The highly anticipated light-rail network in Montreal will welcome aboard the public for the first time at the end of the month.
The Réseau express métropolitain (REM)’s line to the city’s south shore will be operational by July 31, the project’s contractor announced Friday.
“The dry run will continue over the next few weeks, allowing the teams to make the final adjustments to deliver the best possible customer experience,” CDPQ Infra said in a statement.
Passengers will finally be able to board the all-electric and fully automated trains after multiple delays in opening the line — from needing more time for dry runs to postponements related to the COVID-19 pandemic and supply chain issues.
The REM’s south shore line compromises a total of five stations. CDPQ Infra says the trip time from Brossard to downtown Montreal comes in at under 18 minutes.
Virginie Cousineau, CDPQ Infra public affairs director, said she anticipates up to 30,000 passengers per day on the south shore line. She estimates that about 20 per cent of them will be new public transit users who would otherwise use their cars to get around.
”We’ve been working on this project for maybe now five years just for the south branch and we are very confident that it’s going to be the best service that people actually expected,” Cousineau said.
Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante took to social media to celebrate the new launch date, calling it “excellent news for mobility” in the city.
The full light rail network will include 67 kilometres of tracks that will link Montreal, the south shore, the West Island and the north shore.
Other parts of the REM are expected to launch in the coming years, according to the project contractor’s latest schedule. The REM’s West Island, north shore and downtown Montreal segments are set to be up and running by the end of 2024. The stretch to Montreal’s airport will open in 2027.
— with files from Global News’ Tim Sargeant and The Canadian Press
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