Trams in Budapest
Line 2 tram in Budapest (2008).
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| Operation | |||||||||||
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| Locale | Budapest, Hungary | ||||||||||
| Status | Operational | ||||||||||
| Routes | 33 (26 main, 7 supplemental) | ||||||||||
| Operator(s) | BKV Zrt. | ||||||||||
| Infrastructure | |||||||||||
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge | ||||||||||
| Propulsion system(s) | Electricity | ||||||||||
| Stock | 612 | ||||||||||
| Statistics | |||||||||||
| Route length | 156.85 km (97.46 mi) | ||||||||||
| Stops | 627 | ||||||||||
| Passengers (2011) | 393.4 million | ||||||||||
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| Website | Budapesti Közlekedési Vállalat (BKV) (Hungarian) | ||||||||||
The tram network of Budapest is part of the mass transit system of Budapest, the capital city of Hungary. The tram lines serve as the second most important backbone of the transit system (besides the bus network), carrying almost 100 million more passengers annually than the Budapest Metro.
In operation since 1866, the Budapest tram network is one of world's largest tram networks, operating on 156.85 kilometres (97.46 mi) of total route. As of 2014[update], it was composed of 33 lines (26 main lines, and 7 supplemental lines denoted by an "A" after the route number), and the Budapest Cog-wheel Railway. The system is operated by Budapesti Közlekedési Zrt. ("Budapest Transit LLC.") under the supervision of the municipal Budapesti Közlekedési Központ ("Budapest Transit Center").
The first horse-tram line in Budapest was inaugurated on 30 July 1866 between Újpest-Városkapu and Kálvin tér, through Váci út. Over a year before, on 22 May 1865, the Count Sándor Károlyi founded the PKVT (Pesti Közúti Vaspálya Társaság (English: Pest Public Road Rail Tracks Company)). Horse tramlines in Buda proper soon followed, built by the competing Buda Public Road Rail Tracks Company (BKVT).
By 1885, Budapest had as many as 15 horsecar lines but since it was obvious that the technology was obsolete. A steam-driven suburban railway line from Közvágóhíd (Slaughterhouse) to Soroksár, run by HÉV, was separately introduced in 1887; two more lines soon followed.
Around this same time, Mór Balázs suggested that a new, electric tram system should be introduced to Budapest. It was Gábor Baross, then secretary of state at the Ministry of Community Service and Transportation who authorised the construction of the first test tram line between Nyugati railway station and Király utca. Balázs teamed up with Siemens & Halske and Lindheim és Társa and formed a new corporation: BVV (Budapesti Városi Vasút (English: 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 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in) metre gauge and electricity was supplied to the cars from below to avoid cables hanging across the street.
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