Coast Tram

The Coast Tram (Dutch: Kusttram) is a public transport 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 kilometres (42 mi) in length, it is currently (as of October 2023) the world's longest metre gauge tram line in service,[1] and the second-longest light rail service in the world after the A Line of the Los Angeles Metro Rail system,[2] 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.

Coast Tram
Map of the route
Overview
Native nameKusttram
StatusIn Service
OwnerDe Lijn
LocaleBelgian coastal towns from Knokke-Heist to De Panne.
Websitehttps://www.dekusttram.be/en/ De Kusttram
Service
SystemDe Lijn, formerly National Company of Light Railways
Depot(s)Adinkerke, De Panne, Nieuwpoortsesteenweg, Ostend, Knokke-Heist
Rolling stock48 CAF Urbos "Zeelijner"
History
Opened1885 (1885)
Technical
Line length67 km (42 mi)
Track gauge1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) metre gauge
ElectrificationOverhead line, 600 V DC
Route map

 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

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. Although the original route was further inland than the modern one, 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
A CAF Urbos "Zeelijner" unit at Domein Raversijde

The service makes 67[3] stops along the almost 67 km (42 mi) 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[4] million passengers per year. In 2021–22, 48 new CAF Urbos "Zeelijner" trams entered into service to replace all the older BN series 6000 (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, retired on 23 September 2023) and HermeLijn trams (the latter mainly loaned from Ghent and Antwerp in the summer from 2006–2022). They are completely low-floor and longer than the old trams.

All trams, except the loaner HermeLijn Ghent trams, are unidirectional and have to be turned on a loop in order to reverse direction.

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 kilometres per hour (43 mph). This speed is common between the villages.

See also

References
  1. "Facts & Figures". Yarra Trams. Archived from the original on 29 May 2014. Retrieved 16 April 2013.
  2. Morino, Douglas (2023-06-23). "L.A. Opens Its New Light-Rail Link". The New York Times. Retrieved 2023-07-26.
  3. website "de lijn"
  4. see: Kusttram on Wikipedia.
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