In connection with a really interesting and informative collection of old tram and tram line photos, we would like to introduce three tram lines that some might still remember, but which many might not know ever existed!

We have been long-time readers of Endre Ákos Varga’s website, hampage.hu. In addition to writing about the past and present of Budapest's trams, most of the photos on his website form a unique collection of images that can't be found elsewhere.Elizabeth Bridge’s tram trafficElizabeth Bridge was built between 1898 and 1903, and with the Chain Bridge, Margaret Bridge and Liberty Bridge, became the 4th fixed bridge of Budapest's stretch of the Danube. It was named after Queen Elizabeth, who was assassinated in 1898. There was tram traffic even before World War II and in 1914 Kossuth Lajos Street was broadened. In the August of that year, the very first tram crossed Elizabeth Bridge. After this, tram lines 14, 17, 18, 19 and 44 all connected the traffic of Pest and Buda here. On 18 January 1945, German troops evacuating Pest blew up Elizabeth Bridge, and after the reconstruction, trams could not run along the bridge, since their strong vibration would have damaged the structure. But in November 1964, the bridge was cleared for tram traffic again, with tram lines including 60A, 60, 44, 44 night line, 68 and 19 all running along Elizabeth Bridge.

This lasted until 31 December 1972 when the completion of metro line M2 and the launch of various bus lines rendered the tramlines crossing Elizabeth Bridge unnecessary. Tram traffic along Rákóczi Street was stopped as well and the rails were removed in 1975.Distric VII tram lineFew people know, but today’s riverside tram line 2, which was selected by National Geographic as one of the most beautiful tram lines in the world, has not always run in front of the Parliament and the Gresham Palace. Between 1911 and 1941, this line ran between Keleti Railway Station and Dózsa György Street in District VII. Even today Klauzál, Akácfa, Dob, and even Nyár Streets are very narrow, and this was no different back then. It was impossible to fit a two-way tram line down these streets. Nowadays, it is hard to even imagine a tram line at Klauzál Square. In 1942, the whole line was moved to the Danube bank, but at some places, we can still see the hooks for the former overhead wires.Leopold Town tram lineThe Leopold Town (District V) tram line was opened in 1907 in order to relieve the busy Bajcsy-Zsilinszky Street. This line ran through narrow streets as well: it started from Deák Ferenc Square, passed the park at Elizabeth Square, ran through Október 6. Street all the way to Liberty Square, then passed Batthányi Square’s eternal lamp and went to St. Stephen Boulevard through Szemere Street. After a while, these lines were not practical to use, even though they were established to relieve the traffic-pressure on the major boulevards. More and more cars appeared on the narrow back streets, resulting in constant traffic jams; thus the travel time of the trams increased and fewer people used them. By 1932 trams no longer operated on these lines.