France/UK - Eurostar

Frozen Eurostar service begins to thaw

Article published on the 2009-12-22 Latest update 2009-12-22 13:30 TU

The first Eurostar train bound for Paris after three days of cancellations leaves London St Pancras station on 22 December
(Photo: Reuters)

Following a three-day suspension of services, Eurostar trains began running again on Tuesday. Some stranded passengers were returning home, but there remains a backlog of 75,000 people.

The first Eurostar trains to leave continental Europe, for three days, arrived at London St Pancras train station on Tuesday morning, after freezing weather conditions forced a suspension of services.

A train from Paris arrived at 09:38 GMT and another from Brussels at 10:06 GMT, according to a Eurostar spokesperson.

Both were holding their full complement of 750 passengers.

Passengers who had been delayed at the weekend were given priority. Eurostar advised those with tickets for Tuesday to wait until Wednesday, once they had cleared their backlog.

Freezing weather conditions affected services on Friday following the failure of a number of trains in the undersea tunnel. Thousands of passengers were left stranded on both sides of the English Channel.