<strong>Children's Railway: t</strong>he Gyermekvasút railway, a narrow-gauge service running in the hills above Budapest, is operated by children.
Children's Railway: the Gyermekvasút railway, a narrow-gauge service running in the hills above Budapest, is operated by children.
Suzanne Plunkett
<strong>Ticket office:</strong> Under adult supervision, the kids sell and check tickets, work as guards, handle signals and staff stations.
Ticket office: Under adult supervision, the kids sell and check tickets, work as guards, handle signals and staff stations.
Suzanne Plunkett
<strong>Train drivers: </strong>The engineers and the train drivers on the Gyermekvasút -- or Children's Railway -- are grownups.
Train drivers: The engineers and the train drivers on the Gyermekvasút -- or Children's Railway -- are grownups.
Suzanne Plunkett
<strong>Anniversary: </strong>The railway is celebrating its 70th year in 2018. It was created in 1948.
Anniversary: The railway is celebrating its 70th year in 2018. It was created in 1948.
Suzanne Plunkett
<strong>Salutes and smiles: </strong>The children wear smart railway uniforms in the railway's red, white and blue colors.
Salutes and smiles: The children wear smart railway uniforms in the railway's red, white and blue colors.
Suzanne Plunkett
<strong>Ticket inspection:</strong> The railway is hangover from the time when Hungary was a satellite state of the Soviet Union. Originally called the Pioneer Railway, it was intended to teach children teamwork and responsibility.
Ticket inspection: The railway is hangover from the time when Hungary was a satellite state of the Soviet Union. Originally called the Pioneer Railway, it was intended to teach children teamwork and responsibility.
Suzanne Plunkett
<strong>Cheap ride:</strong> Tickets cost a few hundreds forints, or between $2 and $3. It's great value for money.
Cheap ride: Tickets cost a few hundreds forints, or between $2 and $3. It's great value for money.
Suzanne Plunkett
<strong>Leafy landscape:</strong> While the railway is an attraction in itself, the ride through the bucolic landscape of the Buda hills above Hungary's captical city is just as alluring.
Leafy landscape: While the railway is an attraction in itself, the ride through the bucolic landscape of the Buda hills above Hungary's captical city is just as alluring.
Jennifer Walker
<strong>Retro station: </strong>The station at Hűvösvölgy still maintains its retro nostalgic glory. Social realism blends in with the vintage photos and bilingual signs in Hungarian and Russian.
Retro station: The station at Hűvösvölgy still maintains its retro nostalgic glory. Social realism blends in with the vintage photos and bilingual signs in Hungarian and Russian.
Jennifer Walker
<strong>Railway museum</strong>: Hűvösvölgy station has a small museum with communist relics such as old uniforms and a huge ticket machine made out cast iron.
Railway museum: Hűvösvölgy station has a small museum with communist relics such as old uniforms and a huge ticket machine made out cast iron.
Jennifer Walker
<strong>Nostalgia trip: </strong>For some older Hungarians a ride on the children's railway is a nostalgic step back in time to their own childhood.
Nostalgia trip: For some older Hungarians a ride on the children's railway is a nostalgic step back in time to their own childhood.
Jennifer Walker
<strong>Along the tracks: </strong>Sometimes the children call out to each other from the window of the carriage after signaling and saluting.
Along the tracks: Sometimes the children call out to each other from the window of the carriage after signaling and saluting.
Jennifer Walker
<strong>Cogwheel railway:</strong> Those ending their journey at Széchenyi-hegy can ride another unusual train -- the cogwheel railway down plunges back down the wooded slopes.
Cogwheel railway: Those ending their journey at Széchenyi-hegy can ride another unusual train -- the cogwheel railway down plunges back down the wooded slopes.
Jennifer Walker