Trams in Miskolc

Miskolc tramway network

Two trams on Széchenyi street, Miskolc.
Operation
Locale Miskolc, Hungary
Open 10 July 1897 (1897-07-10)
Status Open
Routes 2
Operator(s) MVV Rt.
(1897–1954)
and MDV Rt.
(1905–1906)
MKV / MVK Rt. / MVK Zrt.
(1954–)
Infrastructure
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Propulsion system(s) Electricity
Electrification 600 V DC overhead
Statistics
Track length (total) 18 km (11 mi)
Route length 12 km (7.5 mi)
Overview
Website MVK Zrt. (Hungarian)

Trams in Miskolc is an important part of the public transport network serving Miskolc, Hungary. In operation since 1897, the network presently has one full tramline and two tramlines that run only on weekends.

History

Széchenyi street, between 1897 and 1910. At left: National Theatre of Miskolc.

The need for public transport in Miskolc arose in the second half of the 19th century. The newly built railway line and its station were, at that time, far from the city proper, and even further from the ironworks of the neighbouring town Diósgyőr. The plans for the first tram line were finished in 1895.

The first tram line opened on July 10, 1897 and had eight stops (including the termini) between Tiszai railway station and St. Anne's Church. This route still forms part of both of the current lines. Miskolc was the fourth Hungarian city to have a tram line built, after Budapest (1887), Pozsony (now Bratislava) (1895) and Szombathely (earlier in 1897); it was the second city to have a standard gauge tramway as the ones in Pozsony and Szombathely were narrow gauge.

Due to the success of the east-west line, a north-south line was built before the end of 1897 between Búza tér (the main market of the city) and People's Garden (a popular leisure park). This was extended to the neighbouring village of Hejőcsaba in 1910.

It was only in the early 20th century that the east-west line was extended to reach Diósgyőr. Traffic on the line between St. Anne's Church and Diósgyőr started in 1904. Permission was granted for it to operate not as a city railway but as a suburban railway as it went beyond the administrative border of Miskolc. It was also operated by a different company, the Miskolc-Diósgyőr Municipal Railway Company (MDV Rt.) while the Tiszai station–St. Anne's Church line was operated by the Electric Company of Miskolc (MVV Rt.) This arrangement required passengers to change cars at the church; the resulting inconvenience was solved in 1906 when the two lines were united and management of the Diósgyőr line was taken over by MVV.

Until 1947, the tram operator also ensured the supply of electricity to Miskolc.

After World War II, the city boundaries were shifted further out from the centre; Miskolc became the second largest city in the People's Republic of Hungary. Heavy industry became important, and public housing was built, adding patronage to the tram and bus lines, the main task of which was delivering workers to factories.

In 1954, MVV was merged with the company responsible for the bus service, under the name Mass Transport Company of Miskolc (MKV). The north-south line was lifted in 1960, as it could not handle the traffic as effectively as bus routes after new residential areas had been developed. In 1964, the Tiszai station–Diósgyőr line was reconstructed as a double-track line (until then it was single-track).

Network evolution

A tram outside Tiszai station during the Opera Festival.

During its history the network has had these lines:

Current lines

Line
Start
End
Length
Stops
Hours of service
Weekdays
Rolling stock
1
 Tiszai pályaudvar Felső-Majláth
11.5 km
22
0:00 - 24:00
 Tatra KT8D5, Skoda 26T
2
 Tiszai pályaudvar Vasgyár
 km
15
4:30 - 22:00
 Tatra KT8D5, Skoda 26T

Fleet

Škoda 26 T tramway in Miskolc
A Tatra KT8D5 in Miskolc

Current fleet

Heritage fleet

Past fleet

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Miskolc goes Škoda-only". Today's Railways Europe (228). Platform 5 Publishing, Ltd. December 2014. p. 14. ISSN 1354-2753.

Books

Media related to Trams in Miskolc at Wikimedia Commons

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