Gyermekvasút, railway line
Gyermekvasút is a 760 mm narrow-gauge railway running 11.2 km between Széchenyihegy and Hűvösvölgy, the latter 235 m lower. Its single, non-electrified track passes six stations, including the 198 m Hárs-hegy tunnel. Trains are red with a yellow front bearing a red star and the plate Mk45-2006, and they meet a pale paved platform.
The railway opened in the 1940s as a way to give young people hands-on training in how a real railway works. The concept survived through the decades, and the line has kept running ever since.
The railway is staffed by children and teenagers who take on real working roles, from checking tickets to giving signals at each stop. Watching them work is one of the most memorable parts of the trip.
The full one-way trip takes around an hour, so it is worth planning for the return journey too if you want to ride the whole route back. Some stops are near forest trails, making it easy to get off and walk part of the way.
The trains are driven by adults, while children aged 10 to 14 handle all other duties under supervision. In 2015 the line entered the Guinness World Records as the longest railway where children operate traffic and commercial services. A museum at Hűvösvölgy station displays items from the communist period.
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