A major theft of copper signalling cables near Lille-Europe station has disrupted Eurostar services, causing cancellations and lengthy delays across routes from London to Paris, Brussels, and Amsterdam.
Around 600 metres of cable were stolen, prompting French railway company SNCF to impose speed limits and reroute high-speed trains onto conventional lines, extending journey times by up to 90 minutes.
At least six London–Paris departures were cancelled during the morning on Wednesday, June 25th, while other services continued with significant delays.
Passengers were offered free exchanges, refunds, and onboard water supplies, and urged to postpone travel due to ongoing disruptions.
The delays followed the previous day’s tragedy when two people were struck by trains on the same line, forcing a temporary shutdown and stranding passengers overnight.
