Cog-Wheel Railway Tips?

I came across that line when I was doing some research for my upcoming trip. I have never been to Budapest and can't give you instructions about the Cogwheel tram. But this site has the list of stops, and if you click on the departure stop, it will give you a timetable. https://bkk.hu/en/timetables/#60

I would just put the name of the first stop (Városmajor) Google Maps as your destination from Mathias Church (or wherever you might be). See what is shown as the walking path vs public transportation. Not sure if it's uphill and if a taxi might be better than walking. I hope Mr. É or TexasTravelMom can reply with additional information or if there is a better walking path.

I plugged the tram on Navitime and got this map: https://transit.navitime.com/en/hu/line/00000034

I think you have quite a full day already but hope you can make it work.

Its been a lifetime since I rode it. You ought to start at Városmajor as its the uphill where its an interesting ride. The children's rail is at the top and where to go from there? Well that's the next issue i guess.

So to reach it from most anywhere in town you will first take the 4/6 Tram or the M2 metro to Széll Kálmán ter. Then the 56A/59/61 Tram to the Szent János Kórház stop. Get off and eat lunch at Fioka. Then get back on and go BACK one stop to Városmajor. Then pull out your trusty BudapestGo app to see how to get to the 60 Tram stop (it is close close). Tgere are some interesting old tram displays near. Okay, you can skip Fioka and just get off at Városmajor.

Or, I guess you could take a taxi to the other end stop, as the driver will absolutely get you there and then eat lunch at Fioka when you finish. 😄

My memory wasnt terribly impressive of the ride to be honest. But it is a survivor of another time.

Hi. We rode the train last summer as part of a fun, memorable afternoon. As Mr. E says, take the tram to the Varosmajor stop. You will see the distinctive round 'Hotel Budapest' as you get off. The station for the cogwheel train is across the street. The train ride is not exciting, but we enjoyed it. From the top of the cogwheel, you can just stay on and ride back down. But we made an afternoon of it by walking one block from the top of the cogwheel to the Children's train (check schedule, runs once per hour), which we took a few stops to a 20 minute or so moderately uphill hiking trail up to the free Elizabeth lookout tower, which provides a great 360 degree view looking down on the city and surrounding area. From there, you can take a chair lift down, or walk back to the children's train, or walk down a nice shaded street (maybe a half mile?) to a bus back to the city. Enjoy!

We took a Viking River cruise from Budapest in 2022. Make sure with Viking that your boat is not leaving after that Panoramic tour. Lots of people on our boat were very disappointed they did not have free time before the boat left that 2nd day. Luckily for us we came in 2 days early to tour and had gotten in a lot before boarding the ship.

Joy, thank you for the timetable that was helpful.

Mr. E. Thank you as always. Sounds like your really like Fioka!

Bob, Good to hear from someone with personal experience. I will look for the round building as a guide.

SDW- I checked the Viking app and they are offering purchased excursions that last until 6pm that day so I think we are good for the afternoon.

I added to my travel notes so we can try it if we want to extend our afternoon.

The Hotel Budapest is no longer. They are converting it into condos. In the process they are redoing the outside and depending how much is covered on the day you arrive you may or may not see it. If you look at this, pretty sure thats your tram towards the back. Its been 15 years at least since I rode it so ... https://maps.app.goo.gl/vFvwdWrrKsa3Sotk9 Then if you spin around you can see the hotel as it once looked (old google street photo) Now it looks more like this https://c8.alamy.com/comp/3E25XAE/demolition-of-budapests-iconic-circular-hotel-budapest-krszll-in-progress-as-the-1967-modernist-landmark-is-dismantled-for-redevelopment-3E25XAE.jpg

Oh, and Fioka looks like this https://maps.app.goo.gl/hXfyxMoKXuVCVa446 😂🤣😂

I was out that way today, and I paid attention and have some thoughts. I like to talk as much about what’s around as the destination itself. It’s a great way to get some local feel.

I haven’t been on the cogwheel in at least 15 years. My memory is a bit hazy. So, in the next few days maybe I will take a ride. I am out in that area every few days for one reason or another. After that I will post anything of note. And I might have to make some corrections.

First, you mentioned a walk from Fisherman’s Bastion. Okay, if that’s a requirement for the starting place then using Google Maps plot a course to Széll Kálmán tér and start walking https://maps.app.goo.gl/78QPGU6sqa78o9tR6 Or Bus 16 goes to Széll Kálmán tér. But if you walk and its lunch time, you might want to put in Nagyi Palacsintázója as a stop along the way. https://maps.app.goo.gl/EyibKahsSTS6txhB6 and you can say you had Eastern European crepes. Actually, part of the culture from here and in most of the Slavic countries to the east.

Széll Kálmán tér is a large square that serves quite a few tram lines, including the 4/6 tram, and buses and the M2 Metro. This is the starting point for the trip to the Cogwheel. With that last statement you realize that you can reach this point from the Oktogon on the 4/6 tram or from Deak Ferenc ter on the M2. In other words, this is a snap to reach from most of Pest. Won’t take any longer than your walk from Fisherman’s Bastion. Széll Kálmán tér had its name changed to Moscow Square during the russian occupation; it wasn’t changed back to Széll Kálmán tér until 2011.

While you are at Széll Kálmán tér you might want to visit the Fény Street Market https://maps.app.goo.gl/tryi534caHVpPggM7 . There had been a market here for 100 years and when the new shopping mall was constructed the city made the mall provide a replacement. So, nothing historic about the current structure but its 100% typical Hungarian farmers market with meat markets, produce, a café/bar or two built on 3 sort of indoor/outdoor levels. All you will find here are Hungarians and the occasional Expat like me. Also, here you will find one of the prettiest parks in Budapest with a vegetative wall that hides it from the city noise, a small lake and beach chairs to enjoy the sun https://maps.app.goo.gl/r5YQa2t9xXDinhXJ7 .

Now from Széll Kálmán tér you will take tram 56A or tram 61 from this point https://maps.app.goo.gl/iB7D4pzhCCnjoyWeA . The tram you want will say Hűvösvölgy on it. You will get off at the second stop called “Városmajor”. Look across the tracks and you will see the entrance to what I believe was an old (maybe still being used) repair complex for the trams. Sitting inside the gate is some of the old Cog Wheel wheels and gears. Enter, look for the red cogwheel tram 60 and you are off. https://maps.app.goo.gl/535CGCGEurpjmw796 is the route. A hint here, on your Google Maps make sure that the “Transit” layer is on. With that you can see the routes of the public transportation lines and all of the stops.

Oh, getting home, well if it were me, I would do a round trip because the other end of tram 60 is out in the boonies. Well, boonies and Children’s Railroad, which if cogwheels interest you then the Children’s Railroad might interest you too. Otherwise, there is no faster way to Pest than taking the Cogwheel back to the Városmajor end point then the 56A or 61 tram to Széll Kálmán tér followed by the 4/6 Tram or the M2. With all of that you are a Budapest public transportation expert … truth is its easy and if you miss a connection you get on the next and if you go the wrong way, you get off and get on one going back. You just cant get lost.

(continued next post)

Okay, you are back at the Városmajor tram stop. One more stop up the tracks is Fioka that I keep talking about. It is at the Szent János Kórház stop https://maps.app.goo.gl/e1GvtkuEqpc1rPP18 , which is named after the hospital on the hill above the stop. Sure, go take a look at “modern” socialized healthcare. Or if you want a first class lunch or dinner, try Faustos ($$$) which is about a 10-minute walk up the road from Fioka. They used to be in District VII but got fed up with the tourists and decided to return to Hungarian roots and no better place than in wonderful mid-century modern building in one of the more affluent Buda neighborhoods.

Three more stops up the line is the Budagyöngye stop https://maps.app.goo.gl/WdWDsd8mBfVUQ81u8 . This if for those that want to see how people really live. I found this when I discovered that my heart medication wasn’t available in Hungary and I would have to go to a prescription courier service that buys things in Austria that aren’t available here. Their office happens to be in the shopping center across the street from the tram stop. In that shopping center you will find real, sort of solid middle class, shopping on 3 levels with an open atrium (sort of) in the center. Local vendor food court in the basement and clothing and rugs and antiques and books and office supplies and … well all sorts of real-world stuff, on the other two floors. Its small, its interesting as this sort of thing can get https://maps.app.goo.gl/FuQTXcQmBfiXAdx79