Eurostar, the high-speed passenger train that runs under the English Channel, halted service between Paris and London on Thursday due to an “unexpected strike” in the Channel Tunnel, leading to travel disruption ahead of Christmas.
As of Thursday afternoon, 25 trains scheduled to travel between London and Paris and between London and Brussels have been cancelled, according to the Eurostar website. said Eurostar on social media that trains will not be able to pass through the Channel Tunnel until midnight on Thursday at the earliest.
“We encourage all passengers to postpone their journey due to the closure of the Channel Tunnel and the ongoing uncertainty,” a statement said. “Again; We regret the impact this has had.” Four trains were held mid-journey and will return to their starting points, Eurostar said.
LeShuttle, the train service that carries cars and trucks through the tunnel, has also been suspended, according to the a statement posted on its social media accountswho blamed “French industrial action.”
Eurostar added that it had no information yet on whether train services would resume as planned on Friday. On Thursday, only one train, at 9:10 p.m., was scheduled to leave Paris for London. Two night trains are scheduled to leave London for Paris, according to the Eurostar website.
Eurostar whisks passengers between Paris and London in around two hours and 15 minutes. It also operates between London, Brussels and Amsterdam, although the company said last month that its direct train service from Amsterdam to London would be suspended for six months next year.
Clement Beaune, France’s transport minister, said blocking the Channel Tunnel was “unacceptable.” “A solution must be found immediately,” he wrote on social media. “I call on everyone to fulfill their responsibilities, to ensure that traffic and holiday departures can continue under good conditions.”
