Belgian coast by tram - tram line along the Belgian coast

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.

Rolling stock

BN series 6000

Serving the Kusttram as well as the Charleroi metro, the Series 6000 are the oldest regular rolling stock in service along the Belgian coast. Officially named LRV or Light Rail Véhicule, these trams are more often nicknamed BN's after the company that produced it, La Brugeoise et Nivelles. The coastal versions (Series 6000) are single-directional vehicles, whereas the Charleroi versions (Series 6100) are bidirectional. Additionally, the coastal stock can run 10 km/h faster, having a top speed of . The 6100 stock did initially serve the coast tram from 1980 until the 6000 stock was ready in 1982. The Series 6000 started out as long trams, but since modernisation into a second generation, they have been lengthened to . The second generation also saw the top speed raised to .

44 trams of the Series 6000 remained in service as of 2020. The second generation of Series 6000 can transport some 310 passengers, of whom 73 seated and 237 standing. The middle of its three cars has a lower floor for wheelchair access.

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 and have a low floor, allowing for wheelchair access.

CAF Urbos 100 / Zeelijner

The Urbos 100, nicknamed the Zeelijner (Sea liner) is being put into service to replace the Series 6000. 48 of these new units have started to be introduced since April 2021. They have a capacity of 187 (54 seated), with around 20 fold-down seats.

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 €4, 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 (€2 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-<u>in</u>accessible stops are: Knokke Station; Duinbergen Watertoren; Zeebrugge Vaart and Strandwijk; Oostende Marie-Joséplein; Middelkere Casino; Oostduinkerke Bad; Koksijde Bad; De Panne Golfstraat, Centrum, Kerk and Moeder Lambic. Mobility scooters are not allowed on board the tram.

Get in

By plane

Ostend has an airport, Ostend-Bruges International Airport IATA: OST, 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 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 and Lille, as well as local trains (TER) from Calais. 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.

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.

Knokke — Blankenberge

In Knokke-Heist

See also: Knokke-Heist

Starting just north of Knokke's railway station, the eastern terminus of the Kusttram, Knokke, Station [rail] 📍, can be found opposite the Sint-Margarethakerk 📍. 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 Duinbergen water tower 📍 and Park 58, a small nature reserve of barely . Shortly after, you reach the Duinbergen [rail] 📍 stop, which stands outside the Heilige Familiekerk 📍. 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 Heist, Willemspark 📍. Unsurprisingly, it is located by the entrance of the Directeur-Generaal Willemspark 📍. 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 Heldenplein 📍, featuring a statue commemorating those fallen during the First World War, and the Vissershuldeplein 📍, 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 Visserskapel 📍, 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 Heist, Heldenplein 📍 by the aforementioned Heldenplein, and Heist, Dijk 📍 near the Vissershuldeplein.

In Zeebrugge

See also: Zeebrugge

Leaving Heist, you first pass the short and stubby Low-light of Heist 📍, a small lighthouse which, together with the High-light of Heist 📍, acted as an orientation point for ships out at sea. The next stop along the route is Zeebrugge, Zeesluis 📍, which serves the eastern side of the Pierre Vandamme Lock 📍, the largest lock of Zeebrugge's port, measuring at a length of , a width of and a depth of . 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 Zeebrugge, Kerk 📍, named for the Sint-Donatuskerk 📍 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 Seafront 📍, 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 West-Hinder II 📍, 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) Visartbrug 📍 or the (southern) monumental Straussbrug 📍, 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, Zeebrugge, Stationswijk [rail] 📍. 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. Zeebrugge, Strandwijk 📍 serves the part of Zeebrugge that borders the beach. Aside from a visit to Zeebrugge Beach 📍, there are some buildings here that might be worth seeing, most notably the monumental Palace Hotel 📍, 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 Old Mole 📍.

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

In Blankenberge

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

The next stop, Blankenberge, Pier 📍 is named for the 350-m-long (1,150 ft) Belgium Pier 📍. 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 De Lustige Velodroom 📍, "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.

• Sea Life Blankenberge, Koning Albert-I-laan 116, Blankenberge, 51.31796°, 3.14551°, +31 32 5042 4300. 10:00 - 16:00. Aquatic zoo featuring over fifty aquaria, housing amongst others a small colony of Humboldt penguins, a flock of small-clawed otters, as well as a crab aquarium themed around Discovery Channel's Deadliest Catch series. 2022-12-30
• Farys Noordzeebad, A. van Ackersquare 1, Blankenberge, 51.31818°, 3.14427°. M W-Sa 09:00 - 19:00, Tu 10:00 - 19:00; Su 09:00 - 00:00. An indoor swimming baths complex with waterslides and a Turkish-style hammam. The (thankfully heated!) pool water comes straight from the North Sea. 2022-08-02

After Blankenberge Pier, the train station ( Blankenberge, Station [rail] 📍) is the next stop. The tram stops on the Koning Leopold III-plein; head north from here along Kerkstraat to find the Former city hall of Blankenberge 📍. 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 Casino Blankenberge 📍, over which crawl giant statues of babies. Other interesting attractions in Blankenberge include:

• Belle Epoquecentrum, Elisabethstraat 24, Blankenberge, 51.31552°, 3.13199°, +31 50 636 640. Tu-Su 14:00 - 17:00. A museum on life during the Belle Époque (roughly 1870 to 1914), which is when many Belgian coastal cities saw their boom, electrification picked up, and man started conquering the skies with planes and Zeppelins. 2022-08-02
• Huisje van Majutte, Breydelstraat 10. W–Su: 11:00–18:00. Once one of sixty-odd similar houses, Majutte's Little House is one of the two surviving 18th-century fisherman's cottages in the Breydelstraat. 2022-08-02

Departing from the train station, Blankenberge, Markt 📍 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 Blankenberge Lighthouse 📍, built in 1956. On the way there, you will most likely walk beside the Paravang 📍, a Belle-Époque wind screen with a colourful tiled roof and smart green benches. The last stop within Blankenberge is Blankenberge, Maritieme Zone 📍, which mostly serves residential buildings to the south, as well as part of the marina.

Blankenberge — Bredene

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, Harendijke 📍.

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 Wenduine, Manitoba 📍, but you can get off the tram at Wenduine, Centrum 📍 for the town centre and the Spioenkop 📍, Belgium's second-highest coastal dune, or at Wenduine, Molen 📍 for the small namesake Hubertmolen 📍, a small wooden windmill dating back to 1880.

On your way out of Wenduine, you might be able to see the town's water tower 📍 between the trees. The route of the tram at this point is surrounded on both sides by the Duinbossen 📍 (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 Wenduine, Konijnenpad 📍, De Haan, Zwarte Kiezel 📍, or De Haan, Waterkasteellaan 📍.

In De Haan

See also: De Haan

Simply by passing through De Haan, you get to see one of its most notable buildings. The former station building 📍 at De Haan aan Zee 📍 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, De Haan, Preventorium 📍 follows, where, in the dunes leading towards the beach, you can bump into several disused military bunkers. Next is De Haan, Vosseslag 📍, which is the access point to the Kijkuit 📍 nature reserve, containing the third and final of the dune forests around De Haan and Wenduine. Also at this stop, you will find the Royal Ostend Golf Club 📍, 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 Lighthouse annex Panoramic tower 📍.

Bredene, Renbaan 📍 once served a hippodrome (Dutch: Renbaan). What remains now is a delightful Art Deco shelter 📍. 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, Bredene aan Zee, for it has a prime view of De Uitdaging 📍 (The Temptation), a statue of a woman nicknamed "Blote Betsy" (Naked Betsy). Before that, though, lies Bredene, Campings 📍, 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 Bredene aan Zee 📍 to the beach, lies Battery E690 📍, 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 Oostende, Duin & Zee 📍 gives access to Fort Napoleon 📍 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 mortar bunker with ammunitions depot 📍. Also near this stop is "Tall Nelly" 📍 (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 Overzetboot 📍, 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: Oostende, Weg Naar Vismijn 📍, which lies at the mouth of the Ostend spuikom 📍, 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

See also: Ostend

As you cross the canal into Ostend (Oostende in Dutch), the first landmark you encounter is the building of the Royal Yacht Club d'Ostende (RYCO) 📍. 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 Demeysluis 📍, 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 De Smet de Naeyer bridges 📍, 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, Oostende, Station [rail] 📍, where there is an easy transfer onto the train network.

Continuing into the city centre, you first cross paths with De Mast 📍, the second-tallest building in West Flanders at . The number one spot is taken by the Europacentrum, also in Ostend. The marina on the right, meanwhile, is home to the Mercator 📍 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 Ostend Courthouse 📍 stands to the left, followed by the Leopoldpark 📍, 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 Former Post Office of Ostend 📍, now in use as a cultural centre. A rather more quaint building can be found a block deeper into the city: the Spaans Huisje 📍 (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, Oostende, Marie-Joséplein 📍, it's a short walk to the Casino-Kursaal 📍, the largest casino in Europe at . 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 La Paloma 📍 and the Belle-Époque Villa Maritza 📍, 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.

Oostende, Koninginnelaan 📍 is on the original beach promenade of Ostend. The tram stops next to the Japanese Garden 📍, 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 Statue of Leopold II 📍, 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 Thermae Palace Hotel 📍. Inside the galleries are art installations and small exhibitions. At the end of the Venetian Galleries is the Wellington Hippodrome 📍, which has nine race days throughout July and August. For the rest of the year, a golf course is accessible from Oostende, Renbaan 📍.

After Oostende, Northlaan 📍, the tram continues into Mariakerke, which isn't quite noteworthy in comparison to Ostend. Between its two stops, Mariakerke-Bad 📍 and Oostende, Ravelingen 📍, you will find Pleasure Island 📍, a small art expo along the beach. The last building of Mariakerke is the Duinenkerkje 📍, 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.

Raversijde — Nieuwpoort-Stad

Around Raversijde

Following the beach promenade and the sea dike, you pass Raversijde 📍, for which the Flemish name Raversyde is also used locally. After this and Ostend-Bruges International Airport, you reach Raversijde, Domein Raversijde 📍. 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:

• Openluchtmuseum Atlantikwall (Atlantikwall Open Air Museum), Duinenstraat 147 , Oostende, 51.20065°, 2.84716°. An open air museum focussing on the Nazi mega-project that was the Atlantikwall, a large coastal defence system of bunkers stretching from southern France to northern Norway, as to defend against a British invasion. The museum counts some two dozen bunkers, trenches, as well as accommodation and artillery. 2022-08-05
• Memoriaal Prins Karel (Prince Charles Memorial), 51.20081°, 2.84767°. A small museum in honour of Prince Charles, the last royal owner of the estate. The memorial museum is housed in the home he stayed at frequently from 1950 until his death in 1983. 2022-08-05

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, Middelkerke, De Greefplein 📍 is near to De Oude Post 📍, a tourist information point and small museum about the history of the local casinos.

The second stop, Middelkerke, Casino 📍, 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 Zeedijk Comic statues 📍, 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, Middelkerke, Verhaeghelaan 📍 is the closest to the art-deco Saint Theresa Chapel 📍. The stop also gives access to the north side of the Warandeduinen 📍, a nature reserve covering 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 Kegel X-treme 📍, 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 Middelkerke, Krokodiel 📍, which mostly serves vacation homes and campsites, but also gives access to the Warandetoren 📍, 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 Grand Hôtel Bellevue 📍, 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: Westende, Belle Vue 📍. 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 Westende Bad 📍 are a set of cottage villas, somewhat overshadowed by the high-rise modernity all around. One of these, the 1922 art-nouveau Villa Les Zéphyrs 📍, 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 Sint-Theresiakapel 📍. 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.

Westende, Sint-Laureins 📍 is located amongst the Sint-Laureinsduinen 📍, offering more military history in the form of a grouping of Atlantikwall bunkers, Hkb Westende Plage 📍.

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 Lombardsijde, Zeelaan 📍 and Lombardsijde, Schoolstraat 📍, the latter of which is closest to Lombardsijde town centre. The focal point is a church, the Onze-Lieve-Vrouw Visitatiekerk 📍, 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

See also: Nieuwpoort

Entering Nieuwpoort, the tram first crosses the River Yser at the Ganzepoot 📍 (Goose's Foot), where no fewer than six sluices join half a dozen waterways into the Yser. Around the Ganzepoot, a large number of war memorials are dotted about. To explore them, it's easiest to disembark the tram at Nieuwpoort Stad 📍. Follow the road called Sluizen back across the sluices towards the Ganzepoot to reach the Terre d'Amis 📍, 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 Lieutenant Calberg-monument 📍. 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 IJzermonument 📍, 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 memorial to the 81st French Infantry division 📍 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 Nieuport Memorial 📍 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 King Albert Memorial 📍 is without a doubt the main First World War memorial in Nieuwpoort, a -tall circular monument bearing the name of the king who saw Belgium through the war. Also on site is a visitor centre and museum about the Western Front, Westfront Nieuwpoort / King Albert Monument 📍.

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 Belfry and grain tower 📍, and Nieuwpoort Fish Market 📍 (Vismijn).

Back on the tramway, the next stop towards Nieuwpoort-Bad is Nieuwpoort, Cardijnlaan 📍, 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 Maritiem Park 📍 (Maritime Park), which features a number of sculptures and makes for a different 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 Nieuwpoort, Ysermonde 📍, which mostly serves residential suburbs.

Follow the Yser until you come into Nieuwpoort-Bad. Between the tramway and the Yser, lies the Prins Mauritspark 📍, 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.

Nieuwpoort Bad 📍 is the main tram stop within the town. From here, follow the Veurnestraat or IJzerstraat to get towards 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 Nieuwpoort Lighthouse 📍. The beachfront of Nieuwpoort-Bad has a reasonable number of hotels, but is considerably less historical than Nieuwpoort-Stad.

Nieuwpoort-Bad — De Panne

Oostduinkerke

See also: Oostduinkerke

Nieuwpoort, Zonnebloem 📍 lies within Nieuwpoort, but largely serves the surrounding dunes. It stops one block away from the Sint-Bernarduskerk 📍, a neoroman church built in 1923, with some of its interior pieces being twice as old at least. The church sits in the middle of a broad promenade leading to the beachfront, which lies a block further. Directly after this tram stop, lies a siding for turning trams around, opposite of which is one of the entrances to the Simliduinen 📍, one of the multiple protected pieces of dune landscape around this part of the Belgian coast.

Between Groenendijk ( Oostduinkerke, Groenendijk-Bad 📍) 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 Duinen van Ter Yde, Hannecartbos en Oostvoorduinen 📍, you'll have to disembark the tram either at Groenendijk-Bad, and walk west, or disembark at Duinpark and walk eastbound.

Oostduinkerke, Duinpad 📍 is the next stop after these dunes. Within walking distance of this stop, there are many smaller hotels and B&Bs, many of which are based out of the iconic cottage-style villas that line the Belgian coast. The actual heart of Oostduinkerke-Bad is found at the next stop, Oostduinkerke-Bad 📍. Oostduinkerke's beach has a Beach visitors centre 📍, behind which lies an open-air swimming pool, making it the only beach-side swimming pool in all of Belgium. Most of Oostduinkerke's sights are, however, in the town and not in Oostduinkerke-Bad. The town centre is located about inland, with the Leopold II-laan connecting both towns. Along this street, you'll also encounter plenty of historical buildings, bars, restaurants and hotels.

The last stop in Oostduinkerke, Oostduinkerke, Schipgat 📍 is the main stop for visiting the Schipgatduinen 📍. Near this stop are also the striking De Normandie 📍, a hotel and restaurant, the architecture of which resembles a ship. Additionally, going inland via the Doornpannestraat will lead to the Doornpanne / Aquaduinen Visitor Centre 📍. The dunes here, are a source for the water that flows out of Flemish taps, leading to the dunes being nicknamed Aquaduinen (Water dunes).

In Koksijde and Sint-Idesbald

See also: Koksijde

The first stop in Koksijde is Koksijde, Lejeunelaan 📍. By heading southwest from here via the Pierre Sorellaan, you walk into the Quartier Sénégalais 📍 (Senegal Quarter), which is a Belle Époque villa neighbourhood. Its name can be either explained by colonial French soldiers being stationed here during the First World War, or by the names of the villas. Many of these villas were owned by former colonialists. Many of the cottage villas here have been designed by Gaston Lejeune, for whom the street has been named that lent its name to the tram stop. Within the Quartier Sénégalais at the central square of Gulden Vlieslaan, stands the Manneken Pis van Koksijde 📍, named for the statue in Brussels. To the north of the Lejeunelaan stop lies the Zouavenplein, a short boulevard leading to the beach with in the middle of it the Zouavengedenkteken 📍, a monument for the French Zouaves and officers that died on Belgian soil during the First World War.

The main stop for Koksijde is Koksijde-Bad 📍. To the northwest of this stop lies the beach, a notable piece of which is the Seaside Clock 📍 at the end of the Eugenie Terlickplein. Another notable shore-side landmark is the Monument ter ere van de Zeelui 📍, a 1982 monument for seafarers some to the west.

Koksijde's third stop lies between the town centres of Koksijde and Sint-Idesbald. Koksijde, Ster der Zee 📍 lies by the Koninklijke Prinslaan and Professor Blanchardlaan, the last of which is yet another boulevard leading to the sea. Around the stop, you will find 't Krekelhof 📍, a museum of cabinets of curiosities. Next to it, you'll find a Statue of Saint Idesbald 📍, to whom the town lends its name. By following the Koninklijke Prinslaan inland, you will come across the Onze-Lieve-Vrouw ten Duinen Abbey Ruins 📍. It was founded in the 12th century and abolished during the French Revolution. There is a museumalong with it. The abbey once has three mills around it, of which only the Southern Abbey Mill 📍 (Zuid-Abdijmolen) remains.

The last stop within the municipality of Koksijde, as well as the town of Sint-Idesbald, is the one serving the town's centre; Koksijde, Sint-Idesbald 📍. The stop lies barely a minute's walk from the beach, which is home to several temporary art instalments. There are a lot of restaurants around the stop, along with some sights such as Mieke Hill 📍, the highest cottage of Sint-Idesbald, and the Keunekapel 📍, founded in 1907 as a private chapel, which became a small church for refugees from Nieuwpoort during the First World War. It was taken out of religious service in 1935, after which it housed several artists. Around the former chapel lies a small statue park.

Around De Panne and Adinkerke

See also: De Panne

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 land-inward to connect back to national rail services.

De Panne, Golfstraat 📍 connects to the easternmost end of the De Panne beach, which is the widest beach front of Belgium. The beach as a result lends itself well and is popular for land yachting.

De Panne, Centrum 📍 lies at the foot of the Koning Albertplein, a block to the north of which lies 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.

De Panne, Esplanade 📍 lends its name to the Leopold I Esplanade 📍, with at the beach-end of the esplanade a statue of Leopold the First under a stone gateway, who entered Belgium here on June 17, 1831, after riding horseback from Dunkirk. Four days later he was to be crowned King of Belgium. This stop also connects to the branch line to the TTO Tram Depot 📍, where historical running stock is maintained and stored, which are in a heritage service mostly during the summer months (see #Historical stock).

De Panne, Kerk 📍 is named for the nearby neo-Gothic Sint-Pieterskerk 📍. In addition, the stop is close to some campsites, as well as the dunes surrounding De Panne, so it's plausible to start a hike from here.

De Panne, Moeder Lambic 📍 is named for the restaurant of the same name (though spelled with a K instead of a C). The stop mostly serves Adinkerk and the public, communal and military graveyards of Adinkerke. Together with Kerk, it also is one of the two stops to access the Provincial Visitor Centre Duinpanne 📍, which centres around the surrounding forested dune landscape.

De Panne, Plopsaland 📍 mostly serves family theme park Plopsaland De Panne 📍, which is one of Belgium's main theme parks, mostly centred around children's television characters of Studio100-productions. The park draws in some 1.3 million visitors per year. Combination tickets are available from De Lijn, which grant both transport and entry into Plopsaland/Plopsaqua. This combination ticket is only worth it if you're arriving from somewhere along the Kusttram. The De Panne, Station [rail] 📍 stop, connecting to national rail services is less than a kilometre away, so if you're travelling by train, perhaps opt for a short walk instead.

Stay safe

See also: Belgium#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 can run bidirectionally, and are relatively quiet, so look out when you're near to the tracks. Be predictable for tram drivers and other road users, and keep an eye out for others that 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 can 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 dialing +32 070 220 200 (€0.30 per minute). The emergency number (for police, paramedic and fire) in all of Belgium is 112.

Go next

At the western end

From De Panne, Dunkirk in France, 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. This trip only takes seven minutes per intercity train, which, confusingly, stops in Koksijde, which serves the fringes of Veurne more than it does the down of Koksijde.

Lastly, if the World War heritage of Belgium interests you, the city of Ieper (Ypres) is an easy recommendation. The city hosted some of the deadliest battles of the western front in the First World War, with a total of four battles taking place between 1914 and 1918.

At the eastern end

The Dutch border is less than from Knokke, and the closest town is the historical city Sluis. Additionally, by a combination of buses you can get to Breskens, from where a ferry service can connect you to Vlissingen. This journey does take 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 or RTM crossing the Brouwersdam across the Grevelingenmeer, one of the Delta Works in Zeeland, the Netherlands.
• The Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway in Romney Marsh, Kent, is a narrow-gauge railway that runs along the coast between Dymchurch and Dungeness. It can be reached fairly easy from the British side of the Chanel Tunnel.
• Wuppertal, Germany, which is quite famous for its Schwebebahn or "hanging railway" following the course of the river Wupper below. The suspension railway is a well-operated and valid alternative to taking a bus to get around the city.

Other destinations

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