Train driving in France

[notadriver]

Does anyone know how the train driver recruitment process works in France? Is it self funded (Germany) or are vacancies advertised as they are here ?

 

[First class]

Pretty sure I've seen ES positions in France where training is provided at company expense.

I do suspect that unless you've been a driver (somewhere) before, Eurostar is way beyond reach.

 

[scotsman]

Pretty sure I've seen ES positions in France where training is provided at company expense.

I do suspect that unless you've been a driver (somewhere) before, Eurostar is way beyond reach.

Eurostar requires at least 2(?) years experience of driving High Speed trains (i.e. Virgin, East Coast and some DBS, SET, FGW EMT and NXEA Drivers) and the ability to speak French, or the inclination to learn it.

In France, you work your way up in SNCF, AFAIK

 

[pendolino]

There's lots of info on the SNCF site - en français et aussi en anglais. I was having a look a few weeks back.

Start here: http://www.sncf.com/en_EN/flash/#/CH0003/BR1196/ (English)

Driving vacancies listed here: http://www.emploi.sncf.com/acces/eR...&region=0&d-8859-p=1&secteurSsJs=23&typeRec=5 (French)

edit: it looks like they had a big recruitment day last week (30th May)

 

[scotsman]

Fantastic attitude SNCF have, they're really positive about people

 

[pendolino]

I found this bit:

Vous intégrerez un centre de formation interne ou, durant dix mois (quatre mois pour les CRML), vous apprendrez à conduire des trains en respectant les procédures règlementaires et techniques qui garantiront le niveau de sécurité et de fiabilité requis.

Cette formation, rémunérée, alterne théorie et stages pratiques et sera validée par une évaluation professionnelle.

which says you get paid for the 10 months (4 months for CRML, whatever that is) training.

(Just found out CRML = Conducteur de Manoeuvre et de Lignes locales. http://debats.sncf.com/feedbacks/35498-qu-est-ce-qu-un-crml. Sounds like a shunter driver.)

 

[scotsman]

I found this bit:



which says you get paid for the 10 months (4 months for CRML, whatever that is) training.

(Just found out CRML = Conducteur de Manoeuvre et de Lignes locales. http://debats.sncf.com/feedbacks/35498-qu-est-ce-qu-un-crml. Sounds like a shunter driver.)

Sounds more like shunting and local services

 

[E&W Lucas]

Eurostar requires at least 2(?) years experience of driving High Speed trains (i.e. Virgin, East Coast and some DBS, SET, FGW EMT and NXEA Drivers) and the ability to speak French, or the inclination to learn it.

In France, you work your way up in SNCF, AFAIK

Unless anything has changed, it's five years high speed experience, and a clean driving record. They've been shedding staff over the last couple of years though, so I wouldn't have thought it too likely that there will be any openings for a while.