Budapest’s BKK public-transport company operates several old-fashioned vehicles that carry passengers all year round, including along tram line 2 or along the yellow metro line, and these rolling attractions are indispensable parts of the city’s everyday life. However, from this month through September, city dwellers can visit key Budapest landmarks aboard a collection of antiquated conveyances that once belonged to the city’s ordinary public-transport fleet – including a duo of tram lines, a bus, and a boat – with these vehicles now providing cheap sightseeing tours during weekends.

This summer, urban dwellers can navigate Hungary’s capital in style and travel back in time aboard antiquated conveyances that take passengers by major Budapest landmarks on road, on rail, or on water, thanks to heritage services operated by the BKK public-transport company from May through the end of September. A wooden streetcar, an articulated Ikarus bus, and a 19th-century boat are all among the old-fashioned vehicles that cruise the city on weekends, and anyone with valid tickets to these antiquated attractions can hop aboard to view Budapest’s timeless sights.

Running on the Pest side of the Danube, the Duna Heritage Tram traverses the same route as the panoramic tram line 2, and those on board the vintage streetcar can admire many of the city’s monumental landmarks, including the Parliament, the Buda Castle, Gellért Hill, and the Palace of Arts, while the steel-framed vintage vehicle pushes past many beautiful bridges along the journey. The scenic line is served by the Duna Heritage Tram every Saturday.

Those who would like to visit Buda’s famous thermal baths can validate their ticket for the Thermal Heritage Tram, a graceful wooden vehicle from the early 20th century that serves Gellért Bath, Rudas Bath, Király Bath, and Szent Lukács Bath every Sunday. Along the way, the timber tramcar also passes by the stately Castle Garden Bazaar, and everyone aboard is provided with beautiful riverside panoramas during the trip.

Retired from the daily Budapest service in 1980, an Ikarus 180-type articulated bus is now part of the city’s heritage transport fleet, taking passengers on round trips from downtown’s Deák Ferenc Square to Buda’s Bem Quay, while pushing past the most exciting parts of the inner-city area. The articulated attraction runs every second Sunday of each month, and along its route the bus covers such significant city sights as the Dohány Street Synagogue, Clark Ádám Square, Gellért Hill, and St. Stephen’s Basilica.

Anyone who wants to embark on a breezy cruise on the Danube can purchase tickets to ride the Snow White Heritage Boat, a vintage watercraft with a history dating back to 1895. Tours run every Saturday from Jászai Mari Square, and during the romantic voyage, travelers can view the city from a central perspective, while sailing by the Margaret Bridge, Chain Bridge, Elizabeth Bridge, and Liberty Bridge.

Tickets and passes to the BKK nostalgia rides can be purchased from the heritage transport staff on board, at BKK customer-service points, and at the BKK ticket offices. Single tickets for road-bound vehicles cost 500 forints for adults and 300 forints for children, while taking the heritage boat costs 750 forints for adults and 550 forints for children. For more information about the BKK heritage service, visit bkk.hu/nosztalgia.