Eurostar Chaos Causes Major Disruptions and Strands Families Amid Channel Tunnel Power Supply Fault
On 30 December 2025, Eurostar and Le Shuttle services to and from London St Pancras and continental Europe were severely disrupted due to a Channel Tunnel overhead power supply fault combined with a failed Le Shuttle train blocking all routes.
The disruption affected London, Paris, Brussels, and Amsterdam during one of the busiest travel weeks of the year. Eurostar initially advised postponing journeys and suspended all trains to and from London until further notice. Services gradually resumed around 3pm, but only one line of the Channel Tunnel remained available for trains while repairs continued, resulting in delays and longer journey times.
Getlink, the Channel Tunnel operator, confirmed that repairs were underway and waiting times were being adjusted as traffic services were restored in both directions. At Folkestone, Le Shuttle services were initially postponed or delayed, causing queues, but gradually resumed by the afternoon.
Many passengers faced significant personal and financial impacts. Ethlyn Buckmire Edwards, a cancer patient without travel insurance due to her condition, had spent approximately £3,500 on a Disneyland trip to celebrate her son's 10th birthday. She and her family were stranded outside the Channel Tunnel for hours before returning to London, likely losing most of the money spent on the trip.
A Nigeria-based family led by Charles Nduka-Eze, Paris-bound with hotel bookings, Disneyland tickets, and river cruises, were also stranded after their train was turned back to London. Similarly, John Paul from Peterborough and his partner Lucy, traveling to Paris with tickets for the Eiffel Tower and a river cruise, spent five hours on a Paris-bound train before it returned to London, postponing their plans.
Passengers were advised to rebook with free exchanges and urged not to travel to stations if their trains were cancelled due to ongoing disruptions.
