Channel Tunnel Chaos Enters Day Two as Power Fault Drags On

The disruption, caused by a fault in the system's overhead power supply, on Tuesday upended plans for thousands of passengers in London, Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam.

Rail passengers travelling between the UK and mainland Europe are enduring a second day of major disruption after a power failure shut down the Channel Tunnel, halting both Eurostar and LeShuttle services. The fault, linked to the overhead power supply, brought traffic to a standstill and left thousands of travellers stranded on both sides of the Channel.

Although some services have begun to move again, operators warn that delays and cancellations will continue while engineers work to stabilise the system. Eurostar has urged passengers to avoid travelling unless essential, as many trains remain suspended or heavily delayed. LeShuttle customers are also facing long queues, with significant backlogs reported at both Folkestone and Calais.

The timing has added to the frustration, hitting one of the busiest travel periods of the year as holidaymakers attempt to return home ahead of New Year celebrations. Tunnel operator Getlink says traffic is gradually being restored using alternative systems, but a full return to normal service has not yet been confirmed.

Travellers are being advised to check live updates before setting out and to expect ongoing disruption throughout the day.