The West Island News, dignitaries, and members of the public took part in the first Réseau Express Métropolitain trip along the 16.6-km route connecting downtown Montréal to Brossard in 18 minutes.
"This major step marks the start of a new network that is efficient, reliable and will facilitate the daily travel of over 30,000 people as they go to work, school, leisure activities, appointments or to visit friends and family," the CDPQ Infra declared in a press release.
There are six stations on the REM's South Shore branch; Brossard, Du Quartier, Panama, Îles-des-Soeurs, Griffintown-Bernard-Landry (not yet open), and Gare Centrale. The public can ride the REM for free over the weekend of July 29–30, and regular service will begin Monday, July 31. REM fares are compatible with OPUS cards and the ARTM fare schedule, including metro, bus, and train. Activities will also be scheduled on Esplanade PVM at Place Ville Marie this weekend to celebrate its opening.
The other awaited branches include the West Island's Anse-à-L'Orme sector, which will include stops at Fairview Pointe-Claire, Des Sources, Kirkland, and in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue. The Deux-Montagnes line will stop in Pierrefonds-Roxboro and at the Sunnybrooke station, with a separate branch designated for the Dorval airport. The YUL segment of the REM is expected to be commissioned by the end of 2027, while the other branches are slated to open by the end of 2024. Once fully completed, the REM will be the longest automated metro in the world, with a network spanning 67 kilometers that will reduce GHG emissions by 100,000 tonnes per year.
PHOTO: CDPQ Infra, Éric Carrière.
From left to right: Charles Emond, Valérie Plante, Justin Trudeau, François Legault, Geneviève Guilbault, Jean-Marc Arbaud and Pablo Rodriguez.
SOURCE: CDPQ Infra
