METRO Magazine Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Montreal Unveils first Alstom REM Car

The cars will form a single uninterrupted train for passengers, serving the mobility of Greater Montreal.

by METRO Staff
November 16, 2020
Montreal Unveils first Alstom REM Car

Alstom is supplying REM with not only 212 Metropolis cars, or 106 trains, but also Alstom’s automated and driverless Urbalis 400 communication-based train control solution.

Credit:

Alstom/C. Feury

2 min to read


The Alstom-led consortium, Groupe des partenaires pour la mobilité des Montréalais (Groupe PMM), participated in the Réseau express métropolitain (REM) project office’s unveiling of the first cars that will carry passengers on the REM in Greater Montreal.

To date, Alstom has delivered four cars to Montreal. The cars for the REM are based on a proven Metropolis platform, already widely in service in the world, including in Sydney, and adapted for Montreal, not only in their design, their capacity, their accessibility, and to the experience they will offer passengers, but also to climatic conditions. The cars will form a single uninterrupted train for passengers, serving the mobility of Greater Montreal. The exterior livery, chosen by the public, was inspired by the Samuel-De Champlain Bridge and was designed to blend into the Montreal environment, offering passengers breath taking views via panoramic windows and large bay windows at either end.

Ad Loading...

Alstom is supplying REM with not only 212 Metropolis cars, or 106 trains, but also Alstom’s automated and driverless Urbalis 400 communication-based train control (CBTC) solution, an Alstom Iconis control center, as well as platform screen doors and depot equipment for this fully automated light-metro system. Recognized as the supplier of choice for reliable and efficient metros, Alstom has delivered nearly 6,000 Metropolis cars to 25 cities around the world.

Awarded to the Groupe PMM consortium in early 2018, the REM project is the largest transit project in Quebec’s history since the construction of the Montreal metro over 50 years ago. REM will be one of the world’s largest automated transportation networks — approximately 42 miles long with 26 stations — connecting downtown Montreal to the South Shore, the North Shore, the West Island, and the Montréal–Trudeau international Airport.

More Rail

A photo of rail tracks in Ottawa, Canada

Building a National Framework for Transit Safety and Consistency

On a recent episode of METROspectives, METRO Magazine’s Executive Editor Alex Roman sat down with Ana-Maria Tomlinson, Director of Strategic & Cross-Sector Programs at the CSA Group, to explore a bold initiative aimed at addressing those challenges: the development of a National Code for Transit and Passenger Rail Systems in Canada.

Read More →
Stairs in a New York rail station with text reading "USDOT Invests $686 Million to Modernize Aging Rail Stations."
Railby StaffMarch 2, 2026

FTA Invests $686M to Modernize Aging Rail Stations

Competitive FTA grants will support accessibility upgrades, family-friendly improvements, and cost-efficient capital projects at some of the nation’s oldest and busiest transit hubs.

Read More →
A purple MBTA train at a Mansfield Station platform.
Railby StaffFebruary 27, 2026

MBTA Updates Rail Modernization Plan to Expand Reliability and Accessibility

The strategy outlines near- and long-term upgrades to ease congestion, support housing growth, and advance statewide climate goals.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
LA Metro underground station with vehicle
Railby StaffFebruary 27, 2026

LA Metro Sets D Line Subway Extension Launch Date

The 3.92-mile addition will soon take riders west beyond its current Wilshire and Western station in Koreatown, continuing under Wilshire Boulevard through neighborhoods and communities including Hancock Park, Windsor Square, the Fairfax District, and Carthay Circle into Beverly Hills.

Read More →
MBTA railcars
Railby StaffFebruary 26, 2026

Boston's MBTA Marks Progress in Regional Rail Modernization

The procurement advances the agency's broader efforts to modernize its rail fleet and position Regional Rail for long-term improvement.

Read More →
An Amtrak Acela
Railby StaffFebruary 26, 2026

Amtrak Sets New Course for Long-Distance Fleet Renewal

Under the plan, all long-distance routes will transition to a universal single-level fleet, replacing today’s mix of bi-level and single-level equipment.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A TriMet MAX Light Rail vehicle overhead shot
Railby StaffFebruary 24, 2026

STV Finalizes Design for First Phase of TriMet MAX Blue Line Substation Upgrades

The milestone is a significant step toward modernizing the MAX Blue Line’s power infrastructure, one of the oldest components of the region’s light rail system.

Read More →
HDR rendering of LA to Coachella Valley Rail Project
Railby StaffFebruary 20, 2026

HDR Selected to Advance LA–Coachella Valley Rail Corridor Project

The firm will lead the Tier 2 environmental review program for the Coachella Valley Rail Corridor, including the conceptual and preliminary engineering needed to develop project-level environmental clearance.

Read More →
Rendering of Austin Transit Partnership's light rail line.
Railby StaffFebruary 19, 2026

Contractor Chosen to Help Build Austin Light Rail

The ATP board’s approval of ARC enables ATP to begin pre-construction activities and advance final design for Austin Light Rail under the first phase of what will be a multibillion-dollar contract.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
The Gold Line Logo
Railby StaffFebruary 18, 2026

LA Metro A Line Claremont Extension Study Projects $1.1B in Economic Output

Additionally, construction activity is estimated to generate more than $154 million in tax revenue, including more than $20 million for Los Angeles County.

Read More →