Train halted on London tracks, leaving travelers immobilized for over NINE hours aboard Eurostar.
In a surprising turn of events, a London-bound Eurostar train from Brussels came to a sudden halt on the tracks between Lille and Calais in northern France, leaving passengers stranded for over nine hours. The incident, which occurred at 8:52 am local time, was caused by a major power outage due to a technical failure on board the train, resulting in the loss of electricity, no air conditioning, and non-functioning toilets[1][2][5].
The power failure led to a series of challenges for the passengers, who were initially kept on the train but were eventually escorted off after about four hours to walk along the tracks. The replacement train, dispatched from London, took over three hours to arrive, rescuing the stranded passengers around 4:45 pm[1][5].
The ordeal left passengers frustrated and concerned, with some expressing their displeasure about the lack of support and communication from Eurostar. Passenger Serge de Gheldere voiced his concern, stating that Eurostar had no plan and was not providing adequate support to passengers[1]. A third woman shared her distress, stating that she was with two overheating children, in a train with no toilets[1]. Another traveller onboard the train echoed concerns about the welfare of old and young people[1].
In response to the incident, Eurostar issued an apology and promised full refunds to affected passengers, or 300% ticket value compensation in vouchers[1]. Paramedics were onboard to treat passengers who became unwell, and a band was filmed serenading stranded passengers to lift their spirits[1].
This incident follows massive delays and disruptions on Eurostar last month, causing concern among passengers about the reliability of the service[6]. Despite the challenges faced, passengers managed to remain patient and resilient, with a spirit of camaraderie emerging as they faced the unexpected situation together.
[1] The Guardian [2] BBC News [3] Sky News [4] Eurostar website [5] The Telegraph [6] The Independent
- The unexpected disruption in public-transit, a Eurostar train halt, caused a lack of finance for affected passengers who were promised full refunds or 300% ticket value compensation in vouchers.
- The power failure on the train significantly impacted lifestyle during travel, since there were no functioning toilets, and stranded passengers voiced concerns about the welfare of children and the elderly.
- Despite the challenges in the transportation industry, the stranded passengers displayed a remarkable sense of resilience and camaraderie, which even carried over to their choices in entertainment, such as listening to a band perform to lift their spirits.
