What is the nearest train station in De Haan?
De Haan has no railway station; the nearest stations are Ostend and Blankenberge, both linked by the Coast Tram.
- Ostend station: on the Natiënkaai, with the most trains: direct to Brussels, Ghent, Bruges, Antwerp and Kortrijk. The Coast Tram (Kusttram) takes you to De Haan in about 20 minutes.
- Blankenberge station: an hourly intercity via Bruges and Ghent to Brussels; the tram reaches De Haan in about a quarter of an hour.
- Summer: in July and August extra trains (the Kust-Express) run to Ostend and Blankenberge.
- Journey time: about 1 hour 15 minutes from Brussels to Ostend, about 15 minutes from Bruges, plus the tram ride.
- Journey planner: current times are on belgiantrain.be and in the NMBS/SNCB app.
How do you travel to De Haan by public transport?
Take the train to Ostend or Blankenberge and the Coast Tram (Kusttram) from there to De Haan; the tram stops at five places in the municipality.
- Coast Tram: stops Zwarte Kiezel, Waterkasteellaan, Aan Zee (by the centre and the historic little tram station), Zeepreventorium and Vosseslag; in summer the tram runs about every 10 minutes, the rest of the year usually every 15 to 20 minutes and less often in the evening.
- Tram journey times: about 20 minutes to Ostend, about a quarter of an hour to Blankenberge and about 10 minutes to Wenduine.
- Train: direct trains run to Ostend from Brussels, Ghent, Bruges and Antwerp; from the Netherlands and Germany you change in Antwerp or Brussels.
- Paying on De Lijn: on the tram and bus, hold your debit card, credit card or smartphone against the white reader; contactless payment also works with foreign cards. You only tap in, not out. You can also buy a ticket in advance in the De Lijn app.
- Works on the tram: in 2026 and 2027 De Lijn is renewing tracks and stops, including in Ostend and Bredene. On some evenings buses replace the trams, so check De Lijn before you travel.
- Journey planner: train times on belgiantrain.be, trams and buses on delijn.be.
How do you get to De Haan by car?
De Haan lies between Ostend and Blankenberge and is easy to reach via the E40 (A10).
- From Brussels and Ghent: follow the E40 (A10) towards Ostend, take the exit at Jabbeke or Bruges and follow the signs to De Haan.
- From Antwerp and the Netherlands: take the E17 to Ghent and then the E40; from Rotterdam and Amsterdam drive via Antwerp.
- From Zeeland: through the Westerscheldetunnel, which has been toll free for cars, motorhomes and motorcycles since 30 December 2024, and on via Zelzate, the N49 and Bruges.
- From northern France: from Lille via Kortrijk (A17) or via Dunkirk (A18 and E40) to Jabbeke.
- Driving time without traffic: Bruges about 25 minutes, Ghent about 50 minutes, Brussels and Antwerp about 1 hour 15 minutes, Lille about 1 hour 5 minutes, Rotterdam about 2 hours 15 minutes, Cologne about 3.5 hours.
- On arrival: parking is paid in the centre and along the seafront and scarce on busy days.
Can you cycle to De Haan?
Yes, De Haan lies on the coastal cycle route; it is an easy ride from the stations in Ostend and Blankenberge.
- From Ostend station: about 12 kilometres via the Oosteroever and Bredene along the dunes.
- From Blankenberge station: about 8 kilometres via Wenduine.
- From Bruges: about 20 kilometres following the cycle junctions through the polders.
- Coastal cycle route: the coast route (part of EuroVelo 12) runs along the entire Belgian coast, with a dense network of cycle junctions.
- Bikes on the train: on NMBS trains you buy a bike supplement in advance; folding bikes travel free. On the Coast Tram a bike is allowed if there is space, with a separate De Lijn bike ticket. On summer days trains and trams are often too full.
- Bike rental: De Haan has several bike rental shops.