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.
The Belgian angle
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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