Newsroom
Thousands of passengers travelling between the UK and mainland Europe faced major disruption after a power supply failure in the Channel Tunnel led to the suspension of Eurostar services for much of the day, during one of the busiest travel periods of the year.
The incident was caused by damage to overhead electrical cables inside the tunnel, forcing Eurostar to cancel all services between London, Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam. A separate breakdown involving a LeShuttle train carrying vehicles through the tunnel added to the problems, leaving cars and passengers stranded for hours on both sides of the Channel.
Some Eurostar services gradually resumed later in the afternoon, operating on a single tunnel line. Despite this, the company continued to advise passengers not to travel, warning of significant delays and the risk of further cancellations. The Department for Transport said disruption was expected to continue for the rest of the day while repairs were carried out.
At St Pancras International in London, passengers queued for hours as announcements changed throughout the day. Many people who had boarded early morning trains were sent back after being held on stationary services, while others were told to rebook for another date. Several passengers described being stuck onboard trains for up to four hours before returning to London.
One of those affected was 21-year-old student Dina Motashaw, who waited more than 10 hours before finally boarding one of the first services to resume. She described overcrowded platforms, limited information and intense competition for places on the few trains running.
Elsewhere, travellers sought alternative routes as flight availability dwindled and prices rose sharply. Some passengers paid several hundred pounds for last-minute flights to Europe after abandoning rail travel. Tourists travelling for birthdays, weddings and anniversaries said their plans had been thrown into doubt, with extra accommodation costs and missed events.
Drivers using LeShuttle faced long delays, with waits of up to six hours reported in Calais and Folkestone. Families described stressful conditions while stuck in queues with little information, and congestion built up on surrounding roads before easing later in the day.
Despite the disruption, some passengers tried to keep spirits up. Musicians played in St Pancras station, drawing crowds and offering a brief distraction for those waiting, while fellow travellers helped one another rebook journeys online.
Eurostar said affected passengers could change their bookings free of charge, request refunds or claim compensation for reasonable expenses such as hotels, food and taxis. However, for many, the disruption had already taken a heavy toll on long-planned journeys and celebrations.
With information from BBC.
