Coast Tram (Belgium)

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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 near the Dutch border. At 68 km (42 miles) in length, it is the longest tram line in the world,^{[citation needed]} 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..

[edit] 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), or SNCV in French. 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.

[edit] 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, 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.