The Greater Wellington Regional Council awarded Alstom a EUR 538 million contract for the design, manufacture and supply of 18 five-car Adessia Stream B battery-electric trains and 35-years of FlexCare Perform fleet maintenance.
They will be the first BEMU commuter trains operating in New Zealand. The trains will enable emission free operations on non-electrified segments of the Wellington rail network, on the Wairarapa and Manawatu lines.
“From Palmerston North and Masterton to Wellington, the Tūhono fleet will double peak time trains, increase off-peak services and support regional growth,” Greater Wellington chairman Daran Ponter said.
The trains will have a maximum capacity of 475 passengers per train and operating at speeds up to 120 km/h and will be adapted to meet the distinct needs of Wellington’s operating environment. A comfort-centric passenger experience will be at the heart of the new trains equipped with wheelchair, bike, luggage and pram amenities onboard with toilet, vending machine and water dispenser facilities.
The Adessia Stream B battery-electric trains will be manufactured at Alstom’s Savli manufacturing facility in India and will replace the existing diesel locomotive-hauled trains, due for retirement in 2028 and 2029. Alstom will operate a maintenance facility purpose-built by the Greater Wellington Regional Council in Masterton, equipped with the latest technologies for fleet maintenance and battery servicing to ensure the highest availability and reliability.
A number of Alstom technologies will be deployed to New Zealand for the first time to support the maintenance and operation of the new trains. This includes state-of-the-art HealthHub condition-based and predictive maintenance technologies and a connected driver advisory system. The trains will operate with intelligent train control with the onboard battery enabling emission free operation through sections of the 9km Remutaka Tunnel, a critical network corridor.
Named ‘Tūhono’, meaning “to connect” or “to unite,” the train livery will feature Te ao Māori and cultural elements relevant to Aotearoa New Zealand. These designs will be led by Māori design agency Indigenous Design and Innovation, ensuring deep cultural resonance and a lasting community legacy. The train design will also be informed by local community engagements.
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