The Coast Tram is one of the most remarkable public-transport successes in Europe — a 67 km low-floor tram line connecting all 10 Belgian coastal towns from De Panne to Knokke-Heist. For wheelchair users, this is the ultimate Belgian multimodal travel USP: every tram is adapted, every stop is adapted, and it is free with a disability attestation.
In this guide: everything you need to know to make the most of the Coast Tram — from stops to fares to combinations with the train and airport.
🚋 The Coast Tram in figures
- 67 km of paved tram line (the longest tram line in Belgium and one of the longest in the world)
- 68 stops spread along the coast
- 10 coastal towns connected: De Panne, Koksijde, Nieuwpoort, Middelkerke, Ostend, Bredene, De Haan, Wenduine, Blankenberge, Knokke-Heist
- Frequency: every 10-15 min in July-August, every 20-30 min mid-season
- Ostend Station = the hub where Coast Tram and NMBS (Belgian Railways) trains meet
- All vehicles = low-floor with extendable boarding ramps
🚋 Why ideal for wheelchair users
Fully low-floor
All Coast Tram vehicles are fully low-floor — no intermediate step, no stairs. The boarding ramp extends automatically at adapted stops and manually by the driver at other stops.
All stops adapted
De Lijn has spent the last 15 years adapting all 68 stops with a raised platform + ramp. For a wheelchair user, that is the difference between "can I get off here?" and "of course".
Free with disability attestation
With a PRM Mobib card (available from De Lijn with an attestation), you travel completely free on the entire Coast Tram — and so does your companion. See the details in our public transport master guide.
🎯 Adapted stops — the hubs
All stops are adapted, but some are strategically more important for multimodality:
Ostend Station — The main hub
Ostend station is the place where the NMBS (Belgian Railways) train and the Coast Tram meet. 24/7 assistance is available via NMBS reservation, adapted lifts to the platforms, and a direct transfer to the Coast Tram at zero distance. The train Brussels Airport ↔ Ostend Station takes about 1h30, after which you transfer to the Coast Tram for your coastal destination.
Coast Tram stop Knokke — East end
Knokke-Heist is the terminus on the east side. From here, the Netherlands (Cadzand) is within walking distance for anyone wanting to explore the coast internationally.
De Panne — West end
De Panne terminus is the terminus on the west side. From here, you can continue by bus to the French coast (Bray-Dunes, Dunkirk).
Middelkerke — Casino stop
Middelkerke has a stop right next to Casino Middelkerke, where you have adapted beach access.
De Haan Centrum — Villa stop
De Haan Centrum lies in the art-nouveau heart of the seaside resort — combine with a stay at Hotel Duinhof De Haan or Hotel Manoir Carpe Diem.
🚉 Multimodal combinations
From Brussels to the coast
Most-used route: Brussels Airport → Brussels-Central-North-South → Ostend Station → Coast Tram. Book NMBS (Belgian Railways) assistance in advance via b-europe.com at least 24 hours ahead.
Alternative: Charleroi Airport → Brussels-South → Ostend. Slightly cheaper for budget flights, same end time.
From the Netherlands to the coast
For Dutch visitors: Amsterdam → Antwerp → Ostend via NMBS (Belgian Railways). Coast Tram from Ostend to the desired coastal town. See also our international routes pillar.
From Germany to the coast
From Aachen (German border): train to Liège-Guillemins → NMBS (Belgian Railways) to Ostend. For German visitors, the first-visit Belgium guide offers a more detailed approach.
💰 Fares and tickets
PRM Mobib card — free
A person with a disability with a disability attestation gets free Coast Tram access plus a free companion. Apply via De Lijn — the card arrives within 2-3 weeks and is valid for 3 years.
Regular fares (for non-disability holders)
- Single ride: €2.50
- Day pass: €7.50 (unlimited all day)
- 3-day pass: €18
- Week pass: €30
For visitors without a disability attestation, the day pass is usually the smartest option — you can transfer between coastal towns at no extra cost.
🎯 Practical travel tips
Come earlier during peaks. In July-August, the Coast Tram is very busy on sunny Saturday afternoons. Arrive at 9 a.m. instead of 11 a.m. to easily get a good spot.
Ask the driver if unsure. At an adapted stop, the boarding ramp extends automatically — at others, the driver operates it manually. Signal at boarding that you are a wheelchair user so the driver can prepare the ramp.
Reserve an adapted spot. On the most recent vehicles (2020+), there is a specially adapted wheelchair spot with locking. Come early to get that spot.
Combine beach + stay. For a day at the beach: in the morning, take the Coast Tram to, for example, De Panne, go to the Zon-Zee-Zorgeloos beach, in the afternoon take the Coast Tram to Ostend for a cultural lunch, and in the evening take the Coast Tram back to Blankenberge for an overnight stay.
In August + festival days: extra tram frequencies (every 8-10 min). This means no longer waiting times.
For international visitors: the Coast Tram app (De Lijn app) is available in 4 languages with real-time info.
Combine with other pillars
For a complete coastal stay, combine this Coast Tram info with:
- Belgian Coast main pillar — 2026 figures + accommodations
- Beach-access Mobi-Mat pillar — the 8 free beach-wheelchair locations
- Public transport master guide — NMBS + De Lijn + MIVB + TEC in one
Finally
The Coast Tram is a unique European story — 67 km of fully adapted tram line that connects all coastal towns from De Panne to Knokke-Heist, with all vehicles low-floor and all stops adapted. For wheelchair users, this is the travel USP of the Belgian coast — no other coast in Europe has such an extensive adapted public-transport system.
Our recommendation: use the PRM Mobib card to explore all 68 stops for free, plan beach + culture + dining in a single day by strategically switching between coastal towns, and accept that the coast with the Coast Tram is fundamentally more accessible than by car.
Do you have a specific Coast Tram experience we should add? Let us know — first-hand info about specific adapted stops, driver assistance, and adapted wheelchair spots helps enormously.