Eurostar Suspends Services Following Discovery of WWII Bomb near Paris
Suspension leads to significant travel disruptions for thousands of passengers between London and Paris.
Eurostar has suspended its services between London and Paris due to the discovery of an unexploded Second World War bomb located near the train tracks in the St Denis area, north of central Paris.
The bomb was uncovered during maintenance work around 4 a.m., prompting the operator to cancel ten scheduled services on Friday morning and resulting in extensive disruptions for travelers.
Passengers affected by the cancellations faced large crowds outside the check-in area at London St Pancras, where many expressed frustration over the limited availability of Eurostar staff to assist them.
One traveler described the situation as suboptimal, stating that options to travel were constrained as they sought alternative arrangements for a weekend trip.
French transport minister Philippe Tabarot announced on Sud Radio that train services would be “strongly disrupted” throughout the day, with plans for a limited service to resume in the afternoon.
Eurostar advised affected passengers to consider rescheduling their trips, indicating that services from Gare du Nord would be suspended until proper clearance of the bomb was completed by the police.
Fridays typically see a spike in passenger numbers for Eurostar, as many choose to embark on international weekend getaways.
The Gare du Nord station not only serves as Eurostar’s terminus but also connects Paris to other major international destinations in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany, and handles significant domestic traffic.
France’s national rail operator, SNCF, confirmed that the suspension of services at Gare du Nord was requested by police and noted that disruptions would last until at least mid-morning.
SNCF has encouraged travelers to postpone their journeys due to the ongoing situation.
In light of the cancellations, Eurostar has offered affected passengers the option to either obtain a refund or voucher for their bookings, or to re-book for alternative services at a later date.
Despite the disruptions to Eurostar services, trains running between London and Brussels remain unaffected.
Despite the complications for travelers, British Airways noted that five of the six flights scheduled from Heathrow to Paris Charles de Gaulle following the incident are fully booked, with the last available flight selling for £264.
The occurrence of unexploded ordnance related to the World Wars is relatively common in France, but such findings in populous areas are less frequent.
The bomb was uncovered during maintenance work around 4 a.m., prompting the operator to cancel ten scheduled services on Friday morning and resulting in extensive disruptions for travelers.
Passengers affected by the cancellations faced large crowds outside the check-in area at London St Pancras, where many expressed frustration over the limited availability of Eurostar staff to assist them.
One traveler described the situation as suboptimal, stating that options to travel were constrained as they sought alternative arrangements for a weekend trip.
French transport minister Philippe Tabarot announced on Sud Radio that train services would be “strongly disrupted” throughout the day, with plans for a limited service to resume in the afternoon.
Eurostar advised affected passengers to consider rescheduling their trips, indicating that services from Gare du Nord would be suspended until proper clearance of the bomb was completed by the police.
Fridays typically see a spike in passenger numbers for Eurostar, as many choose to embark on international weekend getaways.
The Gare du Nord station not only serves as Eurostar’s terminus but also connects Paris to other major international destinations in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany, and handles significant domestic traffic.
France’s national rail operator, SNCF, confirmed that the suspension of services at Gare du Nord was requested by police and noted that disruptions would last until at least mid-morning.
SNCF has encouraged travelers to postpone their journeys due to the ongoing situation.
In light of the cancellations, Eurostar has offered affected passengers the option to either obtain a refund or voucher for their bookings, or to re-book for alternative services at a later date.
Despite the disruptions to Eurostar services, trains running between London and Brussels remain unaffected.
Despite the complications for travelers, British Airways noted that five of the six flights scheduled from Heathrow to Paris Charles de Gaulle following the incident are fully booked, with the last available flight selling for £264.
The occurrence of unexploded ordnance related to the World Wars is relatively common in France, but such findings in populous areas are less frequent.
