Channel tunnel: Service resumes, but significant disruptions persist before New Year’s Eve

Rail traffic through the Channel Tunnel resumed in both directions on Wednesday morning after a power outage was resolved, operator Getlink announced. However, just hours before New Year’s Eve, significant disruptions are still affecting Eurostar and Le Shuttle services.

Interrupted for much of Tuesday, service between London and the continent resulted in cancellations, major delays, and hundreds of stranded passengers, some of whom spent the night on board trains. Eurostar plans to operate all its services on Wednesday but warns that last-minute delays and cancellations remain possible due to the ongoing effects of the incident.

The situation was further complicated overnight by a separate incident on the British network: an overhead power line fell on a Eurostar train traveling from London to Paris, near the tunnel entrance on the English side. The train arrived in Paris nearly 12 hours late. Eurostar cites safety and power supply constraints to explain the complexity of the operation and indicates that affected passengers will receive enhanced compensation.

The Le Shuttle service, which transports vehicles between France and the UK, is also reporting delays of up to three hours. At London St. Pancras and Paris Gare du Nord stations, many travelers have had to revise their plans, with some describing their holidays as “ruined” during peak travel periods.

Eurostar is offering affected customers free ticket exchanges or cancellations with a refund or voucher. This incident comes as the Channel Tunnel, used by record numbers of passengers, faces increasing competition expected from the end of the decade.