Travelers heading between London, Paris, and Brussels faced frustrating delays on Friday as Eurostar services were disrupted just as the Easter weekend rush began.
At least one train was cancelled and several others were delayed by over an hour, causing confusion and stress for holidaymakers trying to reach their destinations.
The delays were initially blamed on a fire near the tracks, though details remained scarce about the exact location and cause. Later, Eurostar explained that an overhead power issue near Paris’ busy Gare du Nord terminal was the main reason for the disruption. While the company confirmed that trains were back in motion by late afternoon, passengers were still dealing with the fallout of missed connections and long waits.
In the UK, firefighters responded to a blaze underneath a bridge close to Ebbsfleet International, east of London. The fire, which broke out earlier in the day, affected rail infrastructure and led to service changes. Replacement bus services were brought in to assist stranded passengers while crews worked to restore operations.
Network Rail confirmed the fire had been extinguished, and Southeastern Railway later announced that the affected line was open again, although trains were moving at reduced speeds of 160 kilometres per hour. The slowdown added further delays for those already behind schedule.
In Paris, the situation around Gare du Nord added to the gridlock, with French reports describing severe disruptions for trains arriving and departing from the station. Travelers across both sides of the Channel shared stories of delays, crowded terminals, and uncertainty over arrival times.
Eurostar issued an apology to passengers and thanked them for their patience. The company said teams were working to bring services back to normal as soon as possible, but many travelers were left frustrated as their Easter weekend plans were thrown into disarray.
As thousands head across Europe for the holidays, rail authorities have urged passengers to check service updates before travelling and prepare for possible changes to their schedules.