The 8.7-mile (14-kilometer) Anse-à-l’Orme branch of Réseau express métropolitain (REM) was commissioned May 18, marking the system’s official arrival in Montréal’s West Island. It offers riders four new stations located in the cities of Pointe-Claire, Kirkland and Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue (see maps below).
REM’s 10.6-mile (17-kilometer) first segment, connecting Brossard on Montreal’s South Shore with Montreal’s Central Station, opened in 2023, and its 20.5-mile (33-kilometer) second segment, linking downtown Montréal and Deux-Montagnes, launched last November.
The complete 41.6-mile (67-kilometer), 26-station system is slated for commissioning in 2027, according to CDPQ Infra, which is responsible for the planning, financing, completion, and operation of the network. In the coming weeks, it said, the testing phase will begin on the final 1.9-mile (3-kilometer), 2-station branch to Montréal-Trudeau Airport.
For the REM project, Alstom is delivering a complete driverless light metro system, including 212 Metropolis metro cars (106 two-car trainsets), Urbalis GoA4 for driverless operation and communications-based train control, the Urbalis Vision control center system, platform screen doors, onboard Wi-Fi connectivity, and cybersecurity. The supplier has also provided equipment for two depots and two train washing facilities. Pulsar, an Alstom-AtkinsRéalis joint venture, is REM’s 30-year operator and maintainer. Maintenance teams use Alstom’s HealthHub digital platform, which is described as “a predictive maintenance tool that monitors the health of the train fleet and infrastructure in real time, leveraging AI to analyze all data captured across the rail system.” NouvLR is the project builder.
Since the commissioning of REM’s second segment, ridership has reached 78,000 trips on average per weekday, with a daily peak of 104,000 trips recorded and an availability rate above 99%, according to CDPQ Infra. The system is open 20 hours per day, with trains running every four minutes on the central segment during peak hours.
“The commissioning of the Anse-à-l’Orme branch represents a major step forward for mobility in the West Island,” said Daniel Farina, President and CEO of CDPQ Infra. “Seeing the REM extend into this sector is the result of years of hard work carried out in collaboration with many partners. Day after day, the network demonstrates its ability to provide reliable, high-frequency service that meets citizens’ expectations. We will continue working in this direction, toward an even larger and more impactful network.”
“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, who was selected by Railway Age readers as an Influential Leader for 2026. “This project demonstrates our ability to deliver complex, large‑scale turnkey transportation systems equipped with the best available technologies. Congratulations to CDPQ Infra, our employees and all our partners.”