Following the discovery of an unexploded WW2 bomb, Eurostar trains between London and Paris have been cancelled all day.
At King’s Cross St Pancras, queues began developing as travellers mulled over their travel alternatives. Large crowds can also been seen at Gare du Nord waiting for updates.
Eurostar announced that its London-to-Paris services will be suspended for the whole Friday, in a statement revealed after 9am.
According to an earlier statement from France’s national rail operator, SNCF services at Gare du Nord will be suspended until mid-morning at the police’s request.
The Eurostar website shows cancellations between 10am and noon
Services between London and Paris will continue to be suspended for the remainder of the day, according to Eurostar.
In its latest update, Eurostar announced it “sincerely apologises for the disruption and understands the inconvenience this may cause. We appreciate everyone’s patience and cooperation during this time.”
So far, the first four Eurostar trains from Kings Cross to Paris have been cancelled, with the earliest train which was meant to leave at 06:01 GMT. The initial six scheduled services from Paris to London have also been cancelled.
At around 4AM, workers conducting earthmoving – the process of moving, digging up, or lifting earth to create a new shape or location near the Seine-Saint-Denis in northeast Paris found the device that caused pandemonium on the Eurostar.
Minesweepers were dispatched to the location, and are now working to ensure the matter is safe and secure.
Bomb remnants from the World Wars are frequently found throughout France, although it is unusual to locate them in such a densely populated area.
Stressing the protocols in place for defusing and removing such devices, French Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot told broadcaster Sud Radio that locals and those near the train stations should have “no fear” of an explosion.
Eurostar’s website suggests if your train is affected by a cancellation you can either claim a refund or exchange your ticket.
A large number of travellers are anticipated to be impacted by Friday’s cancellations.
Friday is the most important day for leisure travellers going on a weekend getaway, in addition to the enormous number of business travellers commuting between London and Paris.
