Alstom Advances Montreal REM Expansion and Operations

Alstom helped move Montreal’s REM into a new phase by supporting the launch of the northern branch, and the company at the same time strengthened long-term operations through its role in the Pulsar joint venture, as detailed in Alstom’s official press release.

This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

Alstom and the New Northern REM Branch

Alstom joined public officials to inaugurate the northern REM branch, and the extension added 33 kilometers to the automated metro network. The new route links Central Station with Deux-Montagnes and brings the system to 50 kilometers in length.

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For many commuters on the North Shore, this connection turns what used to be a fragmented trip into a single, predictable corridor. The launch also brings 14 new stations and two additional metro connections, so access between the North and South Shores now looks far more integrated, mirroring the broader 67-kilometer, 26-station vision described on the REM’s official network page.

The South Shore branch opened in 2023 and connects Brossard with Central Station, and together the two branches form the backbone of the emerging REM network. In real terms, the new northern section ties growing suburbs more tightly to downtown and gives planners a clearer picture of how demand will build over time.

Alstom delivered the complete driverless light metro system for this project, and the package included rolling stock, signalling, and depot equipment. Through Pulsar, its joint venture with AtkinsRéalis, the company will support 30 years of operations for the planned 67-kilometer network and stay embedded in its day-to-day performance.

Company leadership underlined the scale of work completed with partners and employees, but they also pointed to the tangible benefit for riders: trains now cross Mount Royal in less than three minutes.

That figure, small on paper, really changes the rhythm of daily travel for people who move between the North Shore and the city center, and it aligns with the staged opening schedule set out in the REM’s own service update.

Alstom Technologies and Long-Term Maintenance Role

The REM fleet uses 212 Metropolis metro cars arranged in 106 trainsets, and the network operates with Urbalis GoA4 automation and CBTC-based train control. Along the line, Urbalis Vision, platform screen doors, onboard Wi-Fi, and cybersecurity features work together to support a high-frequency, fully automated service.

To be fair, technology alone does not guarantee reliability, so the physical backbone matters as well. Alstom supplied equipment for two depots and two train-washing facilities, and these assets give the operator room to manage fleets, rotations, and cleaning cycles at scale.

Maintenance teams rely on the HealthHub digital platform, which applies AI-driven analytics to monitor the health of trains and infrastructure in real time. That approach allows engineers to act before issues spill over into delays, and it reflects a wider shift toward predictive maintenance in urban rail.

For staff on the ground, this mix of data and hardware is becoming the new normal; as one planner might put it, “we can see the cliff coming” when assets age, so acting early is no longer optional. Still, the real test will come as the REM grows toward its full 67-kilometer build-out and runs at sustained high frequency.

Alstom employs more than 2,000 people in Quebec, and its Americas headquarters in Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville anchors that presence locally.

As Canada’s only rail manufacturer, the company supplies systems and services not only to the REM but also to STM, exo, and other major rail networks across the country, which, frankly, reinforces its role as a long-term industrial partner rather than a short-term contractor.

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