Eurostar crashes, trains on hold in half of Europe
Severe disruptions in the Channel Tunnel due to a problem in the power grid
Thousands of passengers experienced a nightmare in the run-up to New Year's Eve when the Eurostar high-speed train service connecting London to other major capitals, Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam, was suspended for several hours.
This was caused by a power failure in the Channel Tunnel - as the Ansa writes - to which was added the stoppage of a train of the LeShuttle service, with people and vehicles on board, thus sending the entire line into a tailspin. Only in the afternoon was a partial resumption of connections announced by Eurostar, but in the meantime dozens of trains have been cancelled: many of those arriving and departing from London's St Pancras International station.
Passengers have been advised to postpone their planned trip today because the power supply problems have not been fully resolved. In addition to the serious inconvenience for everyone, some people had to forego celebrating New Year's Eve with their families, a holiday or even returning home.
"Unfortunately, we have no choice but to suspend all services until further notice," was the message on Eurostar's website, which threw travellers across Europe into despair, forcing them to seek alternative means of reaching their destinations, from flights to ferries, but at unaffordable prices given the time of year.
But there were even repercussions of the blockade on the continent's rail services that do not pass through the Channel Tunnel, such as the cancelled trains between Paris and Brussels.
