BY EMMANUEL OGBONNA
Rail services through the Channel Tunnel linking the United Kingdom with mainland Europe were severely disrupted on Tuesday after power supply problems and a disabled train forced operators to suspend and delay traffic during one of the busiest travel periods of the year.
Operators said the disruption was triggered by an overnight power issue affecting overhead lines inside the tunnel, compounded by a technical failure on a train operated by LeShuttle, the service that carries vehicles and passengers between Calais in northern France and Folkestone in southern England. The combined problems brought traffic in both directions to a standstill, leaving thousands of passengers stranded as year-end holiday travel peaked.
At Paris’s Gare du Nord station, scenes of frustration and distress unfolded as canceled services rippled through the network. Jamie and Issy Gill were among those scrambling to find an alternative route back to Britain after their Eurostar train to London was canceled. The couple had traveled to Paris to celebrate Issy Gill’s 30th birthday but found themselves unexpectedly separated from their infant son back home.
“We came for my 30th birthday,” Issy Gill said through tears as they searched for flights and other options. Her partner, Jamie Gill, said they eventually secured a circuitous journey back to the U.K., flying via Birmingham on Wednesday after failing to find a direct route.
Eurostar, which operates high-speed passenger trains between London and major European cities including Paris and Brussels, said the incident stemmed from overhead power supply issues within the Channel Tunnel, along with the failure of a separate train inside the tunnel system. The company warned passengers early in the day that significant delays and cancellations were unavoidable.
By Tuesday afternoon, Eurostar said one of the tunnel’s two rail lines had reopened, allowing a limited resumption of services. Evening trains were expected to run, but the company cautioned that delays and longer journey times would persist and urged passengers, where possible, to rebook their trips for later dates.
The Channel Tunnel, a 50-kilometer rail link with more than half of its length running beneath the English Channel, has been a cornerstone of travel between Britain and continental Europe since it opened in 1994. However, its status as the sole fixed rail connection between the two has long made it vulnerable to major disruptions when technical problems arise.
Inside Gare du Nord, the situation grew increasingly tense as crowds swelled around ticket counters and information boards. Many passengers attempted to book flights or long-distance bus journeys, only to be told that seats were fully booked for days.
“I’m disgusted, disheartened,” said Sarah Omouri, a French traveler whose plans to spend the New Year in London were derailed by the disruption. She said it had been nearly a year since she last took a vacation and described a chaotic experience of repeatedly boarding and disembarking trains before learning that no immediate alternatives were available. “It’s ruined,” she said.
In London, similar frustration was felt among travelers who never reached the continent. John Paul, 46, said he and his partner Lucy had been looking forward to a romantic trip to Paris, including a river cruise and a visit to the Eiffel Tower. Their Eurostar train was forced to turn back before entering the tunnel.
“We got probably about an hour down the track, maybe 40 minutes, and then they basically said the train’s got to stop because the train ahead had a braking issue,” Paul said. He described limited and unclear communication from staff as trains backed up behind the disabled service. “We’ve lost a lot of money,” he added, noting the cost of hotels and activities they could no longer use.
Eurotunnel, which operates the Channel Tunnel infrastructure, said the power supply problem began overnight on Monday in one section of the tunnel and affected both passenger and vehicle rail services. Engineers worked through the day to restore operations and stabilize the system.
While services gradually resumed, the disruption underscored the fragility of the vital cross-Channel link during peak travel periods, leaving many passengers facing altered plans, financial losses and an anxious wait to reach their destinations as the holiday season drew to a close.
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