Thousands of Eurostar passengers faced travel chaos on Tuesday as an estimated 25,000 people were left stranded when services between London, Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam were suspended without notice. The disruption, one of the worst at peak travel time, was caused by a problem with the overhead power supply in the Channel Tunnel and a broken-down train blocking the route.
Crowds built up at St Pancras and Paris Gare du Nord stations as 30 trains were cancelled by 5.30pm, with some already departed services turned around en route. Passengers desperately sought alternative travel, but ferries were fully booked and long queues formed for LeShuttle at Folkestone. EasyJet added extra flights to accommodate those affected.
Eurostar strongly advised passengers not to travel to the station unless their train was confirmed, warning of severe delays and possible last-minute cancellations. Passengers reported a lack of information and support from staff. Talea Uluakiola, from New Zealand, described the ordeal as an 'absolute nightmare', while Charles Nduka-Eze from Nigeria said his family's trip to Disneyland was a 'complete disaster'.
Shadow transport secretary Richard Holden called for proper compensation. A Department for Transport spokesperson confirmed that Eurotunnel was working to resume some services, but warned of significant disruption for the remainder of the day.
By 3.30pm, the tunnel partially reopened and services gradually resumed, with priority given to passengers booked on those services. However, Eurostar continued to advise postponing journeys if possible, warning of ongoing delays and longer journey times.
