Coast Tram (Belgium)

Coast Tram
Kusttram
De Lijn Vicinal Tramways

Map of the route
Operation
Locale Belgian coastal towns from Knokke-Heist to de Panne.
Open 1885
Status In Service
Owner(s) De Lijn
Infrastructure
Track gauge 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in) metre gauge
Electrification 600V DC
Depot(s) Adinkerke, De Panne, Nieuwpoortsesteenweg, Oostende, Knokke-Heist
Stock HermeLijn
Statistics
Route length 68 km (42.25 mi)
Website De Kusttram
Belgian Coast Tram
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: 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. At 68 km (42 miles) in length, it is the longest tram line in the world,[1] as well as one of the few interurban tramways in the world to remain in operation. The line is built at 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in) metre gauge and fully electrified at 600 V DC.

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). 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

The Belgian Coast Tram near Ostend

The service makes 69 stops along the 68 km long line, with a tram running every ten minutes during the peak summer months (every 20 mins in the winter 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.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Facts & Figures". Yarra Trams. Retrieved 16 April 2013.
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Coordinates: 51°15′54″N 3°00′20″E / 51.26495°N 3.00544°E / 51.26495; 3.00544

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