The Reseau express métropolitain (REM) South Branch line in Montréal, Quebec, will open on July 31 according to CDPQ Infra. The 9.9-mile South Branch segment started dry run testing on June 28, where trains operated at frequencies similar to future passenger service.
The REM South Branch includes five stations and will connect passengers between Gare Centrale to Brossard. CDPQ Infra says the trip from Brossard to downtown Montréal will take approximately 18 minutes. The service will operate every day of the week for 20 hours per day. The South Branch is the first segment of a planned fully automated system that will eventually operate along 67 kilometers (41.6 miles).
Testing of the line will continue over the next few weeks, which will allow final adjustments to be made ahead of the July 31 commissioning.
Mischa Wanek-Libman | Group Editorial Director
Mischa Wanek-Libman is director of communications with Transdev North America. She has more than 20 years of experience working in the transportation industry covering construction projects, engineering challenges, transit and rail operations and best practices.
Wanek-Libman has held top editorial positions at freight rail and public transportation business-to-business publications including as editor-in-chief and editorial director of Mass Transit from 2018-2024. She has been recognized for editorial excellence through her individual work, as well as for collaborative content.
She is an active member of the American Public Transportation Association's Marketing and Communications Committee and served 14 years as a Board Observer on the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) Board of Directors.
She is a graduate of Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communication.
