In a major blow to holiday travellers, Eurostar was forced to cancel all its train services on Tuesday following a significant disruption inside the Channel Tunnel. The incident, caused by a critical failure in the overhead power supply, led to widespread delays and cancellations during one of the busiest travel periods of the year.
What Caused the Major Travel Disruption?
The operator confirmed that services were severely affected by a problem with the overhead power supply in the tunnel. This technical issue was compounded by a separate failure involving a Le Shuttle train, which carries vehicles between Folkestone and Calais. The dual problems created a perfect storm, bringing cross-channel rail traffic to a virtual standstill.
In an urgent statement posted on its website, Eurostar strongly advised all passengers to postpone their journey to a different date. The company warned that even the few trains still attempting to run could face severe delays and last-minute cancellations, offering little certainty for stranded travellers.
Widespread Impact on Key Routes
National Rail echoed this advice, issuing warnings that journeys between London St Pancras International and Paris Gare du Nord were likely to be disrupted throughout the entire day. By late afternoon, several services in both directions had already been officially cancelled, leaving hundreds of passengers in limbo at major stations.
The timing of this disruption could not have been worse, occurring during the peak travel period between Christmas and New Year. Eurostar, which operates high-speed services linking London with Paris, Brussels, and Amsterdam, is typically at its busiest during this festive week, transporting thousands of passengers daily.
Knock-on Effects and Passenger Advisories
The ripple effects were felt across the channel. Le Shuttle reported extensive delays of up to three-and-a-half hours on the UK side and approximately two hours on the French side. This created long queues of vehicles waiting to cross, adding to the overall travel chaos.
For passengers holding tickets for Tuesday's affected services, the advice remains clear: avoid travelling unless absolutely necessary. Eurostar is expected to provide further updates on service restoration and information regarding ticket exchanges and refunds as engineers work to resolve the critical power supply issue in the tunnel.
