Coast Tram

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Belgian public transport service

title: "Coast Tram" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["tram-transport-in-belgium", "metre-gauge-railways-in-belgium", "public-transport-in-belgium", "interurban-railways", "600-v-dc-railway-electrification", "west-flanders", "de-panne", "knokke-heist"] description: "Belgian public transport service" topic_path: "sports" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coast_Tram" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Belgian public transport service ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox rail line"]

Field	Value
color	FAD807
native_name	Kusttram
native_name_lang	nl
system	De Lijn, formerly National Company of Light Railways
logo	De Lijn.svg
logo_width	60px
logo_alt	Logo of De Lijn
logo2	DeLijn icon KT kusttram.svg
logo_width2	90px
logo_alt2	White KT letters on red background
image	Route_Belgian_Coast_Tram.png
image_alt	See caption
caption	Map of the route
locale	Belgian coastal towns from Knokke-Heist to De Panne.
open
status	In Service
owner	De Lijn
stations	67
gauge
electrification
depot	Adinkerke, De Panne, Nieuwpoortsesteenweg, Ostend, Knokke-Heist
stock	48 CAF Urbos Zeelijner
linelength_km	67
map
map_state	collapsed
website	https://www.delijn.be/en/content/kusttram/ De Kusttram
::

The Coast Tram () is a light rail service connecting the cities and towns along the Belgian (West Flanders) coast between De Panne, near the French border, and Knokke-Heist, near the Dutch border. At 67 km in length, it is currently the world's longest metre gauge tram line, and the second-longest light rail service in the world after the A Line of the Los Angeles Metro Rail system, as well as one of the few interurban tramways in the world to remain in operation. The line is fully electrified at 600 V DC.

History

What is now the coast line started out as part of the extensive Belgian Vicinal tramway, a network of interurban trams that once covered the entire nation. The first section of the coast line between Ostend and Nieuwpoort was opened in 1885. This 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.

Route

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/46/20230425_De_Lijn_6138.jpg" caption="A CAF Urbos ''Zeelijner'' tram at Domein [[Raversijde" alt="Five-section tram running on track between a road and a beach"] ::

The service makes 67 stops along the almost 67 km line, with a tram running every 10 min during the peak summer months (every 20 min in the winter months), and in 2016 was used by roughly 15 million passengers.{{cite web |url=https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/nl/2017/01/23/15_miljoen_reizigersleverenkusttramrecordop-1-2872947/ |title= 15 miljoen reizigers leveren Kusttram record op |language=nl |trans-title=15 million passengers produce Coast Tram record |publisher=VRT |date=23 January 2017}}

Notable features are the sea-view between Ostend and Middelkerke, the tracks through the dunes at De Haan, the fast speed, the two alternative routes that exist around both ends of the Leopoldkanaal locks, and the similar single track diversion around the inland end of the Boudewijnkanaal lock.

The maximum speed is officially 70 kph. This speed is common between the villages.

Rolling stock

In 2021–22, 48 new CAF Urbos Zeelijner low-floor trams entered service to replace all the older BN series 6000, the last of which was withdrawn on 23 September 2023. The series 6000 were similar to the Métro Léger de Charleroi LRV fleet and, to a lesser extent, the LRTA 1000 class of the Manila Light Rail Transit System yellow line. They were originally six-axle vehicles with two sections, but later extended with an extra low-floor centre section. During the summers from 2006 to 2022 HermeLijn trams were loaned from Ghent and Antwerp tram networks (also operated by De Lijn) for use on the coast tram line. All trams, except the loaned HermeLijn from Ghent are unidirectional and have to be turned on a loop in order to reverse direction.

Gallery

NMVB tram Blankenberge.jpg|Classic tram in 1980s (Blankenberge) Tram station Oostende NMVB 6.jpg|Oostende station in 1982 Tramstation Oostende.JPG|Ostend (old tram station, demolished in 2019) De Haan tramstation.JPG|De Haan station (opened in 1902) Trams in De Haan.JPG|Trams in De Haan station Middelkerke, Belgium - panoramio (3).jpg|BN tram at Middelkerke Kusttram 05-21 cropped.jpg|CAF Urbos tram De Haan - tram rail tracks.jpg|Tracks between De Haan and Wenduine Adinkerke Kusttram stelplaats.JPG|Depot at Adinkerke

References

"Coastal Tram". [[De Lijn]].
Pulling, Neil. (December 2023). "Systems Factfile No. 194, Kusttram, Belgium". Light Rail Transit Association.
"Facts & Figures". Yarra Trams.
Morino, Douglas. (23 June 2023). "L.A. Opens Its New Light-Rail Link". The New York Times.

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