The pioneering years

Belgium has got one of the densest transport networks in the world. Early in the 19th century already, new waterways, train connections and local railways came into being, connecting the various towns with each other and considerably improving the accessibility of the countryside. In 1835 there was the first train ride in Belgium, between Brussels and Mechelen. Soon, the connection between Brussels and Ostend followed: on 28 August, 1838  the connection between Bruges and Ostend was a fact and from 2 September, 1838 the exploitation of the complete railroad route of Brussels-Ostend was started.  For some time 'the Queen of Seaside Resorts' formed the only train stop at the coast, but in 1863 and in 1869 Blankenberge and Nieuwpoort followed, and in 1868 the railway line was further constructed from Blankenberge to Heist. Tourists heading for Knokke were met at the Heist station and taken to their destination by carriage. Knokke was not directly accessible from the hinterland before 1890, when the tram line of Bruges-Westkapelle-Knokke-Heist became a fact. Knokke had to wait until 1926 for its own train station.

The perpendicular connections between the coast and the hinterland were ready fairly quickly. A lateral opening up between the different villages in the dunes and at the beach, however, was missing. Not only the tourists, but the agricultural as well as the industrial sector were in urgent need of a cheap means of transport to facilitate and expand their sales. In the 1870's already, the idea of creating a small-scale network of local railways was alive, but a law on that was not adopted before 1884, and eventually the Nationale Maatschappij van Buurtspoorwegen (NMVB) (the National Society of Local Railroads) was established. In June 1885 the construction of a tram track between Ostend and Middelkerke was started. The line was inaugurated on 5 July of that same year. The newspaper 'L'Echo d'Ostende'  of 9 July, 1885 described the festivities of this inauguration in great detail.

A month later the tram connection was already extended towards Nieuwpoort. The capital for this construction was raised by the state, the Province of West-Flanders and the municipalities involved. Even some private parties contributed to the financing of the Ostend-Middelkerke-Nieuwpoort line, a project with a price tag of over 700,000 francs. All projects following were financed both by public as well as private capital.

The Kusttram was very successful and little by little its network was further extended. First, in 1886, the Ostend-Nieuwpoort line was taken as far as Veurne. In 1888 it even went as far as Ypres. In 1901 one could reach Koksyde and De Panne by coastal tram via Veurne. From 1886 onwards, the NMVB constructed a connection with the eastern coast as well. In that same year, the Ostend-Blankenberge line was opened. This was done at the request of the Director of the Casino at the time, who saw golden opportunities in the construction of a tram line between Ostend and Blankenberge to lure the tourists to his casino. The tram line was to become a blessing for the Ostend inhabitants and for all of the self-employed businesses in that area.

Le littoral: the electrical tram

The steam tram was called the 'Vicinal'. Yet, slowly the idea of an electrical tram gained weight. In 1895 the Belgian state and Colonel John Thomas North signed a convention, stating that Colonel North was entitled to construct an electrical local railroad line and exploit it between Ostend and Middelkerke. This initiative was protested heavily, both by the municipalities involved as well as by the Province of West-Flanders. As shareholders of the NMVB, they regarded the electrical tram as their major competitor. Nevertheless, the Compagnie du Tramway electrique d'Ostende- Littoral  was established. However, the NMVB in its turn tried everything possible to end up as the first to come with an electrical tram on its tracks - in the urban network of Ostend, in their case. In the end, the honour of inaugurating the first electrical tram came to the NMVB. This happened on 29 June, 1897, to be followed three weeks later by the Compagnie Ostende-Littoral, who solemnly opened the coastal tram line on 19 July, 1897. Thus, the first tracks of the present-day coastal tram bedding were laid!

The new electrical tram had many advantages compared to the steam tram: the new vehicle started much quicker and reached a velocity of over 30 km per hour. The route of the new tram was also a major innovation. Because it largely ran between the dunes and the sea, the tram's users could enjoy a lovely panorama. Moreover, the Compagnie Ostende-Littoral disposed of really wonderful coaches with open summer carriages. Soon this tram was known as 'the tram of the rich'. Besides, the tram stopped right in front of the entrance to the Ostend hippodrome, where the better-offs liked to spend time. The first extensions of the line followed at the beginning of the 20th century, with the Ostend-Middelkerke line reaching to Westende in 1903. In 1909 the first electrical tram rode on the line between Ostend and Blankenberge, and in 1912 it was extended to Knokke. From Ostend electrical tram lines were also installed to Diksmuide and Bruges. The villages were mostly very happy with the construction of the electrical tram network, as the works brought along the introduction of electricity and the connection of the villages to the electricity network. That is why at the coast EBES was established in order to supply the electricity necessary for the trams.

The World Wars and later

During both world wars the Kusttram was intensively used. During the First World War the Kusttram was split up into two parts: there were the tram lines running from the Dutch border up to the river Yser, passing through the entire area occupied by the German army, and, next to that, the tram lines running behind the front. In both cases the electrical as well as the steam trams fulfilled major functions. People would take the tram to flee to the Netherlands, France or England. The German army took over the control of the Kusttram in the occupied area and used it for the provisioning of soldiers and citizens. The Red Cross, too, used the Kusttram for the transportation of wounded soldiers and citizens. During the Second World War there was less tram traffic than before, and the tram was mainly used for the transportation of coal and food supplies. Due to the ruling famine, the transports were regularly plundered.

A new success story

After the Second World War the Kusttram suffered from the success of  "King Car" and the competition with bus transport. The road infrastructure was adjusted to these trends: roads were widened and the tram rails had to make way for cars and buses. Quite a number of tram lines completely disappeared from the landscape. Fortunately, the Kusttram line was one of the few to be spared from decline.

At the end of the 1970's, the modernisation of the Kusttram network became a necessity. The innovation of the airline and the modernisation of the traction substations was started. The tracks, too, were systematically renovated. In the beginning of the 1980's,  the NMVB entered into an agreement with present-day Bombardier and purchased a series of entirely new tram carriages. From this series onwards we speak of 'Light Rail Vehicles'. In 1991, the NMVB melted into 'De Lijn', which, from then onwards kept up the work of investing in better quality and services for its customers. At the present moment, the Kusttram transports over twelve million travellers each year, consisting of local inhabitants, school children, tourists and old-age pensioners. The Kusttram is a genuine icon for Belgium and for the coast, and contributes to the coast's sustainability and durability.