Eurostar Chaos: 30/12/2025.

[NCT]

Grass in greener on the other side, until you cross over, then repeat ...

 

[Citybreak1]

So they sent 3 services from London to the tunnel and did all of them then return after 6 hours? I dont undersand how communications can be so bad that you dont know wether its worth returning to London or waiting...

Clearly the trains should never have left London. I actually remember my train being delayed a few months back out of interest what happens if you choose not to travel once your through passport area? Can you still change the date of travel?

 

[Taunton]

Is there any knowledgeable word on what the technical issue is. Above it was suggested a dewirement, with OHLE down, but the general media is saying a power supply problem, very generic. And how many sections of the tunnel are working single line, one or two. More to the point, are Eurotunnel prioritising their own shuttles over Eurostar services?

 

[rvdborgt]

I actually remember my train being delayed a few months back out of interest what happens if you choose not to travel once your through passport area? Can you still change the date of travel?

Having passed passport control doesn't change your basic passenger rights: as soon as the delay at destination is expected to be at least 60 minutes, you have the right to travel on a future date of your choice instead.

 

[Steve Harris]

Is there any knowledgeable word on what the technical issue is. Above it was suggested a dewirement, with OHLE down, but the general media is saying a power supply problem, very generic. And how many sections of the tunnel are working single line, one or two. More to the point, are Eurotunnel prioritising their own shuttles over Eurostar services?

The media will be saying that as they are no doubt working off of a Eurostar press release. Proper journalism has gone down the pan since covid (it's all about checking socials for the next news story you know).

If the attached link from tiktok up thread is genuine then I would say it's a dewirement and some form of single line working is in place.

If you want the truth I think you need to contact Getlink (the tunnel operator) but even then I'd say you'd get a PR speak response which won't tell you what your asking.

And technically speaking a power supply problem would be the correct description for a dewirement, as there's no wires to get power to the train !! If you said dewirement probably 99% of Eurostar/Le shuttle customers wouldn't have a clue what it meant .

 

[30907]

Clearly the trains should never have left London.

If you look at RTT, the first 2 outbound trains weren't affected (apparently).
The next 4 were held back at STP for up to an hour, and they were the ones delayed badly.
The first 3 inbound trains were also held at their start and left around 0730 GMT and were through the tunnel by 0900
Presumably all 7 were given the all-clear by Getlink at 0730 or so.

This makes me think that a second problem must have arisen after 0830. However, that is speculation.

More to the point, are Eurotunnel prioritising their own shuttles over Eurostar services?

Not obviously - trains are leaving Paris/Brussels late, presumably trying to board as many passengers as possible.

 

[GraphitProjekt]

And technically speaking a power supply problem would be the correct description for a dewirement, as there's no wires to get power to the train !! If you said dewirement probably 99% of Eurostar/Le shuttle customers wouldn't have a clue what it meant .

It's just that to me, "power supply problem" would mean a problem with a substation, feeder line, or grid supply. I've definitely seen disruption bulletins that say "a problem with the overhead line".

 

[Steve Harris]

It's just that to me, "power supply problem" would mean a problem with a substation, feeder line, or grid supply. I've definitely seen disruption bulletins that say "a problem with the overhead line".

I'm the same, but we are railway nerds and know the difference between the two. But as soon as it was mentioned that a train had "broken down" and was blocking a tunnel, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that its more than likely that both are linked.

Anyway, getting back OT it's just been announced on the BBC TV news that things are back to normal (apart from having a lot more passengers than normal to shift).

 

[A S Leib]

(Asking hypothetically) if you activated an Interrail pass with a Eurostar journey as the first journey of the day, on the day, and Eurostar disruption then rendered using any planned trains that day impossible, what compensation would be due? Eurostar reservation fees, with anything for other missed pass journeys, especially those not under HOTNAT, being reliant on goodwill?

 

[Crithylum]

The meltdown points to a lack of competence within E*. I was told a story by a consultant hired after a meltdown (many years ago), where a train was stuck in a neutral section for 7 hours (iirc). Apparently none of the operational team knew that after 3 hours with no power, the toilets stop working. As this consultant had worked on the construction of the tunnel, he knew important operational information about Eurostar which the operational team didn’t, despite having not touched E* for many years.

 

[Struner]

Why do people choose to travel when there is disruption?

Also you often hear of people stuck on Eurostar trains for hours for me they need to get better at this? Like turn trains back to London sooner not six hours later. It seems to be the have rushed to get things back open when staying closed would have been better

would they have a choice? journey planned & booked(& indeed paid for) well in advance including connecting journeys both sides?

 

[rvdborgt]

(Asking hypothetically) if you activated an Interrail pass with a Eurostar journey as the first journey of the day, on the day, and Eurostar disruption then rendered using any planned trains that day impossible, what compensation would be due? Eurostar reservation fees, with anything for other missed pass journeys, especially those not under HOTNAT, being reliant on goodwill?

You have a 3-fold choice that follows from Regulation 2021/782 article 18: don't travel, travel with the first available train(s), or travel on another date of your choice.
If you decide not to travel, then you get a full refund of the Eurostar reservation fee and your travel day. Refunds for subsequent reservations (non-Eurostar) is based on goodwill, since Eurail say those are a separate contract (although that is debatable IMO).
If you decide to travel with the first available train(s), then any Eurostar reservation(s) can be rebooked free of charge, as is the case for anything under HOTNAT or AJC. Anything else again is goodwill for the same reason as above.
If you decide to travel on a later date of your choice, then any Eurostar reservation(s) can be rebooked free of charge and anything else is goodwill for the same reason as above.

 

[NCT]

You have a 3-fold choice that follows from Regulation 2021/782 article 18: don't travel, travel with the first available train(s), or travel on another date of your choice.
If you decide not to travel, then you get a full refund of the Eurostar reservation fee and your travel day.

Do you just get the monetary value of the travel day refunded, or can you reallocate your (unused but already activated) travel day?

 

[nilvaj395]

would they have a choice? journey planned & booked(& indeed paid for) well in advance including connecting journeys both sides?

And everything else e.g hotels on either side and more, that you would very much struggle to claw back. A lot of / if not most people by the time they get to Eurostar are already very far from home so it isn't just a case of 'going back home' or not travelling. It really is a defeatist point of view. It's like saying 'don't bother using the trains', especially in Eurostar's case where it is vastly different from domestic train service. Eurostar really ought to have had a contingency plan for such cases. I imagine cross-channel coaches would be making a killing off of the demand pricing though.

 

[baz962]

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 on a plane from the US , back to the UK when the Heathrow fire started and got turned back. No problems whatsoever.

 

[Citybreak1]

You have a 3-fold choice that follows from Regulation 2021/782 article 18: don't travel, travel with the first available train(s), or travel on another date of your choice.
If you decide not to travel, then you get a full refund of the Eurostar reservation fee and your travel day. Refunds for subsequent reservations (non-Eurostar) is based on goodwill, since Eurail say those are a separate contract (although that is debatable IMO).
If you decide to travel with the first available train(s), then any Eurostar reservation(s) can be rebooked free of charge, as is the case for anything under HOTNAT or AJC. Anything else again is goodwill for the same reason as above.
If you decide to travel on a later date of your choice, then any Eurostar reservation(s) can be rebooked free of charge and anything else is goodwill for the same reason as above.

I wonder how you get out the station if you choose not to travel would they have exits for this?

Also if you get stuck on a train what then? No way off? I did notice earlier in year people had to exit the train no water no working toilets not ideal?

 

[Trainbike46]

I wonder how you get out the station if you choose not to travel would they have exits for this?

You speak to a member of staff and they bring you to check-out procedures, so you can leave.

Also if you get stuck on a train what then? No way off?

Unless the train is in a station there is no way off except in emergencies.

I did notice earlier in year people had to exit the train no water no working toilets not ideal?

It certainly isn't ideal!

 

[Tester]

I was on a plane from the US , back to the UK when the Heathrow fire started and got turned back. No problems whatsoever.

That one is more straightforward as you hadn't entered the UK passport wise.

My complication was that on Canada - US flights you do both countries' formalities on the ground before leaving - just like with Eurostar.

 

[Citybreak1]

Be interesting to see how Virgin handle issues like this as they plan to offer a good service. Perhaps they will fix the toilet issue and no power. And I think services are only 2-3 years away now.

 

[30907]

Be interesting to see how Virgin handle issues like this as they plan to offer a good service. Perhaps they will fix the toilet issue and no power. And I think services are only 2-3 years away now.

Wasn't that issue on the Shuttle this time?

 

[rvdborgt]

Do you just get the monetary value of the travel day refunded, or can you reallocate your (unused but already activated) travel day?

Eurail customer service usually just add a travel day to a mobile pass, but if you want, you can have the monetary value refunded.