The first pair of two-car units from Wellington’s new batch of Matangi trains arrived by boat from Korea on Sunday morning, May 24.
The two-car units are the first of 35 pairs made by Hyundai that will arrive in stages by the middle of next year.
Greater Wellington Regional Council Chair Fran Wilde says Wellingtonians have overwhelmingly showed they prefer the new units to the old Ganz Mavag units, with rail patronage steadily increasing since the first batch began arriving in 2010.
“This is the final step on the way to having the single, modern, electric train fleet the region’s commuters deserve,” Wilde said. “And it can’t come soon enough.
“If you stand on a platform today you can still hear a collective groan when the old units come into view instead of one of our new Matangi.
“It will be a good day for Wellington commuters when we’ve got the new fleet fully in place.
“From that day on every journey will be a smooth and comfortable one and I’m sure Wellingtonians will continue flocking to trains as a result.”
The remaining Ganz Mavag units will be phased out as the new trains arrive and are commissioned, the local authority said.