Free rides on the REM offered ahead of official launch on July 31

Free REM rides this weekend The REM officially opens July 31, but there will be free rides for those who want to try it for free this weekend.

You can try out the South Shore section of Montreal’s new light-rail system (REM) for free ahead of the official launch on July 31.

Trains between Central Station in downtown Montreal and Brossard will be running during an open house on July 29 and 30 between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m.

There will be information booths at Panama Station.

After about seven years of testing, the past few weeks have been a dress rehearsal, said Jean-Vincent Lacroix, communications director for CDPQ Infra, the company in charge of construction.

If there are unexpected bugs when the trains begin rolling, he says buses will cover the route, following the REM’s trajectory.

All trains are automated, meaning there is no conductor on board. However, there will be information personnel and security to help passengers navigate the system and ensure the fare is paid.

REM fare is $3.75 on the Island and $4.50 if you’re coming from Zone 2 on the South Shore.

The rumbling of passing trains has already become a nuisance for some locals.

CDPQ Infra says it has heard the complaints and started building sound walls and experimenting with shock-absorbing tracks.

But it’s not a one-size fits all fix.

“Pointe-Saint-Charles, Griffintown, Ile-des-Soeurs, for example, we will look for different options,” said Lacroix.

FIVE STATIONS SET TO OPEN

The stations opening at the end of this month are:

Gare Centrale -- downtown Montreal, across from the Mary Queen of the World Cathedral between De La Gauchetière and Belmont Streets

Île-des-Soeurs -- Nun's Island, the centre of Highway 10 accessible by René-­Levesque Boulevard and Champlain Bridge Street

Panama -- Brossard, on Philippines Street near Portugal Street

Du Quartier -- Brossard, on Eclipse Street near De L'Equinoxe Avenue

Brossard -- Brossard, on De Rome Boulevard off of Highway 10

The South Shore is the first branch of the network to be built, with additional lines expected in the coming years to create 67 kilometres of track.