Eurostar urges passengers to cancel pre-xmas trips
Eurostar is urging passengers whose journeys are not essential to cash in their tickets or defer their trips until after Christmas as snow and ice bring chaos to cross channel rail services.
It said speed restrictions meant journeys were taking two hours longer than normal so the operator is unable to run as many trains as planned. As a result, some passengers with booked tickets are being forced to queue for up to eight hours.
Eurostar said this morning: "We are asking all customers booked to travel before Christmas to refund or exchange their tickets free of charge, if their travel is not essential."
Passengers without tickets are being urged to stay away from the train station as Eurostar said there is no chance of them getting seats.
Those with confirmed reservations for today are being advised to arrive at the station an hour before their departure and they will be put on the next available train, but Eurostar says they will may have to wait more than three hours.
By Linsey McNeill
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Global tourism exceeds 1.5 billion travelers announces UN-Tourism
Qatar Airways offers reduced timetable to over 60 destinations
WTTC global tourism reached record economic impact of 11 trillion in 2025
Hands In, UATP join forces for airline multi-card payments
Overseas travelers to the United States declined by 2.5% in 2025