When line M1 was opened in 1896 between Vörösmarty tér in the centre and Széchenyi fürdő it was the first electric underground (Földalatti) line on the European mainland. It was classified as an underground tram line until metro line M3 was built, when this line was named M1.

The primary reason to build the Földalatti was that the city government did not allow the construction of a tram route on Sugár street (now Andrássy street). The contract was awarded to Siemens & Halske and demanded the underground line to be finished for the 1986 Millennium Exhibition. It was therefore called the "Millennium Underground Railway" (MFAV). There were only 20 months to build it. As it had to cross the main sewage collector at Oktogon by passing over the canal, the height of the tunnel had to be very limited.

Until 1973 there was a surface section of 463 m through the city park and the line was operated on the left side. In that year, new 30 m trains were delivered by Ganz. At the same time, the line was extended to Mexikói út, now totally underground. Deák Ferenc tér station was rebuilt to link the line to the intersecting metro lines; part of the old tunnel is now home to the metro museum. The three new stations (Deák Ferenc tér, Széchenyi fürdő, Mexikói út) boast designs typical for the socialist period. Vörösmarty tér station was also modified, but in 1996 it was rebuilt in its original style.

Average station distance: 325 m
Tunnel width: 6 m
Tunnel height: 2.75 m
Platform length: 35 m
Platform width:: 3 m
Height between the rails and the upper cable: 2700 mm
Entire line built sub-surface, directly below the street
Voltage: 550 V

02-05-1896: Vörösmarty tér (formerly Gizella tér) - Széchenyi fürdő (formerly aboveground and named Artézi fürdő)
30-12-1973: section Hősök tere - Széchenyi fürdő is put underground and extended to Mexikói út
1995-1996: complete renovation of the line

Vörösmarty tér

Deák Ferenc tér

Line M2 | Line M3 | Tram

Bajcsy-Zsilinszky út

Opera

Oktogon

Tram

Vörösmarty utca

Széchenyi fürdő

Mexikói út

Tram

All photos © Robert Schwandl, 2014