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Szalajkaház, végállomásPhoto: Gulyás Attila, Hungarian Hiking Association
The first narrow-gauge railways in the Mátra region were built in the early 20th century. The goal was to facilitate the transport of timber, which was common at that time. The Eger archbishopric estate launched its first 600-millimeter gauge track (Nyírjes line) in 1906, soon followed by the Csukás Valley line, and Barna Gábor and Sons Co. built the Monastery Valley line from Nagyvölgy to Bagolyirtás. These lines, which essentially served individual valleys, were connected and later extended to Gyöngyössolymos – in this case, the railway was constructed from the forest to the village, not the other way around.
Initial horse-drawn traction was replaced by a chugging steam locomotive in 1916. Its arrival was noteworthy locally because at that time, the narrow-gauge railway was not connected to Gyöngyös; the locomotive traveled the Gyöngyös-Gyöngyössolymos distance in 11 days on highways. The process involved laying rails for a short section, rolling the locomotive over them, dismantling the section behind it, and then laying rails in front of the locomotive. Fortunately, it didn't take long until "proper" rails handled the task, as the connection to Gyöngyös was completed a year later.
For a long time, only wood and timber were transported on the Gyöngyössolymos line: the first scheduled passenger trains only reached Solymos in the late 1950s. From 1961, Mátravasút operated as a pioneer railway, and diesel locomotives arrived to replace the steam engines. The decline of the narrow-gauge railway began in the 1970s: although in 1966 over 100,000 tons of wood were transported by train, in 1978 timber transport stopped first, followed two years later by stone transport; passenger traffic also decreased. Fortunately, the closure was avoided, and the line was renovated first in the early 1980s, then again between 2018 and 2023. The rolling stock depot was also modernized, ensuring the Gyöngyössolymos branch of Mátravasút will serve hikers for many years to come.
Stations:
- Gyöngyös
- Felsőújváros
- Jánoska
- Toppancshíd
- Zemanek
- Gyöngyössolymos
- Cserkő
- Lajosháza
- Karoshíd
- Szalajkaház
Prices:
Gyöngyös - Szalajkaház:
- full price in pre- and post-season: 2000 HUF, round trip 3000 HUF
- full price in main season: 2200 HUF, round trip 3500 HUF
- discounted price in pre- and post-season: 1500 HUF, round trip 2000 HUF
- discounted price in main season: 1800 HUF, round trip 2500 HUF
Section ticket Gyöngyös - Gyöngyössolymos and Szalajkaház - Gyöngyössolymos:
- full price in pre- and post-season: 1500 HUF, round trip 2500 HUF
- full price in main season: 2000 HUF, round trip 3000 HUF
- discounted price in pre- and post-season: 1000 HUF, round trip 1500 HUF
- discounted price in main season: 1500 HUF, round trip 2000 HUF
Timetable:
Trains operate from March to early November. The current timetable is available on the Mátravasút website.
The information is indicative and reflects the status as of March 2025. Always check the provider's website before arrival, and if you find discrepancies, please inform us!
Author’s recommendation
- The Szalajkaház and Mátrafüred branches of the narrow-gauge railway can be connected with a small hike, so both lines can be covered in one day.
- The narrow-gauge railway terminus is very close to the Mátra Museum in Gyöngyös, so before boarding the train, you can get acquainted with the history and wildlife of the area.
- Bikes can also be transported on the narrow-gauge railway, so you can even start a bike tour from the middle of the forest.
Derived from the technical difficulty and the stamina requirements.
Track types
Show elevation profileSafety information
- When walking between railway tracks, never forget that a special or maintenance train can arrive at any time, and the forest is surprisingly soundproof. Always keep a safe distance: the widest vehicles can be 2.5 meters wide, so on both sides, 70-70 cm extends from the rail track, plus potential overhanging cargo or open doors.
- Do not walk between the tracks, on switches, or within a ten-meter range of them: these areas are generally oily; the sleepers are slippery, and the switches contain many tripping hazards, especially hidden at night or under snow.
- Never operate a switch yourself: the weight lever can fall on your foot, moving rails can pinch hands and feet, and a misaligned switch can cause an accident even at low speeds.
- Keep a few meters distance in front of or behind stationary vehicles when crossing tracks: the train or its locomotive may start moving without warning.
- The surface of the rails is slippery when wet, even when covered with a thin layer of rust.
Roadbook
Trains depart almost from the center of Gyöngyös, directly next to the Mátra Museum towards the Mátra forests. The building of the small station replaced the old one in 1983; you can buy tickets here at the ticket office (or on the train if you board elsewhere). Before departure, passengers are greeted by a unique feature on domestic narrow-gauge railways: a loudspeaker announces the departure of the trains. In summer, the trains usually consist of open carriages, while in winter they consist of closed carriages, generally hauled by Mk48 locomotives that also serve many other forest railways (but the railway also has a C50 and a steam locomotive – Gyöngyi).
From the train window, just after departure, you can catch a glimpse of the heart of the narrow-gauge railway, the traction depot, then the tracks wind uniquely along the edge of a housing estate, laid 760 millimeters apart. Up to the border of Gyöngyös, the trains run alongside road 24, then the line branches into the Mátrafüred and Szalajkaház branches. Towards Gyöngyössolymos, the train winds through the gentle slopes of Mátraalja, among vineyards and orchards, then turns sharply directly towards the village – and the mountains – on the track.
In Gyöngyössolymos, the narrow-gauge railway has four stops, which is no surprise as it unfolds the whole village while winding between the houses, lending a very unique atmosphere to this part of the journey. Leaving the houses but still just before the forest, the train passes in front of a small settlement of a few houses – once the center of the Solymos forest railway; a few years ago, the stop could still be found in the timetable under the name Gyöngyössolymos-Fűtőház (today it must be searched without the suffix). After leaving the former traction depot, passengers can experience a true forest railway ride: the train rattles along the valley of the Great Creek, through a tunnel formed by trees beside a stream. Before Lajosháza, the train passes the crumbling memorial of stone transportation, the remains of the Grinding Mill beneath and in front of which it travels, before continuing to its current terminus at Szalajkaház. From here, the former line can be followed on foot along the Z◼ mark all the way to Blokk House.
Mátravasút (Felsőújváros megállóhely)
Mátravasút (Jánoska megállóhely)
Mátravasút (Toppancshíd megállóhely)
Mátravasút (Zemanek megállóhely)
Mátravasút (Gyöngyössolymos megállóhely)
Mátravasút (Cserkő megállóhely)
Mátravasút (Lajosháza állomás)
Mátravasút (Karoshíd megállóhely)
Mátravasút (Szalajkaház állomás)
Public transport
Public-transport-friendly
- When arriving by train, it's worth alighting at Gyöngyös station, the terminus of the branch line branching off the Budapest-Miskolc railway at Vámospércs.
- By bus, travel to the Gyöngyös, bus station stop.
Get Timetable to destination
Directions
- From Gyöngyös station, walk along Vasút Street to Kossuth Lajos Street, then turn right. From here, it's only two blocks on foot to the narrow-gauge railway terminus (450 m, no elevation gain).
- From the bus station, head north (i.e., towards Mátra) on Koháry Street (main road 24), then turn right at the traffic light intersection onto Kossuth Lajos Street. Walking along the fence of the Orczy Castle, it's only 2 minutes to the narrow-gauge railway terminus (380 m, 5 m elevation gain).
Parking
- You can park near the Mátravasút Gyöngyös station on Kossuth Lajos Street, Dobó István Street, or Könyves Kálmán Square.
Coordinates
Author’s map recommendations
Equipment
- You don't need any special equipment to travel the narrow-gauge railway end to end, and since all carriages are covered, you can manage without a raincoat or umbrella. In winter, passengers are welcomed with heating, so you won't be cold during the journey.
- If you plan to walk along the railway tracks, strong, closed shoes are definitely necessary due to the crushed stone ballast.
Localization
Derived from the technical difficulty and the stamina requirements.
User Questions