Archive · 31 Dec 2025
Eurostar halts services due to tunnel power failure
Eurostar, the train service that connects London to Europe, had to stop all its trains on December 30 because of a power problem in the Channel Tunnel.
This tunnel is under the sea and connects England to France.
A shuttle train also got stuck inside the tunnel, making things worse.
Many people were traveling for the holidays, so this caused a lot of trouble.
Trains to and from London were stopped, and people were told not to go to the stations unless they already had tickets.
The company that runs the tunnel said they would try to start the trains again in the afternoon, but many people were still unsure if they could travel.
Some trains that don't go through the tunnel were also canceled, like the ones between Paris and Brussels.
Passengers were frustrated and had to find other ways to travel or change their plans.
Eurostar is trying to help people book new tickets, but many trains are fully booked.
Some people are even trying to find flights or drive instead.
It's been a very busy time for travel, and this problem has made it even harder for people to get where they need to go.
Eurostar suspended all train services on December 30 due to a power supply issue in the Channel Tunnel.
Routes affected include London-Paris, London-Amsterdam, London-Brussels, and Paris-Brussels.
A shuttle train came to a halt inside the tunnel, exacerbating the disruption.
Passengers were advised to postpone journeys and avoid stations unless they had tickets.
Channel Tunnel operator Getlink announced progressive resumption of train traffic in the afternoon.
- Who
- Eurostar and Channel Tunnel operator Getlink
- What
- Suspension of train services due to power failure and a failed Le Shuttle train
- When
- December 30
- Where
- Channel Tunnel, affecting routes between London, Paris, Amsterdam, and Brussels
- Why
- Power supply issue and a shuttle train coming to a halt
- Affected Routes
- London-Paris, London-Amsterdam, London-Brussels, Paris-Brussels
- Cause of Disruption
- Power supply issue in the Channel Tunnel and a failed Le Shuttle train
- Date of Incident
- December 30
- Operator's Response
- Progressive resumption of train traffic in the afternoon
- Passenger Advisory
- Postpone journeys, avoid stations unless ticketed
- Passenger Numbers
- 19.5 million passengers traveled on Eurostar in 2024
- Le Shuttle Traffic
- 2.2 million passenger vehicles and 1.2 million trucks carried in 2024
Sources
Eurostar suspends London–Europe trains after Channel Tunnel power failure; holiday travel disrupted
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Power failure paralyses Channel Tunnel rail traffic, causing travel mayhem
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