Thousands of holiday travellers between the United Kingdom and mainland Europe are facing severe disruption after a major power supply failure forced the temporary closure of the Channel Tunnel on December 30, 2025.

The incident led to the suspension of all Eurostar high speed passenger trains and Getlink’s Le Shuttle vehicle services for several hours, before a limited, heavily delayed service began to resume on a single track in the afternoon.

With operators warning that significant disruption will continue into the night and advising customers not to travel unless absolutely essential, passengers are scrambling to rebook, reroute or seek compensation at one of the busiest times of the year.

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What Happened in the Channel Tunnel

The disruption began late on Monday night and intensified through the morning of Tuesday, December 30, when a failure in the overhead power supply inside the Channel Tunnel brought cross Channel rail traffic to a standstill.

According to statements from tunnel operator Getlink and Eurostar, a cascading series of technical problems affected the electricity feeding the tunnel infrastructure, cutting power to trains already in or approaching the undersea link between Folkestone in Kent and Coquelles near Calais.

Compounding the outage, at least one Le Shuttle train carrying vehicles reportedly failed inside the tunnel after the power issue, blocking one of the two rail bores for several hours.

Safety protocols and the constrained nature of the tunnel meant that traffic had to be halted while engineers worked to secure the stalled train, inspect overhead lines and gradually restore power. As the situation unfolded, the tunnel was effectively closed to all rail traffic for much of the morning and early afternoon.

By mid afternoon, Getlink said it had managed to restore enough power to reopen one track to limited traffic. Trains began to move in alternating directions through the single operational bore, but at far below normal capacity.

Both Eurostar and Le Shuttle warned that severe delays, extended journey times and last minute cancellations should be expected while repairs continue on the damaged power system and the second tunnel bore remains out of action.

Impact on Eurostar: Cancellations, Delays and Packed Stations

Eurostar was forced to suspend all train services to and from London St Pancras International for much of the day, cutting high speed rail links between the British capital and Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam.

Travellers who arrived early at St Pancras on Tuesday morning found departure boards wiped of services and were met with announcements urging people without a confirmed seat not to enter the Eurostar area at all.

Throughout the day, images from St Pancras, Paris Gare du Nord and Brussels Midi showed large crowds of passengers stranded in concourses, waiting areas and ticket halls.

Many were holding luggage for New Year trips, family reunions or winter holidays, while staff repeated messages that services were suspended and that there was no firm indication of when normal operations might resume. Similar scenes were reported at Amsterdam and Rotterdam for services heading towards London.

Eurostar has gradually started to reinstate a small number of services in the late afternoon and early evening as the tunnel partially reopened, but operators stress that capacity remains extremely constrained.

Only one of the two tunnels is available and trains are having to queue for access, which means long gaps between departures and knock on delays across the network. Even where trains are listed as running, passengers have been told to expect significantly extended journey times and potential last minute cancellations.

As a result, Eurostar is “strongly advising” passengers to postpone their journey to another date wherever possible. Only customers who already hold a valid ticket for a confirmed, non cancelled service are being told to come to the station, and even they are being warned that their plans could still be disrupted if further problems emerge or if the system becomes overloaded.

Le Shuttle and Road Traffic Chaos at Folkestone and Calais

The disruption has not been limited to foot passengers. Getlink’s Le Shuttle car and coach trains, which carry vehicles between Folkestone and Coquelles, were also halted for several hours after the power failure and the breakdown of a shuttle inside the tunnel.

Travellers heading by road between the UK and France found themselves caught in lengthy queues approaching the tunnel terminals, with electronic signs warning of severe delays and suspended services.

By early afternoon, Le Shuttle services were described as “temporarily suspended” and waiting times of up to six or seven hours were reported for drivers who had already reached Folkestone.

Vehicles were stacked in holding lanes, with staff directing traffic and handing out limited information as they awaited word from control that trains could begin moving again. Similar congestion built up around the Calais terminal on the French side.

Later in the day, Getlink confirmed that Le Shuttle had started to run again, but only on a single track and with significant delays relative to booked departure times. Additional shuttle departures are being added through the evening and into the following morning to help clear the backlog of vehicles.

Even so, the company is warning that anyone yet to start their journey should be prepared for long waits, late crossings and possible changes to their boarding time as the system recovers.

Road authorities in Kent and northern France are also monitoring the impact on motorway networks, with tailbacks likely around the M20 and A20 in the UK and on approach roads to Calais.

Some hauliers and private motorists are opting to divert to ferry ports such as Dover, where operators have said they have some spare capacity, although those routes are now coming under pressure from diverted traffic.

Travel Alternatives and How Operators Are Responding

With the Channel Tunnel severely restricted, travellers and transport companies across northwest Europe have been improvising alternatives. Long distance rail operators in Britain, including LNER on the East Coast Main Line, have said that affected Eurostar passengers can use their tickets to return home at no extra cost if their international trip has been abandoned. Some domestic train companies are relaxing ticket restrictions to help people reach or leave London around the disruption.

On the European side, passengers stranded in Paris, Brussels or Amsterdam are turning to regular intercity trains, budget airlines and long distance bus operators in a bid to salvage their plans.

However, the timing of the outage, immediately before the New Year holiday, means that many trains and flights are heavily booked or sold out, and last minute air fares are surging. Reports from major European airports suggest queues at airline ticket desks and customer service counters as travellers attempt to rebook or reroute.

Ferry operators across the Channel, particularly at Dover, have seen an uptick in demand from both foot passengers and motorists. While they have indicated that some additional capacity may be available, they are also warning that crossings could fill up quickly as more would be tunnel users migrate to sea routes.

For some travellers, switching modes is not straightforward, as it may require separate bookings, additional transfers and extra nights of accommodation on either side of the Channel.

Eurostar and Le Shuttle are fielding large numbers of enquiries via call centres, websites and social media. Both companies have published service updates outlining the broad picture: a partial reopening of the tunnel, limited services running on one track and continued severe disruption.

They are urging passengers to rely on live service pages or official announcements rather than making speculative trips to stations or terminals, where space is constrained and staff are already managing large crowds.

Passenger Rights: Refunds, Rebookings and Compensation

For those whose trips have been affected, one of the most pressing questions is what they are entitled to in terms of refunds and compensation. Eurostar has stated that customers whose trains are cancelled can rebook their journey for another day free of charge, request an e voucher for future travel or seek a full refund of the unused ticket.

These options typically apply for travel within a specified period, often up to three months from the original date, but passengers are being advised to check the latest conditions when submitting claims.

In addition to refunds or exchanges, European rail passengers may be eligible for compensation under EU and UK rail regulations if they suffer significant delays that are not caused by extraordinary circumstances. Compensation is usually calculated as a percentage of the ticket price, depending on the length of the delay, and may be payable even if travellers ultimately complete their journey.

However, there is often debate over whether events such as major infrastructure power failures count as extraordinary circumstances, which can exempt operators from paying some forms of compensation.

Eurostar has suggested that passengers who incur additional costs due to the disruption, such as hotel stays, meals or reasonable local transport to and from stations, may be able to claim reimbursement, provided they retain receipts and can show that the expenses were directly related to the delays and cancellations.

Travellers are being encouraged to submit claims online with as much documentation as possible, including booking references, photos of departure boards and proof of any alternative arrangements they were forced to make.

Le Shuttle customers are being offered the option to amend or cancel bookings without charge, and in some cases to apply for partial refunds or vouchers. Vehicle travellers who have been stuck in terminals for several hours may also have grounds to claim for associated expenses, especially if they were not able to leave the secure area or access normal services. As with Eurostar, the onus will be on travellers to keep records and to pursue claims through the operator’s official channels.

Why the Incident Matters for Europe’s Cross Channel Lifeline

The Channel Tunnel is one of Europe’s most critical pieces of transport infrastructure, handling millions of passengers and vehicles each year. In 2024, Le Shuttle carried more than two million cars and over a million trucks, while Eurostar reported record ridership of about 19.5 million passengers.

The tunnel’s appeal lies in its speed, reliability and environmental advantages compared with flying, especially on the busy London to Paris and Brussels corridors.

When an incident of this magnitude shuts the tunnel, even for a single day, the ripple effects extend far beyond the immediate delays. Tourist itineraries are disrupted, hotel bookings are forfeited and business meetings or events are missed.

Logistics chains that rely on just in time delivery between the UK and continental Europe, particularly in sectors such as automotive, retail and food, can also be affected if freight shuttles are delayed or cancelled for an extended period.

Operators and regulators will be under pressure to explain how a power supply issue could cause such a widespread shutdown and what measures will be taken to reduce the risk of recurrence.

Engineers will examine whether redundancy in the power network, improved real time monitoring or faster recovery procedures could help maintain at least a skeleton service when faults occur. The breakdown of a Le Shuttle train in the tunnel has also raised questions about contingency plans for rapid removal of failed trains to keep one bore open whenever possible.

For passengers and policy makers alike, the episode is a reminder of both the strength and vulnerability of high capacity transport links. The concentration of so much cross Channel capacity in a single asset means that when that asset is compromised, there are limited alternatives that can easily absorb the displaced demand. Balancing efficiency with resilience will likely feature prominently in post incident reviews over the coming weeks and months.

What Travellers Should Do Now

With conditions changing rapidly, the most important step for anyone planning to use Eurostar or Le Shuttle in the coming hours and days is to check the status of their specific service before setting out.

Operators are updating timetables and train status pages throughout the day as the single open tunnel bore fills and clears. Even when a train is listed as running, passengers should allow extra time for check in, border controls and possible platform changes.

Those whose trains are confirmed as cancelled should avoid travelling to stations or terminals, as operators have been clear that cancelled services will not be reinstated at short notice.

Instead, they should pursue online rebooking, refund or voucher options and consider whether their trip can be postponed. Travellers who must arrive by a fixed deadline, such as for flights, cruises or events, should explore alternative routes including ferries and flights, though availability may be limited and prices higher than usual.

For people already en route or stuck at hubs like St Pancras, Gare du Nord, Brussels Midi, Folkestone or Calais, staff are advising passengers to listen carefully to announcements and to follow any crowd management measures in place. In some cases, police and station authorities may temporarily limit access to certain areas to prevent overcrowding.

Keeping essential items in hand luggage, staying in touch with accommodation providers and notifying employers or family of delays can help manage the practical impacts of an extended wait.

Travel insurance may prove valuable for some passengers, especially those who purchased policies that include coverage for travel disruption, missed connections and accommodation. Policyholders should check the wording of their coverage and begin documenting their experience, including times, locations and expenses incurred, in case they need to file a claim later.

FAQ

Q1: Is the Channel Tunnel still closed?
The tunnel is no longer fully closed, but it is operating at sharply reduced capacity. As of the evening of December 30, 2025, only one of the two rail bores is open, meaning Eurostar and Le Shuttle services are running in both directions on a single track with severe delays and some ongoing cancellations.

Q2: Are any Eurostar trains running between London and Paris, Brussels or Amsterdam?
Yes, a limited number of Eurostar services have been reinstated, particularly on the London to Paris and London to Brussels routes, but many trains remain cancelled and those that are running are subject to long delays and last minute changes. Travellers are being strongly advised to postpone non essential journeys.

Q3: What is happening with Le Shuttle car and coach services?
Le Shuttle has resumed operations on a single track between Folkestone and Coquelles, but waiting times are several hours longer than normal and departure times may differ substantially from original bookings. Extra shuttles are being added through the evening and into the following morning to help clear the backlog of vehicles.

Q4: Should I still travel to St Pancras or Folkestone if my train is cancelled?
No. Both Eurostar and Le Shuttle have been clear that passengers whose services are cancelled should not come to the station or terminal, as there is no capacity to accommodate them and cancelled trains are not being reinstated on the day.

Q5: Can I get a refund or rebook my Eurostar journey for free?
Eurostar is offering affected passengers a choice of free rebooking on a later date, a travel voucher or a full refund of the unused ticket value. The exact options and deadlines may vary by ticket type, so passengers should log into their booking or contact Eurostar directly for details.

Q6: Am I entitled to compensation for delays and extra expenses?
Depending on the length of your delay and the applicable regulations, you may be entitled to compensation in addition to a refund or rebooking. You may also be able to claim reasonable expenses such as hotels, meals and local transport if these were incurred solely because of the disruption. Keep all receipts and submit a claim through the operator’s official process.

Q7: What alternatives are available if I have to travel urgently?
Alternatives include cross Channel ferries from ports such as Dover, domestic trains within the UK or continental Europe to connect with airports, and flights between cities like London, Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam. However, capacity is limited and prices may be high due to the holiday period and diverted demand.

Q8: How long will the disruption last?
Engineers are working to repair the overhead power supply and to bring the second tunnel bore back into use, but operators have warned that significant disruption is likely for the remainder of December 30 and potentially into December 31. Full normal service will depend on the progress of repairs and safety checks.

Q9: Will my travel insurance cover this situation?
Some comprehensive travel insurance policies offer cover for travel disruption caused by transport failures, including additional accommodation and transport costs or missed connections. Coverage varies widely, so you should check your policy wording and contact your insurer with details of your circumstances.

Q10: Where can I find the latest updates on services?
The most reliable information comes from official operator channels, including Eurostar and Le Shuttle service update pages and their customer communications. Because conditions are changing quickly, travellers should check these sources immediately before setting out and monitor announcements while at stations or terminals.