Buda Castle Funicular renewed – PHOTOS

The two cars and the rails have been completely renovated.

The Buda Castle Funicular (Budavári Sikló) has been renovated, which is good news to those who would like to take advantage of it. The cars and the rails were renovated, and after months of being out of function, it will transport passengers once again, Hello Magyar informed the public.

It is available to use from Tuesday. Passengers can use it from 8 am to 10 pm.

Tibor Bolla, the general manager of BKV, said that after 2009, another important renovation took place. The cars were renewed, and the windows were exchanged for new ones. New handrails were placed at the stops as well.

The Buda Castle Funicular (Budavári Sikló) ventured on its first journey on 2 March 1870. Now, its annual income is 1 billion forints, which equals 2,826,085 euros. This sum of money, unfortunately, decreased as a result of the coronavirus.

The Buda Castle Funicular was included on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1987.

According to budapestinfo.hu, “if you’d like to enjoy a spectacular view of the Danube, try the funicular cars operated by BKV Zrt., named “Margit” and “Gellért”, which take visitors from Clark Ádám tér to the Castle or the other way around in a couple of minutes.” This means that the funicular is not only a means of transport but also offers breathtaking views of the city. The funicular operates continuously, with cars leaving every 5-10 minutes, depending on the number of passengers.

The Buda Hill Railway (Budai Hegypálya) was built with the aim of giving access to the ministries operating in the Castle and the Castle Theatre (Várszínház). It was built on the initiative of Ödön Széchenyi, who was the son of István Széchenyi. The plans for the funicular were made by Ödön Jaruszek, bkk.hu writes.

Like many buildings and landmarks, the funicular was also bombed during World War II. After the bombing in 1944, the funicular was completely demolished. It was rebuilt in 1986. Today, the two cars are named Gellért and Margit, and they can carry 24 people each. Safety measures are taken care of, of course. There is a so-called spring-loaded brake, which stops the vehicle if the rope breaks.

As mentioned before, the vehicle is operating again since Tuesday, between 8 am and 10 pm. Tickets, however, have to be bought sooner, as the cash desk closes at 21:50.

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Source: hellomagyar.hu, budapestinfo.hu, bkk.hu