Severe Travel Disruptions for Eurostar Passengers Due to Fatalities and Cable Theft

Eurostar services are facing substantial delays and cancellations after tragic incidents resulted in fatalities on the high-speed line, compounded by the recent theft of copper cables, severely affecting journeys across key European routes.

Eurostar passengers are enduring a second consecutive day of travel chaos as the aftermath of a railway tragedy, coupled with a cable theft incident, wreaks havoc on services. On Tuesday, two individuals lost their lives on the LGV Nord high-speed line between Lille and Paris, leading to the closure of the line for much of the day. This disruption continued into Wednesday, exacerbated by the theft of approximately 600 meters of copper cables near Lille, causing significant rerouting of trains and leading to extended travel times.

As a result, Eurostar has advised travelers to cancel or postpone their journeys, as numerous services to London, Paris, Brussels, and Amsterdam are either delayed or canceled. The railway operator has allowed affected passengers to change their travel plans at no extra cost or apply for a full reimbursement. “We’re very sorry for the impact this is having on our customers,” Eurostar stated, reaffirming their commitment to work with French authorities to restore operations safely.

Currently, one of the tracks has reopened, enabling limited service in both directions. However, full repairs are not predicted to be completed until around 16:00 BST. Passengers on delayed trains are being provided with water, and stations are experiencing high volumes of travelers.