Train Driving Licences in other countries.

[stadler]

I just had a few questions regarding train driving licences in other countries and the history of them.

In the UK we issue train driving licences. These are a card format very similar to car driving licences. I have noticed that most other European countries also issue them and they look very similar. There are quite a few photos online from different countries and it is a standard format in most European countries.

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, all issue the same format. The cards look very similar in all these countries except for the word "Train Driving Licence" being in the local language and the flag of the relevant country being on the card.

But from searching online i can not find anything similar for other countries. Not even for places like New Zealand or Australia or Canada or USA etc. I can only find evidence of train driving licence cards existing in EU/EEA/EFTA countries and the UK too.

So i was wondering are train driving licences solely a European thing or do they exist anywhere else? Is this perhaps something that the EU started? If so does anyone know when they were first introduced and which country was first? I am presuming in the past there were no actual licence cards in many countries?

Did any of the countries ever have any paper train driving licences before? In the UK we used to have paper car driving licences (in fact we still do - the old paper car driving licences are still valid - i still have mine and have never gotten a modern card one) so i am wondering whether train driving licences were previously issued as paper documents too in some countries before cards?

Also i notice that European regulations say licences from EU/EEA/EFTA countries are accepted in each others countries. So they all recognise each other licences. But from the 31/01/2022 they stopped recognising GB licences and vice versa but the NI licences are still recognised. So does this mean that Eurostar drivers have to have two separate driving licences (UK and France) to drive Eurostar trains? I would also be curious about the licences for drivers on the cross border trains that cross from EU/EEA/EFTA countries to other countries (eg Belarus or Russia or Serbia or Turkey etc) and what is required there?

Thank you in advance for any information.

 

[Astro_Orbiter]

can confirm that Eurostar drivers have both a UK license and a French issued one

 

[rmHawk765]

I would imagine Russia has a similar system too?

 

[stadler]

can confirm that Eurostar drivers have both a UK license and a French issued one

Thank you for confirming. I am surprised that they could not work out an agreement for the UK to continue to recognise EU/EEA/EFTA train driving licences and in return they recognise our UK ones. Northern Ireland managed to work out such an agreement so it is a shame we could not. It seems a bit ridiculous that Eurostar drivers now need two separate train driving licences.

I would imagine Russia has a similar system too?

I have just done some searching and it turns out that Russia and Belarus both have EU style train driving licences too. They were only introduced in 2019 so have only been around for just over five years. Before that they had paper licence books. I find it interesting that they decided to go with the EU format. It does not have the blue colour band or the EU flag but is otherwise the same exact format. Even normal domestic drivers (for example drivers that solely drive Moscow suburban trains) get a licence like this now.

 

[rmHawk765]

I have just done some searching and it turns out that Russia and Belarus both have EU style train driving licences too. They were only introduced in 2019 so have only been around for just over five years. Before that they had paper licence books.

Ah ok, thanks for the info.

 

[bahnause]

Also i notice that European regulations say licences from EU/EEA/EFTA countries are accepted in each others countries. So they all recognise each other licences. But from the 31/01/2022 they stopped recognising GB licences and vice versa but the NI licences are still recognised. So does this mean that Eurostar drivers have to have two separate driving licences (UK and France) to drive Eurostar trains? I would also be curious about the licences for drivers on the cross border trains that cross from EU/EEA/EFTA countries to other countries (eg Belarus or Russia or Serbia or Turkey etc) and what is required there?

The european licence itself only serves as proof of identity for train drivers. However, it does not authorise them to drive a train on its own. The supplementary sheet is the really important part. It lists the approved infrastructure networks, TOCs, traction, restrictions and extensions. This also includes foreign networks.
While the licence belongs to the train driver, the supplementary sheet is withdrawn by the TOC at the end of the employment relationship.

 

[upnorth71]

In Japan, train drivers licences are issued under the authority of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism. There are 12 different classes of licence, but the primary types are: Class A, for operation of EMUs and electric locomotives; Class B, for operation of streetcars/trams; and a Shinkansen licence (i.e. high speed rail). The first paper licences were issued in 1919, booklet format licences in 1933, the current format (like a passport) was introduced in 1966, and further refinements have occurred since, such as making the document smaller, color picture for ID, and in 2007, an embedded IC chip.