REM virginity: lost
Wednesday I lost my REM virginity, but I was only taking it one stop, under the mountain, so I don’t think I’ve had the full experience yet. It pretty much felt like a metro trip (quieter and faster than the yellow line under the river) and the train itself is a smooth ride.
I was struck by some of the same things others have mentioned. The wayfinding is not great. There are a lot more stairs involved in getting down to the platform at McGill than I expected, and I did not expect to have to take two different elevators up to metro level at Édouard‑Montpetit.
A friend was telling me that he takes his young grandson on the REM across the river and back every weekend as a treat, so another friend and I have agreed to do the Brossard-Deux-Montagnes run in both directions soon, to get a feel for the whole shebang. Report will be made when that’s done.
Joey 22:01 on 2025-12-04 Permalink
Same here! Rode downtown and back to Édouard-Montpetit. Agreed about the way finding. That said, it took six minutes to get to Bonaventure. Try riding in the front car when you arrive at Édouard-Montpetit – interesting to see the interior of the mountain rock.
Nicholas 02:15 on 2025-12-05 Permalink
Someone pointed this out last year: Quebec has rules on how long a stairwell can be in a transit station without an escalator. McGill is deeper than that. But, the rule only applies between levels, so they created a faux level in between two sets of stairs to eliminate the requirements for escalators. At least we kept costs down!
Kate 10:20 on 2025-12-05 Permalink
I was wondering about accessibility, though.
James 15:31 on 2025-12-05 Permalink
@Nicolas: That is not the reason why there are no escalators at McGill. The real reason is that they would not fit because the available space is too constrained.
@kate: Yes there are elevators on both platforms – the entire REM is 100% accessible.
Major Annoyance 15:32 on 2025-12-05 Permalink
You’re in for a treat when the train goes around the Point St. Charles yard and over the river. The Two Mountains branch doesn’t offer any views nearly as dramatic.
Nicholas 20:31 on 2025-12-05 Permalink
James, the space doesn’t look too constrained to me. Downtown also has lots of single-width escalators.