A Eurostar train journey between Brussels and London became an ordeal for hundreds of passengers on Sunday after a power failure left the train stranded near Calais, northern France, for over nine hours.
What was supposed to be a two-hour journey turned into an 11-hour saga. The train, which left Brussels at 08:52 local time (07:52 BST), was scheduled to arrive at London St Pancras at 09:57 BST. Instead, it came to a halt between Lille and Calais due to an onboard power failure, according to a statement from Eurostar.
Passengers reported sweltering heat, malfunctioning toilets, and a lack of communication from the train operator during the four hours they were stuck onboard without air conditioning.
“Toilets were not working. This is terrible, especially for babies and elderly people,” said Lidia Aviles, 38, from Brussels. Others shared their frustration on social media platform X, describing deteriorating conditions inside the train.
Due to security concerns, passengers were not allowed to disembark immediately, as the train remained dangerously close to the live rails. Doors were eventually opened to allow airflow, and local rescue teams arrived several hours later with water and assistance.
By 16:00 local time (15:00 BST), passengers were evacuated from the stranded carriages and escorted to a replacement train that had arrived nearby.
However, the transfer process was slow and chaotic. At 16:45, many passengers were still waiting to move, and some, including members of the UK folk band Stornoway, passed the time by staging a light-hearted trackside performance.
Stornoway entertained fellow passengers with an acoustic version of The Only Way Is Up by Yazz, tweaking the lyrics to reflect the ongoing delay. Later, they described how people had begun raiding the café car out of frustration.
“Passengers have each been given a KitKat, for which we are of course grateful, but still no info about what’s actually happened or when we’ll be moving,” the band told the BBC.
One passenger was carried away on a stretcher, highlighting the toll the incident had taken on some individuals. The replacement train eventually started moving at 19:30 local time (18:30 BST), and finally arrived in London at 19:20 BST, making the entire journey last more than 11 hours.
Eurostar has since apologised, offering all affected passengers either a full cash refund or a travel voucher worth three times the value of their original ticket.
“The situation was extremely difficult for our travellers, and once again we extend our sincere apologies for the inconvenience caused,” the company said in a statement. It also confirmed a full investigation is underway.
Passengers, though relieved to have reached their destination, expressed frustration over the handling of the situation and called for improved communication and contingency planning in the future.
This article was created using automation technology and was thoroughly edited and fact-checked by one of our editorial staff members