Eurostar delays enter second day as passengers caught onboard in a single day | EUROtoday

Eurostar passengers are braced for extra potential disruption, after an influence outage within the Channel Tunnel precipitated journey chaos for hundreds of individuals on Tuesday.

As folks scrambled to get to New Year’s Eve celebrations, some travellers mentioned they spent greater than six hours caught onboard trains in a single day as providers have been hit by extra delays.

One man advised the BBC he had boarded the 19:01 service to Paris, however as of 03:00 GMT he was nonetheless caught on the practice on the entrance to the tunnel.

He mentioned employees had advised him there was a “50% chance we go to Paris, 50% chance we go back to London”.

“I guess my new year plan is in the hands of the tunnel operators now,” the 27-year-old Parisian mentioned.

Eurostar mentioned it deliberate to run all of its providers on Wednesday however warned there should still be some delays and cancellations.

The service from London to Paris scheduled for 06:00 GMT has been cancelled.

The drawback with the overhead energy provide and a damaged down LeShuttle practice blocked all routes on Tuesday, inflicting disruptions for hundreds making an attempt to get away for New Year’s Eve.

Some Eurostar and LeShuttle providers had resumed on Tuesday night, however delays remained, with solely one of many tunnel’s two rail strains open.

Getlink, which runs the Channel Tunnel, mentioned work continued by way of the night time to repair the ability subject.

On Wednesday morning, an replace on Eurostar’s web site mentioned: “Services have resumed today following a power issue in the Channel Tunnel yesterday and some further issues with rail infrastructure overnight.

“We plan to run all of our providers as we speak, nevertheless as a result of knock-on impacts there should still be some delays and potential last-minute cancellations.

“Please check for live updates on the status of your train on the train status and timetables page.”

Dennis van der Steen, from the Netherlands, was heading house to Amsterdam to spend New Year’s Eve along with his household and mates.

Instead he mentioned he spent six hours caught on board a Eurostar practice, earlier than it started to maneuver once more at about 03:00 GMT.

“We’re stuck,” he advised the BBC.

He mentioned there was no energy onboard the practice when it stopped, and that some passengers slept whereas others have been “also very worried”. He was later advised his practice would proceed on its journey.

Another passenger described feeling a “rollercoaster of emotions” for hours, not realizing whether or not the practice he was on would have the ability to proceed throughout the Channel or return to London.

His practice ultimately made it to Brussels, he mentioned, including: “Glad to be home, saw many families stranded.”

Images of large crowds of travellers stranded at London St Pancras International flooded social media following Tuesday’s energy outage.

{A photograph} shared with the BBC by a practice driver for Eurostar appeared to point out overhead electrical cables strewn throughout the tracks.

Meanwhile, vehicles that had hoped to make use of the Channel Tunnel precipitated site visitors jams close to the LeShuttle Terminal in Folkestone.

Tim Brown, who had been making an attempt to return to the UK after spending Christmas in Germany, advised PA News he had been caught in his automobile on the LeShuttle practice for greater than three hours with “no access to food or water”.

At least a dozen Eurostar providers between the UK, France, Belgium and the Netherlands had been cancelled by noon on Tuesday.

The rail operator apologised and mentioned passengers may rearrange their plans freed from cost or can cancel their reserving and get a refund or an e-voucher.

On Tuesday, Eurostar has urged its clients “to rebook their journey for another day if possible, with free exchanges available”.

“We also advise customers not to come to our stations if their trains have been already been cancelled.”