Can children really ride the Kusttram with a homemade beach flower this summer?
Children under 12 can use a paper beach flower as a valid ticket on De Lijn’s Coastal Tram in July and August 2026, according to the Flemish public transport operator.
In 30 seconds
- De Lijn says children under 12 can use a beach flower as their Coastal Tram ticket in July and August 2026.
- The Kusttram has 67 stops and links the Belgian coast through West Flanders.
- Children under six already normally travel free with a paying passenger aged at least 12, according to De Lijn.
- Beach-flower selling is listed by Immaterieel Erfgoed Vlaanderen as a Belgian coastal intangible heritage practice.
The subject is De Lijn’s summer 2026 Coastal Tram promotion allowing children under 12 to use a paper beach flower, or strandbloem, as a valid ticket in July and August. The named entities are De Lijn, the Flemish public transport operator; the Kusttram or Coastal Tram; Immaterieel Erfgoed Vlaanderen; and coastal gemeenten including De Panne, Middelkerke, Oostende and Knokke-Heist.
Background
Immaterieel Erfgoed Vlaanderen says the beach-flower game has been passed down since at least the interwar period and grew with postwar mass tourism. Children traditionally trade crepe-paper flowers for shells rather than money.
What to do
Children under 12 should carry a paper beach flower when boarding the Kusttram in July or August 2026. Adults and children aged 12 or over need regular De Lijn tickets; use the De Lijn app, contactless payment or a ticket product before or when boarding as applicable.
Impact
Regional — The direct impact is along the Flemish coast in West Flanders, where the Kusttram links coastal municipalities and where the beach-flower tradition is practised on the sand.
EvidenceWell established · 1 primary source + 4 official documentsExplore evidence →Hide evidence ↑
- Published:
- 15 Jun 2026, 02:00
- Retrieved by ODIN:
- 11 Jul 2026
- Publication date unavailable
- Retrieved by ODIN:
- 11 Jul 2026
- Publication date unavailable
- Retrieved by ODIN:
- 11 Jul 2026
- Publication date unavailable
- Retrieved by ODIN:
- 11 Jul 2026
- Publication date unavailable
- Retrieved by ODIN:
- 11 Jul 2026
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This story was assembled from verified evidence, with its sources and reasoning recorded as it was written.