The Channel Tunnel (also known as the Eurotunnel and the Chunnel), the third-longest railway tunnel in the world, is a busy undersea train route that connects England with northern France. On Tuesday, a power outage caused all passenger and vehicle trains to be suspended, leading to mass travel disruption that affected thousands of crossings at one of the busiest times of the year.
Eurostar, which uses the tunnel for passenger journeys, canceled most of its services between London and Europe. Le Shuttle trains, which transport private cars and freight vehicles, were also paused but expected to resume by the afternoon. Le Shuttle passengers were also warned of delays of up to six hours. Getlink, which operates the tunnel, explained that engineers were working to fix the problem, and that journeys on the Le Shuttle should resume from 2 PM UK time.
Further statements have since been issued by operators, along with what happened as well as updates on the level of disruption. Travel experts have also offered advice to affected travelers when it comes to ticket exchanges, refunds, and compensation, which travelers in Europe are entitled to by law for both rail and air travel, unlike in the United States.
The Channel Tunnel’s Operators Have Released Statements On What Happened After The Power Outage—And What Travelers Can Expect Throughout The Day
Channel Tunnel operator Getlink provided a statement on its closure and when services were expected to continue. “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 under way,” Getlink said.
“The service is temporarily suspended in both directions. Traffic is expected to resume gradually around 15.00 CET [14.00 UK time] for LeShuttle customers,” it added.
LeShuttle’s website also shared a statement on Tuesday morning, saying, “Services are temporarily suspended for up to 3 hours for both terminals due to a power supply issue. We are working hard to resolve this. Apologies for any inconvenience caused.”
Eurostar also issued a response; it advised travelers to postpone their trips and not to come to the station on Tuesday morning. “Due to a problem with the overhead power supply in the Channel tunnel and a subsequent failed LeShuttle train, we strongly advise all our passengers to postpone their journey to a different date. Please don’t come to the station unless you already have a ticket to travel,” the operator posted in a notice.
In the afternoon, Eurostar’s live service updates on its website later showed all departures from London to Paris on December 30 as canceled.
Only two Eurostar trains leaving at 6:01 PM and 7:01 PM were showering as on schedule to depart. Only the 6:12 PM and 7:12 PM trains going in other directions were scheduled to leave as normal.
A Eurostar spokesperson also told the PA news agency that a broken-down LeShuttle train had been moved from the tunnel. The company confirmed that none of its passengers had been stranded inside the tunnel.
Due to the sudden cancellation of services, long lines of vehicles and trucks formed in Folkestone, which is where the LeShuttle trains depart. Its live travel updates page on its website showed that services had begun to resume as of Tuesday afternoon, albeit with significant delays, which are expected to continue throughout the day as services catch up.
Channel Tunnel trains are usually busy on any day, but during the Christmas holiday season, they carry tens of thousands of passengers and vehicles daily, which is compounding the delays. Still, there are some solutions and alternative travel options for those who need to get where they’re going as soon as possible.
Travelers Affected By The Channel Tunnel Cancellations And Delays Can Opt For Route Alternatives And Other Solutions
Fortunately, for travelers affected by the Channel Tunnel disruption, some alternatives are available. The BBC noted that the Port of Dover said ferries sailing between Dover (southern England) and Calais (northern France) do have additional capacity for extra passengers in need of alternative routes between England and France. However, ferry services have expected delays of up to 90 minutes because of the Channel Tunnel disruption. Multiple daily flights also depart from most London airports (and the city’s outskirts) to airports in France, and vice versa the other way.
Meanwhile, train company, LNER, informed travelers that “any customers who have had to abandon their journey in London King’s Cross are able to return to their home station on the next available LNER service at no additional cost.” (Eurostar trains depart from London St. Pancras International station, which is located right next to King’s Cross station). LNER also said that travelers with a ticket who postpone their Eurostar journey to another day will be permitted to use it to travel on that same day.
Travelers Affected By Channel Tunnel Disruption May Be Entitled To Exchanges, Refunds, Or Compensation
The Guardian reported that Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel, offered advice to travelers affected by delayed and canceled journeys, which includes obtaining refunds, ticket exchanges, and compensation.
“Those who have had their train cancelled have the option to exchange their booking or claim a refund or Eurostar e-voucher. For delays, travellers are entitled to compensation,” Boland said.
Boland continued, saying, “Check the Eurostar website for live updates and consider other options for your travel plans. If you are delayed overnight, you have the right to be put up in a hotel or be reimbursed for one.”
“It may also be possible to use other routes to get home, such as the ferry, but you will need to contact Eurostar first or risk being left out of pocket,” he added.
For the time being, travelers with bookings or who intend to travel today are advised to check the Eurostar and LeShuttle websites for updates and consider other travel options.
