Eurostar passengers continued to experience disruption on Saturday after arson attacks on France’s rail network ahead of the opening of the Olympics.
The rail company, which runs international trains from London’s St Pancras station, said one in four trains would be cancelled over the weekend.
Four trains from London to Paris were cancelled on Saturday, affecting thousands of passengers, and disruptions are expected to continue into Monday.
Travelers were advised to postpone travel if possible.
Only a few remaining Eurostar journeys from London to Paris were available to book on Saturday, while tickets for night buses arriving in the French capital on Sunday morning were on sale through Flixbus for up to £197.
The unrest comes just as the 2024 Paris Olympics are due to open and millions of people are expected to head off for summer holidays.
Australian Olivia Atwell, 26, broke down in tears at St Pancras station on Saturday as she was on her way to Paris to watch her cousin Amy play in the women’s basketball competition at the Olympics.
She said she had not slept since boarding the 5.40am flight from Sydney to London on Friday.
“I haven’t slept yet. If I can’t get on the train I’ll get on a plane to Paris,” said Atwell, an accountant from Sydney.
Nick Ormerod, 41, from Cambridge, had been planning to take his daughters Beatrice, eight, and Harriet, five, to watch the Olympic gymnastics events on Saturday but the 7.30am Eurostar service was cancelled.
Ms Ormerod, who works in customer services, told the PA news agency: “It’s been a bit of a nightmare. Both my daughters are budding gymnasts and compete at county level.
“They’re obviously very disappointed. They were going to Paris for the first time and were really looking forward to going to the Olympics and watching gymnastics.”
He said an alternative Eurostar service was being offered, arriving in the French capital at about 11pm on Saturday, meaning his family would have to spend the weekend in London and miss out on Olympic events.
Among those affected on Friday was Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who had been due to catch the Eurostar to attend the Olympics opening ceremony but flew to Paris instead.
French rail company SNCF said a series of accidents on Friday evening and into the night had affected traffic between London and Belgium, as well as western, northern and eastern France.
French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal said the vandals had strategically targeted a main road into Paris, the Associated Press reported.
Attal told reporters there would be “enormous consequences”, with “hundreds of thousands” of people trying to travel to Paris for the Olympics or on holidays stranded.
Most of the British team players arrived at the tournament by Eurostar.
The British Olympic Association said only two athletes were due to arrive on Friday and that there had been only minor delays.
The company said it was notifying customers by email, text message and via the Eurostar website.
Affected passengers can cancel or refund their tickets or change their itineraries free of charge.
release date: Radio News Hub
