Adessia Stream B trains for New Zealand

On 8 September 2025, Alstom has been awarded a 538 million EUR (1,065 million NZD$) contract by the Greater Wellington Regional Council 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.

Manufactured at Alstom’s Savli manufacturing facility in India, the fleet will replace the current 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. 

Comfort-centric commuter trains named Tūhono

Carrying a maximum of 475 passengers per train and operating at speeds up to 120 km/h, the trains are based on Alstom’s Adessia commuter trains platform 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. 

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. 

A number of Alstom technologies will be deployed to New Zealand for the first time to support the maintenance and operation of the new BEMUs. This includes the  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 9 km Remutaka Tunnel, a critical network corridor. 

Alstom in battery-electric multiple unit technology continues is to gain momentum, with 60 trains sold for commuter and regional networks since 2020. This latest contract builds on previous orders, including 11 BEMUs for VMS in Germany and 31 for Irish Rail in Ireland.