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The capital of Hungary is the result of the unification in 1873 of 3 cities: Buda and Óbuda on the western side of the Danube and Pest on the eastern side. Today, Budapest has approximately 1.7 million inhabitants.

With the opening of line M4 in 2014, Budapest now has a 4-line metro system, with the original three lines intersecting in the city centre at Deák Ferenc tér.

Line M1 (5 km) was opened in 1896 between Vörösmarty tér in the centre and Széchenyi fürdő as the first electric underground (Földalatti) line on the European mainland. Almost 80 years later, in 1973, the line was extended to Mexikói út. This line is different from the other two in dimensions, directly under the street, and only 6 m wide and 2.75 m high. Therefore special trains had to be built and a fixed catenary had be installed. For the 100th Anniversary all stations were restored and once again exhibit their historic splendor.

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

More about line M1

Line M2 (10 km) is an east-west line connecting both major railway stations, Déli (South station) and Keleti (East station). It runs on the surface between Pillangó utca and the eastern terminus Örs vezér tere. Although construction had started already in the 1950s, this line was only opened between 1970 (Deák Ferenc tér - Örs vezér tere) and 1972 (Deák Ferenc tér - Déli pu.). Between 2004 and 2007, M2 underwent total refurbishing. Since it is the busiest line in the city, stations were only closed during summer months while major work was carried out. The route was upgraded with a modern signalling system that allow one-man operation.

02-04-1970 Deák Ferenc tér - Örs vezér tere
22-12-1972 Deák Ferenc tér - Déli pályaudvar

More about line M2

Line M3 (17.3 km) is a north-south connection on the Pest side of the city. Apart from the southern terminus Köbánya-Kispest, all stations are underground. The first part (Deák tér - Nagyvárad tér) opened in 1976, in various stages it was extended in both directions. In 1990 it reached Újpest Központ (with a station design that pays tribute to 1970's stations in Munich or Berlin).

31-12-1976 Deák Ferenc tér - Nagyvárad tér
20-04-1980 Nagyvárad tér - Kobánya-Kispest
30-12-1981 Deák Ferenc tér - Lehel tér
07-11-1984: Lehel tér - Árpád híd (now Göncz Árpád városközpont)
14-12-1990: Árpád híd (now Göncz Árpád városközpont) - Újpest-Központ

More about line M3

Line M4 (7.4 km) runs totally underground between Keleti and Kelenföldi railway stations crossing M3 at Kálvin ter, then under the Danube river to Szt. Gellért ter and south-west through Buda. After long delays, the first section (Kelenföldi/Etele tér - Keleti pályaudvar) eventually was brought into service in spring 2014. Line M4 is prepared for driverless operation, although initially drivers will remain in a temporary driver's cab. The track area is surveilled by a infrared system, as no platform screen doors have been installed.

28 March 2014: Kelenföld vasútállomás - Keleti pályaudvar

View many station photos and learn more about line M4 here.

 Book

NEW:

Robert Schwandl's

TRAM ATLAS MITTELEUROPA | CENTRAL EUROPE (incl. Poland)

This illustrated atlas includes every tramway system in East-Central Europe, from Poland via Czechia and Slovakia to Hungary. The atlas also covers the three metro systems in the region, as well as trolleybuses in cities with tramways.
The detailed maps show all the stops, loops, single-track sections, depots and more. All the current vehicles are listed in tables and depicted in numerous colour photographs.

10/2024, Text deutsch/English, ISBN 978 3 936573 76 3, EUR 24.50 - For more info & sample pages click here!