At a Glance
- 50-kilometer Channel Tunnel back to full capacity after power fault
- Passengers stranded for 11 hours after overhead cable fell onto Eurostar train
- Delays and cancellations continue despite trains running again
- Why it matters: Passengers and travelers are affected by disrupted cross-Channel services
The Channel Tunnel was back to full capacity on Wednesday after a power fault was fixed overnight, but the chaos of Tuesday’s disruptions lingered. Eurostar warned that delays and cancellations could still occur, while the tunnel operator confirmed the link was restored.
Power Fault and Tunnel Repairs
Eurotunnel said the 50-kilometer (32-mile) undersea link was back to full capacity after a power fault inside it was fixed overnight Tuesday. The short statement did not detail the cause of the power failure.
Eurostar, which runs passenger trains through the tunnel, warned of continued possible delays and cancellations because of “knock-on impacts” from Tuesday’s severe disruptions. Its website showed delays for London-Paris, London-Brussels and London-Amsterdam trains in both directions and early-morning cancellations.
- Overnight power fault in the tunnel
- Overhead power cable fell onto a Eurostar train
- Passengers stranded for 11 hours
- Early cancellations and ongoing delays
Passenger Experience
Passenger Ghislain Planque told French broadcaster BFMTV that his Eurostar journey Tuesday evening from London to France was meant to take just under 90 minutes but instead took around 11 hours, with passengers stuck overnight in the train that had only intermittent power.
Ghislain Planque said:
> “We were left without electricity, so with no heating, no air-conditioning, no possibility to charge phones. We were in total darkness for some of the time.”
| Journey | Expected | Actual | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| London-Paris | 90 min | 11 h | +10 h 50 min |
Key Takeaways
- The Channel Tunnel returned to full capacity after overnight repairs.
- An overhead cable incident left a Eurostar train stranded for 11 hours.
- Delays and cancellations persist despite the tunnel being operational.
The incident highlights the fragility of cross-Channel travel and the ripple effects a single fault can have on thousands of passengers.
