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Trams in Budapest

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Budapest tramway network
File:Combinobp.jpg
Combino Supra and Ganz UV trams.
Operation
LocaleBudapest, Hungary
Horsecar era: 1866 (1866)–1928 (1928)
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
Propulsion system(s) Horses
Electric tram era: since 1887 (1887)
Status Open
Operator(s) BKV
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
Propulsion system(s) Electricity
Route length 196 km (122 mi) (present)
Website Budapesti Közlekedési Vállalat (BKV) Template:Hu icon

The Budapest tramway network (Hungarian: Budapest villamoshálózata) is a vital part of the public transport system in Budapest, the capital city of Hungary.

In operation since 1866, the network is presently one of world's largest tram networks, at about 196 km (122 mi) in total length. As of 2012, it was composed of 31 normal lines and the Budapest Cog-wheel Railway, operated by the BKV (Budapesti Közlekedési Válalat, Budapest Transport Limited).

History

The early days

The first horse-tram line in Budapest was inaugurated on 30 July 1866 between Újpest-Városkapu and Kálvin tér, through Váci út. Thereafter, the Count Sándor Károlyi founded the PKVT (Pesti Közúti Vaspálya Társaság, Pest Road Rail Company).

The first tram lines in Budapest

By 1885, Budapest had 15 horsecar lines but since it was obvious that the technology was obsolete, Mór Balázs suggested that a new, electric tram system should be introduced. It was Gábor Baross, then secretary of state at the Ministry of Communitiy Service and Transportation who authorised the construction of the first test tram line between Nyugati pályaudvar and Király utca. Balázs teamed up with Siemens & Halske and Lindheim és Társa and formed a new corporation: BVV (Budapesti Városi Vasút, Budapest City Trains). The construction works (carried out by Siemens & Halske) started on October 1, 1887 and the line was opened on November 28, 1887. The track gauge of this first line was 1000 millimeters and electricity was supplied to the cars from below to avoid cables hanging across the street.[1]

The second step in the expansion of the system were two standard gauge lines: on July 20, 1889 the second line, which spanned from Egyetem tér to Fiumei út via Kálvin tér, was opened[2]. It was designed so that in case of a power failure steam engines could tow the carriages. The third line, also standard gauge, was opened on September 10, 1889 and ran from the Hungarian Academy of Sciences to Andrássy út[3].

Even though not a tram line per se, the first underground line in Continental Europe, the Millenium Underground Railway must also be noted. It was built using a cut-and-cover method between 1894 and 1896 and was first named FJFVV (Ferenc József Földalatti Villamos Vasút, Franz Joseph Underground Electric Railway) after emperor Franz Joseph. It used electric cars from the very beginning.[1]

In the first years, tram had no numbers but coloured circular signals instead, for example, a simple red, green, blue or black disk; a red disk with a vertical white stripe or a cross; a white disk with a green 8-pointed green star, etc. This, of course, quickly became very cumbersome so around 1900, when there were already 30 lines, each line got a number – BVV, which was renamed to BVVV (Budapesti Villamos Városi Vasút, Budapest Electric City Trains) got the even numbers; odd numbers were assigned to a rival transport company, BKVT (Budapesti Közúti Vaspálya Társaság, Budapest Road Rail Company).[1]

The dynamically growing network brought new companies: two of them served Újpest, the northern part of Pest, one Pestszentlőrinc, which then was a separate town, and one the southern part of Buda and the then-separate village Budafok. These companies were joined together in 1923 by the name BSZKRT (Budapest Székesfővárosi Közlekedési Rt., Budapest Capital Transport Co.). It was during 1939-1944 that the most tram lines (66) existed in the city.[1]

System

Number of the line Termini
1 Bécsi út — Lágymányosi híd, pesti hídfő H
1A Bécsi út — Népliget M
2 Jászai Mari tér — Vágóhíd H
2A Jászai Mari tér — Boráros tér H
3 Mexikói út M — Gubacsi út
4 Széll Kálmán tér M — Újbuda-Központ
6 Széll Kálmán tér M — Móricz Zsigmond körtér)
12 Angyalföld, kocsiszín — Rákospalota, Kossuth utca
14 Lehel tér M — Káposztásmegyer, Megyeri út
17 Margit híd, budai hídfő H — Bécsi út (Vörösvári út)
18 Széll Kálmán tér M — Savoya park
19 Batthyány tér M+H — Kelenföldi pályaudvar
24 Keleti pályauvdar M (Festetics György utca) — Vágóhíd H
28 Blaha Lujza tér M (Népszínház utca) — Izraelita temető
28A Blaha Lujza tér M (Népszínház utca) — Újköztemető (Kozma utca)
37 Blaha Lujza tér M (Népszínház utca) — Újköztemető (Kozma utca)
37A Blaha Lujza tér M (Népszínház utca) — Sörgyár
41 Batthyány tér M+H — Kamaraerdei Ifjúsági Park
42 Határ út M — Kispest, Tulipán utca
47 Deák Ferenc tér M — Budafok, Városház tér
49 Deák Ferenc tér M — Kelenföldi pályaudvar
50 Határ út M — Pestszentlőrinc, Béke tér
51 Mester utca (Ferenc körút) — Nagysándor József utca
51A Mester utca (Ferenc körút) — Ferencváros vasútállomás
52 Határ út M — Pesterzsébet, Pacsirtatelep
59 Szent János kórház — Farkasrét, Márton Áron tér
59A Széll Kálmán tér M — Farkasrét, Márton Áron tér
60 Városmajor — Széchényihegy, Gyermekvasút
61 Móricz Zsigmond körtér — Hűvösvölgy
62 Blaha Lujza tér M (Népszínház utca) — Rákospalota, MÁV-telep
62A Kőbánya alsó vasútállomás (Mázsa tér) — Rákospalota, MÁV-telep
69 Mexikó út M — Újpalota, Erdőkerülő utca

Disappeared lines

Number of the line Termini Inauguration and disappearance
5 Flórián tér - Hévízi úti lakótelep 1950 - 1974
7 Óbudai kocsiszín - Margit híd, budai hídfő 1946 - 1961
7i Fóti út - Rákospalota, Kossuth utca ca. 1970
8 Újpesti piac - Megyeri út 1955 - 1980
9 Batthyány tér - Budafok, Városház tér 1920 - 1986
9A Móricz Zsigmond körtér - Albertfalva kitérő 1961 - 1972
10 Rákospalota, Kossuth utca - Megyeri csárda 1954 - 1985
11 Margit híd, budai hídfő - Bécsi út 1950 - 1981
13 Örs vezér tere - Gubacsi út 1955 - 2001
15 Jászai Mari tér - Újpesti vasúti híd 1940 - 1977
15A Jászai Mari tér - Váci út 1963 - 1977
20 Ganz gyár - Ferenc körút until 1977
22 Nagyvásártelep - Boráros tér 1932 - 1970
23 Baross tér (Festetics György utca) - Ferenc körút 1952 - 2000
25 Állatkert - Thököly út 1920 - 1972
26 Rókus kórház - Eskü tér 1910 - 1944
26A Kőrösi Csoma út - Orczy tér 1942 - 1956


See also

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Media related to Trams in Budapest at Wikimedia Commons

References

  1. ^ a b c d Legát, Tibor (2010). "Bevezető [Introduction]". Számos villamos [Numbered tram]. Budapest: Jószöveg. pp. 6–12. ISBN 978-615-5009-15-0. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ Legát, Tibor (2010). "8". Számos villamos [Numbered tram]. Budapest: Jószöveg. pp. 57–59. ISBN 978-615-5009-15-0. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  3. ^ Legát, Tibor (2010). "24". Számos villamos [Numbered tram]. Budapest: Jószöveg. pp. 132–137. ISBN 978-615-5009-15-0. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)

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