Eurostar trains cancelled after cables cut in northern France
Eurostar on Wednesday was advising passengers to postpone their trips if possible, with several trains cancelled or delayed after more than 600 metres of cables were vandalised in northern France, the company and French railway operator said.
"More than 600 metres of cable were stolen or severed south of the Lille Europe station" on the way between the two capitals, French railway operator SNCF said.
French high-speed TGV and local TER services are impacted, as well as Eurostar routes between Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam.
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Around 15 workers, including cable makers, were dispatched to solve the issue, the operator added.
"Trains are being redirected via secondary routes, which increases travel times," said Eurostar spokeswoman Juliette Clement.
"Eurostar advises those who were supposed to travel today to postpone their trip, with free exchanges and refunds available," she added.
All trains between Paris and Lille - including the French high-speed TGV services, local TER trains and the Eurostar - were halted on Tuesday evening after a person was hit by a train and killed close to Lille.
Local paper
La Voix du Nord reported
that the accident happened in the afternoon and caused some disruption, but then a second fatal accident saw the Paris-Lille line closed in both directions.
Some passengers were forced to sleep at London St Pancras station after the final trains back to Paris were cancelled.
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