Exo commuter rail is a system of five radial commuter rail services serving the Greater Montreal area. The network is operated by Alstom using trackage owned by Exo, the Canadian National Railway (CN), and Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC).
Exo's commuter trains are its highest-profile division. It uses diesel-electric push-pull trains. The Mont-Saint-Hilaire and Mascouche lines run on CN trackage, while the Vaudreuil–Hudson, Saint-Jérôme, and Candiac lines run on CPKC trackage and operate out of Lucien L'Allier terminus. The Saint-Jérôme line also runs on Exo's own trackage between Sainte-Thérèse and Saint-Jérôme, as does the Mascouche line between Repentigny and Mascouche and the Vaudreuil–Hudson line between Vaudreuil and Hudson.
Operation of all commuter rail was provided by contract to CN and CP (on their respective rail networks) until June 30, 2017. Operations were taken over by Alstom (then Bombardier Transportation) beginning July 1, 2017, on an 8-year contract. In March 2026, operations of the commuter rail will be awarded to Transdev Canada, starting July 1, 2027, on a ten year contract.
The train lines are part of Greater Montreal's integrated public transit network including bus, regional rail (REM) and Metro, coordinated by the Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain (ARTM). Many train stations serve local bus terminals, and a few provide connections to Metro, REM and Via Rail and Amtrak national rail services.
History
Takeover from private rail operators
Canadian National (CN) and Canadian Pacific (CP) had long operated commuter trains in the Montreal area, but by the 1980s, their services had dwindled to one route each. The (CTCUM, predecessor of the STM), which already managed Metro and bus services across the Island of Montreal, assumed management of CN's Deux-Montagnes commuter service and CP's Rigaud service in 1982 as the two railways began scaling back their services.
In 1997, management and financing of both lines was transferred to the newly created (AMT), which had been established to distribute funding and coordinate transportation planning among the numerous transit operators throughout the Greater Montreal Region.
Service expansion
Later that year, the AMT inaugurated service between Blainville and Jean-Talon (now Parc) train station in Montreal's Park Extension district. Originally, the service was designed to provide a temporary alternative for motorists from Laval and the North Shore of Montreal, while the Highway 117 Dufresne Bridge was being repaired. The service proved to be so popular that the AMT continued to fund it, and even extended a number of trains to the Lucien-L'Allier station downtown in 1999, and continues to provide off-peak daytime weekday service on this line. The service was extended further north to Saint-Jérôme in January 2007.
In 2000, the AMT inaugurated its service to McMasterville, and later extended it to Mont-Saint-Hilaire in September 2002.
In 2001, the AMT initiated a pilot project, launching service on a fifth line to Delson. This was later extended to Candiac in 2005.
A new (East Train) line to Mascouche was announced by the Quebec government in March 2006. After delays and cost overruns, it started service in December 2014.
In 2014, the AMT acquired the entire Deux-Montagnes line from CN, including the right of way, infrastructure, trackage, other railway equipment, grounds, curb lanes, rights in the Mount Royal tunnel and air rights, in a $97 million transaction.
Creation of Exo
On June 1, 2017, the AMT was disbanded in a reorganization of metropolitan transit authorities. A new agency, the (RTM) was created to be responsible for operating commuter rail and suburban transit services. In May 2018, the RTM adopted the Exo brand (stylized exo, all-lowercase), to represent the sub- and exurban nature of its service area.
In 2019, Exo proceeded to rebrand all of its lines with numbers in the format "exo1", "exo2", etc. When the ARTM launched its new metropolitan signage in 2023, Exo renumbered the lines again starting at "11". It also adopted a new logo for train service in a distinctive colour to differentiate from other rapid transit services, rolling out progressively on signage since 2020.
Alignment with the REM
The construction of the Réseau express métropolitain (REM) initially led to the closure of the Mount Royal Tunnel in May 2020, causing the Deux-Montagnes line to terminate at Bois-Franc station. From that point, most trains on the Mascouche line terminated at Ahuntsic station, with transfer to the metro possible at Sauvé, and certain rush hour trains were rerouted around the western end of Montreal in order to reach Central Station from the south. On December 31, 2020, the Deux-Montagnes line was closed permanently for conversion to the REM.
The REM includes a station built as a new terminus for the Mascouche line, at Côte-de-Liesse, allowing access to downtown via transfer to the REM. The REM station entered service on November 17, 2025, and the Exo station opened on January 12, 2026, at which point service to Central Station was discontinued.
In May 2023, Exo announced that Lucien-L'Allier terminal would be closed starting April 2024 to rebuild the platforms and add a canopy. Trains on the Candiac, Vaudreuil-Hudson and Saint-Jérôme lines would terminate at Vendôme. Service to Lucien-L'Allier resumed on December 21, 2024, for the Vaudreuil-Hudson line and December 23, 2024, for the Saint-Jérôme and Candiac lines.
Lines
+ Commuter train lines Train lines Line length Dates of service Trains per day Outbound terminus Inbound terminus Ref Begun Discontinued Resumed M–F Sat. Sun. Extended service Regular service Short turn service Regular service Short turn service Vaudreuil–Hudson 1887 14 out,13 in 4 3 (3/weekday) (1/weekday) Saint-Jérôme 1882 1980 1997 14 6 6 (3/weekday); (weekends) Mont-Saint-Hilaire 1859 1988 2000 7 0 0 Gare Centrale Candiac 1887 1981 2001 9 0 0 Mascouche 1945 1969 2014 8 0 0
Fares
Exo services operate within the Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain (ARTM)'s integrated fare structure for Greater Montreal. Trains on the network operate within fare zones A, B and C. All Modes fares include passage on the commuter rail network, as well as bus, metro and the Réseau express métropolitain. Train-specific fares were retired in July 2025.
There are no fare gates at train stations. Instead, a proof-of-payment system is used, where riders are expected to validate their ticket on the platform. Fare inspectors randomly check tickets. Tickets and passes are now sold by automated vending machines at stations, either onto an Opus card or a cardboard Occassionel card.
Funding
Financing for the rail network's operations (including maintenance, rolling stock, equipment and salaries) is handled by Exo, which is funded primarily by the Agence régionale du transport métropolitain.
Rolling stock Exo has a variety of rolling stock, some of it acquired from GO Transit, the rest built specifically for it. There are a total of 256 cars and locomotives in the fleet.
Locomotives
Current locomotives Maker Model Number in service Numbered Year built Comments Electro-Motive Diesel F59PHI 8 1320–1330 2000 Used on the Vaudreuil-Hudson, Saint-Jérôme, and Candiac lines. Locomotives 1321, 1322 and 1330 are currently at CAD Rail industries for a rebuild. F59PH 5 1341–1345 1990 Acquired from GO Transit. Used on the Mont-Saint-Hilaire and Mascouche lines. 1346 is in storage following its wreck in November 2023. Locomotives 1340, 1347, 1348 and 1349 were sold to GO Transit in April 2026, renumbered 580, 581, 582, and 583. Bombardier ALP-45DP 20 1350–1369 2011 Used on the Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Vaudreuil-Hudson, and Saint-Jérôme lines. Siemens Mobility US EC-42 4 1400-1409 2024 Used on the Saint-Jérôme and Vaudreuil-Hudson lines
Future locomotives
On January 28, 2022, Exo announced that it had ordered 10 Siemens Charger locomotives to replace their older F59PH locomotives. On November 18, 2024, the first unit was delivered and began tests around July. The first locomotive, 1400, entered service on the afternoon of November 3, 2025, on the line. The remaining locomotives will be gradually delivered throughout 2026.
Retired locomotives
Maker Model Number in class Numbered Year built Service years Comments Electro-Motive Diesel F40PH 15 270–271, 274, 293, 301–302, 310, 330, 400, 418 1977–19852000s–2010s Ex-Amtrak, leased from Rail World. All sold off to various leasing firms, tourist railroads, or other commuter railroads. 243, 287, 319, 331, 372, 411 Ex-Amtrak; leased from Titan Rail. All sold off to various leasing firms, tourist railroads, or other commuter railroads. F40PH-2CAT 2 4117–4118 1981 2008–2012 Leased from NJ Transit until the arrival of the ALP-45DP locomotives. GP40FH-2 5 4135, 4137, 4140, 4143, 4144 1966–1967 F59PH3526, 530, 532 1988 2010sEx-GO Transit; leased from Rail World. 318523, 18524, 18531Ex-GO Transit; leased from Rosen-Beaudin Leasing.FP76 1300–1305 1952 1982–2001Ex-CP 4070–4075, 4040. Replaced by the F59PHI locomotives in 2001. 1301 now on the DGVR as "WM 243". 1306 to the Stourbridge Line as "PRR 9880". 1306 1951 GP9RM 4 1310–1313 1959 1990-2010sEx-Canadian National, rebuilt by CN in 1990. 1311 preserved at Exporail.
Passenger cars
Current coaches Maker Model Number in service Numbered Year built Comments Bombardier Transportation Bombardier Bi-level Coach222000–20032004Control cars.Low platform only2020–20372005Low platform onlyBombardier MultiLevel Coach1603000 series2009–2011High and low platform compatibility. Required for service on Mascouche and Mont St-Hilaire lineCRRC TangshanBi-level coaches442050 series2022–2025Entered service June 2024Low platform onlyCars 2126–2135 (salmon and red colours) are wheelchair accessible.
Retired coaches
Maker Model Number built Numbered Year built CommentsBombardier TransportationSingle-level coaches24701–708, 720–7351989Renovated 2011–2013. Retired in 2022 following delivery of new coaches. Sold to SEPTA in April 2026. Hawker SiddeleyRTC-85SP/D coaches 80102–111, 200–204, 1036–1103, 1201–12581967–1976Ex-GO Transit. Retired after the arrival of the Bombardier MultiLevel Coaches. Car 104 on display at the Toronto Railway Museum in GO Transit colours.Canadian VickersGallery Car9900–901, 920–9261969Ex-Canadian Pacific Railway. Retired in 2010.Morrison–KnudsenSingle-level coaches145156–52341987–1988Leased from NJ Transit in the late-2000s and early 2010s.
Other retired rolling stock
Maker Model Number built Numbered Year built CommentsCanadian Car and FoundryHead-end power cars7600–6061958Former boxcars rebuilt into head-end power cars by the Canadian National Railway in 1989, for use alongside the GP9RMs.Bombardier TransportationMR-9058400 series1994–1995Electric multiple units used only on the Deux-Montagnes line. Retired in 2020 when the Deux-Montagnes line was closed for conversion to the .
Further details
The 22 bilevel coaches are in operation on the Saint-Jérôme line. The AMT did not purchase additional bilevels as it sought to standardize its train fleet with the arrival of the multi-level coaches.
On December 18, 2007, the AMT awarded Bombardier a $386 million contract to build 160 multi-level commuter cars. These cars are based on NJ Transit's Multilevel series, and are able to enter the Mount Royal Tunnel, unlike the older GO-style BiLevel cars. They are numbered in the 3000s.
See also
Exo bus services Réseau express métropolitain
Notes
References
External links