Travellers planning to ride Eurostar through to Amsterdam or Rotterdam on 5 January faced an abrupt change of plans: the operator suspended its Netherlands segment due to severe snow and ice, advising passengers “not to come to the station” if their train showed as cancelled. Trains continued to run between London, Lille and Brussels, turning Brussels-South into an unexpected transfer hub.
The decision followed Dutch rail-infrastructure warnings and echoed broader weather chaos that saw Schiphol Airport cancel more than 450 flights the same day. Eurostar’s live-updates page confirmed the curtailed operation, and UK media reported widespread travel advisories urging customers to rebook later in the week.
Business impact: Belgian companies expecting visitors from the UK or the Netherlands should brace for meeting cancellations or costly last-minute hotel stays. Mobility managers may need to arrange onward travel via Belgian domestic rail or short-haul flights from Brussels or Antwerp. Employers relocating staff should note that Schengen days spent waiting in Belgium still count toward the 90/180-day rule.
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Unexpected stopovers can also trigger visa and paperwork headaches. If the weather extends your stay in Belgium or you need to adjust future travel plans within the Schengen zone, VisaHQ’s Belgium portal (https://www.visahq.com/belgium/) offers clear guidance, digital form-filling tools and application submission services, helping travellers stay compliant without another stressful queue.
Eurostar said normal service would resume “as soon as conditions permit,” but weather models show sub-zero temperatures persisting in the Netherlands until at least 7 January. Passengers holding exchangeable tickets can rebook within 60 days without fees; those with non-flex tickets are being offered e-vouchers.
Longer term, infrastructure experts argue the episode underscores the need for de-icing facilities at Amsterdam’s Centraal station before 2028, when Eurostar plans to expand frequencies. Belgian officials, for their part, praised Brussels-South staff for handling the unplanned influx of passengers with “minimal congestion.”
The decision followed Dutch rail-infrastructure warnings and echoed broader weather chaos that saw Schiphol Airport cancel more than 450 flights the same day. Eurostar’s live-updates page confirmed the curtailed operation, and UK media reported widespread travel advisories urging customers to rebook later in the week.
Business impact: Belgian companies expecting visitors from the UK or the Netherlands should brace for meeting cancellations or costly last-minute hotel stays. Mobility managers may need to arrange onward travel via Belgian domestic rail or short-haul flights from Brussels or Antwerp. Employers relocating staff should note that Schengen days spent waiting in Belgium still count toward the 90/180-day rule.
Unexpected stopovers can also trigger visa and paperwork headaches. If the weather extends your stay in Belgium or you need to adjust future travel plans within the Schengen zone, VisaHQ’s Belgium portal (https://www.visahq.com/belgium/) offers clear guidance, digital form-filling tools and application submission services, helping travellers stay compliant without another stressful queue.
Eurostar said normal service would resume “as soon as conditions permit,” but weather models show sub-zero temperatures persisting in the Netherlands until at least 7 January. Passengers holding exchangeable tickets can rebook within 60 days without fees; those with non-flex tickets are being offered e-vouchers.
Longer term, infrastructure experts argue the episode underscores the need for de-icing facilities at Amsterdam’s Centraal station before 2028, when Eurostar plans to expand frequencies. Belgian officials, for their part, praised Brussels-South staff for handling the unplanned influx of passengers with “minimal congestion.”
