Hungarian Stamps

Magyar Posta released a four denomination series about nostalgia narrow-gauge railways in 2001, continuing this with two denominations in 2004. Another four denominations are being added to the series now in 2009.

Narrow-gauge railways are railways with a smaller track gauge than the standard 1,435 mm. Today there are still twenty-two railways with a track gauge of 760 mm and two railways with a track gauge of 600 mm, operating according to a timetable in the most beautiful parts of the country on lines with a total length of 390 kilometres.

The Zsuzsi Forest Railway in Debrecen (HUF 75 stamp, Mk48 series diesel engine) is the country’s oldest narrow-gauge railway, currently using the remaining 17 km section running from Debrecen to Hármashegyalja of the now disused 48 km Debrecen Timber Yard-Nyírbéltek railway. The first section between the Timber Yard and Nyírmártonfalva (22 km) was opened in 1822, and then the track was extended in several stages to Nyírbéltek. The track section between Hármashegyalja– Nyírbéltek (31 km) was closed in 1977. The stamp design shows a lake near the end station.

The first day cover depicts a train from the Hortobágy Fish Pond Railway with buffalo wallowing in the background. The design of the special postmark shows the type MD 40 diesel engine of the Nagybörzsöny Forest Railway from the side with the switchback. (Source: article by Csaba Károly Tusnádi)

• (DOMESTIC) standard letter weight up to 30g (between 2009-01-01 and 2009-12-31)
• (DOMESTIC) postcard (between 2009-01-01 and 2009-12-31)