Coast Tram (Belgium)

Coast Tram
Kusttram
De Lijn Vicinal Tramways
Map of the route
Operation
Locale	Belgian coastal towns from Knokke-Heist to De Panne.
Open	1885
Status	In Service
Owner(s)	De Lijn
Infrastructure
Track gauge	1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) metre gauge
Electrification	600 V DC
Depot(s)	Adinkerke, De Panne, , Ostend, Knokke-Heist
Stock	BN series 6000, + HermeLijn from Antwerp or Ghent.(temporary)
Statistics
Route length	67 km (41.63 mi)
Website	De Kusttram

hide v t Belgian Coast Tram
Legend
Knokke station Duinbergen Watertoren Duinbergen Heist Heldenplein Heist Dijk Zeebrugge Zeesluis Pierre Vandamme lock Zeebrugge Kerk Visart lock Zeebrugge Vaart Zeebrugge Strandwijk Duinse Polders loop Blankenberge Duinse Polders Blankenberge Sealife-Floreal Blankenberge Pier Blankenberge station Blankenberge Markt Harendijke wye Wenduine Harendijke Wenduine Manitoba Wenduine Centrum Wenduine Molen Wenduine Konijnenpad Zwarte Kiezel loop De Haan Zwarte Kiezel De Haan Waterkasteellaan De Haan aan Zee De Haan Preventorium De Haan Vosseslag Bredene Renbaan Bredene Campings Bredene aan Zee Oostende Duin en Zee Oostende Weg naar Vismijn lock to Vlotdok Oostende station Oostende Marie-Joséplein Oostende Koninginnelaan Sportstraat wye to Nieuwpoortse Steenweg depot Oostende Renbaan Oostende Northlaan Mariakerke Bad Oostende Ravelingen Oostende Raversijde Raversijde Domein Raversijde Middelkerke De Greefplein Middelkerke Casino Middelkerke Verhaeghelaan Middelkerke Krokodiel Westende Belle Vue Westende Bad Westende Sint-Laureins Lombardsijde Zeelaan Lombardsijde Schoolstraat Nieuwpoort Stad Nieuwpoort Cardijnlaan Nieuwpoort Ysermonde Nieuwpoort Bad Nieuwpoort Zonnebloem Zonnebloem wye Oostduinkerke Groenendijk Bad Oostduinkerke Duinpark Oostduinkerke Bad Oostduinkerke Schipgat Koksijde Lejeunelaan Koksijde Bad Koksijde Ster der Zee Koksijde Sint-Idesbald De Panne Golfstraat De Panne Centrum De Panne Esplanade DP wye (terminus) to De Panne depot (museum) De Panne Kerk De Panne Moeder Lambic De Panne Plopsaland Adinkerke loop Adinkerke depot De Panne station

The Coast Tram (Dutch: Kusttram) is a public transport service connecting the cities and towns along the entire Belgian (West Flanders) coast, between De Panne near the French border and Knokke-Heist near the Dutch border. At 67 kilometres (42 mi) in length, it is the world's longest tram/light rail line currently in service,^[1] as well as one of the few interurban tramways in the world to remain in operation. The line is built at 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) metre gauge and fully electrified at 600 V DC.

History[]

The first section of the line between Ostend and Nieuwpoort was opened in 1885, although the original route was further inland than the modern one and only short parts of the original section in Ostend and Nieuwpoort centres are still in operation. On its creation, the line was managed by the NMVB (Nationale Maatschappij van Buurtspoorwegen), that operated an interurban tram system throughout Belgium. In 1991, the NMVB/SNCV was broken into two regional companies, one Walloon and the other Flemish, with the Flemish successor company, Vlaamse Vervoermaatschappij De Lijn taking responsibility for operation of the coastal tram.

Characteristics[]

The Belgian Coast Tram near Ostend

The service makes 67^[2] stops along the ca.67 km line, with a tram running every 10 min during the peak summer months (every 20 min in the winter months), and it is used by over 15^[3] million passengers per year. The service has been made more accessible by new low-floor centre sections to existing vehicles and a few new HermeLijn low-floor trams.(temporary,in summer) (from Ghent and Antwerp). In 2021, new CAF Urbos trams will come into service to replace the old trams. They are completely low-floor and longer than the old trams.

While most of the older trams are unidirectional and so have to be turned on a loop in order to reverse direction, the newer ones are bidirectional, with driving positions and doors on both end/sides.

Interesting features are the sea-view between Ostend and Middelkerke, the tracks through the dunes at De Haan, the high-speed, and the two alternative routes that exist around both ends of the Leopoldkanaal locks, just east of Zeebrugge, and the similar single track diversion around the inland end of the Boudewijnkanaal lock. That avoids delays when the road bridge that the tram line normally follows is raised for boats passing under it. There is a similar feature at the southern end of Ostend station around the lock entrance to the Vlotdok.

The maximum speed is official 78 kilometres per hour (48 mph). This speed is common between the villages.

Gallery[]

• 

  Tram in Ostend Henegouwenstraat stop (abandoned)

• 

  Ostend(old tramstation, demolished in 2019)

• 

  Tram in Oostende station Ostend, demolished in 2019)

• 

  Tram leaving De Haan station

• 

  De Haan station(in service in 1902)

• 

  A couple of trams in De Haan station

• 

  Tracks between De Haan and Wenduine

• 

  Depot at Adinkerke

• 

  Classic tram in 1980s (Blankenberge)

• 

  In 1986 Nieuwpoort

• 

  Ostend in 1982

• 

  Also in 1982 Oostende station (Ostend)

See also[]

• De Lijn
• List of town tramway systems in Belgium
• NMVB / SNCV

References[]

External links[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Coastal tram, Belgium.

• (in English) De Kusttram (Official site)
• (in English) De Lijn (Official site)
• (in Dutch) Buurtspoorweg foto archief
• (in Dutch) TRAMANIA Buurtspoorweg sponsoring
• (in English) UrbanRail.net page

Coordinates: 51°15′54″N 3°00′20″E / 51.26495°N 3.00544°E / 51.26495; 3.00544