Eurostar passengers left stranded overnight in Paris and London were left to sleep in toilet cubicles after services were delayed and then cancelled.
Services in both directions between London St Pancras International and Gare Du Nord in Paris were suddenly cancelled yesterday evening after two people were killed in separate collisions near Lille.
Some 600 metres of copper cables were also reportedly stolen, with the operator now forced to run alternative, longer routes.
Some carriages turned back to the station they departed from after hours of delays.
Many passengers were then left with no where to stay after trains arrived back so late in the evening.
Saoirse del Tufo was meant to catch the 17.10 train from Paris to London – but ended up back in Paris at midnight.
She told Metro: ‘The train was stopping and starting the whole time, and when we were half way towards Lille at 11pm the train manager eventually said we were turning back.
‘If they had told us hours earlier we could have found somewhere to stay, but there were no hotel rooms it was so late.’
What are your rights if your Eurostar train has been delayed?
You have three months from the date you were due to travel to claim a refund.
You can find out how much of the cost you can get back on an e-voucher or cash refund here.
The Eurostar website says: ‘If your train is delayed for 60 minutes or more, you are entitled to claim compensation. Please wait at least 24 hours before making a claim – this will give our systems time to process details of your delay.
‘If you didn’t book directly with us, please get in touch with the person or company you bought your ticket from.’
If the train is cancelled or delayed before departure, those with an unused ticket can exchange for free, claim an e-voucher or request a refund.
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Saoirse, 27, said she was left with no choice but to sleep in the station, and to feel safer locked herself in a toilet cubicle.
‘I don’t know Paris well enough to find anywhere safer, so I jut chose a toilet cublicle after booking a hotel which turns out didn’t exist,’ she said.
‘I have since managed to rebook my train for this evening which took ages because everyone was scrambling to get a ticket. So for now I am just wondering around Paris waiting for it.’
More trains have been cancelled this morning, and many are now demanding compensation.
Another passenger wrote: ‘3pm check-in, sit on train for nearly six hours (all food runs out etc), finally go back to Gare du Nord and 1,000 passengers dumped in Paris with no hotels (cheapest room €2000 and they refund only up to €300). Disastrous.’
‘Difficult’ travel conditions are expected for the rest of the day, including crowded carriages, delays and cancellations.
Eurostar said: ‘We are deeply sorry to confirm that there were two separate fatalities on the LGV Nord high-speed line between Lille and Paris yesterday.
‘Our thoughts are with the families and friends of those who lost their lives.
‘The line was closed for much of the afternoon and evening, resulting in significant disruption to Eurostar services, including cancellations on routes to and from Paris.
‘Trains on the London–Brussels–Amsterdam route continued to run with delays.
‘This morning, disruption continues due to the knock-on impact of displaced trains and crew.
‘Further to this, services have been further affected by an incident of cable theft on the same line near Lille.’
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