Major Channel Tunnel Power Fault Halts Eurostar Links Between UK and Continental Europe
Overhead power disruption in the Channel Tunnel leaves travellers stranded and Eurostar advising against travel amid ongoing delays
A severe power supply failure in the Channel Tunnel on December thirty, two thousand twenty-five, brought cross-Channel train services to a near-standstill, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded and forcing widespread cancellations and advisories against travel.
The fault, originating in the tunnel’s overhead electrical network, halted Eurostar high-speed services linking London with Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam and other European destinations, as well as the LeShuttle vehicle rail service between Folkestone and Calais.
Faced with the outage, Eurostar suspended services indefinitely and urged all customers not to travel, recommending they rebook journeys for another day with free exchanges or refunds available.
The disruption unfolded at the height of the winter holiday travel period, compounding frustrations for travellers already through passport and security checks at juxtaposed controls, where British and French border formalities are carried out before boarding.
Some passengers reported being held in a transit limbo — unable to proceed forward due to the absence of operational services, and unable to retreat because they had already cleared security checks.
Tunnel operator Getlink confirmed that engineers were working to restore the overhead power supply, with partial service resuming later in the day on a single line.
Eurostar services began running again in the evening, but with limited capacity and significant delays, prompting continued advisories for passengers to defer travel if possible.
Stranded travellers at London’s St Pancras International station and at terminals in Folkestone and Calais described chaotic conditions marked by long waits, scant communication and mounting concern over missed plans during one of the busiest moments of the year for cross-Channel travel.
UK authorities signposted alternative crossings, including ferry routes from Dover with available capacity.
Both Eurostar and Getlink issued apologies to affected passengers, while outlining options for refunds and compensation for reasonable expenses incurred during the disruption.
The incident has underscored vulnerabilities in Channel Tunnel operations and raised immediate questions about contingency planning for critical international transport links during peak demand periods, as thousands seek reliable passage between the United Kingdom and continental Europe.
The fault, originating in the tunnel’s overhead electrical network, halted Eurostar high-speed services linking London with Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam and other European destinations, as well as the LeShuttle vehicle rail service between Folkestone and Calais.
Faced with the outage, Eurostar suspended services indefinitely and urged all customers not to travel, recommending they rebook journeys for another day with free exchanges or refunds available.
The disruption unfolded at the height of the winter holiday travel period, compounding frustrations for travellers already through passport and security checks at juxtaposed controls, where British and French border formalities are carried out before boarding.
Some passengers reported being held in a transit limbo — unable to proceed forward due to the absence of operational services, and unable to retreat because they had already cleared security checks.
Tunnel operator Getlink confirmed that engineers were working to restore the overhead power supply, with partial service resuming later in the day on a single line.
Eurostar services began running again in the evening, but with limited capacity and significant delays, prompting continued advisories for passengers to defer travel if possible.
Stranded travellers at London’s St Pancras International station and at terminals in Folkestone and Calais described chaotic conditions marked by long waits, scant communication and mounting concern over missed plans during one of the busiest moments of the year for cross-Channel travel.
UK authorities signposted alternative crossings, including ferry routes from Dover with available capacity.
Both Eurostar and Getlink issued apologies to affected passengers, while outlining options for refunds and compensation for reasonable expenses incurred during the disruption.
The incident has underscored vulnerabilities in Channel Tunnel operations and raised immediate questions about contingency planning for critical international transport links during peak demand periods, as thousands seek reliable passage between the United Kingdom and continental Europe.
