Eurostar services have partially resumed after an earlier power outage in the Channel Tunnel led to the cancellation of all trains from London to Paris, Amsterdam, and Brussels.
While services are restarting, Eurostar has warned that trains not already cancelled will be subject to “severe delays and possible last-minute cancellations.” Passengers are being advised to consider postponing their travel to a later date.
LeShuttle services, which transport road vehicles and passengers between Folkestone and Calais, have also resumed, albeit with delays.
The disruption was initially triggered by an issue with the overhead power supply, compounded by a broken-down LeShuttle train, effectively blocking all routes and causing widespread travel chaos.
The rail operator had temporarily suspended all services until further notice.
By midday Tuesday, at least a dozen Eurostar services connecting the UK, France, Belgium, and the Netherlands had been cancelled.
Eurostar has issued an apology, stating that passengers can rearrange their travel plans without charge, or opt for a full refund or e-voucher.
Travelers have shared accounts with the BBC of being stranded and seeking alternative routes to their destinations.
For example, two American tourists incurred hundreds of pounds in additional expenses to reach Paris after their Eurostar service from London St Pancras International was cancelled.
Haley Adams, 38, and Hannah Hagar, 35, spent $580 (£430) on flights to the French capital to celebrate Hannah’s 36th birthday.
While their Eurostar tickets were refunded, they faced additional costs for an extra night in a London hotel and were unable to recoup the cost of their non-refundable Paris hotel booking.
“There’s been a lot of queuing,” Adams noted. “We have been here for five hours.”
A family from Mexico expressed concerns that their long-awaited trip was in jeopardy due to the Eurostar cancellation.
Monserrat Hernandes, along with her brother John Paul and mother Olga, were among numerous passengers anxiously monitoring their phones near the Eurostar departure area at St Pancras.
The family boarded a Eurostar train shortly after 08:00 GMT, but the train was forced to return to London due to the incident.
“They say nothing is travelling today… there’s no hope for leaving tomorrow,” she lamented.
The family is now exploring alternative travel options, such as flights or ferries, to reach Paris.
“It’s like an American movie,” she commented. “Hopefully I find the love of my life.”
In France, Ben Clark, from Bedfordshire, reported being stuck on a Le Shuttle train in Calais for several hours with his wife and three daughters.
“The first two-and-a-half hours weren’t too bad but the girls have got restless in the last half an hour so we’ve let them run around the boarding carriage to burn off some energy,” he said.
“Some people are getting angry but there’s nothing that can be done, others are sleeping in their cars. We have used up our snacks and now have no plan B or C.”
National Rail is advising passengers whose Eurostar trains have been cancelled not to travel to London St Pancras International. The Department for Transport has stated that disruption is “likely for the remainder of the day” while repairs to the damaged overhead cables are underway.
A photograph shared with the BBC, reportedly taken by a Eurostar train driver, appears to show damaged overhead electrical cables lying across the tracks.
Eurostar has confirmed that only one of the two main tunnels in the Channel Tunnel is currently operational.
Eurostar services resumed with the 15:04 train from London to Brussels departing after 16:00.
As of 18:00, only a limited number of services to Paris Gare du Nord and Brussels were scheduled to depart from London St Pancras International this evening.
The broken-down LeShuttle train has been removed from the Channel Tunnel. The operator stated that no passengers were stranded inside the tunnel following the power failure and subsequent closure.
LeShuttle has apologized for the disruption and warned of delays of approximately five hours, advising passengers to “please check in as planned.”
The LeShuttle service “resumed very gradually on one track” shortly before 15:00 local time (14:00 GMT), according to the EuroTunnel Press Office.
“Service is operating alternately in both directions with significant delays,” the statement added, noting that “additional shuttles will be added in the evening and until tomorrow morning.”
Traffic congestion has eased on the M20 after vehicles attempting to cross the Channel Tunnel caused traffic jams near the LeShuttle Terminal in Folkestone.
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