Registration for the exam
A legal person (railway undertaking, railway infrastructure manager, other undertakings shunting and/or travelling to and from the place of construction, repair and/or maintenance of railway infrastructure) must submit to the Examination Centre an application to take the theory and practical examinations for obtaining a train driver’s certificate, or to supplement it, containing the names, surnames, personal identification numbers, telephone number, e-mail address and telephone number of the persons to be examined. The number, e-mail address, railway infrastructure and/or the series of vehicle(s) for which the driver wishes to take the examination for the certificate and/or to supplement it. In the application, the legal entity shall also indicate the preferred date for the theory and practical tests and the wish to take the test in the presence of an interpreter.
The examinee may submit the application in person (at the Examination Centre, located at Vilnius, Panerių g. 14 (2nd floor, room 7), by registered letter or by sending a digital copy of the application to the Examination Centre by e-mail ana@gpavc.lt. The application may also be submitted by an authorised person of the examinee, who has submitted a written power of attorney in accordance with the procedure established by the Civil Code of the Republic of Lithuania.
Who can take the exam
The theory and practical examinations for obtaining or completing the train driving certificate may be taken by natural persons who meet the following requirements:
- Hold a valid train driving licence;
- Has an employment contract with a railway undertaking or a railway infrastructure manager or another undertaking which shunts and/or travels to and from the place of construction, repair and/or maintenance work on railway infrastructure;
- Is at least 20 years of age;
- Have undergone a medical and psychological examination and meet the requirements for train drivers;
- Have a working knowledge of the language used on the railway infrastructure on which he intends to operate or manoeuvre trains after passing the test;
- Completed training in a specialised training programme for the award of a certificate or for the extension of a certificate.
What is the examination procedure
The theoretical examination for obtaining or updating a certificate for train drivers shall be written or conducted online via the examination information system. The duration of the theoretical examination is 60 minutes. The examination consists of a test with 30 questions, each question having three possible answers. Before the examination, the examinee shall be familiarised with the examination procedure. The examination shall be monitored by a competence board composed of the staff of the Examination Centre holding a certificate as an examiner of train drivers.
The examination for the practical competences of a train driver for the purpose of obtaining or completing a certificate shall be held at the railway undertaking or at the railway infrastructure manager’s premises. Only a person who has passed the theoretical examination for the award or extension of a train driving licence may sit the practical skills test. The practical test shall be carried out while the examinee is operating a particular series of rolling stock (train) on a particular railway infrastructure. The tasks of the practical examination shall be selected and the examination shall be supervised by a member of the staff of the Examination Centre holding a certificate of recognition as an examiner of train drivers, which entitles him to assess the skills of train drivers. The tasks for the practical skills test shall be designed for the examinee on the basis of the skills required for a person wishing to operate a particular series of rolling stock and/or a particular type of train and/or to operate rolling stock (trains) on a particular railway infrastructure.
Knowledge and abilities are checked and evaluated during the exam
The knowledge and skills of a train driver taking the theory and practical examinations for obtaining or upgrading a train driver certificate shall be assessed in accordance with the requirements laid down in the following legislation:
- Directive 2007/59/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the certification of train drivers operating locomotives and trains on the railway system within the Community.
- Law on Railway Traffic Safety of the Republic of Lithuania.
- Order of the Ministry of Transport and Communications of the Republic of Lithuania “on the approval of the description of the requirements for the safety management systems for railway transport”, which approves the description of the procedure for the certification of train drivers and the arrangements for the examination of natural persons wishing to be certified as train drivers.
- Examination scheme for obtaining or completing the GPAVC train driver examination certificate.
Issue or renewal of a train driver certificate
After the theory and practical test for obtaining or completing the train driver’s certificate, a certificate of the results of the test shall be issued to the legal person (undertaking where the train driver is employed). If the train driver has successfully passed the theory and practical examination, the certificate issued by the Examination Centre shall be the basis for the issue of a train driver’s certificate or for the addition of a train driver’s certificate to the series of rolling stock(s) and/or infrastructure on which the train driver can operate the rolling stock/trains independently.
How the contract for examination services is set up and how much the examination costs
Examination services for train drivers to obtain or complete a train driver’s certificate shall be provided by means of an examination service contract with a legal entity (the undertaking where the train driver is employed).
The cost of the theory and practical examinations shall depend on the extent of the knowledge, skills and competences to be assessed and the duration of the examination. In addition, other additional costs related to the rental of rolling stock and railway infrastructure, etc.
In each case, the price of the examination services shall be determined on an individual basis and negotiated with the client, taking into account the scope of the examination services.
What I must have and wear during exams
For the theory and practical examinations, proof of identity and a certificate of completion of a course in a specialised training programme for obtaining or upgrading a train driving certificate shall be required. Failure to produce the above documents shall preclude a person from taking the examination.
For the practical test, the person must additionally provide personal protective equipment, which must be worn in accordance with the procedures laid down by the undertaking where the train driver works.
Where do the exams take place?
The theory exam takes place:
- At the Examination Centre, located at Vilnius, Panerių g. 14 (2nd floor, room 7);
- Remotely, via the Internet, using the online video communication platforms: zoom, teams;
- In premises rented for that purpose;
- At the premises of the company where the examinee is employed.
The practical test shall take place on the railway infrastructure while the train driver is operating a particular series of rolling stock (train) during the test. The practical test shall be observed and the skills assessed by the Examination Centre’s train driver examiner.
Theory and practice examinations are based on
European Commission Decision 2011/765/EU of 22 November 2011 on the criteria for the recognition of train driver training centres and train driver examiners and for the organisation of examinations in accordance with Directive 2007/59/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council, and the provisions of the Law on Railway Traffic Safety of the Republic of Lithuania
