Passengers on the Eurostar high-speed lines between Brussels-Paris and Brussels-London have been experiencing significant delays since this morning.
Trains are running up to 30 minutes behind schedule, caused by a faulty switch on the line between Lille in France and the Belgian border. French railway company SNCF is working hard to find a solution, but the repair could take several days.
The technical issues were identified early this morning and have since caused disruption to hundreds of passengers. Eurostar confirms that delays are expected to continue until Thursday 23 January. Passengers are advised to keep an eye on the Eurostar website for the latest information.
crucial railway line
The failure occurs on a crucial railway line that is used by thousands of passengers every day. The damaged switch, an important part of the high-speed line, plays a central role in the smooth running of international train traffic. The defect not only leads to delays but can also cause a chain reaction in the timetable.
A Eurostar spokesman said: “A damaged switch on the high-speed line between Lille and the Belgian border is disrupting services between Paris and Brussels, and London and Brussels. Our trains are experiencing delays of up to 30 minutes. We expect normal services to resume on Thursday 23 January. We apologise for any inconvenience and encourage customers to check our website for the latest updates.”
traveler comments
On social media, affected passengers are sharing their frustrations. “My train to London was supposed to leave at 10.15:10.45 but didn’t leave until around 30:XNUMX. While XNUMX minutes may not seem like a long time, it can be a big problem for connections,” one passenger wrote on Twitter. Other passengers complained about the lack of information provided at stations and the overcrowding on trains.
Eurostar says passengers have been informed digitally about the delays and that staff on site are keeping passengers informed as best they can. However, the situation raises questions about the vulnerability of the high-speed lines and how quickly such disruptions can be resolved.
Although SNCF is already carrying out repairs, the scale of the problem remains significant. Experts point out that repairing a switch on a high-speed line can be complex. It involves precision work where the track must fully comply with safety standards before trains can run at full speed again.
Affected passengers can claim compensation from Eurostar, depending on the length of the delay. According to European regulations, high-speed train passengers are entitled to a partial refund for delays of more than 30 minutes
In the coming days, passengers will continue to experience reduced timetables and possibly increased congestion on other train routes. Eurostar stressed that it is working with the French railways to resolve the issue as quickly as possible. “Our priority is to minimise the impact on our customers and ensure they arrive safely and as quickly as possible at their destination.”
Although the prospect is frustrating for many travellers, there seems to be light at the end of the tunnel. Normal train services are expected to resume in full by Thursday.
