Trouble on Eurostar?
Sep 11th, 2015, 02:53 PM
#1
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Trouble on Eurostar?
Since we're booked for 2 weeks from now, London to Amsterdam, it seems the CEO of Eurostar has got us in his address book. The following is the full text of the email received this morning. I wasn't worried until I got it, since trouble on the line hadn't really had much notice in US media. Not sure I'm worried now, anyway. Anyone want to comment, explain, elaborate?
"<i>Dear Traveller,
I wanted to personally update you on last week's disruption to Eurostar services in the Calais area, and more importantly, the urgent actions Eurostar and our industry partners are taking to ensure we can provide a reliable service.
You will have undoubtedly seen media coverage about disruption near to the Channel Tunnel in recent months, which until last week has primarily impacted Eurotunnel's lorry shuttle and freight operations. Unfortunately, on the evening of the 1st September, Eurostar services were also affected as trespassers led to the temporary closure of the high speed line in the Calais Frethun area. Six Eurostar services were heavily delayed whilst the authorities ensured the safe removal of people from the tracks and in turn secured the infrastructure to allow the safe passage of our trains.
Following this incident, we have been working very closely with our infrastructure partners to ensure that immediate measures are put in place to protect our services. These include:
• SNCF and French police increasing their resources in the area of the high speed tracks we use, and having a fast track response process if trespassers are seen in the area of our tracks;
• Undergrowth cleared from around our tracks making it more difficult for trespassers to hide - this work has already been undertaken;
• Additional fencing being built by Eurotunnel to protect the high speed lines in this area.
Together these measures significantly reduce the risk of future disruption, and improve the speed of response should this kind of incident happen again.
Rest assured we and our partners are working hard to ensure we can deliver the dependable service that you expect from us.
Yours sincerely, Nicolas Petrovic CEO, Eurostar"</i>
"<i>Dear Traveller,
I wanted to personally update you on last week's disruption to Eurostar services in the Calais area, and more importantly, the urgent actions Eurostar and our industry partners are taking to ensure we can provide a reliable service.
You will have undoubtedly seen media coverage about disruption near to the Channel Tunnel in recent months, which until last week has primarily impacted Eurotunnel's lorry shuttle and freight operations. Unfortunately, on the evening of the 1st September, Eurostar services were also affected as trespassers led to the temporary closure of the high speed line in the Calais Frethun area. Six Eurostar services were heavily delayed whilst the authorities ensured the safe removal of people from the tracks and in turn secured the infrastructure to allow the safe passage of our trains.
Following this incident, we have been working very closely with our infrastructure partners to ensure that immediate measures are put in place to protect our services. These include:
• SNCF and French police increasing their resources in the area of the high speed tracks we use, and having a fast track response process if trespassers are seen in the area of our tracks;
• Undergrowth cleared from around our tracks making it more difficult for trespassers to hide - this work has already been undertaken;
• Additional fencing being built by Eurotunnel to protect the high speed lines in this area.
Together these measures significantly reduce the risk of future disruption, and improve the speed of response should this kind of incident happen again.
Rest assured we and our partners are working hard to ensure we can deliver the dependable service that you expect from us.
Yours sincerely, Nicolas Petrovic CEO, Eurostar"</i>
Sep 11th, 2015, 03:07 PM
#2
Well, there has been disruption to the Eurostar services because of problems with people from the "jungle" camp at Calais trying to get into the tunnel. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that this hasn't made the news in the US, but it's big news in Europe so it's a sensible step by the CEO to try to reassure prospective customers.
This is what was happening last week:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...tar-chaos.html
That said, they seem to be running ok now.
I would cross my fingers and take plenty of food and drink!
This is what was happening last week:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...tar-chaos.html
That said, they seem to be running ok now.
I would cross my fingers and take plenty of food and drink!
Sep 11th, 2015, 03:09 PM
#3
You probably need to keep track of events via UK and French papers on line (since US papers are useless)
Most of the chaos has mostly affected EuroTunnel (lorry/car travel) but Eurostar has also been hit periodically. I haven't read anything about disruptions in the last several days but it has been a regular occurrence all summer.
Last week there was a big problem w/ migrants trying to get on top of the rail cars and Eurostar traffic was stopped.
a sampling:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk...-10482195.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...to-tracks.html
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-34124923
Most of the chaos has mostly affected EuroTunnel (lorry/car travel) but Eurostar has also been hit periodically. I haven't read anything about disruptions in the last several days but it has been a regular occurrence all summer.
Last week there was a big problem w/ migrants trying to get on top of the rail cars and Eurostar traffic was stopped.
a sampling:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk...-10482195.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...to-tracks.html
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-34124923
Sep 11th, 2015, 04:00 PM
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My friends that live north of London took a trip a couple of weeks ago to France and she posted pics of the fences and they were delayed a couple of hours going. I think the train before them was stopped. They were a bit nervous about it all. The heat was getting to those stopped. It is a sad situation but this was a bit scary.
Sep 11th, 2015, 07:08 PM
#7
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Our trip is on Sat. morning, 26th, London to Amsterdam via Bruxelles. Seems that the problem has primarily been with inbound/London-bound trains - no? - but of course that affects all turnarounds at St. Pancras.
My heart breaks for the refugees (and - fwiw - I feel that the US should agree and arrange to accept far far more than 10,000 refugees, for all kinds of reasons).
However, I also have to decide how important it's going to be to hedge our bets re: getting to Amsterdam on that day. Not that I know what hedging would mean in this case. Presumably, flights are full by now. That leaves the ferries?
My heart breaks for the refugees (and - fwiw - I feel that the US should agree and arrange to accept far far more than 10,000 refugees, for all kinds of reasons).
However, I also have to decide how important it's going to be to hedge our bets re: getting to Amsterdam on that day. Not that I know what hedging would mean in this case. Presumably, flights are full by now. That leaves the ferries?
Sep 11th, 2015, 10:25 PM
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"Presumably, flights are full by now. That leaves the ferries?"
Both assumptions are unlikely
Only eccentric tourists from countries without no proper public transport (and a few ill-informed environmental fundamentalists) would want to travel from London to Amsterdam by train, and the remote possibility of more disruption on the railway line than on the planes is unlikely to create pressure on flights. But why ask us? You can check far faster than any of us can.
The train disruptions at Calais have been widely publicised in Britain: but the causes (both migrant riots - more or less unconnected with the now widely publicised Syrian migrations further south in Europe - AND deliberate, violently destructive, disruption by "angry" French workers, organised by a union-linked criminal gang, over a routine and completely unrelated industrial dispute) have affected the Calais ferry terminal as well. They have all hit travel in both directions more or less equally.
The alternative route to Amsterdam is the Dutchflyer sail-rail via Harwich and the Hook (http://www.stenaline.co.uk/ferry-to-.../rail-and-sail)
You can't really "hedge" your bet: only commit to another route that you may imagine is less likely to get disrupted. Once you head in one direction, by one travel method, you're committed.
How's your crystal ball?
Both assumptions are unlikely
Only eccentric tourists from countries without no proper public transport (and a few ill-informed environmental fundamentalists) would want to travel from London to Amsterdam by train, and the remote possibility of more disruption on the railway line than on the planes is unlikely to create pressure on flights. But why ask us? You can check far faster than any of us can.
The train disruptions at Calais have been widely publicised in Britain: but the causes (both migrant riots - more or less unconnected with the now widely publicised Syrian migrations further south in Europe - AND deliberate, violently destructive, disruption by "angry" French workers, organised by a union-linked criminal gang, over a routine and completely unrelated industrial dispute) have affected the Calais ferry terminal as well. They have all hit travel in both directions more or less equally.
The alternative route to Amsterdam is the Dutchflyer sail-rail via Harwich and the Hook (http://www.stenaline.co.uk/ferry-to-.../rail-and-sail)
You can't really "hedge" your bet: only commit to another route that you may imagine is less likely to get disrupted. Once you head in one direction, by one travel method, you're committed.
How's your crystal ball?
Sep 11th, 2015, 10:49 PM
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>>Only eccentric tourists from countries without no proper public transport (and a few ill-informed environmental fundamentalists) would want to travel from London to Amsterdam by train<<
Tosh. For someone already in London, it's a more than acceptable alternative to flying.
Tosh. For someone already in London, it's a more than acceptable alternative to flying.
Sep 12th, 2015, 02:20 AM
#11
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A French traveler, caught on a train delayed for several hours, said that his family's inconvenience was nothing compared to what the refugees were going through.
I wish my sense of perspective was as good as his.
I wish my sense of perspective was as good as his.
Sep 12th, 2015, 03:45 AM
#12
our german guests are frequently booked on Dover-Calais ferries; this year some of them have been diverted to Dunkerque but that doesn't seem to have caused many problems.
However that would not be my route of choice for getting from London to Amsterdam.
As Patrick says, in normal circumstances Eurostar vai Brussels is a perfectly sane choice for someone starting in London, and will probably work out fine.
However that would not be my route of choice for getting from London to Amsterdam.
As Patrick says, in normal circumstances Eurostar vai Brussels is a perfectly sane choice for someone starting in London, and will probably work out fine.
Sep 12th, 2015, 07:00 AM
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<i>Only eccentric tourists from countries <b>without no</b> proper public transport (and a few ill-informed environmental fundamentalists) would want to travel from London to Amsterdam by train, and the remote possibility of more disruption on the railway line than on the planes is unlikely to create pressure on flights. But why ask us? You can check far faster than any of us can.</i>
Won't argue with being called "eccentric," because I actually do prefer train travel to the increasingly miserable experience of air travel.
In addition, I compared time of estimated door-to-door travel and found that, barring delays, the difference wouldn't be much more than an hour or so. Moreover, "barring delays" skews in favor of air travel, which is -- under normal circumstances -- sometimes less reliably on-time than rail travel, especially in countries with "proper" public transport.
And for the record, I live in a corner of the otherwise uncivilized States that has (doesn't have no) relatively dense public transportation. I can tell you what happened to the airlines when the heavily traveled northeast rail corridor was interrupted, but bah, never mind.
I take my concerns to Fodors where many have close experience and/or knowledge of a variety of things, which can be very helpful (as here), even knowing I risk being slammed for doing that.
I look forward very much to my brief stay in and around London. And thanks for comments and reports which, yes, we are not getting here in the Colonies.
Won't argue with being called "eccentric," because I actually do prefer train travel to the increasingly miserable experience of air travel.
In addition, I compared time of estimated door-to-door travel and found that, barring delays, the difference wouldn't be much more than an hour or so. Moreover, "barring delays" skews in favor of air travel, which is -- under normal circumstances -- sometimes less reliably on-time than rail travel, especially in countries with "proper" public transport.
And for the record, I live in a corner of the otherwise uncivilized States that has (doesn't have no) relatively dense public transportation. I can tell you what happened to the airlines when the heavily traveled northeast rail corridor was interrupted, but bah, never mind.
I take my concerns to Fodors where many have close experience and/or knowledge of a variety of things, which can be very helpful (as here), even knowing I risk being slammed for doing that.
I look forward very much to my brief stay in and around London. And thanks for comments and reports which, yes, we are not getting here in the Colonies.
Sep 12th, 2015, 07:25 AM
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And yes, yes, yes, these are first-world problems of first-world leisure compared to what the refugees are facing, which is orders of magnitude worse than horrific and heartbreaking.
Sep 12th, 2015, 08:33 AM
#16
I thought I had seen a report in the NYT, and a quick check produced this:
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2015/...star.html?_r=0
There were also reports in July and August, but nothing on the industrial action.
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2015/...star.html?_r=0
There were also reports in July and August, but nothing on the industrial action.
Sep 12th, 2015, 10:38 AM
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My god, still having fingers wagged at me for being ill-informed, living in the wrong place with the wrong support systems. I repent. I shall move immediately to Oxford (England) and read all international papers each day.
(fwis, janisj, I read the NYTimes as well as the Boston Globe on line most days and Sundays on paper - just not when I was lucky enough to have an invitation to Cape Cod. I remember seeing something about Calais but hadn't put it together with our trip until Eurostar's email. But no excuses, I still should move somewhere else and revise my lifestyle. Mea culpa, mea maxima culpa).
(fwis, janisj, I read the NYTimes as well as the Boston Globe on line most days and Sundays on paper - just not when I was lucky enough to have an invitation to Cape Cod. I remember seeing something about Calais but hadn't put it together with our trip until Eurostar's email. But no excuses, I still should move somewhere else and revise my lifestyle. Mea culpa, mea maxima culpa).
Sep 12th, 2015, 10:42 AM
#18
cfc, please take it in good part. It's not your fault that in general, american news tends to concentrate on things american.
No reason why you should be aware of what is going on at Calais, I'm sure that I have no idea of what is happening in whatever part of the USA you live in.
No reason why you should be aware of what is going on at Calais, I'm sure that I have no idea of what is happening in whatever part of the USA you live in.
Sep 12th, 2015, 12:06 PM
#19
>>My god, still having fingers wagged at me for being ill-informed, living in the wrong place with the wrong support systems. I<<
I didn't wag my finger (any of them). Honest. I merely meant if one wants/<u>needs</u> news/info about what is going on in Europe, one needs to seek out the info on European media sites. The NYT/Wash Post/SF Chron/whatever will let you down (just as Le Figaro and the Telegraph aren't that great for local US news).
I re-read my post and don't see where it was snotty. One <i>does</i> need to seek out other sources of news. Sorry that you seem offended -- I was really trying to help.
I didn't wag my finger (any of them). Honest. I merely meant if one wants/<u>needs</u> news/info about what is going on in Europe, one needs to seek out the info on European media sites. The NYT/Wash Post/SF Chron/whatever will let you down (just as Le Figaro and the Telegraph aren't that great for local US news).
I re-read my post and don't see where it was snotty. One <i>does</i> need to seek out other sources of news. Sorry that you seem offended -- I was really trying to help.
