Eurostar services halted because of power supply problems in the Channel Tunnel

Disruption to International Rail Services

High-speed rail connections between the UK, France, Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands have experienced major disruptions, leading to a suspension of all flights to and from London.

Eurostar announced via email that services from London are halted indefinitely due to overhead power issues in the Channel Tunnel, compounded by the failure of a Le Shuttle train. They advised customers to reschedule their trips when free exchanges are available, expressing apologies for the inconvenience.

Earlier in the day, Eurostar had urged travelers to delay their journeys due to ongoing power supply problems, warning that significant delays and late cancellations could affect passengers. They instructed customers not to go to the station unless they had tickets.

British Rail echoed this message, advising passengers to postpone their travel due to disruptions between London St Pancras and the Paris Nord line.

Eurotunnel commented that an incident last night concerning the power supply in a part of the Channel Tunnel had affected both train and shuttle services, requiring technical adjustments currently in progress. Services are temporarily suspended in both directions.

Eurotunnel added that they plan to gradually resume Le Shuttle operations from around 3 PM CET, with teams working to restore normalcy as quickly as feasible. They mentioned that wait times would be adjusted throughout the day.

Eurostar clarified that there were no passengers trapped in the tunnel, and the malfunctioning Le Shuttle has since been removed. It’s worth noting that Le Shuttle specifically carries passengers and vehicles between Folkestone in the UK and Calais in France, providing a quick transit time of about 35 minutes.

London North Eastern Railway (LNER) informed that customers affected by the Eurostar disruptions on December 30 can use an alternative LNER service to return to their home stations without extra charges. They stated that those who had to leave their journey at London King’s Cross could travel back at no additional cost and that postponing Eurostar travel doesn’t incur extra fees if they travel on the same day with their existing LNER ticket.