Train waitress

Briefly explain what you do for a living. 

I am a train waitress by profession. My duties include working at the cash register and doing customer service, preparing meals and managing the products on display. I am also responsible for ingredient orders and product inventory. In other words, I am responsible for the operation of the restaurant car on the train.

How have you ended up in the profession of your choice? 

I worked in commerce for years. At some point, I started to miss working as a waitress, which I had originally trained for. But I did not want to go back to an ordinary café or restaurant; instead I needed something extra besides traditional waitressing. Working as a train waitress and getting to travel around Finland brought that little bit of something I was missing.

Describe your typical working day or week. 

Typically, my shift starts early in the morning, which is when we mostly sell breakfast products. There are usually fewer customers in the morning, but it gets busier the further the day goes. We sell lunch and different meals in the daytime, in the afternoon and in the evening. A typical working day lasts between 10 and 12 hours, but it always goes by quickly.

What kind of work environment or working hours do you have? 

I work on a train that departs from Joensuu and always returns to Joensuu. If people are on sick leave, I will also work shifts on trains leaving from Helsinki if necessary.

Workdays can be scheduled for any of the seven days of the week, and shifts are between 5 am and midnight. Sometimes I’ve also worked shifts on night trains. On those shifts, you work from night to morning and sleep during the day.

What kind of competence or qualities are required in the profession? 

This work requires customer service skills, creativity and the ability to work independently and make decisions. Sometimes you have to deal with special situations, like when the ovens are not working or the water runs out. In that case, you as the waitress need to be resourceful. You also need to be able to withstand pressure during rush hours.

What is the best thing about your profession? 

Different customers and scenery every day and versatile work. I also enjoy those challenging days when everything does not go to plan. We have a really great work community with all kinds of people, but everyone is nice and makes an effort to work together.

What are the downsides of the profession or what seems challenging? 

The weekly rhythm of a train waitress is often different from their family or loved ones. Reconciling work and time off can sometimes feel challenging. Sometimes the trains get delayed, making your workdays longer.

What would you tell a person considering the profession of a train waitress? 

I feel like being a train waitress is a kind of a calling. It’s no gold mine when it comes to pay, but it’s enough to do well. Your workdays are filled with all kinds of situations that require the ability to solve problems. Because the workdays are long, you get a good amount of days off. Working in this role is possible from around Finland, which offers great flexibility in case your life situation changes.

How do you see the future of your profession? 

I believe that trains will continue to run, and people will always need food and café services.