Coast Tram (Belgium)

Coast Tram route (interactive map)

Belgian Coast Tram

Legend Knokke NMBS Knokke Watertoren Heist Duinbergen Heist Heldenplein Heist Dijk Zeebrugge Zeesluis Bridges over Zeebrugge waterway Zeebrugge Kerk Straussbrug Zeebrugge Vaart Zeebrugge Strandwijk Keerlus Duinse polders Blankenberge Duinse polders Blankenberge Sealife-Floreal Blankenberge Pier Blankenberge station NMBS Blankenberge Park Keerlus Harendijke Wenduine Harendijke Wenduine Manitoba Wenduine Centrum Wenduine Molen Wenduine Sunparks Keerlus Zwarte Kiezel De Haan Zwarte Kiezel De Haan Zeepreventorium De Haan Vosseslag Bredene Renbaan Bredene Campings Bredene aan Zee Oostende Duin en Zee Oostende Weg op Vismijn Bridges over lock to Vlotdok Oostende station NMBS Oostende Marie-Joseplein Oostende Koninginnelaan Keerdriehoek Sportstraat Oostende Renbaan Oostende Mediacenter Oostende Mariakerke Bad Oostende Ravelingen Oostende Raversijde Oostende Domein Raversijde Middelkerke Degreefplein Middelkerke Casino Middelkerke Krokodiel Middelkerke Harendijke Westende-Lombardsijde Belle Vue Westende-Lombardsijde Westende Bad Westende-Lombardsijde St. Laureins Westende-Lombardsijde Lombardsijde Bad Westende-Lombardsijde Dorp Westende-Lombardsijde YMCA Nieuwpoort Nieuwpoort Stad Nieuwpoort Cardijnlaan Nieuwpoort Ysermonde Nieuwpoort Nieuwpoort Bad Nieuwpoort Kerk Keerdriehoek Zonnebloem Nieuwpoort Zonnebloem Oostduinkerke Groenendijk Bad Oostduinkerke Duinpark Oostduinkerke Oostduinkerke Bad Oostduinkerke Schipgat Koksijde Lejeunelaan Koksijde Koksijde Bad Koksijde Ster aan Zee Koksijde St. Idesbald De Panne Golfstraat De Panne Centrum De Panne Esplanade Keerdriehoek DP terminus De Panne Kerk De Panne Moeder Lambic De Panne Plopsaland Keerlus Adinkerke Adinkerke depot Adinkerke NMBS

The Coast Tram (Dutch: De 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. At 68 km (42 miles) in length, it is the longest tram line in the world, as well as one of the few interurban tramways in the world to remain in operation. The line is built at metre gauge and fully electrified at 600 V d.c..

History

The first section of the track between Oostende and Nieuwpoort was brought into service in 1885, although the original route was further inland than the modern one and only short sections in Oostende and Nieuwpoort centres are still in operation. On its creation, the line was managed by the NMVB (National Neighbourhood Railway Company). 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 70 stops along the 68 km long line, with a tram running every ten minutes during the peak summer months (every 20 mins in the winter months), during which it is used by over 3 million passengers. The service has recently been made more accessible through the addition of low-floor centre sections to existing vehicles, and the introduction of a few new HermeLijn low-floor trams.

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

An interesting feature is the two alternative routes that exist around either end of the Leopoldkanaal locks just east of Zeebrugge, and the similar single track diversion around the inland end of the Boudewijnkanaal lock. This avoids delays to the tram schedule when the road bridge that the tram line normally follows is raised for boats passing under it. A similar feature exists at the southern end of Ostend station around the lock entrance to the Vlotdok.

Gallery

• 

  Tram in Oostende Henegouwenstraat stop

• 

  Ostend (tram and rail) station

• 

  Tram in Oostende station

• 

  Tram in depot of Ostend

• 

  Tram leaving De Haan station

• 

  De Haan station

• 

  A couple of trams in De Haan station

• 

  Tracks between De Haan and Wenduine

• 

  Depot at Adinkerke

• 

  Classic tram in 1980s

• 

  1986

• 

  1982, Oostende

See also

• De Lijn
• NMVB / SNCV

External links

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