice. Practising similar timed tasks builds familiarity, and the train company will send you the official approved practice materials at least a week before your assessment — together these that reduce assessment-day nerves and lift your performance.
Practice the whole battery in one place
Vigilance, ATAVT, Group Bourdon, TRP1 and more — original timed practice with unlimited attempts. One payment, no subscription.