Few Capitals are so truly the centre of the railway-network of a country, as Budapest. It is not only its political importance as a Capital, and the absolute absence of other large towns, which are the cause of this; but also, and even principally, the central situation of Budapest, that predestined it to be the natural centre of the means of traffic. This fortunate situation has been fully utilized by means of a centralizing railway policy, especially under the Minister, Gabriel v. Baross, who made Budapest the centre of his Radius Tariff system; this has lead to the result, that all railway lines of any importance now start from Budapest.

Twelve main lines, constituting altogether 5188 kilometres, i.e. 25% of the whole network of the Hungarian railways, have their starting-points in Budapest; among these are several of international importance, especially with regard to the Orient Express trains, which bring Budapest in direct communication with Constantinople, Paris, and Ostend. By means of these main arteries, we can travel the whole of Hungary, and become acquainted with the country in all its dimensions. We shall seldom be obliged to make use of the branch lines; only in the more distant mountain districts, which have only quite recently been drawn into the sphere of the "Iron Steed".

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Adapted from Illustrated Description of Hungary and its Capital