Aucklanders will be pleased to hear that Auckland Transport (AT) has welcomed two of its 23 new trains at the Port of Auckland.

This is part of a significant expansion aimed at supporting the city’s growing passenger rail network.

The new trains are a key component of AT’s plan to increase its fleet to 95 units in the coming months.

Each train can operate as a 3-carriage unit or in pairs as 6-carriage trains, with the potential to expand to 9-carriage trains in the future.

Stacey van der Putten, AT’s Director of Public Transport and Active Modes, highlights the urgency of this expansion.

Auckland Transport Director Public Transport and Active Modes, Stacey van der Putten.

“Auckland will soon have five new train stations – three south of Papakura and two in the city centre with the City Rail Link. The rail network will also be electrified to Pukekohe Station, which is set to reopen next year,” Ms van der Putten said.

She further explained, “The increased number of stations and electrified lines will make train travel a more viable option for Aucklanders. To meet this new demand, we need more services and greater capacity on our network.”

In addition, efforts are underway to enhance the frequency of train services across the city.

This includes KiwiRail’s rail network rebuild and the City Rail Link, both crucial to improving service levels.

The new trains are being assembled at AT’s Wiri depot, having been built at CAF’s factory in Mexico.

The first set of trains arrived in July, and the latest two are en route to the Wiri depot.

They are expected to enter service next year, following a thorough testing phase.

To accommodate the expanded fleet, the Wiri train depot is also undergoing significant upgrades.