Founded in 1999, the Institution of Railway Operators was created to work at the heart of the rail operations community. We are the only professional institution whose focus and specialism are railway operations.

In 2020, the Institution was recognised by Her Majesty the Queen by the granting of a Royal Charter for its work within the industry. It then became the Chartered Institution of Railway Operators (CIRO).

CIRO offers a combination of learning from our Introduction to Rail course to a Degree in Railway Operations Managements, events, CPD courses, and networking opportunities for current and aspiring rail employees. CIRO also offers a unique Mentoring Scheme where the expertise of industry leaders is shared to support our members. This helps in delivering the very best developmental opportunities and industry-recognised qualifications for the next generation of the rail industry.

We are proud to bring positive changes and improvements to the industry by working alongside members and rail operations businesses.

12,000+ CIRO members part of our professional organisation, offering career development opportunities for all involved in railway operations.

24 years of experience in providing professional recognition, training, and development opportunities.

550 apprentices trained, qualified, and placed into industry since 2018.

The courses with CIRO are great because you don’t get all of this knowledge in one place anywhere else. It plugs the gaps in your knowledge base, plus there’s the non-academic side which is also great like the events, speakers, webinars and more, they’re very valuable. It gives students a route to an academic qualification that they might not otherwise have.

Former CIRO graduate and current CIRO tutor Toby Rackliff

The Professional Operators Development (POD) Framework is the CIRO-recognised skills pathway for railway operators

POD is free to all members and allows you to get a holistic view of railway operations. Take a self-assessment and highlight areas of improvement.  

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CIRO membership details 

A CIRO membership is the ideal way to access the following:

• Career development opportunities
• Industry recognised qualifications
• CPD course
• Continuous learning of advances in the rail industry
• Learning resources
• Specialised industry events
• Networking opportunities

Every member has access to over 1,000 blended learning resources and over 150 e-learning modules. Each has tailored content appropriate to all skill and experience levels. This means that all members can advance their careers in the rail industry. 

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Membership

For any questions and queries about becoming a member, email memberships@railwayoperators.co.uk

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Learning & Development or Courses

For enquiries about learning and development or courses for the rail industry please email learning@railwayoperators.co.uk 

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Enquiry Form

To discuss training options for your business contact us today using the form below.