In this paper, we present a new approach for remote visualization of large 3D cities. Our approach is based on expressive rendering (also known as Non-Photorealistic Rendering), and more precisely, on feature lines. By focusing on characteristic features, this solution brings a more legible visualization and reduces the amount of data transmitted on the network. We also introduce a client-server system for remote rendering, as well as the involved pre-processing stage that is required for optimization. Based on the presented system, we perform a study on the usability of such an approach in the context of mobile devices.