Tiszakécske narrow-gauge railway

The Tiszakécske pioneer railway is thanks to the locally active council chairman István Miskó, who originally envisioned the narrow-gauge railway route between the main railway station and the Tisza riverbank. At that time, several pioneer railways operated in the country; the best-known was naturally the winding railway in the Buda Hills, but perhaps fewer know that on the Mátravasút and the forest railway in Királyrét, small companions also performed part of the service, and for example, pioneer railways also operated for longer or shorter periods in Pécs, Debrecen, Dunaújváros, Szolnok, and Veszprém.

In Tiszakécske, compared to the original plans, the track was finally laid on a shorter route, because authorities would have allowed the track to pass through the settlement from the railway station only with rather strict conditions (such as safety equipment at every crossing), so the shorter, 1200-meter version remained. The track was built practically by community labor with locals’ cooperation, track material was brought from the dismantled Sarkad Economic Railway, the C50 locomotive from Selyp, and the carriages from Békéscsaba and Túrkeve.

Traffic started on August 20, 1971, with local tractor drivers and mechanics as locomotive drivers, who started working on the narrow-gauge railway after a course. Both locals and tourists (with the Tiszakécske spa located near the terminus) grew fond of the trains running at 10-15 km/h, which also often served as local transportation: locals mainly used the narrow-gauge railway on rainy days, for example when going shopping.

In the early 1990s, the pioneer railway became a children's railway, but its track condition worsened over time, so a shutdown had to be ordered. However, the people of Tiszakécske saved their narrow-gauge railway: they repaired the track with local cooperation, and the fleet was also renovated. In 2009, however, its fate seemed sealed; from then on, the train stood in the small depot for twelve years, while the track quietly deteriorated. Thanks to a European Union tender, renovation of the narrow-gauge railway began in 2020, and the track was even extended by 600 meters compared to the original, so now the completely renovated small train rattles along 1.8 kilometers, passing a playground, a new lookout tower, and the local sports facility.

Stations:

• Tisza-part
• Playground
• Lookout
• Sports Park
• Meeting House (Lübbecke House)

Prices:

• One-way basic ticket:
  • 1000 HUF
• Return ticket:
  • adult 1500 HUF
  • child 1200 HUF

Tickets are purchased on the train.

Schedule:

Trains operate all year round; the current schedule is available on the narrow-gauge railway's website.

The data are for informational purposes and reflect the status as of June 2025. Always check the service provider's website before arrival, and if you find discrepancies, please let us know!