Belgian coast by tram

Stretching from Knokke to Adinkerke, the Kusttram (Dutch for "Coast Tram") makes it possible to travel almost the entire length of the Belgian coast by tram. The 67-km (42-mi) journey through coastal Flanders takes slightly under two and a half hours non-stop. However, if you take it a bit more slowly, you'll be rewarded with access to many of the top Flemish attractions: maritime sites, World War I heritage, tramway history, Belle-Époque architecture, and dune landscapes.

Understand


Belgium's coastal tramline runs from the train station of Knokke-Heist, via Zeebrugge, Blankenberge, Ostend, Nieuwpoort and Koksijde, to De Panne, making it possible to visit almost all of the Belgian coast, excluding some bits towards the borders with the Netherlands and France. The 67-km-long route sees some 16.5 million passengers per year travel on the line.

History
The modern-day tramway was formed from several lines of the Belgian Local Tramways (Dutch: Nationale Maatschappij van Buurtspoorwegen or NMVB for short), with the first construction of lines taking place around 1885, connecting Ostend and Nieuwpoort-Dorp. The NMBS (Belgian National Rail) operated many other lines branching off of what is now the Kusttram, most of which have since disappeared. The line was, and to this day largely is single-tracked, with trams running left-handed like Belgian trains do. Electrification on parts of the lines started in 1909. That winter, services were continued year-round for the first time.

During the First World War, the tramway was severed by the Western Front around Nieuwpoort. The line was put to use for goods transport towards the trenches on either side of the front line. In 1919, the normal passenger service was reinstated. The modern-day route of the tramway formed in the late 1920s, as connections to De Panne were made and electrified. The line since runs almost parallel to the coast, only dipping inland to connect to Nieuwpoort. Plans to bypass Nieuwpoort were made, but never materialised.

The Second World War saw the Belgian coast become a part of the Atlantikwall, which put in place many limitations on passenger transport. Citizens along the coast needed special permission to be allowed to travel inland. In 1940, before Nazi German occupation, the line was already set to be dismantled, though the outbreak of the war put a stop to those plans. During the occupation, the electric wiring between Ostend and Middelkerke was removed; this was later followed by a suspension of all services along the coast. After liberation in September 1944, the coastal route was quickly rebuilt and put back into service by the middle of December. Despite arguments being made to demolish the line to be replaced by buses, the NMVB politely declined, but did close some of the branch lines as time progressed.

From 1956 onward, the line operated in two sections, line 1 (Knokke - Ostend) and line 2 (De Panne - Ostend). Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, despite further calls to mothball the route from some quarters, the NMVB persisted, arguing that during summer, 900 people used the service every half-hour in Ostend alone. Alternatives were proposed in the form of an underground railway or elevated railway line, but these were deemed far too expensive.

In 1991, the Kusttram came under operation by De Lijn (The Line), which operates most public transport excluding trains in most of Flanders. New tracks and rolling stock made the trams faster and more frequent, leading to services with a tram up to every 7½ minutes on some parts of the route. In summer 2001, demand became so high that 10-minute headways were introduced along the entire route. The last extension to the line opened in 1998, when the railway station at Adinkerke (named De Panne) was connected to the network.

Pricing
Day passes for the Kusttram are fairly inexpensive. For just €7.50, you can get yourself an adult single-day pass, which can be obtained from about a hundred locations across Belgium, including at most of the tram stops. A price overview is listed in the table. There is also a bike pass supplement available for €2, valid for one bike for one hour. Alternatively, if you'd rather be more economical, you can get individual tickets for €2.50, which pay for one journey by tram for 60 minutes (plus whatever travel time remains to your destination stop when bought as a physical copy from a ticket machine). A more in-depth rundown of available passes and packages, including mobile and text-based tickets, group tickets and combination tickets for Plopsaland/Plopsaqua in De Panne, is available on the De Lijn website.

CAF Urbos 100 / Zeelijner
The Urbos 100, nicknamed the Zeelijner (Sea liner) is being put into service to replace the BN Series 6000. 48 of these new units have started to be introduced since April 2021, with their major improvement being accessibility for everyone. They have a capacity of 187 (54 seated), with around 20 fold-down seats. They can reach up to 70 kph, whereas their predecessors used to run about 40 kph most of the time. As of 2023, these are the main rolling stock found on the Kustlijn.

Bombardier-Siemens HermeLijn
The HermeLijn stock consist of trams taken in from the Ghent tramways, with two units operating the Kusttram during summer to support a higher frequency of operation. Its name is a play on the Dutch name for a stoat, which its livery faintly recalls. The L is capitalised to emphasise the name of the operator: De Lijn.

The HermeLijn can transport up to 192 people, of whom 58 can be seated. The trams, produced between 1999 and 2012, can reach top speeds of up to 70 kph and have a low floor, allowing for wheelchair access.

Historical stock
The TTO Noordzee has ten historical motor coaches that once operated along the coast or elsewhere in Europe. TTO is based at the tram depot in De Panne, from where they operate "historical services" between De Panne Loskaai and Adinkerke Station. The journey takes some 40 minutes, and departs every Saturday, Sunday and bank holiday of July and August at 13:30, 14:30, 15:30 and 16:30, if a tram operator is available. The journey costs, and children up to the age of six travel for free. Other special running days for historical running stock are on "Open Monumentendag" (second Sunday of September), and a Christmas service from 26 to 30 December. The depot in De Panne can always be visited free. TTO's stock can also be rented for special occasions.

Prepare
The trip goes through built-up areas with shops, restaurants and other services so you don't need to make any big preparations. Just make sure you have a valid ticket and dress according to the weather (perhaps bring an umbrella). A towel and swimwear can be good to bring if you want to go to the beaches.

When travelling with a bike, the tram driver may deny you access if there are already too many bikes onboard or the tram is too crowded. You must buy a bicycle pass ( for 60 min) in addition to your personal ticket to bring a bike onto a tram. If you are travelling with dogs, you may take them on the tram for free, provided that you can keep them on a lead or on your lap. It's recommended to travel light, though if you have no other way, stow your luggage away somewhere where it doesn't block a seat, for example on your lap, between your legs or somewhere else where it will not hinder other travellers. It is also not allowed to eat while travelling on the tram, to keep the vehicles clean.

Accessibility
While the trams are either partially or entirely low-floored, allowing for wheelchair access, not all platforms are at that same height. As of 2019, the wheelchair- in accessible stops are: Knokke Station; Duinbergen Watertoren; Zeebrugge Vaart and Strandwijk; Oostende Marie-Joséplein; Middelkere Casino; Oostduinkerke Bad; Koksijde Bad; De Panne Canadezenplein, Centrum, Kerk and Moeder Lambic. Mobility scooters are not allowed on board the tram.

By plane
Ostend has an airport, Ostend-Bruges International Airport, but it mostly receives cargo traffic. A much more sensible option would be to fly to Brussels Airport and take a car or train from there.

By train


Below is an overview of all connections to the Belgian rail network. The recommended and useful connections have been underlined.
 * : The tram terminus in Knokke is located about 200 metres north of the train station. Trains stopping in Knokke are Intercity 23A (Brussels Airport - Brussels-Zuid/Midi - Ghent-Sint-Pieters - Bruges - Knokke), as well as a peak hour and tourist train connecting to Bruges during the week and weekend respectively.
 * IC 23A: Brussels Airport — Brussels-Zuid/Midi — Ghent-Sint-Pieters — Bruges — Knokke
 * ICT 6600: Bruges — Knokke, tourist train, operates on weekends only.
 * , some 300 metres south from the tram stop of the same name, but is not recommended as the station is just one stop away from Knokke, which is the turn-around point for trams, hence making the connection easier. Yet, if you need to shave several minutes of time off of your journey and are heading for Heist, Zeebrugge or further west by Kusttram, consider catching the tram here instead. Heist itself also has a train station, though it is 700 m from the nearest tram stop.
 * : Zeebrugge Vaart tram stop is located about 200 metres north of the train station, at the end of the Azorenstraat. Zeebrugge-Dorp's train services don't operate during weekends, with services being rerouted to Zeebrugge-Strand instead, which does not have a useful connection to the Kusttram.
 * L 550: (Mechelen —) Ghent-Sint-Pieters — Bruges — Zeebrugge-Dorp, weekdays only.
 * has trams stopping right outside the train station. Blankenberge can be reached using one intercity (IC) and three tourist trains (ICT):
 * IC 03: Genk — Leuven — Brussels-Zuid/Midi — Ghent-Sint-Pieters — Bruges — Blankenberge
 * ICT 6700: Charleroi-South — Mons — Tournai — Mouscron — Bruges — Blankenberge
 * ICT 6705: Antwerp Centraal — Ghent-Sint-Pieters — Bruges — Blankenberge
 * ICT 6710: (Neerpelt/Turnhout —) Herentals — Mechelen — Ghent-Sint-Pieters — Bruges — Blankenberge
 * : the Kusttram platforms are integrated into the station, which can be reached by most intercity services, these being:
 * IC 01: Eupen — Liège-Guillemins — Brussels-Zuid/Midi — Bruges — Ostend
 * IC 02: Antwerp Centraal — Ghent-Sint-Pieters — Ostend
 * IC 12: Welkenraedt — Liège-Guillemins — Brussels-Zuid/Midi — Ghent-Sint-Pieters — Kortrijk (— Bruges — Ostend), only in service on weekdays.
 * IC 23: Brussels Airport — Brussels-Zuid/Midi — Kortrijk — Bruges — Ostend
 * IC 32: Kortrijk — Lichtervelde — Bruges — Ostend
 * ICT 6800: Tongeren — Hasselt — Brussels-Zuid/Midi — Ghent-Sint-Pieters — Bruges — Ostend, tourist train - only in service during July and August.
 * is the western-most end of the Kusttram, which stops alongside the trains. The line here might be continued to Dunkirk (France) in the future, though until that date, the following services call this the end of the line:
 * IC 28: Antwerp Centraal — Ghent-Sint-Pieters — Lichtervelde — De Panne, only in service on weekdays.
 * IC 29: Landen — Leuven — Brussels Airport — Brussels-Zuid/Midi — Ghent-Sint-Pieters (— De Panne), only in service on weekends.
 * ICT 6900: Brussels-Noord/Nord — Brussels-Zuid/Midi — Ghent-Sint-Pieters — De Panne, tourist train - only in service during July and August.

From France
The tram's western terminus Adinkerke is at the eastern extremity of Dunkirk's urban bus network, DK'Bus, which operates completely free-of-charge to all passengers. Dunkirk receives high-speed trains (TGV) from Paris-Nord and Lille-Flandres, as well as local trains (TER) from Calais-Ville. From the central railway and bus station (Dunkerque Gare), take bus route C1 or C2 to the end of the line (Leffrinckouke Fort des Dunes). These operate on a combined 7-minute headway, with a journey time of about 15 min. From Leffrinckouke, bus route 20 leaves every 30 min throughout the day bound for Adinkerque Gare (actually De Panne tram and train station), with a journey time of just over 30 min.

From the United Kingdom
High-speed Eurostar trains run multiple times a day between London-St Pancras and Brussels-Midi / Zuid, with a journey time of around 2 hr. From here, follow the instructions above to any of the interchanges between Belgian Railways and the Kusttram.

Alternatively, you can catch the Eurostar from London to Lille-Europe, where you can change to a TER to Dunkirk; this can be accomplished in around 2 hr 20 min. From Dunkirk, take the bus to De Panne as above.

By boat
Passenger ferries from the United Kingdom to Belgium ceased operations in 2021. The only remaining route is a roll on-roll off freight connection from Teesport to Zeebrugge operated by P&O, which can be used when travelling using a small freight vehicle such as a van. When travelling by camper, double check whether it's allowed on board.

For all other vehicles from the UK, consider ferries from Harwich to the Hook of Holland, or from Hull/Newcastle upon Tyne to Rotterdam instead. When on foot, those connect well to the metro (the Hook's harbour is within metres of a metro station). From there, head to Rotterdam Centraal railway station, take a long-distance train to either Antwerp or Brussels, from where you can get an intercity train to most of the train stations along the coast.

Alternatively, you can use the very regular and fast ferry connections from Dover to Dunkirk or Calais in France instead. The Dunkirk service is only for vehicles, so independent foot passengers should use the Calais route instead, pick up a train from Calais-Ville to Dunkerque stations, and then follow the directions in From France above.

If you own a boat yourself and wish to sail to the Belgian coast, marinas can be found in Zeebrugge, Blankenberge, Ostend and Nieuwpoort.

In Knokke-Heist
Starting just north of Knokke's railway station, the eastern terminus of the Kusttram,, can be found opposite the. The church isn't that old, but the shorter tower you're looking at while waiting for the tram to depart is, dating back to 1642. The church sustained heavy damage during the Second World War, and a new church was built between 1955 and 1958, which incorporated the former main tower.

Running between houses, the tramway eventually meets up with the Elizabetlaan near the and Park 58, a small nature reserve of barely 10 ha. Shortly after, you reach the stop, which stands outside the. Dating from 1939, this modern gothic church features some art deco elements. Duinbergen itself, meanwhile, dates largely from the early 20th century, having been shaped after the creative vision of German architect and urban designer Hermann-Josef Stübben. The concession for development of Duinbergen as a whole was given out in 1901, and within seven years, some 80 villas were already constructed. The many villas in Duinbergen give this area a charming view, though tourism introduced a desire for large apartments along the coast, which replaced many of the villas there.

Entering into Heist, the tram next stops at. Unsurprisingly, it is located by the entrance of the. Formed from a dune ridge, between both World Wars this park housed two batteries constructed by the German Empire and demolished by the Nazis. Between the wars, these batteries were a museum of sorts, with admission fees funding veterans' welfare. After the war, the dune landscape was reconstructed and the park was created. The paths in the park are named for political prisoners from Heist that didn't see the end of the Second World War, the only exceptions being the Keunepitpad (rabbit hole path) and Bunkerpad (bunker path). The park was rejuvenated in 2015, and borders the seashore.

In the town centre of Heist, the tramway inches closer to the coast, with two broad squares providing views across the sea. These are the, featuring a statue commemorating those fallen during the First World War, and the , meaning Fishermen-homage-square. It's quite unsurprising that the statue here pays homage to local fishermen. Just east of the Heldenplein you can also find the picturesque, a small neo-Gothic chapel for fishermen, first built in 1854 but taken down again in 1868 as the sea came closer and closer to damaging the original chapel. It was reconstructed in 1927 when a smaller chapel with a statue of the Holy Theresia got added as well; you can find her just behind the chapel. The stops that serve Heist's city centre are by the aforementioned Heldenplein, and  near the Vissershuldeplein.

In Zeebrugge


Leaving Heist, you first pass the short and stubby, a small lighthouse which, together with the , acted as an orientation point for ships out at sea. The next stop along the route is, which serves the eastern side of the , the largest lock of Zeebrugge's port, measuring at a length of 500 m, a width of 57 m and a depth of 18.5 m. Should the massive bridges linking both banks be open, fear not, for the tram will make a short detour via the other end of the locks.

The first stop in Zeebrugge proper is, named for the beside the stop. This church is dedicated to Donatius of Reims, the 4th-century French bishop and patron saint of Bruges. It was completed in 1911, burned down towards the end of the First World War and rebuilt by 1920. The current neo-Gothic building dates from 1951, after sustaining major damage during the Second World War, and has an eight-sided steeple. The churchyard is not the resting place of any locals, as one would expect, but instead is where the remains of 175 German (three of whom unidentified) and 30 British soldiers (17 of whom unidentified) who lost their lives in the First World War. 44 of the German casualties were due to a tram accident in September 1915; another 40 were crew members of two torpedo boats sunk in battle off the coast of Zeebrugge.

To the north of Zeebrugge Kerk lies, a theme park focussing on fishery and maritime history, which attracts some 50,000 visitors annually. One of the most prominent sights here is the, a 1950s boat which warned passing ships of sandbanks, and searched for off-shore plane- and shipwrecks. Some of the vessel's duties have since been taken over by buoys, so it has been lifted out of the water and placed at the head of the marina as a memorial. Seafront also has a small museum.

Next, the tram crosses disused railway 202, a branch line that once served the harbour. It then crosses the Visartsluis either via the (northern) or the (southern) monumental, where the tram briefly runs alongside the aforementioned railway 202, which connects to Zeebrugge-Dorp train station shortly after. The station itself can be reached at the next stop,. This stop serves the Stationswijk, which, despite being rich in listed monuments, is not the most picturesque of destinations.

The next stop has some more sights. serves the part of Zeebrugge that borders the beach. Aside from a visit to, there are some buildings here that might be worth seeing, most notably the monumental , which overlooks the beach. Additionally, you can walk out onto the Saint-George's Day-Wandeling, a promenade jetty which has many remembrance plaques for the Zeebrugge Raid. On the night of the 23rd and morning of the 24th of April 1918, British forces attacked Zeebrugge's port. The intended goal was to blockade the harbour, a launching point for U-boats, and prevent the subs from reaching the North Sea. The barrier dam which was contested during the battle can still be traced up to a large breakwater and lighthouse known as the.

Leaving Zeebrugge-Standwijk, the tramway continues to follow the Kustlaan. Between Zeebrugge and Blankenberge, the route squeezes through two nature reserves. has mixed woodland and fields with some paths for cycling and walking, while is a dunescape home to 150 species of bird and many tender and rare orchids.

In Blankenberge


Entering Blankenberge, the first stop is, which serves a hotel and campsite.

The next stop, is named for the 350-m-long (1,150 ft). It was the first of its kind on the European mainland's Atlantic coast, with the only other one being located in Scheveningen, the Netherlands. The first pier, a cast iron art-nouveau structure, was built in 1894, but was burned down by the German occupiers 20 years later. In 1933, the new and current pier was opened. On the beach by the pier, you will also find, "the Merry Velodrome", dating from 1933. Here, you can attempt to ride some 70 different bikes that have been made "crazy" (in other words, difficult to ride) in one way or another. Either try your best, or just laugh at others trying theirs!

Until 2022, Sea Life Blankenberge had its own stop, but now is best accessible from Blankenberge, Pier.

After Blankenberge Pier, the train station is the next stop. The tram stops on the Koning Leopold III-plein; head north from here along Kerkstraat to find the. This small and quaint 1680s town hall is just one of many delightful historical buildings in Blankenberge's city centre. Following the Kerkstraat to the sea, you'll see the unusual façade of the, over which crawl giant statues of babies. Other interesting attractions in Blankenberge include:

Departing from the train station, is the next stop. This stop, as well as the next one, serves the marina. From this stop, you can go on foot towards the seafront where you will find the art-deco, built in 1956. On the way there, you will most likely walk beside the, a Belle-Époque wind screen with a colourful tiled roof and smart green benches. The last stop within Blankenberge is, which mostly serves residential buildings to the south, as well as part of the marina.

Around Wenduine
Leaving Blankenberge, you find yourself in Harendijke, which contains more vacation homes than it does normal houses. Serving these and two panorama viewpoints is.

Wenduine itself is quite sparse in sights, even though the area has been inhabited continuously since the 8th century. It has been a seaside resort since 1886. Construction of villas started two years later, and a hotel followed in 1895. Most of the town was built between 1902 and 1924, and this period also saw the addition of a boulevard to the north, which the tram follows today. There's nothing much to see at, but you can get off the tram at for the town centre and the , Belgium's second-highest coastal dune, or at  for the small namesake , a small wooden windmill dating back to 1880 and named for the Hubert family, which once was a prominent family of millers found all along the Belgian coast.

On your way out of Wenduine, you might be able to see the town's between the trees. The route of the tram at this point is surrounded on both sides by the (dune forests), Duinbos Wenduine and Duinbos Vlissegem to be precise. Together forming a site of, the Duinbossen lend themselves particularly well to hiking, running and mountain biking (yes, you can go mountain biking in Flanders!). For these, you can leave the tram at, , or.

In De Haan


Simply by passing through De Haan, you get to see one of its most notable buildings. The at  dates from 1902 and, like many villas in town, was built in typical Belle Époque style. Although the station building is now occupied by a tourist information centre, there is still an original features to spot from the platform: a bilingual signs between the tracks, stating "Verboden op den spoorweg te gaan / Défense de circuler sur la voie" (Forbidden to walk on the tracks).

The town itself has several hundreds of listed buildings, many of which are villas, shops and hotels built during the Belle Époque, and mixing a range of styles from Anglo-Norman and Neo-Gothic to Art Nouveau and early Art Deco. You will see plenty of these buildings when walking northwest towards the beach. Whichever route you take, it will lead you past many imposing and undoubtedly expensive villas and apartments.

Vosseslag and Bredene
After De Haan's main tram station, follows, where, in the dunes leading towards the beach, you can bump into several disused military bunkers. Next is, which is the access point to the nature reserve, containing the third and final of the dune forests around De Haan and Wenduine. Also at this stop, you will find the, one of Belgium's oldest golf courses and the only links course in the country. It was directly financed by Leopold II in 1888, as to lure more British tourists to De Haan. Walking towards the beach here, you will cross the.

once served a hippodrome (Dutch: Renbaan). What remains now is a delightful. Taking a walk towards the sea here will lead you through several hundred metres of dunes. Turning right on the beach leads you to a dedicated nudist area. If nudity is something you shy away from, then you might want to avert your eyes at the next but one stop, Duinenplein, for it has a prime view of (The Temptation), a statue of a woman nicknamed "Blote Betsy" (Naked Betsy). Before that, though, lies, which mostly serves the local campsites. It also has the shortest walking distance to the beach, so if you'd like to shave several metres off your walk, disembark by the campsites.

Just west of the path from to the beach, lies, which thankfully has been disarmed of its 28-cm (11’’) diameter guns, and other firepower such as FlaK anti-aircraft guns. One of the more prominent remnants of the war around De Haan, the overlooks the beach, reminding of its original purpose to defend against Allied landings.

Now approaching Ostend, the stop gives access to  and the dozen of smaller batteries littered throughout the dunes. The polygonal fort was built in 1811 during the War of the Fifth Coalition. It was subsequently abandoned when by 1814 a British attack had not come, and Napoleon was on the way out. During the First World War, the German Empire reused the fort, and equipped it with heavy armoured gun batteries. During the Second World War, the fort functioned as a Nazi German artillery headquarters. It became a museum after the war, fell into disuse again, and after five years of restoration, was reopened to the public in 2000. Seeing its many users over time, the fort contains interesting remnants of Napoleonic-era France, the German Empire and to a lesser extent, the Third Reich. Most notable are the multiple Imperial German murals. Nearby you will also find numerous bunkers such as a. Also near this stop is (Dutch: Lange Nelle), Ostend's slender white-blue lighthouse.

Near the bunker, on the south end of the Visserijsluis (the lock next to the mortar bunker), is the eastern stop of the, a ferry connecting directly to Ostend city centre for free. The ferry can transport 50 people and 20 bikes per trip. This is a nice detour should you want to visit the city centre.

Before entering the heart of Ostend, a single stop remains:, which lies at the mouth of the , a water basin in the harbour, intended to fill up at high tide and empty again at low tide as to counteract the low tide itself, with the added benefit of washing out sediments in the harbour entrance. The 80-ha (200-acre) spuikom was constructed in the 20th century, in order to replace four smaller ones already in use. When first tested in 1912, the flow of the new spuikom proved to be so violent that it would quickly eat away at the quays downstream. The infrastructure that made the basin function was destroyed at the end of the First World War, and in 1926 the decision was made not to rebuild this infrastructure. For several decades now, the spuikom has been used for watersports.

Ostend


As you cross the canal into Ostend (Oostende in Dutch), the first landmark you encounter is the building of the. The current clubhouse was inaugurated in 1906, while the harbour was undergoing major reorganisation. The tram continues though the middle of the harbour, with industrial buildings – and the occasional hidden bunker – left and right. When crossing the, the tracks again go across either end of the lock, as to be able to continue service regardless of ship traffic entering or leaving the lock. Regardless of which bridge the tram uses, you will have crossed a nice rotary bridge. Immediately after, you find yourself on the, locally dubbed the Tettenbrug, Flemish for Bridge of faces, after the many busts and statues used to decorate the 1903-05 set of bridges. Until 2002, the bridges were used for road traffic accessing Ostend, but as this proved too much of a strain on the city centre, the tram is now the only vehicle allowed on the bridge aside from traffic with a local destination. After a good look across the railway tracks leading into Ostend station, you arrive at the stop of the same name,, where there is an easy transfer onto the train network.

Continuing into the city centre, you first cross paths with, the second-tallest building in West Flanders at 87 m. The number one spot is taken by the Europacentrum, also in Ostend. The marina on the right, meanwhile, is home to the museum ship. It is a possible contender for Belgium's most famous ship, attracting thousands of visitors each year. The Mercator, built in 1933, was the last Belgian training ship until it was decommissioned in 1960. It was preceded in that task by four other boats, two of which met their ends in premature accidents. Two of the five training ships (one of which sank within two years of being built) were named after Paul de Smet de Naeyer, the same De Smet de Naeyer that the bridges across the railway were named for. He was highly celebrated in his day by the denizens of Ostend due to his major investments into maritime endeavours when he was Minister of Finance and Public Works in the early 20th century.

After the intersection with the Vindictivelaan, the stands to the left, followed by the, which is surrounded by streets named for Belgian royalty. The park itself contains many beautiful features and novelty items like a floral clock. Opposite the park, and also somewhat clashing against it, is the brutalist, now in use as a cultural centre. A rather more quaint building can be found a block deeper into the city: the (Little Spanish House) is the oldest surviving building in Ostend, dating from 1741 - before Belgium existed, but ironically also after modern-day Belgium stopped being part of the Spanish Empire, it being Austrian turf at that time. Based out of the house is a city tour guide organisation.

From the next stop,, it's a short walk to the , the largest casino in Europe at 1 ha. Aside from a casino, it has several halls for conferences and performances, and a restaurant. From the Kursaal, the tram continues past some imposing buildings including the 1898 eclectic corner house and the Belle-Époque, built in 1885 with ornate golden highlights on its façade. The lavishness of the Villa Maritza means it will come as no surprise that the casino's owner once called it his home.

is on the original beach promenade of Ostend. The tram stops next to the, a part of the Royal Villa that stands behind it. Passing through the Drie Gapers, the gate shielding from some of the sea wind, you walk right by, which has been made controversial by the cruelties of the Congo Free State during Leopold's reign. Due to repeated graffiti vandalism, the statue has no original patina left. You may notice that one "Thankful Congolese" on the far left of the scene is handless: the hand was hacked off to serve as a reminder of the Belgian state's actions. The anarchist group responsible stated that the hand will be returned once the Royal Family of Belgium apologises for the inhumanities committed under Leopold, which as of 2023 has not yet happened.

From the gate, two Gaanderijen, long galleries, span along part of the beachfront. To the right are the Royal Galleries, to the left the Venetian Galleries, the latter of which is connected to the luxurious. Inside the galleries are art installations and small exhibitions. At the end of the Venetian Galleries is the, which has nine race days throughout July and August. For the rest of the year, a golf course is accessible from.

After, the tram continues into Mariakerke, which isn't quite noteworthy in comparison to Ostend. Between its two stops, and, you will find , a small art expo along the beach. The last building of Mariakerke is the, Mariakerke's old church and the only remaining bit of the old Mariakerke; the rest was obliterated by the Nazis to make way for their Atlantikwall. Directly after the church, two dug-in batteries of the Atlantikwall are hidden in the undergrowth on the land side of the tramway.

Around Raversijde
Following the beach promenade and the sea dike, you pass, for which the Flemish name Raversyde is also used locally. After this and Ostend-Bruges International Airport, you reach. This "provincial domain" (country park) was opened in 1988 and is still being developed. It stems from the former royal estate of Leopold II, who had a Norse chalet built here, which disappeared during the First World War. During the Second, it was used for construction of the Atlantikwall, and was given to Charles VI, the last Count of Flanders after his regency; he subsequently settled on the estate. In 1981, he sold the land to the state, which then opened it to the public seven years later. The park, as of 2022 contains:

In and around Middelkerke-Bad
Middelkerke-Bad is perhaps one of the nicer small seaside towns along the route. It has four stops on the tramway. The first, is near to , a tourist information point and small museum about the history of the local casinos.

The second stop,, may or may not have a different name depending on when you're visiting, as the casino it is named for no longer stands today and is being replaced by a new building. Until completion of the new casino, there is little more here than a ferris wheel, which admittedly gives great views of both sea and land. Almost certainly of more interest are the, 17 statues of some of Belgium's most famous comic book figures, placed along the length of the Zeedijk. Meet favourites such as Spirou and Spip, Lucky Luke, and Smurfette and Hefty Smurf. Along the beachfront itself are a plethora of restaurants and an arcade called Reflex-21.

The last stop in town, is the closest to the art-deco. The stop also gives access to the north side of the, a nature reserve covering 32 ha of dunes, meadow and broadleaf woodland; in June, thousands of orchids are in bloom. In the vicinity, though possibly a bit of a hike away, lies, a venue for bowling, karting, an escape room, laser-tag, a VR-area and more.

The west end of Middelkerke is where you'll find, which mostly serves vacation homes and campsites, but also gives access to the , a viewing tower overlooking the aforementioned Warandeduinen, as well as Middelkerke and Westende.

Westende and Lombardsijde
Arriving in Westende, the first stop is right by the, the creation of famous Belgian architect Octave van Rysselberghe. This luxurious hotel, opened in 1911, is an Eclecticist mix between Neo-Palladian and cottage architecture and is such a dominant local landmark that the tram stop is named after it:. On the beach by the hotel is an intriguing sculpture; Latvian artist Ivars Drulle's I Can Hear It consists of two large horns, like those on old record players, facing out to sea, with the statue of a woman listening to one of them. The seat next to her is free, inviting you to put your ear to the other horn and listen to the waves. The work is possibly a reference to wartime listening stations, encampments where soldiers would listen with not dissimilar horns for inbound aircraft; technology which has since been superseded by radar.

By are a set of cottage villas, somewhat overshadowed by the high-rise modernity all around. One of these, the 1922 art-nouveau, was based off a design for the Brussels 1910 World Expo; it's open for guided tours every Tuesday at 10:00. On the other side of the tracks is the. If you're on a westbound terminating tram, you can see the chapel from all angles without disembarking, as the turning loop back to Ostend circles around the chapel.

is located amongst the, offering more military history in the form of a grouping of Atlantikwall bunkers,.

The rest of the journey towards Nieuwpoort doesn't cross many sites of interest. Between Westende and Lombardsijde, the tramway turns inland to avoid a military base. Instead, heading almost due south, it passes through and, the latter of which is closest to Lombardsijde town centre. The focal point is a church, the, completed in 1923. Until the end of the 19th century, Lombardsijde was a place of pilgrimage for Iceland-skippers, Western European fishermen who fished the waters around Iceland. After a long period of decline, the authentic Iceland-skipping died out in 1934.

From Lombardsijde Zeelaan, the tramway heads towards the river IJzer and Nieuwpoort.

In Nieuwpoort
Entering Nieuwpoort, the tram first crosses the River Yser at the (Goose's Foot), where no fewer than six sluices join half a dozen waterways into the Yser. A large number of war memorials are dotted about the Ganzepoot. To explore them, it's easiest to disembark the tram at. Follow the road called Sluizen back across the sluices towards the Ganzepoot to reach the, a monument to Navy personnel and overseas forces killed during the First World War. Then, cross the Veurnesas at the first sluice and the Overlaat van Veurne-Ambacht at the second, to get to a small park containing the gravestone-like. This commemorates a decorated officer of the Compagnie des Sapeurs-Pontonniers (bridgebuilders) who was gassed during the First World War near this very spot. Behind this lies the considerably more impressive, a more general First World War memorial depicting a woman on a high pillar protecting the Belgian crown, facing the west because the enemy came from the east. Four more figures around her represent the Belgian resistance, those figures being a wounded soldier, a blind man, an infirm man, and a resilient man.

After crossing the River Yser and the Nieuwendamme creek, a small punctuates your walk towards the Ganzepoot. Next, cross the Gravensas and the Overlaat van het Nieuwbedelf, after which you finally reach the two main war memorials. The carries the names of 547 British soldiers without a known grave who were killed in action during the 1914 Siege of Antwerp or during the defence of the Western Front from June to November 1917. Three lions surround the monument, a pillar atop a triangular platform. The is without a doubt the main First World War memorial in Nieuwpoort, a 25-m-tall (82-ft) circular monument named after the king who saw Belgium through the war. Also on site is a visitor centre and museum about the Western Front,.

If war memorials aren't what you're looking for, then from the Nieuwpoort Stad stop, you can also easily go into the city centre, which features a UNESCO-listed, and (Vismijn).

Back on the tramway, the next stop towards Nieuwpoort-Bad is, which serves Nieuwpoort Marina on the western bank of the Yser. The larger part of the marina is on the opposite bank, though this is poorly-connected to the Kusttram. Walking downstream from Cardijnlaan along the Robert Orlentpromenade, you're led through the (Maritime Park), which features a number of sculptures. This is possibly a more pleasant way to reach Nieuwpoort-Bad, as the tramline runs a few hundred metres away along a main road. The last stop within Nieuwpoort-Stad is, which mostly serves residential suburbs.

Follow the Yser until you come into Nieuwpoort-Bad. Between the tramway and the Yser, lies the, named for Prince Maurice of Orange, stadtholder of most of the Netherlands from 1585 until his death in 1625. A bronze statue of Maurice stands in the park. He is holding a roll of parchment, in reference to the Triple Alliance of 1596, in which France and England acknowledged the sovereignty of the Netherlands. At the time Nieuwpoort, along with much of Belgium, was considered part of the region known as the Netherlands, though Maurice's link to the city stems from the Battle for Nieuwpoort (2 July 1600), in which a united Dutch, English and Scottish army defeated the Spanish.

is the main tram stop within the town. From here, follow the Veurnestraat or IJzerstraat to get to the beachfront, or follow the Elisalaan to access the Prins Mauritspark and the ferry to the northern banks of the river Yser, where you will find the. The beachfront of Nieuwpoort-Bad has a reasonable number of hotels, but is considerably less historical than Nieuwpoort-Stad.

Oostduinkerke
lies within Nieuwpoort, but largely serves the surrounding dunes. The stop is one block away from the, a neo-Romanesque church built in 1923, though some of its interior pieces are at least twice as old. The church sits in the middle of a broad promenade leading to the beachfront, which lies a block further. Directly after this tram stop is a turning siding, opposite of which is one of the entrances to the, one of the multiple protected pieces of dune landscape around this part of the Belgian coast.

Between Groenendijk and Oostduinkerke, the tramline crosses through yet more dune landscape, though unlike the dunes on the northern end of the Kustlijn, these do not have a dedicated stop. Therefore, if you wish to visit the, you'll have to disembark the tram either at Groenendijk, and walk 725 m westbound, or disembark at Duinpark and walk 625 m eastbound.

is the next stop after these dunes. The iconic cottage-style villas that typify the Belgian coast are abundant here; many within walking distance of the tram stop are small hotels and B&Bs. The actual heart of Oostduinkerke-Bad is found at the next stop,. Oostduinkerke's beach has a, behind which is the only beachside open-air swimming pool in Belgium. Oostduinkerke is the only place in the world where the ancient profession of horse shrimping is still practised. Since 2013, the practice has been listed as UNESCO intangible cultural heritage, though as it can't compete with modern trawling, it's heavily subsidised for the sake of tourism. Most of Oostduinkerke's sights are, however, in the town about 2 km inland, with the Leopold II-laan connecting Oostduinkerke-Bad. If you walk along this street, you'll encounter plenty of historical buildings, bars, restaurants and hotels.

The last stop in town, is the main stop for visiting the. The striking ship-like is also nearby. Additionally, you could head inland via the Doornpannestraat to reach the. The dunes here are a source for Flemish tap water, leading to the dunes being nicknamed Aquaduinen (water dunes).

In Koksijde and Sint-Idesbald


The first stop in Koksijde is. By walking southwest from here via the Pierre Sorellaan, you enter a neighbourhood of Belle-Époque villas known, perhaps a bit surprisingly, as the (Senegalese Quarter). The name can be either explained by soldiers from France's colonies having been stationed here during the First World War, or by the names of the villas themselves, many of which were owned by former colonialists. Gaston Lejeune designed a lot of the villas, hence the name of the tram stop. On the central square of Gulden Vlieslaan in the Quartier, you'll find a facsimile of Belgium's most-photographed landmark, but the comes without the crowds. To the north of the Lejeunelaan stop, the Zouavenplein leads to the beach. In the middle of the short boulevard is the, a monument to the French Zouaves and officers who fell on Belgian soil in the First World War.

The main stop for Koksijde is. The beach is northwest of the stop, and a notable landmark is the at the end of the Eugenie Terlickplein. Some 500 m to the west is the, a 1982 monument to seafarers.

Koksijde's third stop comes between the town centres of Koksijde and Sint-Idesbald. Around the next stop,, you'll find , a museum dedicated to cabinets of curiosities. Next to it, you'll find a, to whom the town owes its name. By following the Koninklijke Prinslaan inland, you will come across the ruins of. Founded in the 12th century and abolished during the French Revolution, the abbey once had three mills, but only the (Southern Abbey Mill) remains, along with a museum.

The last stop in Sint-Idesbald and in the larger municipality of Koksijde is. This town centre stop is barely a minute's walk from the beach, which is home to several temporary art installations. There are a lot of restaurants around the stop, along with some sights such as, the highest cottage in Sint-Idesbald, and the , surrounded by a small park of statues. The chapel served refugees from Nieuwpoort during the First World War, but in 1935 it was deconsecrated and converted to residential use, after which several artists called it home.

Around De Panne and Adinkerke


De Panne has six stops to its name, two of which are actually in Adinkerke. When arriving from Koksijde, the first three stops connect to the beach well, after which the Kusttram heads inland to reach its terminus.

connects to the eastern end of De Panne beach. At low tide, the sand can stretch 450 m from the shore to the sea, so this is a popular place for land yachting.

lies at the foot of the Koning Albertplein, a block south of the beach. Between the previous stop and the next, you will find a lot of restaurants, bars, hotels and B&Bs. Of particular note are the many cottage villas and apartments that can be rented in the heart of De Panne, which can best be accessed via this stop.

is at the far end of the from the statue of the monarch who entered the country for the first time here on 17 June 1831, after riding horseback from Dunkirk. Four days later, he was crowned first the King of the Belgians. This stop also has a branch line to the, where historical rolling stock mostly in service during the summer months, is maintained (see ). The depot is open to visitors on certain days of the year; check the TTO Noordzee Facebook page for updates.

The neo-Gothic gives its name to. In addition, the stop is close to some campsites, as well as the dunes surrounding De Panne, so it's possible to start a hike from here.

is named for the restaurant of the same name (though spelt with a K instead of a C). The stop mostly serves Adinkerk and the public, communal and military graveyards of Adinkerke. It and De Panne, Kerk can both be used to access the, which promotes and interprets the surrounding forested dune landscape.

Alight at for the  family theme park and its sister water park Plopsaqua. These are centred around characters from Studio100's films and TV series for children. Probably the only character even vaguely familiar to most English-speaking visitors will be Maya the Bee, but this is one of the country's most popular amusement parks and draws in some 1.3 million visitors per year from Belgium, France and further afield. Combination tickets for travel by tram and entry to Plopsaland/Plopsaqua are available from De Lijn. The last stop on the route,, is less than a kilometre further on. Change for national rail services, catch a bus into France, or ride the tram back to Knokke!

Stay safe
In Belgium, trams have priority over every other road user, including cyclists and pedestrians. Even when using a zebra crossing, you have to give way to an oncoming tram. The tracks are surrounded by dunes in many places, meaning that visibility along the track might be reduced - trams may run in both directions on each track and are relatively quiet, so look out. Be predictable for tram drivers and other road users, and keep an eye out for people who might be putting themselves or others in danger. Especially during the holiday season, the stops and boulevards can get crowded, in which case an accident could happen quickly.

If you need to contact the line operator (De Lijn), you can do so via their online contact form, via Facebook or Twitter (@delijn), or by dialling ( per minute). The emergency number (for police, paramedics and fire brigade) in Belgium is.

At the western end
From De Panne, the French city of Dunkirk, a place that has seen many wars throughout history, isn't too far away. There are plans to reconnect the city via more direct public transit, but until then the city can be reached via bus line 20 to Leffrinckoucke, Fort des Dunes, from where the local bus network of Dunkirk can be accessed.

Another, more easily accessible, historical city is Veurne. The trip by intercity train only takes seven minutes to Koksijde station, which confusingly serves the fringes of Veurne more than it does the town it's named after.

Lastly, if the World War heritage of Belgium interests you, the city of Ypres is an easy recommendation. The city hosted four of the deadliest battles of the Western Front in the First World War.

At the eastern end
The Dutch border is less than from Knokke, and the closest town is the historical city of Sluis. Additionally, by a combination of buses you can get to Breskens, from where a ferry service can connect you to Vlissingen. This journey takes just over two hours during the off-season, but from Vlissingen and nearby Middelburg, most of Zeeland is easily accessible.

Similar attractions
While the Kusttram is pretty much a one-of-a-kind line and service, there are some attractions in Western Europe that fall into similar categories:


 * The Rijdend Tram Museum (RTM) runs trams across the Brouwersdam, one of the Delta Works in Zeeland, the Netherlands.
 * The narrow-gauge Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway runs between Hythe and Dungeness along Romney Marsh on the Kent coast, and is easily reached from the British side of the Channel Tunnel.
 * The Blackpool Tramway - North West England's answer to the Kusttram is much shorter than its continental counterpart (running 18 km from Blackpool to Fleetwood), but operates a similar mix of modern and heritage trams, and is the best way to see the seafront illuminations in winter.
 * Wuppertal, Germany, is famous for its Schwebebahn suspension railway, which tracks the course of the River Wupper below.

Other destinations

 * Bruges is a popular possible side trip. Similarly, Ghent is rather accessible by train from both Oostende and Knokke-Heist.
 * Kortrijk is just over an hour by train from either Ostend or De Panne.