Budapest Children's Railway or The Gyermekvasút - Budapest Hungary - ECTV
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 ต.ค. 2024
- The Gyermekvasút (English: Children's Railway) or Line 7 is a narrow gauge railway line in Budapest, which connects Széchenyihegy [hu] and Hűvösvölgy and is 11.2 kilometres (7.0 mi) long. The former name of the line was Úttörővasút (Pioneer Railway, in reference to the communist scouts), and now the official designation is MÁV Zrt. Széchenyi-hegy Gyermekvasút. Except the train driver, all of the posts are operated by children aged 10-14[1] under adult supervision.[2] It is the world's largest children's railway.[2]
The Széchenyihegy terminus of the Gyermekvasút is a 250-metre (820 ft) walk from the upper terminus of the Budapest Cog Railway, whilst the Hűvösvölgy terminus is adjacent to the Budapest tram terminus of the same name.
History
In 1947, the Hungarian State Railways (MÁV) company decided that a railway operated by children would be built. For the railway construction several sites were considered, including the neighbourhood of the Gödöllő Palace, Margaret Island, and the Népliget, but finally in 1948 the Hungarian Communist Party chose the Buda Hills. The construction started on 11 April 1948.
The first section, from Széchenyi-hegy to Előre station (now Virágvölgy) was inaugurated on 31 July 1948. The second section, to Szépjuhászné station [ hu] (now Szépjuhászné), was completed one year later, and the last section, to Hűvösvölgy, was opened on 20 August 1950.[3]
During the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 the railway was closed but was not damaged. It reopened on 3 February 1957.[4]
A museum at Hűvösvölgy station displays some items from the Communist period.
In the green hills above Budapest, a train line runs between stations buried deep in the woodland. It’s not the rail fastest service in the world, but it’s one of the cutest.
Like any other railway it has ticket offices, diesel locomotives, signals, guards and a timetable. Unlike any other, this one is run by children.
With their smart red, blue and white uniforms, the youngsters of the Gyermekvasút railway, which marks its 70th anniversary in 2018, look the part.
They efficiently sell and check tickets and salute trains as they depart stations. They also look like they’re having lots of fun.
Under blue Hungarian skies, this retro little railway easily resembles something from a Wes Anderson film.
In fact, it’s a throwback to the days of communism, when Hungary, as a satellite state of the Soviet Union, created the Pioneer Railway to give children the chance to learn teamwork and responsibility.
Minors worked the railway under the supervision of adults. The engineers and the train drivers are grownups.
It still operates the same way today, just without the communist principles, rebranding itself as the Gyermekvasút, or Children’s Railway in English. Local kids get to work on the railway approximately every 15 days, even getting some lucky days off school.
For many Hungarian visitors, a trip on the narrow-gauge service is a reminder of their own childhoods.
On one recent trip with my Hungarian mother, we rode the last train of the day as the light began to fade. At each station, the kids hopped onto the red, blue and white train, filling up the carriage as their shifts ended.
One boy had a guitar and the railway children, their normally smart uniforms slightly disheveled after a day’s work on the line, started to sing.
My name is Eric Clark and I am a world traveler. I have been around the world a few times and decided to help fund my travels by sharing my videos and pictures. I have been to almost every country and would be glad to give tips and pointers. Drop me a note. = )
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Tiszteletem a srácoknál, le a kalappal előttük. 👍👍👍
They did change the access to the actual station around, it used to be much easier to get to the station before they built that long fancy structure as stairs, one used be able to just cross over from the terminal end of the bus station and there were a couple of flies of steps, the building you passed to the right is the operational headquarters of the children’s railway, so there are some offices, also there is the booking on point for kids where they get a breakfast, they get their job description for the day and they get their uniform. In the summer there is a camp for kids there, normally 3 or 4 groups of kids stay there for 2 weeks, during which they are on duty every 3rd day, one day is for housekeeping duties and one day is for excursions for each group. They have camp fire in the evenings and lots of fun. There are as many groups of kids, as districts in Budapest, currently 23. So if you live in district 6, then you will belong to group 6. 30/40 kids in each group. Prior to taking duty on the children’s railway there is a 4 months training course, at the end of which children pass out in railway rules, the proper railway rules of the Hungarian state railway. They do it part time, after school. Also they book on duty every 15th day, so it always falls on a different day of the week. If it is a weekday, kids skip school, and therefore only kids, who perform exeptionally well in school can apply to become part of the children’s railway. There are several duties they carry out, e.g. conductor, retailer in the booking office, there is someone who is in charge of all operations, who will communicate with other stations to book the line as it is a single line railway with crossover points at stations. They also responsible for operating the signals at each station, there is a different operating system at different stations, that the kids could learn all of them, some are automatic, some semi-automation. Also there is a train dispatcher and a points operator. Kids learn to take responsibility and different non functional skills, as well as social interactions whilst still having fun. Each station has a grown up supervisor or station master, plus the engine drivers are obviously are adults. There is a maintenance shed as well at terminal end here, and a signal box at the other end of the railway. Those were kind of heritage cars, you just entered a cupboard or something that is forbidden for passengers. The poster was an advert for kids to become part of the children’s railway. In the summer there are open carriages, those are more fun. Normally traditional carriages are red. From time to time they run a steam engine too. I can see how difficult this is for foreigners to find their way around. For their excuse - tourists normally don’t find their way here, so only those who have Hungarian friends ever travel on the children’s railway haha.
It was fun to follow your journey :) I also worked here as a child for 5 years - maybe these years were the most nicer in my life... :) The ticket inspector guy is really smart, respect!
13:06 only for staff
11:19 nemdohányzó=no smoking! in hungarian. so funny to see tourist get confused in our railway XD
I just saw this in expedition unknown, and I had to see it to believe it, it Wannado City, for reals?!
Do you never read guides before you visit anywhere? There's loads of information out there about the railway and how/where to buy tickets.
What's your problem? Guy makes a video for us and here you are complaining like an idiot.
Also, you can just get them online.
Great video Eric. One thing, I see you a lot saying something like "mucsumesk" as a thank you. If you are trying to say thank you in hungarian its "köszönöm" or in short "köszi". What you are saying is not a hungarian word.
Ahahahah. OMG!!! You are so right. That’s how to say thank you in Romanian not in Hungarian. Oh my gosh. I feel so stupid. I spent a
Long time in Romania and it was my last country. Bleh. It’s funny Gaboman…. I went from Slovakia to Slovenia and kept calling the wrong country. Arggg. I really should not talk during my videos. Lol. Thanks so much. I will work on getting that fixed. No wonder everyone looks at me strangely. Lol
Lol. I hope you keep watching my videos. Lol
Thanks again for the heads up! :)
Eric
Lol. Thanks again. Some
People actually know what I am saying now. Lol.
Eric
The cars, with you has benn drived are not normal cars, theese are "epic" cars normal cars are red
and 13:05 THAT SAYS:ENTRY PORHIBITED FOR PASSENGERS! COME OOOOON LEARN HUNGARIAN OR AT THE END ULL END UP IN IDK WHERE
I'm a worker here😊
And I used to be one. For 4 years as a child and 16 as an adult. The best 20 years of my life!
Tanfolyamon vagyok.
‘Karen’ …… 🤭🤭. Lol ! Bless !