The Réseau express métropolitain (REM) officially opened its West Island extension on May 18, adding four stations and 14 kilometers of new track to Montreal’s growing automated transit network.

The new Anse-à-l'Orme branch extends service to Montreal’s West Island for the first time, providing what project officials described as a “structured public transit system” with frequent and reliable service.

The expansion brings the REM network to 64 kilometers and 23 stations, connecting Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue to downtown Montreal through a fully electric automated rail system operating 20 hours a day. Trains run every four minutes on the central segment during peak periods.

CDPQ Infra marked the opening with an inauguration event at Fairview–Pointe-Claire station attended by more than 150 guests, including elected officials and project partners. Speakers included Charles Emond, president and CEO of La Caisse, Daniel Farina, president and CEO of CDPQ Infra, and Benoit Charette, Quebec’s minister of transport and sustainable mobility.

During public open house events May 16-17, the REM recorded 170,000 passenger trips across the network, including heavy traffic tied to a Montreal Canadiens playoff game at the Bell Centre.

Alstom, which supplied the REM’s driverless light metro system, also highlighted the opening as a major milestone for one of the world’s largest automated transit systems.

“We are extremely proud to contribute to the opening of this new branch, which significantly improves daily mobility for residents across the metropolitan region,” said Michael Keroullé, president of Alstom Americas. “This project demonstrates our ability to deliver complex, large-scale turnkey transportation systems equipped with the best available technologies.”

Alstom supplied 212 driverless Metropolis railcars, Urbalis signaling technology with Grade of Automation 4 (GoA4), platform screen doors, onboard Wi-Fi, and cybersecurity systems. The company has been participating in the network's operation and maintenance for 30 years through its joint venture, Pulsar.

The REM maintenance program uses Alstom’s HealthHub predictive maintenance platform, which monitors trains and infrastructure in real time using artificial intelligence-driven analytics.

Once fully completed, the REM system will include 67 kilometers of track and 26 stations connecting downtown Montreal with the South Shore, North Shore, West Island, and Montreal-Trudeau International Airport.