Almost one year removed from the ground breaking ceremony, project stakeholders joined future riders to learn more about Montréal's new Réseau express métropolitain (REM), which will bring 67 kilometres and 26 stations of light rail transit to various parts of the city. 

The REM project office hosted the "Vivre le REM" information session alongside NouvLR, the consortium in charge of construction, and Groupe des Partenaires pour la Mobilité des Montréalais, the consortium responsible for rolling stock and operations.

Map of the proposed network, image via Réseau express métropolitain - REM

The event provided the perfect forum to unveil the network's future trains, which were fully explored with the help of virtual reality. Participants were able to virtually step aboard the trains to test accessibility, fluidity, safety and user experience. Public consultations in 2018 informed the selection of the exterior design. The headlights of the winning "Saint-Laurent" model reference the cables of the new Samuel De Champlain Bridge.

Light rail vehicles are built to withstand Quebec winters, image via Réseau express métropolitain - REM

"Nearly a year after the ground-breaking ceremony for the REM, we are proud to be holding this event to bring people together and showcase the work accomplished so far, and also to demonstrate our commitment to continued listening and dialoguing throughout this ambitious project," said Macky Tall, Head of Liquid Markets, Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec and President and Chief Executive Officer, CDPQ Infrastructure.

Fritted glass is employed in stations to filter the light, image via Réseau express métropolitain - REM

REM and NouvLR also presented renderings showcasing the materiality, urban furniture, layout and landscaping of the future stations, and how they will be integrated with Montréal's three existing metro lines. The fully automated electric light rail system will offer high-frequency service seven days a week and 20 hours a day through Downtown Montréal, the South Shore, West Island, North Shore and Montréal–Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport.

For more information, check out the associated Database file and Forum thread, and as always, feel free to join the conversation in the comments section below.

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