The Les Avants–Sonloup funicular () is a metre gauge funicular railway in the Swiss canton of Vaud. It links the railway station of Les Avants, on the Montreux–Lenk im Simmental line between Montreux and Montbovon, with an upper terminus at Sonloup.
Description The funicular, which was opened on 14 December 1912, runs at a right angle to the MOB line for a distance of and in doing so climbs at a 54% gradient to a height of above Les Avants. The line is still operated with the original Belle Epoque carriages.Construit en 1910 et récemment rénové, le « funi » Les Avants–Sonloup a la particularité d'avoir conservé ses voitures d'époque. Une vraie curiosité !
The peak season for tourists, is in the spring, when the narcissus and forget-me-not plants flower in the meadowlands near the summit.
Parameters The funicular has the following parameters:
Feature ValueNumber of stops2ConfigurationSingle track with passing loopTrack lengthRiseMaximum gradient54%Track gaugeNumber of cars2Capacity40 passengers per carMaximum speedTravel time6 minutes
The line is operated by Transports Montreux – Vevey Riviera, under the GoldenPass Services banner.
Gallery
See also List of funicular railways List of funiculars in Switzerland List of heritage railways and funiculars in Switzerland
Further reading
References
External links
Les Avants–Sonloup funicular web site