Budapest’s Historic M1 Metro Line Named Among the World’s Best

Budapest’s historic Metro Line 1, affectionately known as the Kisföldalatti or “Small Underground,” has earned a place on CNN’s list of the world’s 18 best metro systems. 

Metro Line 1 was the first underground railway line in continental Europe. It was completed in 1896, 33 years after the London Underground opened in 1863. CNN pointed out that Hungarian engineers were among the earliest pioneers of electric-powered technology in the late 19th century, particularly in the railway industry.

Although London opened the first underground railway, it initially employed conventional steam trains. It fell to Budapest to build the world’s first electrified underground subway system,”

the article pointed out.

Budapest’s M1 line was also the first to use an overhead wire system, as opposed to a ground level contact rail to supply electricity for the trains.

M1 is in operation to this day.

Photo: Pexels

The line runs on the Pest side of Budapest, between Mexikói Road and Vörösmarty Square. It also stops at the famous Széchenyi Thermal Bath and Heroes Square (Hősök tere). The train cars are yellow, thus you can also hear locals refer to it as ‘the yellow metro’ at times.

Designed to carry city dwellers to the park without spoiling the elegant streetscape with tramcars and power lines, the line has seen many changes over the last 120 years but its tiny trains still carry around 80,000 riders a day as part of a wider four-line network expanded between 1970 and 2014,”

CNN pointed out.

Other metro systems on the list include the London Underground, the Beijing Subway, and the New York City Subway.

Via CNN; Featured photo: Pexels

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