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Narrow-gauge train near the Pálháza millPhoto: Abelovszky Tamás, Hungarian Hiking Association
The current route of the Pálháza forest railway was once part of one of Hungary's longest narrow-gauge railways as a branch line of the track leading from Nyíregyháza to Füzérkomlós. Today, from spring to autumn, the little trains wear down the tracks over 7 kilometers through the wild dense forests of Zemplén, also passing through a tunnel during their short journey.
Pálháza is our country's oldest narrow-gauge railway in operation (since 1888). Count István Károlyi built the 7-kilometer track, then with a 700-millimeter gauge (today the rails are spacing six centimeters wider) from Kőkapu to Pálháza to transport timber cut in the Zemplén forests. The tunnel allowing the four-kilometer extension of the line was built just over a decade later: from the early 1900s, the trains have traveled under the hunting castle located in the picturesque environment.
Initially operated with horse traction as a roller track, the railway industry began to flourish in 1924 when the Hegyközi Narrow Gauge Railway connecting Sátoraljaújhely and Füzérkomlós was built; three years later, it was connected with the Bodrogközi Narrow Gauge Railway, and three years after that – with the construction of the Tisza bridge between Balsa and Kenézlő – it was connected with the Nyírvidék Railway as well. At its peak, the narrow-gauge railway connected Zemplén with Nyírség, and during World War II it was even possible to reach Királyhelmec using the network. A fast railcar travelled from Nyíregyháza to Sátoraljaújhely, cutting through the Alföld section at speeds of up to 60 km/h. (Between Nyíregyháza and Sóstó, the narrow-gauge railway operated uniquely as an electric railway.) The Tisza Bridge had a short life, blown up by the Germans in 1944, never to be rebuilt, and in 1980 traffic on the Hegyközi narrow-gauge railway completely ceased.
Many memories can be found in the wider area: from Sátoraljaújhely to Füzérkomlós, the bicycle path follows the narrow-gauge railway's route; in Füzérkomlós, a displayed Mk45 locomotive braves time at the former loading site (apart from the Children's Railway, this type was only operated here in Hungary); near Sárospatak, the narrow-gauge railway’s bridge over the Bodrog still stands – and of course, Pálháza Forest Railway is also operational.
The railway took its current form in the 1990s – luckily, the "operation pause" here did not mean closure, as after nine years, on August 15, 1989, traffic restarted, and then the tunnel and tracks were renovated, so trains ran to Rostalló a year later. In 1996, the 1.2-kilometer section between Pálháza-Ipartelep and Pálháza was also rebuilt. Today, trains operated by C50 type diesel locomotives run from March to October, offering a perfect opportunity for a pleasant excursion in the Zemplén forests.
Stations:
- Pálháza
- Pálháza-Ipartelep (trains do not stop here)
- Kishuta
- Kemencepatak (trains do not stop here)
- Kőkapu
- Rostalló
Prices:
- Full price: one way 2400 HUF/person (round trip 4800 HUF/person)
- Full weekend price: 6200 HUF
- Discounted (children 3-14 years old, full-time students, Hungarian citizens over 65): 1400 HUF/person (round trip 2800 HUF)
- Discounted weekend price: 3800 HUF
- Family round trip (maximum 2 adults and 4 children): 14,600 HUF
Information about other ticket prices can be found on the narrow-gauge railway’s website.
Timetable:
Trains operate from spring to autumn. The timetable is available on the Pálházi ÁEV website.
The data is for informational purposes and reflects the state as of March 2025. Always check on the service provider's website before your visit, and if you find any discrepancies, please let us know!
Author’s recommendation
- Like other forest railways, the Pálháza railway is a great opportunity for a trip combined with narrow-gauge train travel and hiking.
- You can even leave your phone at home, as once you leave Pálháza there is virtually no signal in the Kemence stream valley – so if you plan a mobile-free hike, you are in the right place.
- List of Hungarian narrow-gauge railways on Természetjáró.hu
Derived from the technical difficulty and the stamina requirements.
Track types
Show elevation profileSafety information
- Walking between the railway tracks, never forget that a special train or track maintenance vehicle can arrive anytime, and the forest is surprisingly well soundproofed. Always keep a safe distance: the widest vehicles can be up to 2.5 meters wide, so the rails extend about 70 cm on both sides, which can be further increased by an overhanging load or an open door.
- Do not walk between tracks, on switches and within ten meters around them: these areas are usually oily; the sleepers are slippery, and switches contain many tripping hazards that can remain hidden especially at night or under snow.
- Never change a switch: the weight lever can fall on your foot, the moving rail can pinch other parts of your body, and a train arriving on a wrongly set switch can cause an accident even at low speeds.
- Keep a few meters distance in front of or behind stationary vehicles if you cross the tracks: the train or its locomotive can start moving without any warning.
- The surface of the rails is slippery in wet weather even when covered with thin rust.
Roadbook
Starting from Pálháza, during the first kilometer the forest railway runs along the former Hegyközi Narrow Gauge Railway route. It is now hard to imagine that once Nyíregyháza and Királyhelmec could also be reached by narrow-gauge railway from Pálháza – yet, the cycle path from Sátoraljaújhely to Füzérkomlós was built almost entirely along the railway track as a memento. After traveling two to three hundred meters, on the left side of the tracks a small pond appears, next to which is a pretty building: this hides an old watermill, which is naturally also visitable. Soon we reach Pálháza-Ipartelep station, which today is the center of the narrow-gauge railway: from here the three C50 locomotives start work, and – depending on the weather – the open or covered passenger cars depart. Occasionally, a few idle freight cars also play a role during trips organized especially for train photographers.
After leaving Pálháza-Ipartelep station, the already mentioned cycle path built on the old railway becomes clearly visible (the branch can also be easily seen on satellite images), then the small train passes the ruins of a former sawmill. On the southeast slope of the mountain, massive open-pit mining is visible on the side of Som Mountain: perlite has been mined here since 1959 – a volcanic rock with relatively high water content (rhyolite or dacite variety) that swells when heated appropriately, and is mainly used as insulating material in the construction industry. Passing through the industrial area, the train enters the forest next to the Kemence stream, then shortly trundles through Kishuta. The name of the settlement implies that a glassworks operated here once; the village was populated by Slovak glassworkers in the 18th century.
After leaving Kishuta, the real forest railway journey begins: along the stream, among trees and sometimes crossing meadows, the little locomotive-pulled train climbs toward Kőkapu. At two points, it passes near some houses crossing an asphalt road before the Blueberry Lake appears, which was created by damming the Kemence stream. Passing by the lake, the train arrives at every child's favorite spot, the tunnel. On the rock above the track carved into the mountain stands the Kőkapu Hunting Castle, which guarantees itself as a wifi- and mobile-free zone – indeed, there has been no signal since Pálháza, and the environment offers everything needed for a gadget-free rest. Passing through the tunnel, we reach the Kőkapu stop, where the platform is also a restaurant terrace: an excellent pairing. From here, it is just a few hundred meters to the terminal station called Rostalló, from where one can also reach Telkibánya, Regéc, or Háromhuta through marked hiking trails in the forest.
Pálházi Erdei Vasút (Pálháza-Ipartelep állomás)
Pálházi Erdei Vasút (Kishuta megállóhely)
Pálházi Erdei Vasút (Kőkapu megállóhely)
Pálházi Erdei Vasút (Rostalló állomás)
Public transport
Public-transport-friendly
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You need to get off at Pálháza, bus waiting room stop from the intercity buses.
Get Timetable to destination
Directions
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From the Pálháza, bus waiting room stop, you need to walk about 100 meters east along Dózsa György Street.
Parking
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Parking is available at the parking lot at the narrow-gauge railway terminus (paid every day of the week), or slightly further away on Dózsa György Street.
Coordinates
Author’s map recommendations
Equipment
- You do not need any special equipment to travel the entire narrow-gauge railway.
Localization
Derived from the technical difficulty and the stamina requirements.
User Questions
Unanswered