Passengers are being warned of severe disruption on Eurostar today, with the operator telling customers to cancel or postpone their journeys.
There were two separate fatalities on Tuesday evening on the LGV Nord high-speed line between Lille and Paris, while a cable theft near Lille today has caused disruption in both directions between London and Paris.
Eurostar has posted on its website to say: “Due to a cable theft near Lille Europe, our trains are likely to be subject to severe delays and last-minute cancellations. We advise you to cancel or postpone your trip.”
The Independent says Eurostar has so far cancelled three trains each way and the first three departures between the destinations have been delayed by an hour. Inbound delays of up to 100 minutes are expected.
Trains between London and Brussels have not been cancelled so far, but delays are expected between 50 and 80 minutes.
The Independent said the 10.56 departure from Brussels is expected to leave 90 minutes late and arrive at St Pancras almost three hours behind schedule.
It added that one customer who complained to the operator received a reply apologising for the ‘total chaos’.
The UK Foreign Office has updated its advice to France to say: “Eurostar services to and from France will be severely disrupted today (25 June) with some services cancelled. Check your operator’s advice before travelling, including where you are taking connecting trains.”
Eurostar issued a statement saying: “Our thoughts are with the families and friends of those who lost their lives.
“The line was closed for much of the afternoon and evening, resulting in significant disruption to Eurostar services, including cancellations on routes to and from Paris. Trains on the London–Brussels–Amsterdam route continued to run with delays. Disruption is continuing today due to the knock-on impact of displaced trains and crew.”
“This morning, services have been further affected by an incident of cable theft on the same line near Lille. Trains are being re-routed via diversionary routes, which is leading to extended journey times.
“We’re very sorry for the continued disruption and the impact this is having on our customers. Our teams are working closely with the French authorities and infrastructure teams to manage the situation and restore services safely.
“Customers have been contacted directly with updates and available options. Water is being distributed onboard delayed trains, and station teams remain on hand to offer assistance. Affected customers can change their travel plans free of charge or request a full refund.”
