Salary for dispatchers at the railway
There are many professions that involve great responsibility. This particularly includes a train dispatcher. It should be interesting for you to find out what the job description and salary look like.
Deutsche Bahn's train traffic is a complex system that has to be perfectly planned and implemented. That is why the areas of responsibility are broadly diversified. But in each of these areas someone has to take responsibility. If you look at the example of a large train station, you will see that there are countless tracks on which trains come and go. This fact alone means that people are needed here to ensure that everything runs smoothly. That is why there is the dispatcher. Whose salary depends of course on the scope of his tasks.
The job description of the train dispatcher
- A train dispatcher is often compared to an air traffic controller. While he is responsible for the smooth running of the air traffic, the dispatcher is responsible for the smooth running of the rail traffic.
- He mainly works in a signal box, of which there are around 4,500 in Germany alone. This is easy to understand when you consider that there is a rail network of 34,000 kilometers. As one of 2,300 dispatchers, he is responsible for all trains that are on the move in his field of work.
- Since this has to happen around the clock, shift work is a matter of course. Since most interlockings work electronically, there should also be a technical understanding. The monitoring of signal box loudspeakers is also one of the areas of responsibility. As a dispatcher, he must be able to react immediately to any disruptions in train traffic and provide remedial action. Together with the dispatchers in the central signal boxes, he is responsible for planning train traffic.
The salary for a dispatcher
- Training to become a train dispatcher takes a maximum of three years, but can be shortened to 2.5 years if you perform particularly well. You need a good secondary school leaving certificate as a prerequisite.
- As in many other professions, the salary depends on the field of activity, age and professional experience. The average gross salary is around 1,900 euros. Depending on the aforementioned criteria, an increase of up to around 2,900 euros gross is possible. In addition, both vacation and Christmas bonuses are paid.
Did you dream of becoming a train driver as a child?
