“Choo choo, all aboard!” All of Hungary’s trains at the Fusti Railway Park. Fusti Railway Park, inaugurated in summer 2000 and unique in Europe, is an unforgettable experience for children. This isn’t just a static museum: young visitors, under careful supervision, can even try driving the locomotives and receive an official “Honorary Train Driver” certificate.
The themed park tells the fascinating story of trains in Hungary from different perspectives. You can admire more than 100 extraordinary and historic locomotives, all beautifully restored and in working order.
Not far away, your visit can continue to the Budapest Zoo, one of the oldest in the world (opened in 1866), welcoming a million visitors every year, both children and adults.
Spread over 11 hectares, with characteristic Art Nouveau buildings, children can get up close to native and exotic animals, including docile and playful young animals always ready for cuddles and games. The zoo also features a 600-square-meter play area equipped with an artificial lake, a giant climbable tree, and many more attractions.
Next to the Zoo is the Lunapark, open year-round and featuring vintage rides such as classic wooden roller coasters.
In the same area you’ll also find the Great Circus of Budapest and the Transport Museum, which presents an extensive collection of railway, nautical, and aeronautical models, as well as vintage cars, motorcycles, and bicycles.
To end your Pest tour in total relaxation, it’s worth visiting the Széchenyi Thermal Baths, among the largest in Europe and offering pure fun, refreshment, play and relaxation.
Along with the Fusti Railway Park in Pest, a truly original attraction likely to thrill kids is the Children’s Railway in the Buda hills. The special twist: here, the trains are operated—under adult supervision—by children aged 10 to 14.
The journey, aboard open carriages with sweeping views, passes some of Buda’s most scenic spots: János-hegy, the city’s highest point (527 m); Erzsébet Lookout, named after Queen Sisi; near Szépjuhaszné station, the ruins of the medieval Pauline monastery. At the Hüvösvölgy terminal, visit the Children’s Railway Museum, which displays objects and images from the line’s history.
Next, discover the Millenáris Park, a top example of urban industrial regeneration where the former Ganz factory stood—now transformed into an elegant, tranquil green space in the heart of Buda.
Alongside industrial archaeology monuments, major redevelopment has created a large park with micro-areas representing the different Hungarian landscapes. Over 400 trees and a 3,000-sq-meter lake are permanent features, as well as uniquely local touches like a small vineyard, wheat fields, and apple trees replacing the usual decorative plants.
The park also houses the House of Wonders, an interactive science play park filled with over a hundred engaging games. It’s one of Central Europe’s leading interactive science museums: with hands-on exhibits, demonstrative displays, giant screens, optical puzzles, and mazes, it’s a fantastic place to teach children (aged 3 and up) about the wonders of science and nature.
But Buda’s allure doesn’t stop at ground level—it stretches underground, enchanting and mysterious for kids.
An ancient network of caves and underground passages, about 16 meters deep, forms the Labyrinth of the Castle District, which visitors can explore by lantern. You can reach the entrance on the city’s historic funicular: nearly 100 meters long with a 48% incline.
Finally, don’t miss the Tropicarium—Hungary’s only tropical paradise under one roof. Perfect for lovers of water and jungle creatures, its main attraction is the shark aquarium. Every half hour, you can witness a dramatic 2-minute recreation of a tropical rainstorm.
