The newly opened line extends the light metro network by 33 kilometres.
The second section of Montreal’s Metropolitan Express (REM) network officially opened to the public on November 17. Partially funded by the Caisse d’État et d’Investment du Québec (CDPQ) under a public-private partnership (PPP) and delivered by the wholly-owned subsidiary of the pension fund CDPQ Infra, the section expands the automated light metro system by 33 km and adds 14 stations between downtown Montreal and Deux Montagne.
After seven years of construction, the REM network now extends 50 kilometers and serves a total of 19 stations. It connects the North and South Beaches to downtown Montreal, with stations on the West Island, and provides direct access to three of Montreal’s four metro lines, as well as the commuter line to Mascouche.
The first section of the REM, connecting Brossard on the South Shore to Montreal Central Station, will open in 2023.
“For the first time, REM users will be able to cross Greater Montreal from Brossard to Deux-Montagnes,” says CDPQ Infra. “This new route represents a major transformation in public transportation in the metropolitan area.”
When the Anse-à-l’Orme and Montreal-Trudeau International Airport sections open in the spring of 2026 and 2027 respectively, the network will contain 26 stations, extend 67 km and be able to accommodate up to 170,000 passengers.
For the REM project, Alstom is providing a complete driverless light metro system, including 106 two-car Metropolis trains, the Urbalis GoA4 CBTC for driverless operation, the Urbalis Vision control center system, platform screen doors, onboard Wi-Fi connectivity and cybersecurity. Alstom also supplied equipment for two depots and two train washing facilities.
Pulsar, a joint venture between Alstom and Atkins Realis, operates and maintains REM under a 30-year contract. Maintenance teams use Alstom’s HealthHub predictive maintenance tool that monitors fleet and infrastructure health in real-time, with AI-based data analysis.
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