NEW YORK, December 29, 2025, 08:08 ET
- Montreal’s Réseau express métropolitain will operate continuously overnight from Dec. 31 into Jan. 1 across the full network, the operator said. [1]
- The system just resumed after an all-network weekend shutdown for testing ahead of its planned West Island extension, CityNews reported. [2]
- Environment Canada has issued an orange-level freezing-rain warning for the Montreal area, warning of dangerous travel and possible power outages. [3]
Montreal’s Réseau express métropolitain (REM) will operate through the night on New Year’s Eve, offering continuous service from Dec. 31 into Jan. 1 across the network between Brossard and Deux-Montagnes, the operator said. [4]
The extended hours come as the Greater Montreal area faces an orange-level freezing-rain warning, with officials cautioning that travel could become hazardous as ice builds up on roads and sidewalks. [5]
For riders, the timing matters: New Year’s Eve typically brings late-night crowds and higher demand for public transport, while ice and high winds can make driving riskier and slow commutes.
In a Dec. 17 notice, the REM said regular fares will apply during the overnight service and highlighted fare options including evening and 24-hour tickets. It said children aged 11 and under ride free when accompanied by someone 14 or older with a valid ticket. [6]
The REM also said seniors 65 and over in fare Zone A can travel free with a valid OPUS card, and that tickets can be purchased at REM stations and other regional sales points or through the Chrono app. [7]
Montreal’s main transit operator, the STM, has also said it will extend metro service on the night of Dec. 31 to Jan. 1 on its Green, Orange and Yellow lines, while the Blue line runs on its usual schedule. [8]
The STM said its extended metro schedule will not be affected by an overtime strike by the maintenance workers’ union, and reminded riders that overnight bus service and paratransit are also available. [9]
The REM’s holiday push comes alongside continued testing ahead of a planned westward expansion. Service across the entire network was interrupted over the weekend to allow “final tests” for the A3 branch, which will terminate at Anse-à-l’Orme station in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, CityNews reported. [10]
The REM has also announced an early closure of the network at 9 p.m. on Jan. 9 to allow further testing on the A3 branch, with bus shuttles planned during outages, according to its service-status page and CityNews. [11]
On Monday, the REM’s service-status page showed a slowdown between Bois-Franc and Brossard in both directions due to weather conditions, with no recovery time listed. [12]
Environment and Climate Change Canada warned Monday that a prolonged period of freezing rain — “ice accretion,” or the amount of ice expected to build up on surfaces — could reach 5 to 15 millimetres in parts of the region, with strong winds later in the day. [13]
“We could see an increase in power outages caused by the combination of winds and ice accumulation,” ECCC meteorologist Julien Pellerin told The Canadian Press, CityNews reported. [14]
After the freezing rain, the forecast calls for sharply colder temperatures into midweek. Montreal is expected to see a high of about minus-13 C on Dec. 31 and a low near minus-21 C, according to the latest forecast.
The REM is one of the region’s newest major transit links, connecting the South Shore and the North Shore through downtown Montreal. The REM said it officially opened 14 new stations between downtown Montreal and Deux-Montagnes in November. [15]
The A3 branch to Anse-à-l’Orme is scheduled to open in spring 2026, CityNews reported, and the REM has told riders to check its online updates and trip-planning apps during planned interruptions. [16]
References
1. rem.info, 2. montreal.citynews.ca, 3. montreal.citynews.ca, 4. rem.info, 5. montreal.citynews.ca, 6. rem.info, 7. rem.info, 8. www.stm.info, 9. www.stm.info, 10. montreal.citynews.ca, 11. rem.info, 12. rem.info, 13. montreal.citynews.ca, 14. montreal.citynews.ca, 15. rem.info, 16. montreal.citynews.ca
