Eurostar Chaos: 30/12/2025.

[sh24]

Just stamp you back in on your return? But ultimately not sure.

I've had an exit stamp cancelled when a flight turned back to origin. But in this instance they have exited the UK and entered Schengen so twice the complication.

 

[dk1]

No more Eurostar services today according to BBC travel. Airlines can now at least triple the cost of any available seats

 

[Tester]

I've had an exit stamp cancelled when a flight turned back to origin. But in this instance they have exited the UK and entered Schengen so twice the complication.

I was once on a plane from Canada to US, which was cancelled after loading but before takeoff. As I had pre-cleared US immigration it was the equivalent situation.

It was dealt with perfectly straightforwardly.

 

[sot]

Seems like a huge complication if they went out on proper stamps and not electronic Auth as this border is not at all set up as a french/Belgian exit border. Could the normal UK to Schengen part just be fully reversed since no-one should be in there waiting for trains? Rather than coming out of the usual arrivals part.

If they were all electronic then it would be comparatively easy to just cancel everything as they will have an outbound booking on a train known never to have reached the destination.

 

[milooo]

Train traffic to 'gradually resume' this afternoon, says Channel Tunnel operator

BBC says service to resume later today https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c93wkw37p0pt?post=asset:e169186e-360c-4a19-be7f-d4f5918403e5#post

 

[185]

Not much we can do when the tunnel is completely blocked sadly!

Imagine if they built this as two tubes...

Diesel is not permitted in the tunnel iirc

In an emergency, there's got to be some way of getting these trains out and there should be consideration for either diesel or battery rescue locos to quickly get trains out.

The Getlink Shuttle car trains are said to be delayed by 3 hours or so, not totally cancelled, so the tunnel mustn't be totally closed.
Is there a one-way system in place, past the tunnel sections affected?

Upon checking, that's correct, they are still inviting motorists and freight drivers to turn up. Why are trainloads of mostly empty lorries returning to Europe getting priority over passenger trains?

**Edit... BBC article updated whilst typing acknowledging Eurostar will resume later.

Can't tell from the BBC coverage ---
Are both rail tunnels affected ?

With le shuttle advising of three hour delays, they must have one side open, and from memory there are isolate-able electrical sections - surely they can run trains single line past the affected section.

This has happened so many times, with an absolute failure of the service, surely now the three operators, tunnel, freight and passenger should be hauled in by the DfT.

 

[realemil]

This image is making the rounds, but I’m unable to verify whether it’s real or not.

Image shows multiple overhead lines down in a tunnel.

 

[dk1]

BBC says service to resume later today https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c93wkw37p0pt?post=asset:e169186e-360c-4a19-be7f-d4f5918403e5#post

Thats fantastic news for all except the airlines then. Probably caused a stressful few hours for all those booked to travel, many of whom may have already spent quite a bit on non-refundable alternatives.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Deleted - duplicate.

 

[Twingo37175]

Thats fantastic news for all except the airlines then. Probably caused a stressful few hours for all those booked to travel, many of whom may have already spent quite a bit on non-refundable alternatives.

Just looked on a booking engine that references "last minute" options (others available) and nothing showing for this afternoon direct to Paris. Only way to get there tonight would be via Amsterdam at a cost of nearly £1,500. Plenty of changes options (including Casablanca) that would then get to Paris tomorrow.

 

[flitwickbeds]

I was once on a plane from Canada to US, which was cancelled after loading but before takeoff. As I had pre-cleared US immigration it was the equivalent situation.

It was dealt with perfectly straightforwardly.

I was once on a plane from Canada to US, which was cancelled after loading but before takeoff. As I had pre-cleared US immigration it was the equivalent situation.

It was dealt with perfectly straightforwardly.

But it's not equivalent. At St Pancras, Dover, (and I assume Folkestone although I've never travelled on LeShuttle), you go through both borders before you even get on the train - leaving you free to just casually walk away at the other end without going through any kind of security or passport control. The same is true in the other direction.

So this morning we have lots of people who have already "arrived" in Schengen and "left" the UK despite them sitting in the St Pancras lounge, or on a LeShuttle train which has not left the platform at Folkestone, or on one of those trains which departed but never made it into the tunnel before turning back.

Meanwhile there are people in Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, etc who have "entered" the UK and "left" Schengen despite still being in those cities.

In airports you go through border control to "leave" the country, but don't "arrive" at your destination until you have passed through another border control point in that airport. Between the two border points you are essentially in no-man's land. If your flight is cancelled after passing through, you can simply enter again because you haven't "arrived" anywhere else, using the airport's already setup inbound passport control.

St Pancras and Dover (etc) are not setup in this way - there is a clear exit with no obstacles, so you will not pass through any kind of border again (leaving you still "in" Schengen) unless there are physical alterations made to the routes through the building to essentially reverse the flow.

 

[D6130]

This image is making the rounds, but I’m unable to verify whether it’s real or not.

Image shows multiple overhead lines down in a tunnel.

Looks like it's at one of the crossovers.

 

[Tester]

But it's not equivalent. At St Pancras, Dover, (and I assume Folkestone although I've never travelled on LeShuttle), you go through both borders before you even get on the train - leaving you free to just casually walk away at the other end without going through any kind of security or passport control. The same is true in the other direction.

So this morning we have lots of people who have already "arrived" in Schengen and "left" the UK despite them sitting in the St Pancras lounge, or on a LeShuttle train which has not left the platform at Folkestone, or on one of those trains which departed but never made it into the tunnel before turning back.

Meanwhile there are people in Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, etc who have "entered" the UK and "left" Schengen despite still being in those cities.

In airports you go through border control to "leave" the country, but don't "arrive" at your destination until you have passed through another border control point in that airport. Between the two border points you are essentially in no-man's land. If your flight is cancelled after passing through, you can simply enter again because you haven't "arrived" anywhere else, using the airport's already setup inbound passport control.

St Pancras and Dover (etc) are not setup in this way - there is a clear exit with no obstacles, so you will not pass through any kind of border again (leaving you still "in" Schengen) unless there are physical alterations made to the routes through the building to essentially reverse the flow.

Did you miss.....

I had pre-cleared US immigration?

 

[dk1]

Just looked on a booking engine that references "last minute" options (others available) and nothing showing for this afternoon direct to Paris. Only way to get there tonight would be via Amsterdam at a cost of nearly £1,500. Plenty of changes options (including Casablanca) that would then get to Paris tomorrow.

Nearby hotels will be cashing in then.

 

[Trainbike46]

Thats fantastic news for all except the airlines then. Probably caused a stressful few hours for all those booked to travel, many of whom may have already spent quite a bit on non-refundable alternatives.

I just got sent away by Eurostar (on my way home) with the message that there are no trains today, and that there may not be any trains tomorrow either.

 

[Jan Mayen]

This image is making the rounds, but I’m unable to verify whether it’s real or not.

Image shows multiple overhead lines down in a tunnel.

Would the bright light at the end of the tunnel suggest it's near one end?

 

[Failed Unit]

I have had a situation where I have booked into a flight, sat on aircraft and had it cancelled. This was in Germany where we just collected bags and left (we didn’t go through passport control again). Upon leaving the following day for the rebooked flight there was no challenge at boarder control. Probably a common situation.

 

[dk1]

I just got sent away by Eurostar (on my way home) with the message that there are no trains today, and that there may not be any trains tomorrow either.

Is that no availability or no trains? Seems to be some conflicting news this afternoon.

 

[Trainbike46]

Is that no availability or no trains? Seems to be some conflicting news this afternoon.

No trains today, possibly no trains tomorrow either, depending on repair works. Rerouting with a change in Brussels or Paris was also not possible today.

If there are trains running tomorrow I will probably go to the station regardless of whether I was able to rebook onto a train.

 

[800Travel]

Ongoing BBC News article confirms the broken down train has been moved and services likely to restart this afternoon.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c93wkw37p0pt

13:39
Train traffic will "gradually resume" this afternoon, says the company which operates the Channel Tunnel in a new update.
"An incident related to the power supply to trains occurred last night in part of the Channel Tunnel, affecting train and shuttle traffic. A technical intervention is required, which is currently underway," says the update.
It says that while "the service is temporarily suspended in both directions. Traffic is expected to resume gradually around 15:00 CET" (14:00 GMT).
"Our teams are working to restore the situation as quickly as possible," the statement adds. "Waiting times will be adjusted throughout the day."
As a reminder, Eurostar earlier said that all services were suspended "until further notice" and urged passengers not to travel. Le Shuttle, which takes vehicles and passengers, has warned of long delays.

13:58
A broken down LeShuttle train has been moved out of the Channel Tunnel, says a Eurostar spokesperson.
The operator says none of its passengers are stranded inside the tunnel after the power failure.
In a statement on its website LeShuttle says "services are resuming but remain severely disrupted".
"We are working hard to resolve this."

 

[Beebman]

Would the bright light at the end of the tunnel suggest it's near one end?

There's a crossover near the British end, it was used in the 'taster' trips from Sandling with 319s in May 1994 which just went a very short distance into the tunnel (it's a single route crossover, not a double one like the ones at one-third and two-thirds distances).

 

[QueensCurve]

There's not much information around about the Channel Tunnel supply system but I think they're meant to have duplicate grid supplies at either side. There is also an 11kV system for auxiliary systems which also could be the problem - might cause lighting, ventilation or signalling to be offline

My understanding is that, as designed, the tunnel is supplied with power from both ends but a subsequent modification changed this to feed from the French end only. Has there been a reduction in redundancy which contributed to this failure?

 

[Snow1964]

There's a crossover near the British end, it was used in the 'taster' trips from Sandling with 319s in May 1994 which just went a very short distance into the tunnel (it's a single route crossover, not a double one like the ones at one-third and two-thirds distances).

At the UK end one crossover (normally trailing direction) was built at Holywell Coombe, the other crossover (normally facing direction) by tunnel mouth. At Holywell Coombe a cut and cover trench was dug and service tunnel tips under one track to emerge at the side, a trailing crossover was built in a concrete box between the two hills. The TBMs from the cliff were extracted at the eastern end.

At the western end short tunnels dug by roadheaders and using spray concrete lining with a cast in situ inner lining were built to the portal. This area was subsequently landscaped and a new dual carriageway (A20) built over the site (old A20 is now A259)

link shows photo of the section with service tunnel under construction, and the single crossover was built above this, the two running tunnels to the portal can be seen. If photo of wires is same location it is what is the middle of the now underground tunnels in this view

Cut and cover tunnel section of the Channel Tunnel under construction adjacent to the Eurotunnel UK Terminal at Holywell Combe Stock Photo - Alamy

Download this stock image: Cut and cover tunnel section of the Channel Tunnel under construction adjacent to the Eurotunnel UK Terminal at Holywell Combe. - B8J2EG from Alamy's library of millions of high resolution stock photos, illustrations and vectors.

www.alamy.com

 

[Dumpton Park]

It's decades since I used either service (the horrendous queues at St Pancras and this reminds me why I don't much mind). Can someone clarify - does St Pancras (and Folkestone, come to that) have UK exit passport checks? If so, that would make it different to every UK airport I've ever used. (Never understood why the UK, unlike every country I can think of, doesn't seem to generally have exit passport control, but that's another story!)

DP

 

[sh24]

It's decades since I used either service (and this reminds me why I don't much mind). Can someone clarify - does St Pancras (and Folkestone, come to that) have UK exit passport checks? If so, that would make it different to every UK airport I've ever used. (Never understood why the UK, unlike every country I can think of, doesn't seem to generally have exit passport control, but that's another story!)

DP

There is a passport check before French immigration but I don't think that is UK Border Force.

Along with the UK, the US, Mexico and Ireland don't do outbound checks.

 

[mad_rich]

The UK sort of does exit checks, but it’s not performed by UKBF; it’s performed by airline staff (or other contractors at St Pancras) and relayed to the Home Office.

The government knows who has exited, up to a point

 

[TheWierdOne]

The UK sort of does exit checks, but it’s not performed by UKBF; it’s performed by airline staff (or other contractors at St Pancras) and relayed to the Home Office.

The government knows who has exited, up to a point

This is somewhat unreliable though as the government cannot tell if someone actually used their outbound ticket, only if they booked. This has led to several cases of people having their benefits cut off when they didn’t travel, as the government would assume that they left the UK permanently when they failed to show up on inbound checks.

 

[milooo]

9I40 to Amsterdam should be the first train to go through it is currently near Ashford according to Traksy

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 30 Dec 2025 ==

9I40 to Amsterdam should be the first train to go through it is currently near Ashford according to Traksy

Image shows 9I40 to Amsterdam approaching Ashford Int towards the tunnel

 

[RT4038]

This is somewhat unreliable though as the government cannot tell if someone actually used their outbound ticket, only if they booked. This has led to several cases of people having their benefits cut off when they didn’t travel, as the government would assume that they left the UK permanently when they failed to show up on inbound checks.

The check is not done on ticket bookings - it is an electronic check / recording of the passport, by carrier staff, at the point of departure. On all modes - rail, coach, air, ship.

 

[m0ffy]

The check is not done on ticket bookings - it is an electronic check / recording of the passport, by carrier staff, at the point of departure. On all modes - rail, coach, air, ship.

There are a number of cases where this is not the case and an exit has been recorded based on online checkin data.

One woman told how she had had her benefit stopped after she apparently had not returned from a trip to Norway – a journey she never made, as the wedding she was due to attend was cancelled.

Another woman told how her benefit was stopped after she failed to make a flight as she had become seriously ill and was in intensive care with sepsis at the time of the alleged emigration.

A third was told her benefit had been stopped after one of her children had an epileptic seizure at the departure gate and they could not continue with their holiday.

Labour admits 60% of parents wrongly targeted in HMRC child benefit fraud crackdown

Exclusive: Scale of government’s anti-fraud fiasco is four times higher than previously admitted

www.theguardian.com