Eurostar warns of ongoing delays as services resume after Channel Tunnel power issues

Some Eurostar services have resumed after all train services from London to Paris, Amsterdam and Brussels were canceled due to a power outage in the Channel Tunnel.

Eurostar said trains that were not canceled following the partial reopening of the tunnel would suffer “serious delays and possible last-minute cancellations” and passengers were advised to postpone their travel to a different date.

LeShuttle services carrying road vehicles and passengers through the tunnel between Folkestone and Calais have also resumed.

Previously, a power outage and a broken down LeShuttle train had closed all routes and caused travel chaos for thousands of people trying to escape.

The rail operator has suspended services until further notice.

At least a dozen Eurostar services between the UK, France, Belgium and the Netherlands had been canceled by midday on Tuesday.

The rail operator apologized and said passengers could rearrange their plans free of charge or cancel their bookings and receive a refund or e-voucher.

Passengers told the BBC how they were stranded and looking for alternative routes to reach their destination.

Two American tourists spent hundreds of pounds to reach Paris on Wednesday after Eurostar services from London St Pancras International were cancelled.

Haley Adams, 38, and Hannah Hagar, 35, paid $580 (£430) for flights to the French capital to celebrate Hannah’s 36th birthday.

The couple received a refund for their Eurostar tickets, but said they would have to pay an extra night at a hotel in London and would not be able to get a refund from the hotel they will stay in Paris tonight.

“There were a lot of lines,” Adams said. “We’ve been here for five hours.”

A Mexican family said their trip of a lifetime was put in doubt after Eurostar services were cancelled.

Monserrat Hernandes, her brother John Paul and her mother Olga were among dozens of people frantically staring at their phones near the Eurostar departure area in St Pancras.

The family boarded the Eurostar just after 08:00 GMT but had to turn back due to the incident after the train set off for Paris.

“They say nothing travels today…there is no hope of leaving tomorrow,” he said.

Now they are looking for a plane or ferry to go to Paris.

“It’s like an American movie,” he added. “I hope I find the love of my life.”

Ben Clark, from Bedfordshire in France, said he and his wife and three daughters were stranded on the Le Shuttle ship in Calais for hours.

“The first two and a half hours weren’t too bad, but the girls got restless in the last half hour, so we let them run around the ride car to burn off some energy,” he said.

“Some people get angry but there’s nothing to do, some sleep in their cars. We’ve exhausted our snacks, we don’t have a plan B or C anymore.”

National Rail has advised passengers not to come to London St Pancras International Airport if Eurostar trains are cancelled, while the Department for Transport said “disruption is likely for the remainder of the day” while faulty overhead cables are repaired.

In the photo shared with the BBC by a train driver working for Eurostar, there are electrical cables scattered on the rails.

Eurostar said that currently only one of the two main tunnels in the Channel Tunnel is suitable for trains to run.

Eurostar services resumed with the 15:04 train from London to Brussels departing after 16:00.

As of 18:00, only a few services were scheduled to run from London St Pancras International Airport to Paris Gare du Nord and Brussels this evening.

The broken down LeShuttle train was also removed from the Channel Tunnel. The operator said no passengers were trapped inside the tunnel after a power outage caused it to close.

LeShuttle apologized and warned of delays of about five hours, telling passengers to “please check in as scheduled.”

The EuroTunnel Press Office said LeShuttle service was “gradually resuming on single track” shortly before 15:00 local time (14:00 GMT).

It was stated that “Services continue alternately in both directions with significant delays” and that “additional services will be added until the evening and tomorrow morning.”

Traffic was also reduced on the M20 motorway as vehicles hoping to cross the Channel Tunnel caused congestion near the LeShuttle Terminal in Folkestone.