In the forest with Zsuzsi

"The Zsuzsi Forest Railway is Hungary's oldest operating small railway, which is now present in the heart of every family in Debrecen" - this is the opening sentence of the small train's Instagram page. This is not an exaggeration, but rather modesty: the Zsuzsi Forest Railway has been part of Debrecen's life from the very first moment, and its popularity extends far beyond the city's borders. Over the past 141 years, the fascinating landscape of the Forest Steppe surrounding Debrecen has been visited by many visitors from Debrecen, Hungary and abroad. For families with young children, it's as indispensable as a puppet theatre or a playhouse - only more unique and distinctive. Although the Debrecen Legend has successfully survived a few challenges in recent years: it underwent a thorough renovation, and then pandemic closures forced it to operate more modestly - as well as all, or in spite of all this, in 2022 already it carried a record number of passengers and all the railway-related programmes were so well attended that those who didn't apply on timecould easily miss out on the guaranteed fully-booked excursions, mushroom foraging tours and activities.

Debrecen is a unique and inviting city to explore in many ways, and one of its most endearing features is thatmetropolitan life and nature are not contradictory: here they are inseparably merged. The best way to experience this is a walk in the Great Forest or a ride on the Zsuzsi train. The Zsuzsi is much more than just ameans of transport or an itinerary item: it is an icon and a tradition that spans 140 years, a childhood memoryof many generations, a source of nostalgia for trips with family and friends. For visitors who know and love nature, it's a great way to enjoy the outdoors in all seasons, which is truly within reach and will give you a sense of getting away from the city in no time.
 

"The world is full of wonderful riddles to be answered. [...] How an acorn the size of a plum seed grows into a twenty-metre tree, and how fifty different species of animals live on it. Or where birds fly in winter. How fish swim? There are millions of similar questions, and we get answers to many of them when we travel." The credibility of the words of the great naturalist and writer Gerard Durrell is confirmed by the work of Edit Varga, a dedicated environmental educator whom visitors to the railway's programmes have surely met. Edit has been a keen nature lover and observer since childhood - and a long-time regular passenger of the Little Railway. She holds a store of many memories of family outings, hikes, cooking together and meeting friends. From the very beginning, with a keen eye, a magnifying glass and a taxonomy guide, she walked the forest paths, the small tracks trodden by the wild animals. The beauty of the landscape has been ingrained in her, and the richness of the wildlife here has fascinated her since childhood. On the excursions she leads, it is not only children who can marvel at the first green shoots of spring, rare plant communities, trees with special foliage, wild game tracks, or the mysterious world of mushrooms. It reminds us of the laws of nature, its changes and its logical connections, while we enjoy every minute of it.