Thousands of travelers faced major disruptions to their New Year’s plans when Eurostar canceled all trains in and out of London on Saturday due to severe flooding in a tunnel.
The cancellations affected high-speed services between London St Pancras International and Ebbsfleet International in Kent, with 41 Eurostar trains canceled. Southeastern trains on the same route were also suspended.
Eurostar, which operates services to Paris, Brussels, and Amsterdam, had to cancel all Saturday services after the tunnel in Kent was flooded.
Passengers expressed frustration and disappointment as they were forced to cancel or delay their holidays, miss New Year’s celebrations, or find costly alternative travel options.
Travelers miss New Year’s plans, facing delays and costly alternatives amid storm.Among those affected were Nicole Carrera and her husband Christopher from New York. Their New Year’s Eve plans at Disneyland Paris were disrupted, as their train to Paris was delayed until Sunday afternoon. They had to rebook and lost money on a non-refundable hotel in Paris for Saturday night.
A video from Southeastern revealed the extent of the flooding, with water covering the tunnel’s tracks. Thames Water, which sent support, attributed the flooding to a malfunction in the fire control system rather than a burst pipe.
Despite engineers’ efforts to pump out the water overnight, the flooding’s severity meant trains couldn’t resume normal operations on Saturday. It remained unclear when services would fully resume.
Eurostar apologized for the disruption, emphasizing that safety was their top priority. A spokesperson noted that all Saturday services were canceled due to the unresolved flooding issue, and passengers were advised to check for compensation options on their website.
The storm’s impact was felt across the UK, with rain and gale-force winds causing further travel delays. The Met Office issued weather warnings for wind, rain, and snow, contributing to travel challenges.
Some passengers, particularly those with young children or heavy luggage, struggled to find alternative travel arrangements or accommodations.
Despite the chaos, some passengers tried to remain positive, with a few even playing pianos at St Pancras station.