Tram-hiker's guide to Budapest
    The unofficial guide to Budapest trams!
    Latest update: 5. February, 2017
    [Skip the introduction and the disclaimer and jump to the index]

    Closing time, February 2017: Since I don't have the time to work on this website, I won't be updating it anymore. I'll leave the webpages online, but you should not use the information here as basis for a trip to Budapest.

    Introduction

    Chartered rideBudapest is a lovely city in the heart of Europe: the capital of Hungary, and also one of the first places to pioneer such important transportation achievements as electric trams (1887) and subways (1896). Although the tram network has shrinked to the fragment of its original size over the last four decades, it's still quite large, and its importance in the city's daily life is vital.

    Heritage tramcar on the Danube embankmentFirst I'll try to introduce our history to you, and I think this will explain a few unusual things about the city. Then we will look at the city itself. After that, we will see how our urban public transportation once worked and how it works now. You'll also get to know a few important companies, offices, and also a few hungarian words which might help you getting around. Then I'll introduce you the rolling stock. The bigest undertaking will be a clickable map of the tram network, which will surely be incomplete for a while, and then slowly filled up with photos and descriptions of the clickable places (e.g. streets, junctions, squares, interesting locations, depots), when I have some spare time. At the end you'll also be introduced to a few other transportation means, like the vicinal (suburban) and state railways.

    This is "my" Budapest, and these are "my" trams - enjoy your stay!


    A word from our sponsor

    Nah, there is no sponsor - unfortunately :-) This page is made in my free time: I do it for fun, and because it's a nice thing to know that I was able to help people in two of my favorite topics: trams and Budapest. If you liked it, I'd be mostly honored if you buy me something off my amazon.co.uk Wish List, or if you're living in the US, my amazon.com Wish List!

    Ich habe auch ein amazon.de Wünschzettel ;-)


    Disclaimer

    Winter moments 1Before we start, a short disclaimer. I know it's not the best way to start a website with something like this, but I be glad if you read it.

    1. This is a free-time effort, so I cannot promise that it's going to be updated until the end of time - or even regularily. If you're planing to see the real thing, check everything for yourself, because what's here might not be current anymore!

    2. Some of the things written here are how I see things, i.e. my personal opinion. I cannot be held responsible for mistakes, misinterpretations, inaccuracies, inactualities, etc - nor for the content of the pages linked in.

    3. I don't work for any of our urban transportation operators or travel agencies, so this is not some kind of official travel book, and I don't get payed for praising this or damning that.

    Winter moments 24. This is a free service for the fun of it. Please don't bother to point out that my English is not perfect or that I'm not the greatest photographer who has ever walked the Earth. I haven't learnt to speak or write English in a school, and I never learned how to take photos. It's not a nice feeling when - after putting weeks and months of hard work into a page - you get pejorative feedback, or when you're right away laughed at for your unprofessionality. I've had that, and I've had more than enough negative impulses. Help, suggestions, positive criticism are of course always welcome! Feel free to enjoy what you see here, but please respect my right not to be perfect. Thank you!

    5. Please read on, I promise all the next chapters will be much more enjoyable than this disclaimer ;-)

    6. There is NO... rule six!

    Index

    History and trivia
        A bit of Budapest history

        A bit of geography

        History of Budapest public transportation - in a nutshell

        A few numbers

    Things to know...
        Rules of thumb - without warranty

        BKV route designations

        A few words in hungarian that can help you getting around

        And a few notes for photographers

    Introduction to the rolling stock
        Numbering scheme

        Vehicles

    A clickable imagemap of the lines and some of the important "tram places"

    Descriptions sorted by routes and/or places:
        The Grand Boulevard (route 4 and 6)

        Széll Kálmán tér (formerly Moszkva tér)
        Route 2

        Route 1

        Route 12 and 14

        The northern section of the north-south interconnected network (formerly route 17)

        Route 24

        Route 42

        Route 59

        Route 61

           The Hűvösvölgy branch

        Route 18

           The Krisztinaváros trunk

           Fehérvári út

           The Savoya Park branch - tram 18 only

           The Kamaraerdő branch -  tram 41 only

           The Budafok branch - tram 47 only

        Route 19 and 41

           The Buda embankment branch UPDATED

           The inner section of Bartók Béla út

        Móricz Zsigmond körtér

           The outer section of Bartók Béla út

        Route 3 (and parts of 62/62A)

        Route 69 (and parts of 62/62A)

        Route 50

        Route 28, 37 and 62

        Route 51/51A (formerly 21/21A)
        The Pesterzsébet giant loop (tram 51 and 52)
        The Small Boulevard (tram 47 and 49)

    Non-tram things
        HÉV
           Csepel HÉV

        "Kisföldalatti" / Shallow Subway /Milleneum Subway / Metro line 1

        Rack railway

        Children's Railway

        Trolley buses

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    The unofficial guide to Budapest trams
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    Disclaimer: The author cannot be held responsible for mistakes, misinterpretations, inaccuracies, inactualities, etc. on/of these pages, nor for the content of other pages linked in.


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