Budapest Guide
Várhegy and central Buda
The Sikló
Opening time: Daily 7.30am–10pm, closed every other Monday
Price: 700Ft one-way, 1300Ft return
Address: Between the Buda Palace and the Sándor Palace
The Sikló is a nineteenth-century funicular that takes you down to the river and the Lánchíd. Constructed on the initiative of Ödön Széchenyi, whose father built the bridge below, it was only the second funicular in the world when it was inaugurated in 1870, and functioned without a hitch until wrecked by a shell in 1945. The wooden carriages, replicas of the originals, are now lifted by an electric winch rather than a steam engine; they're divided into three sections at different heights to give as many people as possible a view (the bottom compartment gives the most unimpeded views). Capacity is limited, however, so in summer you can expect to queue to go up. In the small park at the foot of the Sikló stands Kilometre Zero, a zero-shaped monument from where all distances from Budapest are measured.