SNCB to Hire 900+ Staff for 2027, Offering Paid Training

Belgium’s national passenger rail operator SNCB has launched its recruitment campaign for 2027, aiming to hire more than 900 new employees, the company announced on Friday, 2 October 2026. The vacancies are concentrated in operational roles—train drivers, train conductors and workshop technicians—and some training programmes are paid, a key incentive designed to attract career-switchers to the railway sector.

According to RTBF, the operator is starting its search unusually early. “The earlier new employees are recruited, the sooner they can start their training and be operational for the train service,” SNCB explained in its announcement.

Where the Jobs Are

The 2027 intake is heavily weighted toward the roles that keep trains running. More than 200 vacancies are open for train drivers, more than 200 for train conductors, and more than 200 for technicians in the workshops, according to the official SNCB press release.

The remaining positions span the wider organisation: around 40 commercial staff, some 40 new Securail employees—both security agents and control-room dispatchers—roughly 150 roles in other functions, and more than 70 IT profiles.

Recruitment for 2026 is still winding down. Of the 1,000 positions opened this year, 850 had already been filled as of the announcement, SNCB said. During the first eight months of 2026 alone, the operator received more than 30,000 applications.

Paid Training Removes a Key Barrier

SNCB is highlighting paid training as one of the job’s biggest draws. Train drivers face a demanding challenge that cannot be learned in a classroom, so the company provides an intensive programme—approximately one year for drivers and about five months for conductors.

Crucially, candidates are paid from their first day of training. A train driver in training can expect a net salary of around €2,250 per month, Redactie24 reported, citing SNCB figures. Once qualified, that rises to at least €2,500 net per month. A starting train conductor earns a net salary of at least €2,300. Premiums for irregular hours and weekend work can push these amounts higher.

“A job as a train driver comes with an attractive salary,” SNCB said. The operator frames driver, conductor and technician roles as “typical railway jobs”—positions with significant responsibility and a large social impact.

NMBYES: A New Employer Campaign

To reach as many candidates as possible, SNCB has launched a new employer branding campaign called NMBYES!. It runs on radio, in cinemas, on social media, on screens in stations and trains, and on the company’s jobsite. Real SNCB employees front the campaign and describe what makes their work distinctive.

“I am proud of my job,” said Maarten Herremans, 28, an electronics repairer at the SNCB workshop in Mechelen since 2022 and one of the faces of the campaign. “I am a big supporter of the train and public transport myself, so it is very nice to be able to contribute concretely and help our customers.”

The personal touch appears to be working. More than 30% of new employees join SNCB on the recommendation of a friend, acquaintance or family member already working for the company.

Open Days to Meet the Railway

SNCB is backing the campaign with in-person events. On Sunday, 4 October 2026, it took part in Open Bedrijvendag (Open Business Day), opening the doors of its central workshop in Mechelen to the general public for the first time in 15 years—a rare chance to see behind the scenes and get to know the different jobs.

From Monday, 19 to Saturday, 24 October 2026, the operator will host ‘Job Centraal’ at Antwerp-Centraal station. Visitors can discover jobs, meet employees and try a realistic train simulator. Antwerp was chosen deliberately: it is one of the country’s busiest stations, and the surrounding province has a large share of the vacancies.

Why the Expansion

The hiring drive is tied to SNCB’s 2026-2029 transport plan, which adds nearly 600 trains per week across the country and improves service at 178 stations. The additional staff will not only support current teams but also enable this broader expansion of the timetable.

A Backdrop of Labour Tension

The recruitment push comes amid a sensitive period in labour relations. SNCB and its infrastructure counterpart Infrabel have been at the centre of a federal pension reform dispute: unions have denounced changes affecting rail workers’ pension conditions as a social regression. In parallel, some 5,800 train drivers and conductors are potentially affected by a legal defence fund created by staff to challenge the reform in court, RTBF reported.

What to Watch

With more than 30,000 applications already logged this year, SNCB remains a sought-after employer. The test over the coming months will be whether the operator can fill its 2027 pipeline fast enough to staff the expanded timetable—while navigating the pension dispute that continues to test morale across its workforce. Candidates interested in the roles can find more information on SNCB’s jobsite.