Delays, Cancellations, and Passenger Frustration Disrupt Travel Across Europe

On Wednesday, Eurostar passengers experienced significant disruptions, with up to two dozen services between Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, and London either cancelled or delayed. The issues caused considerable inconvenience for travelers.

One passenger reported being stuck on a train in France where the electricity had been cut off. This resulted in the air conditioning failing for over half an hour, leading to uncomfortable conditions. Passengers expressed their frustration, citing a lack of communication and the increasing heat within the train.

A Eurostar spokesperson explained that delays between London and Paris were caused by an incident on the LGV Nord high-speed line, where a person was struck by a train. The spokesperson stated that they were collaborating with French authorities to manage the situation and keep services running. Passengers were informed of updates and options, and were advised to avoid arriving at the station early to alleviate congestion.

Additionally, a technical fault caused a 30-minute delay for a train traveling from Brussels to Paris. During this time, the air conditioning was temporarily unavailable in half of the carriages. To address passenger comfort, bottled water was provided.

The Eurostar's travel updates page showed a list of delays and cancellations beginning around 7 am, although problems had started on Monday. The reasons for the disruptions included a fatality, temporary speed restrictions, operational issues, and extended maintenance work. Some services scheduled for Thursday and August were also already cancelled. Other trains skipped stops, such as the Brussels to London St Pancras service, which did not stop at Lille. Furthermore, national strike action on the Dutch network affected both international and domestic trains to Amsterdam.