Eurostar trains were canceled on Saturday until at least 4:00 p.m. GMT due to flooding of tracks in southern England, stranding thousands of passengers on the eve of New Year’s festivities.
“We are unable to operate our trains until further notice. We do not know what time traffic will resume. All Eurostar departures before 4 p.m. (GMT and local) have been canceled,” it is said in a message broadcast at Saint Pancras, the Eurostar departure and arrival station in the British capital.
“You are requested not to join the queue,” it also says.
Trains from London to Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam are canceled. No Eurostar arrives at St Pancras. At least fifteen trains have been canceled, according to the company.
In the station, in the middle of the day, thousands of passengers wait quietly, their phones in hand, hoping to be able to book a flight, a ferry or a hotel in London.
These cancellations are due to “flooding of the tunnels” between St Pancras International and Ebbsfleet station in the south-east of England, Eurostar said in a statement.
The Network Rail train service “continues to do everything possible and will inform Eurostar if services can be maintained later today,” Eurostar adds.
According to British rail operator South Eastern Railway, the disruption could last “until the end of the day”.
“Flooding has occurred in both railway tunnels near Ebbsfleet International, which means that both tunnels are closed,” explains this railway company.
Geeske de Jong, a communications specialist, was supposed to take a train, with her husband and their three children, at 11:05 a.m. to Amsterdam, but it was canceled. “We are looking for a ferry because all the planes are full,” she explains to AFP. “We have a party at our house tomorrow night, but we don’t know if we’ll be there!” says this 40-year-old woman, smiling. “At least we had a good holiday in London!”
Aurelio Gomes, who works in the automobile industry in the Paris region, still has hope. The train he has to take at 6:01 p.m., with his wife and their 15-year-old daughter, has not yet been announced as canceled. “We don’t know what to do while we wait to find out. We hope they will unblock the tunnel quickly. Fingers crossed,” he said.
“The trip was fun until today,” jokes Isabella Sloan, a 17-year-old Australian, who is touring Europe with her parents and two sisters. After a few days in London, the family was supposed to go to Paris, but their train was canceled. “We are trying to find a solution to reach Paris. Maybe the bus,” she explains.
“We have tickets booked for the Palace of Versailles on Monday! Who knows if we’ll make it!” adds Isabella Sloan.
The cancellations, which come during one of the busiest weekends of the year, will strand thousands of passengers.
Eurostar is “extremely sorry for the unforeseen issues affecting our customers and our services,” the company wrote in a statement. “We understand that this is a crucial time to return home at the end of the holiday season and ahead of the New Year.”
The company offers passengers the option of exchanging their reservation for a trip at a later date or canceling their ticket.
On December 21, in the middle of the holiday departure period, Eurostar passengers were already faced with numerous train cancellations due to a surprise strike which paralyzed the Channel Tunnel.
A total of 30 trains were canceled that day, leaving thousands of travelers without a solution.
Eurostar traffic finally resumed on December 22.