Eurostar Experiences Significant Disruption Due to Power Line and Train Failures in Channel Tunnel
On Tuesday, Eurostar services through the Channel Tunnel faced major disruption caused by an overhead power line failure and a failed Le Shuttle train, resulting in thousands of travellers being stranded. Specifically, an overhead line fell onto a Eurostar train near the tunnel entrance while a Le Shuttle vehicle train also broke down inside the tunnel.
This led to the cancellation of two London–Paris trains and delays or cancellations affecting most services between London and Paris, Paris and Brussels, and Amsterdam. The impact caused knock-on effects across the network.
Thousands of passengers endured long delays with some journeys taking hours or even overnight, with reports indicating that stranded trains lacked electricity, heating, or water.
By Wednesday, the Channel Tunnel partially reopened and Eurostar planned to resume all services, but cautioned about potential delays and last-minute cancellations. Notably, the 6:01am London–Paris train and the 16:01 Paris-bound service were cancelled, while a 6:31am departure experienced further technical delays. Several lines remained disrupted throughout the day.
These disruptions occurred amid ongoing criticism of Eurostar over high fares and increasing competition in cross-Channel rail services, as Virgin and Trenitalia plan to launch rival services by 2029.
