About this journey

Aigle station sits at the convergence of three metre-gauge TPC lines, where shared platforms built in 2006–2007 alongside the SBB mainline bring narrow-gauge and standard-gauge services together in the Rhône valley. The line departing here for Champéry — the Aigle–Ollon–Monthey–Champéry, known as the AOMC — stretches 23.14 km and rises 645 m, from Aigle at 404 m above sea level to Champéry at 1,049 m.

The railway reached its present form in two stages: the Aigle–Ollon–Monthey section opened on 3 April 1907, and the extension through to Champéry followed on 30 January 1908. A concession awarded as early as 27 April 1897 had originally envisaged a different destination altogether, but objections from a rival operator redirected the route. The two original companies amalgamated on 1 January 1946 to form the AOMC. Today the line operates under Transports Publics du Chablais, powered by overhead wire at 850 V DC. Where the gradient demands it, the train engages the Strub rack system: 3.66 km of the route is rack-operated, reaching a maximum gradient of 13.5%. The Stadler Beh 2/6 units are built to handle both adhesion and rack sections without changing traction. Champéry at 1,049 m marks the upper terminus, with a further short section of 1 km continuing to Champéry-Planachaux, where a lift connects to the mountain terrain above.