Jaunted

Train Travel

Channel Tunnel Still Closed, Eurostar Acknowledges Problem

September 12, 2008 at 3:00 PM | 0 Comments

As news swept the wires Thursday that the Channel Tunnel was closed because of a fire, visitors to Eurostar's website remained in the dark about any trouble at all. One would-be passenger who checked online before heading to the station told the BBC:

[The website] just said delays are expected but it didn't say anything about canceled services, so we came today and it's not happening. We are going to see if we can get a bus to Dover and a ferry to Calais.

Now, though, the train line has prominently posted updates about the situation--and the fact that the Chunnel will remain closed at least until Saturday.

But because investigators are still trying to sort out exactly what happened, Eurostar says it has no way of knowing when service will recommence. The company is advising ticket holders to look into other options if they want to travel between England and France this weekend.

Related Stories:
· Updates on the Situation and Refund Info [Official Site]
· Weekend Hit by Tunnel Disruption [BBC]
· Channel Tunnel Fire Shuts Down UK-France Trains [Jaunted]

Train Travel

Channel Tunnel Fire Shuts Down UK-France Trains

September 11, 2008 at 12:40 PM | 0 Comments

Your trains can't save you now, Europe! A fire has closed the Channel Tunnel to all traffic, and more than 30 people escaped the blaze through a separate service tunnel. A load of phenol was at the heart of the incident, though it's not known yet what sparked the fire.

All train service through the Chunnel has been suspended until Friday. The UK-France rail link handles 50 departures daily, so the effect on travelers isn't slight.

As far as we can tell, even the Eurostar website hasn't been updated with the news--or tips on what ticket-holding passengers should do, though a spokesman tells The Guardian:

Our priority is to find alternative means of travel for those passengers who are stranded.

Related Stories:
· Eurostar [Official Site]
· Channel Tunnel Evacuated after Fire [Guardian]
· Channel Tunnel Rail Services Suspended [Reuters]
· Train Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: lazytom]