REM’s Deux-Montagnes branch begins passenger service

The Deux-Montagnes branch began passenger service on the Réseau express métropolitain (REM) on Nov. 17. Stretching from downtown Montréal to Deux-Montagnes in Québec, the new 30-kilometer (18.6-mile) extension adds 14 stations to the network, expanding REM service to nearly 50 kilometers (30.1 miles) and a total of 19 stations. The fully electric system now links the North and South shores to downtown Montréal, with stations on the West Island. 

Once fully completed, the REM network will extend 67 kilometers (41.6 miles) across 26 stations, including from downtown Montréal to the international airport. It will accommodate up to 170,000 users per day, cut greenhouse gas emissions by 100,000 metric tons annually and make it possible to reach the airport from downtown by train in 25 minutes. 

“The REM is a world-class infrastructure project that connects Montréal, creates thousands of high-paying careers and catalyzes innovative partnerships between the public and private sectors,” said Canada Prime Minister Mark Carney. “As Québec’s largest public transit project in half a century, the REM is testament to our ambition to build big, build bold and build Québec strong, so we can build Canada strong.” 

Alstom provided REM with a fully automated, driverless metro system, including rolling stock and signaling. The system includes:  

• 212 Alstom Metropolis metro cars (106 two-car trainsets) 
• Alstom’s Urbalis GoA4 solution for driverless operation and Communications-Based Train Control  
• The Urbalis Vision control center solution  
• Platform screen doors  
• Onboard Wi-Fi connectivity  
• Cybersecurity  

Alstom has also delivered equipment for two depots and two train washing facilities.  

REM maintenance teams use Alstom’s HealthHub digital platform, a predictive maintenance tool that monitors the health of the train fleet and infrastructure in real time, leveraging artificial intelligence to analyze all data captured across the rail system. 

“We are very proud of the work accomplished by our talented employees, in collaboration with our partners, to commission this new branch of the REM,” said Alstom Americas President and CEO Michael Keroullé. “This new section, which offers a state-of-the-art, fully electric, automated and high-frequency metro system, will transform the lives of thousands of residents of Montreal and its North Shore who travel daily, enabling them to do so efficiently, comfortably and safely. More specifically, this extension will allow them to cross Mount Royal in less than three minutes—a first. With the REM, Alstom is showcasing its full range of urban technologies, highlighting both its local and global expertise in sustainable and smart mobility.”