Next Stop: Soulless Super-modern Utility!

As we've just reported, the first of Budapest's new trams have arrived. Aside from the fact that the spiffy Siemans "Combino" villamosok (left, being tested in Spain) are a few years late, apparently riddled with technical flaws, and probably a few zillion forints overbudget, we can't help but feel a little deflated by the passing of yet another milestone in Budapest public transport history.

So the next time you are on the 4-6, or any of the city's other "doomed" trams, be sure to take a second to appreciate their unique ambience. Don't feel the need to hurry, though, because it will probably be years before the folks at the BKV replace all the old trams, and even when they do, we'll still have the even more unique Ikarus 415.