Eurostar trains face chaos due to cable theft in France

On Tuesday, June 24, 2025, a severe disruption occurred to Eurostar services, affecting routes between London and Paris due to a cable theft near Lille, France. The incident resulted in the cancellation of several trains and extensive delays, leaving many passengers stranded at train stations, particularly at London St Pancras International. Passengers reported waiting for over seven hours for assistance and expressed frustration over the lack of communication from Eurostar during the ordeal. This chaos was compounded by another incident earlier that evening, where two individuals were struck by trains near Lille, causing delays across all services. In response to this disruption, Eurostar advised passengers to cancel or postpone their journeys, as they predicted more cancellations and delays would continue throughout the next day. Travelers shared their experiences on social media, detailing the poor handling of the situation, with one customer describing complicated attempts to change their booking for an elderly mother stuck in Paris. Additionally, some travelers recounted stories of being forced to sleep on the floors of train stations due to fully booked hotels, including a disabled child whose birthday celebration was ruined. The situation was characterized by significant confusion among passengers regarding their travel arrangements, leading to mounting frustration as waiting for assistance stretched into long hours. Many expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of communication, inadequate food and water supplies, and poor services during the delays. Social media was flooded with complaints about surge pricing for replacement tickets and the service's inability to adequately support its customers during this crisis. As the situation unfolded, Eurostar maintained that the disruption was unprecedented and deeply regretted the chaos caused by the cable theft and the two tragic accidents involving trains. They extended apologies to all affected customers, highlighting their commitment to restoring services as soon as possible. While efforts were made to mitigate the impact of the cable theft, passengers were left questioning the reliability of the service and the level of support during such emergencies, raising doubts about future travels with Eurostar.