Coast Tram

The Coast Tram (Dutch: Kusttram) 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 kilometres (42 mi) in length,^[2] it is currently the world's longest metre gauge tram line,^[3] and the second-longest light rail service in the world after the A Line of the Los Angeles Metro Rail system,^[4] 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 name	Kusttram
Status	In Service
Owner	De Lijn
Locale	Belgian coastal towns from Knokke-Heist to De Panne.
Stations	67[1]
Website	https://www.delijn.be/en/content/kusttram/ De Kusttram
Service
System	De Lijn, formerly National Company of Light Railways
Depot(s)	Adinkerke, De Panne, Nieuwpoortsesteenweg, Ostend, Knokke-Heist
Rolling stock	48 CAF Urbos Zeelijner[2]
History
Opened	1885; 139 years ago (1885)
Technical
Line length	67[2] km (42 mi)
Track gauge	1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) metre gauge[2]
Electrification	Overhead line, 600 V DC[2]
Route map Legend 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. 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

A CAF Urbos Zeelijner tram at Domein Raversijde

The service makes 67 stops^[1] 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 in 2016 was used by roughly 15 million passengers.^[5]

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.

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.^[2] 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.^[2] 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

• 
  Classic tram in 1980s (Blankenberge)
• 
  Oostende station in 1982
• 
  Ostend (old tram station, demolished in 2019)
• 
  De Haan station (opened in 1902)
• 
  Trams in De Haan station
• 
  BN tram at Middelkerke
• 
  CAF Urbos tram
• 
  Tracks between De Haan and Wenduine
• 
  Depot at Adinkerke

See also

• De Lijn
• List of town tramway systems in Belgium
• NMVB / SNCV

References

1. "Coastal Tram". De Lijn. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
2. Pulling, Neil (December 2023). "Systems Factfile No. 194, Kusttram, Belgium" (PDF). Tramways & Urban Transit. No. 1032. Light Rail Transit Association. pp. 482–486. ISSN 1460-8324. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
3. "Facts & Figures". Yarra Trams. Archived from the original on 29 May 2014. Retrieved 16 April 2013.
4. Morino, Douglas (23 June 2023). "L.A. Opens Its New Light-Rail Link". The New York Times. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
5. "15 miljoen reizigers leveren Kusttram record op" [15 million passengers produce Coast Tram record] (in Dutch). VRT. 23 January 2017.

External links

• (in English) De Kusttram (Official site)
• (in English) UrbanRail.net page
• Cab Ride video of the entire line

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