Auckland Transport has ordered 23 electric new trains from Spanish manufacturer Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles (CAF), in a contract valued at €130 million ($222m).
The new three-carriage trains are an extension to the 72 'AM class' trains running on the city's rails since 2014, also supplied by CAF. Each has a capacity for 380 passengers.
The trains are expected to arrive in mid-2024, and the contract with CAF includes a maintenance provision until the end of 2025.
Auckland mayor Phil Goff said the investment was "made possible" through the regional fuel tax, though he didn't disclose how much of the purchase price came from the tax.
The trains represent the lion's share of a budgeted $330 million rail package, half of which is being paid for by Waka Kotahi and includes modifications to the existing fleet and facilities expansion.
Those improvements include modifications to allow for operations in the City Rail Link tunnels and the capability for trains to operate as a nine-car set in the future, accommodating more customers.
The city's rail network operates from Swanson in the west and as far south as Papakura. The southern line is currently being extended to Pukekohe.
