The Cog-wheel Railway (Fogaskerekű), officially tram no. 60, dates from 1874 and is one of the oldest means of transport in Budapest. First, it was steam-powered and got electrified later. There are spectacular views to enjoy as the train climbs into the Buda hills. It begins its journey at Városmajor and reaches Széchenyi-hegy, the upper terminus in half an hour. The difference in height is 327 metres between the two termini.
To start your journey from the valley, you can approach Városmajor station from Széll Kálmán tér by bus 22, 22A, 155 or 222 or by tram 56, 59, 61. The upper terminus Széchenyi-hegy is less than 200 meters from the Children's Railway station of the same name.
For the best views, sit on the right-hand side facing away from the direction of travel. You can see Szent János Kórház, one of the oldest in the city, when arriving at the first stop. As the train climbs, the modern buildings of the Kútvölgyi Hospital, once an exclusive clinic for Communist Party members, will appear.
The line passes through the villas of Diós árok and Svábhegy, a hill whose name comes from the Swabian settlers who came to Hungary after the Ottomans had left. Construction of the railway brought summer villas soon, many of them belonging to writers and artists.
Hikers use the cog railway a lot and many residents of the area, too. It is also very popular with cyclists because they allow them to transport bicycles. Therefore, it runs throughout the year, from early morning to late evening, being operated by BKK, whose tariff is valid on the trains.
Getting to Széchenyi-hegy mountain station, you can easily reach the Children's Railway station on foot, and Normafa is also within a short walk distance. There is a hiking trail to get to the Chairlift, and there are many great cycling paths around, too.
Check the timetable on their webpage.
The Children’s Railway (Gyermekvasút) begins near the last stop on the cog-wheel train line. The trains run on an eleven-kilometre narrow-gauge track built between 1948 and 1950 and make an enchanting trip through the woods for over 10 km with an average journey time of 40 minutes. It is run by children (except for driving), naturally with adult helpers for some of the tasks.
To start your journey from the valley, you can approach Hűvösvölgy station by tram 56, 56A, 59B, 61, or by bus 64, 64A, 164, 257, 264, 963, 964, 29, 57, 63, 157, 157A, 956. The upper terminus Széchenyi-hegy is less than 200 meters from the Cog-wheel Railway Station of the same name. There is limited or no parking around the Childen's Railway stations. The only exception to this is Hűvösvölgy station, which has several P+R car parks nearby.
Celebrating its 70th birthday in 2018, the Children’s Railway is always popular with newer and newer generations of children. For most kids, it’s magnificent to admire the small trains, stations, and little workers. Kids are more than impressed when a slightly older child handles their ticket. The stations of the Children's Railway are all perfect starting points for a longer or shorter trip to Buda. There are both open-sided and closed carriages in operation, and occasionally there is a steam locomotive.
The trains, stations, and ticket offices are entirely staffed by children between the ages of ten and 14. The children still wear traditional blue uniforms and red peaked caps and enthusiastically salute the trains in and out of the stations. They also make the loudspeaker announcements and pass up and down the carriages announcing stations and checking tickets. Participation is conditional on getting good marks at school and securing the permission of the headteacher. There are training courses and an exam to pass before the young guards and station masters are permitted to start working.
On platform one at Hűvösvölgy station, an interactive exhibition presents the history of the railway at the Children’s Railway Museum and Souvenir Shop.
They used to call it the Pioneers’ Railway, after the Communist equivalent of the Boy Scouts and Girl Guides, whose Youth Camp was at Csillebérc. The railway was ceremonially opened by Ernő Gerő, hardline early Communist, former KGB agent, and, at the time, Hungarian Minister of Transport. The rail has been operated by children ever since, linking the hiking trails of Buda Hills.
There are many attractions in the vicinity of Children's Railway, such as Erzsébet Lookout Tower, Normafa, Chairlift, Cogwheel, and many playgrounds.
From June 13, 2020, the Children's Railway will run again after the lockdown. Check the timetable on their webpage.
The Chairlift (Libegő) runs eight metres above the hillside from the valley called Zugliget to the highest peak in the city, the look-out tower on János-hegy. There is a 262-metre difference in elevation between the two termini and it takes twelve minutes to make the journey. The Chairlift is a popular means of transportation in the Buda hills, offering amazing forest views and panorama of Budapest. The two-seat, open chairs cover the 1,040-meter ropeway distance in fifteen minutes.
The valley station of the Chairlift is in Zugliget, at the terminus of bus 291. Bus 291 leaves from Nyugati Railway Station. Its mountain station is on the Hármaskút roof, which connects János Hill with Normafa. You can get to Normafa by bus 21, 21A from Széll Kálmán tér. A pleasant 30-minute forest trip from Normafa leads to the upper station of the Libegő. The Children's Railway is within a short forest walk from János Hill and Virágvölgy station.
Many of Budapest's transport vehicles have an amazing impact on children, but nothing can compete with the Chairlift. Although adults are more interested in the beautiful view, children tend not to care about that at all. For them, the experience of gliding is captivating, and some complementary activities are far more interesting, like shouting and waving to oncoming passengers. There is a chair at the lower terminus in Zugliget, where you can practice to get in and out the Chairlift before you travel. If only one child under the age of ten sits next to you, you can take a sledge on board with you in winter.
The cable car starts in the forest, and then it passes over private gardens. There is an amazing view of Hármashatárhegy, the peaks of Pilis Hill, as well as Buda and Pest. When approaching the lower terminus, you can see the Zugliget Valley with houses in the green.
The current reception buildings of the Libegő are outdated both functionally and technically, and the two-seater chairlift can no longer meet the expectations. They will renovate the Libegő with twenty-first-century technology; with a four-seater lift suitable for transporting bicycles and skis including a rain cover, and a modern lighting system. Hikers will be able to take possession of the new Chairlift in 2022.
There is a smaller playground at the upper terminus, and you can enjoy countless child-friendly excursions in-between János Hill and Normafa.
The chairlift operates all year round except in strong winds and heavy rain. At the moment, because of the COVID situation, it runs only on weekends. Check the timetable on their webpage.
2 Spaghi Fresh Pasta BarThis Fresh Pastabar is a real factory where pasta is handmade under the supervision of the Italian owners. They make pasta with and without eggs by using Italian durum wheat flour, and you can also get stuffed ravioli and tortellini. They cook sauces fresh every day. Why don’t you try the fresh raw pasta so you can make your sauce at home?
ORDER ONLINETrattoria means an Italian restaurant serving simple food. Venezia is great with pizza and pasta: good pizzas come out of the wood-burning oven, and they prepare gnocchi and fried lasagne tubes and even risottos.
ORDER ONLINETrue Neapolitan Pizza is made exclusively in a wood-fired oven. They have strict rules on shape, texture, preparation, and fermentation. Pizzeria IGEN is a member of Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana, AVPN, and this means you are in good hands when it comes to great pizza. Try desserts too!
ORDER ONLINEIl Terzo Cerchio is a typical Tuscan restaurant with barbecued meat and wood-fired oven. The excellent menu is rich in meat- and fish dishes as well as pasta and desserts. There are home-made bread and Italian wine available for home delivery.
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TokioIf you’re looking for sushi with a great selection of wine, then Tokio is a great choice! There are both hot and cold Japanese options, with traditional and more international offerings. Expect exciting flavours and upmarket food.
ORDER ONLINEDang Muoi has opened its first restaurant in the city after having a well-known buffet at the famous Józsefváros market. Today they own five, and the menu is rich in classic pho varieties and traditional soups. You can also order Vietnamese rice noodles, tofu, and roast beef.
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Buja DisznókThere are three dishes on the home delivery menu at Buja Disznók (which translates Lush Pigs): premium quality, GIANT breaded pork cutlet, fried chicken legs, and fried duck liver. Expect huge portions (45-50 dkg) of meat.
ORDER ONLINEProbably the best of the street food genre in Budapest at the moment, Happy Panda serves Chinese dishes. There are not many on the menu; a few soups, salads, multi-layered pancakes with many extras, and rou jia mo. This one is similar to a sandwich filled with pulled pork, but the meat is minced and not torn. The flavour has cumin and mildly hot peppers, among other things. Try the pancakes, made with onion and chilli sauce!
ORDER ONLINEAt Töltő, they make individually flavoured, handmade barbecue sausages such as wild boar and chicken. They also serve homemade bread, special sauces (fancy some Chinkiang sauce?), toppings, and craft beers. Fine dining at this restaurant meets street food.
[icon name="info" class="" unprefixed_class=""] Home delivery will start from Friday, 27 March on Wolt and Netpincér
One of the best representatives of the 'craft beer with burger' concept in Budapest also delivers to your home. Kandalló Pub serves mind-blowing burgers in extra meat or vegetarian versions plus craft beers. Try goat-cheese burger!
ORDER ONLINEAt Nemo Fish&Chips&Salad you can order online a wide selection of grilled- and breaded fish and other seafood. You can get fish soup and salmon pasta and even fish burger. There are certainly fish and chips and salads available on the menu.
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Istvánffi Veggie BurgerYou can request your burger with three types of vegetable patties: wheat, mushroom, and oatmeal. They do French fries too and have developed their selection of sauces. 100% Vegan
ORDER ONLINEJuicy Bagel serves fruit juices and smoothies from common and astonishing ingredients, lactose-, gluten-, and sugar-free products, raw vegan cookies. And the center is the bagel. 100% Vegan
ORDER ONLINEOlive Tree Hummus Original is based on the concept of bringing authentic Israeli and Ukrainian cuisine to Budapest. Hummus, falafel, vareniki dumplings are among the dishes on the menu. They offer many deals for 2-3 persons should you need to order for more people.
ORDER ONLINEThe first Indian restaurant in Hungary has been offering the most popular Indian and Nepalese dishes since 1994. They’ve got an enormous menu including fish and vegetarian dishes and selection of Indian bread.
ORDER ONLINEPoké bowl is the national dish of Hawaii. Its name indicates a cutting technique. It is traditionally made by mixing fresh fish with colorful vegetables and fabulous sauces. Build your own with fresh salmon, tuna, or vegan options.
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Photo credits:
Italian pasta making courtesy Jorge Zapata
Pho dish courtesy Sharon Chen
Vegetarian courtesy Hermes Rivera
Street food courtesy Buja Disznók Restaurant
