The current situation and prospects of railway engineering surveying technology were studied. The demand for surveying and maping talent of railway survey and design companies，construction companies and operation management companies，as well as the characteristics of surveying and mapping in the railway industry.were analyzed. Based on above，the demands for practical surveying and mapping talents of railway industry were analyzed. Some suggestions on the positioning of surveying and mapping majors in colleges and universities，and the curriculum setting of surveying and mapping majors in response to the needs of surveying and mapping talent in the railway industry were put forward.