Eurostar abruptly cancelled every cross-Channel train on 30 December after an overhead-power failure inside the Channel Tunnel and a stalled Le Shuttle freight train blocked both bores of the 50-km link. The operator warned passengers not to come to Brussels-Midi or London St Pancras unless they already held a confirmed ticket, stressing that residual services would face “severe delays and last-minute cancellations.”
The timing could not be worse for business travellers: 30 December is one of the busiest days for year-end commuting between the EU capital and the City of London. Eurostar normally runs up to 17 daily rotations on the route, carrying consultants, EU officials and corporate executives who rely on same-day access between the two financial centres. With services suspended, many were forced to buy last-minute flights from Brussels or take longer Thalys–TGV routings via Paris and Lille, adding four to six hours to the journey and pushing up travel costs.
![Eurostar Shuts Down All Channel Tunnel Services, Stranding Brussels–London Travellers]()
For those scrambling to switch to flights through Paris, Amsterdam or regional UK airports, having the right travel documents in hand is suddenly mission-critical. VisaHQ can fast-track UK visas, Schengen visas and even emergency passport replacements, ensuring stranded passengers stay compliant when plans change at the last minute. Their dedicated Brussels portal (https://www.visahq.com/belgium/) lists express options and live support, making it easier to navigate documentation hurdles while the rail chaos unfolds.
Corporate mobility managers now have to activate contingency plans. Under EU Rail Passenger Rights rules, Eurostar must offer either re-routing “under comparable conditions at the earliest opportunity” or a full refund within 30 days. Travellers delayed over 60 minutes are also entitled to compensation worth 25–50 % of the ticket price. HR departments should brief staff on claim procedures and consider flexible working or virtual meetings until the backlog clears.
Eurotunnel engineers said power would be progressively restored once the stranded freight convoy had been towed clear, but warned that safety inspections could run into the night. Eurostar tentatively expects a “phased restart” on 31 December, yet union representatives for French signal engineers have threatened a 24-hour overtime ban that could hamper recovery services. Firms with critical year-end closings are advised to monitor alerts and, where possible, shift meetings online.
The timing could not be worse for business travellers: 30 December is one of the busiest days for year-end commuting between the EU capital and the City of London. Eurostar normally runs up to 17 daily rotations on the route, carrying consultants, EU officials and corporate executives who rely on same-day access between the two financial centres. With services suspended, many were forced to buy last-minute flights from Brussels or take longer Thalys–TGV routings via Paris and Lille, adding four to six hours to the journey and pushing up travel costs.
For those scrambling to switch to flights through Paris, Amsterdam or regional UK airports, having the right travel documents in hand is suddenly mission-critical. VisaHQ can fast-track UK visas, Schengen visas and even emergency passport replacements, ensuring stranded passengers stay compliant when plans change at the last minute. Their dedicated Brussels portal (https://www.visahq.com/belgium/) lists express options and live support, making it easier to navigate documentation hurdles while the rail chaos unfolds.
Corporate mobility managers now have to activate contingency plans. Under EU Rail Passenger Rights rules, Eurostar must offer either re-routing “under comparable conditions at the earliest opportunity” or a full refund within 30 days. Travellers delayed over 60 minutes are also entitled to compensation worth 25–50 % of the ticket price. HR departments should brief staff on claim procedures and consider flexible working or virtual meetings until the backlog clears.
Eurotunnel engineers said power would be progressively restored once the stranded freight convoy had been towed clear, but warned that safety inspections could run into the night. Eurostar tentatively expects a “phased restart” on 31 December, yet union representatives for French signal engineers have threatened a 24-hour overtime ban that could hamper recovery services. Firms with critical year-end closings are advised to monitor alerts and, where possible, shift meetings online.
