Train attendant duties: what every passenger should know

03-07-2026

The work of a train attendant involves far more than just checking tickets and greeting passengers at the carriage door. Throughout the entire journey, the train attendant is responsible for ensuring safety, maintaining sanitary standards within the carriage, delivering passenger comfort, and providing prompt responses to unconventional situations.

In accordance with the legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Rules for the Transportation of Passengers, Baggage, Cargo-Baggage, and Postal Shipments by Rail, as well as the internal service standards of Passenger Transportation JSC, the train attendant is required to perform a comprehensive list of duties.

 Passenger Greeting and Boarding

Before the train departs, the train attendant:

• Greets passengers at the carriage entrance;
• Verifies travel documents and identities;
• Matches e-ticket details with the registration system;
• Assists children, senior citizens, pregnant women, and persons with disabilities or reduced mobility during boarding;
• Monitors safe passenger boarding and alighting.
   

Passenger Information

After the train departs, the train attendant must:

• Brief passengers on onboard conduct rules;
• Conduct fire and personal safety briefings;
• State the location of the train conductor;
• Inform about restaurant car hours, services, and amenities during the trip.
   

When necessary, the train attendant must clarify the rules for transporting hand luggage, animals, and baggage.

Carriage Sanitation and Maintenance

Maintaining cleanliness is one of the core duties of a train attendant.

En route, the following must be performed:

• Wet cleaning of the passenger cabin at least twice a day;
• Cleaning of restrooms at least four times a day, or more frequently if necessary;
• Checking the availability of toilet paper, liquid soap, paper towels, or hand dryers, as well as other sanitary and hygiene supplies;
• Prompt garbage removal and maintaining overall order within the carriage.

 

Furthermore, the train attendant monitors the proper functioning of sanitary equipment and, in the event of any malfunctions, immediately reports them to the train conductor and the onboard electrician.

Ensuring Passenger Comfort

The duties of a train attendant also include:

• Providing bedding sets;
• Assisting elderly passengers, pregnant women, and persons with disabilities in making their beds;
• Issuing and installing safety belts on upper berths upon passenger request, where no safety bracket is provided;
• Providing glasses, spoons, and other inventory stipulated by service standards;
• Providing tea and hygiene kits (compartment carriages only) on branded trains;
• Enabling mobile device charging in accordance with the carriage's equipment.
   

Carriage Technical Condition Monitoring

The train attendant is required to constantly monitor:

• The proper functioning of heating, air conditioning, and ventilation systems;
• Lighting operations;
• The condition of doors, windows, and locking devices;
• The functionality of water supply systems;
• The availability of required firefighting equipment.
   

Upon detecting any malfunctions, the train attendant must immediately take the prescribed measures and report them to the train conductor and the onboard electrician.

Ensuring Safety

During the journey, the train attendant monitors passengers' compliance with transportation rules.

The attendant is required to warn passengers against:

• Smoking in carriages and vestibules;
• Consuming alcoholic beverages in cases prohibited by law;
• Violating public order;
• Transporting prohibited items and substances.

In the event of emergencies, the train attendant acts according to established instructions, organizes passenger briefing, and provides first aid until emergency services arrive, subject to appropriate training.
 

Before Arriving at the Station

Before the train arrives, the train attendant:

• Warns passengers about the upcoming arrival in advance;
• Collects bedding sets with the passengers' consent half an hour before arriving at the destination station;
• Assists children, senior citizens, pregnant women, and persons with disabilities or reduced mobility during alighting;
• Checks to ensure that passengers do not leave their personal belongings behind.

Notably, today Passenger Transportation JSC employs over 5,000 train attendants. During a single journey, an attendant performs dozens of diverse tasks—ranging from checking the technical condition of equipment and sanitizing the carriage to assisting passengers and ensuring their safety. For this very reason, their job demands high responsibility, attentiveness, stress tolerance, and a constant readiness to respond promptly to any situation.

The ultimate goal of a train attendant is to make every passenger's journey safe, comfortable, and fully compliant with established quality-of-service standards.

 

Press service of JSC «NC«Kazakhstan Temir Zholy»