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 Halte Duinse polders 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 Belgian 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. 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..

Contents 1 History 2 Characteristics 3 Gallery 4 See also 5 External links

[edit] History

The first section of the track between Oostende and Nieuwpoort was brought into service in 1885. 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 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 some new HermeLijn low-floor trams.

Most of the trams have a driving position only at one end and access doors on one side. Thus they have to be turned on a loop (Dutch:keerlus) in order to reverse direction. The newer ones are conventionally laid out with two driving positions and doors on both 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 Oostende station around the lock entrance to the Vlotdok.

[edit] Gallery

Tram in Oostende Henegouwenstraat stop	Ostend (tram and rail) station	Tram in Ostend station	Tram in depot of Ostend
Tram approaching De Haan station	De Haan station	A couple of trams in De Haan station	Tracks between De Haan and Wenduine
Depot at Adinkerke

[edit] See also

• De Lijn
• NMVB / SNCV

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Category:Coastal tram

• De Kusttram (Official site) (in Dutch)
• De Lijn (Official site) (in Dutch)
• Kusttram (Non-official site) (in Dutch)
• Buurtspoorweg foto archief (in Dutch)
• TRAMANIA Buurtspoorweg sponsoring (in Dutch)

v • d • e Belgian Coast Tram route Knokke-Heist (Knokke - Heist) - Zeebrugge - Blankenberge - Wenduine - De Haan - Bredene - Ostend - Raversijde - Middelkerke - Westende - Lombardsijde - Nieuwpoort - Oostduinkerke - Koksijde - De Panne