A Successful First Run on the Airport Segment

Recently, the REM has reached an important milestone: a train circulated for the first time on the branch leading to Montréal-Trudeau Airport. This initial run marks the beginning of track and communication system validation on the final section of the REM.

Progress is underway!

The last kilometers of track for the network—totaling 67 km—have been installed up to the tail track behind the YUL-Aéroport-Montréal-Trudeau station. Work in the 2.5 km tunnel, under REM’s responsibility, is progressing well, and the Marie-Curie station is nearing completion, as shown in the photo below.
 

Starting in the coming weeks, our teams, alongside partners NouvLR and GPMM, will have plenty to do at the station serving the airport. Without a doubt, 2026 will be a pivotal year to achieve the goal of commissioning the airport branch. 

Collaboration with ADM Aéroports de Montréal, responsible for the YUL-Aéroport-Montréal-Trudeau station, will remain essential in 2026 to complete the necessary work and keep the schedule on track. Let us recall that the commissioning of this segment is scheduled for 2027. This timeline will be met if all milestones are achieved during the year.

Next Steps

Teams will begin installing rail systems and other equipment, such as platform screen doors, at the  YUL-Aéroport-Montréal-Trudeau station—a process that will continue throughout the year. A series of steps will then need to be completed by spring 2027 at the latest to allow for dynamic testing ahead of the branch’s commissioning.

“The major 2025 milestone—the installation of tracks inside the airport station—has been achieved,” says Julien Hurel, Vice President, REM Project, at CDPQ Infra. “While there is still work to do, notably at the airport station, our teams are progressing as planned. The year 2026 will be decisive for advancing work at the airport station and finalizing this segment.”