Touted as a way to make public transit more accessible in Montreal, only days from the REM’s maiden voyage, some South Shore riders are realizing their daily commute will soon be more complicated.
All bus lines on the South Shore that travel into are set to be abolished. Commuters will now only have access to downtown via the new REM light rail network as of July 31.
Currently, eight bus lines for the RTL, including the popular 90 and 45 buses, traverse the Champlain Bridge to bring riders downtown.
The Exo bus service to Montreal will also be discontinued.
“It’s part of the deal: our buses will no longer be able to cross the bridge,” RTL spokesperson Maxime Laliberté said.
Both the Brossard and Panama bus terminals will function as hubs where commuters will switch lines to jump onto the light rail network.
However, the REM train will only be stopping at the Central Station for the time being.
The Griffintown station is not yet complete and is still under construction.
“I’m not happy about it because then I have to walk farther to go to Central Station to get it. The 45 is so convenient with the buses here,” bus commuter Karen Saunders said.
Not only will the daily commute now involve more transfers between modes of transportation but it will also cost more.
Fairs will jump $47 for some users from $108 monthly to $155.
While some parking is free, transit users who use their cars will also have to pay for parking at the Panama Station.
“We know it’s going to mean people will have to adapt. This will be a major change but we invite people to try the lines. Try the system and take a look at our online simulator,” Laliberté said.
Officials for CDPQ infra say fares on the REM align with what the metro costs.
They also admitted that the cost of the REM will be higher than the South Shore bus system but promise a better ride.
The trains will run 20 hours a day during the week, from 5:30 a.m. to 1:30 a.m.
“The redeployment of the bus service to the REM stations will optimize the use of buses, in order to provide better local service for users,” spokesperson Emmanuelle Rouillard-Moreau said.
“The population will have a greater number of stops, more frequency and extended service hours.”