Eurostar Delays. March 2019

I received a message a day or two ago from the app cestlagreve (translated "It is The Strike") which watches for all French strikes, which said that the French border agents were extending their actions which had been limited to cross-Channel trucks and commercial vehicles to all modes of travel.

Yes, they were striking at Orly and CDG last weekend too. It's been a real mess. Huge delays with Eurostar trains, some trains cancelled, etc. etc. All to “prove a point” before Brexit even happens!

This has been making the news here for a couple of weeks - it’s the French trying to get increased wages. It has caused up to 10 hour delays for freight traffic using the ferries. And who said Brexit wouldn’t affect Americans and others?

I’ve been checking waits at CDG. Nowhere close to the reports and disaster at Gare du Nord. I’m sticking with the plane

Let us know how it went if you don't mind...

A work colleague got caught in the mess yesterday (3/13) trying to return from Paris to London (on a day trip....but that's another story). They had a full three hour delay, but thankfully had flights out of London for today (3/14) so they had some give in their schedule. I hope you have success returning Carol!

My traveling companion just cleared immigration at CDG. He was through in under 5 minutes. Twitter still showing delays of several hours at Gare du Nord and Eurostar still advising passengers to cancel if possible. Looks like I’ll be on the plane but I’ll keep watching

I suppose that Thalys to Brussels and Eurostar Brussels - London wouldn't be of any use?

Nigel, that is a very good idea. Thalys to Brussels is intra-Schengen, no officialdom to worry about. And Schengen exit passport control at Brussels is handled by Belgian officers.

Why are they cancellig trains? Passengers are delayed, just stick them on the next available train?

Eurostar border controls at Gare du Nord are crowded, disorderly and lacking in space at the best of times.
Perhaps the British Government can finally be persuaded to allow on-train checks like civilised countries, and get rid of this ridiculous "check-in" procedure.

From what I can figure out, they are canceling trains simply because there’s not enough room in the station for all the trains. They are so far backlogged that they just have to occasionally cancel trying to keep things moving. They’re running 2 to 3 hours behind and it starts to snowball on them.

I did look at the Brussels suggestion and it does work, but for me it would be about $200 more than the cheap airfare I got.

It’s an unbelievable mess, and particular bad for those people who wanted to do a day trip to or from London/Paris

It’s also a cautionary tale for people like me who tend to book unprotected connections and have to juggle. Paying attention what going on going on and being willing to spend money to get where you need to do is required if you do What I do. If that was not something I could handle, I should have booked my flight out of Paris instead of going back to London.

I am planning our first trip to Europe this summer and have purchased a ticket from London to Paris on Eurostar. Should I sit tight and wait or would you suggest I schedule a flight instead?

Carol, I am most impressed with your resourcefulness I figuring this out (and in being aware of the problem in the first place). I regret that you had to undertake this extra expense, but I am glad you found a solution. Brava.

@Julie — unfortunately it is impossible to know what the situation will be like this summer. One would think the douaniers couldn't strike indefinitely, but French striking workers have surprised us before.

Just to update. I did go to train station this morning. At 7 am they were already way behind. I had a 9 am train. At that point they were still trying to check in all the people for the 7 am train.

It looked like I had to wait about 3 hours before they started doing check in for my train which was already running 60 minutes behind schedule.

I left, went back to hotel, filed for a refund and after walking around Paris and having a nice lunch I headed to CDG. I’m now in London and will fly home tomorrow

Eurostar telling people not to travel Paris—> London on their service unless absolutely necessary. One person reporting taking 4.5 hours to get through the queues.

https://www.bbc.com/news/amp/business-47602573

P.s. so far it says the strike action (and thus its advice to defer travel) is through March 19 (tomorrow). That may be updated as we go through today.

Now it’s the 20th

https://www.eurostar.com/uk-en/disruption_hub

Got back to London hotel yesterday afternoon and staff told us about cancellations and delays on Eurostar. We were to go to Paris this am and return to London tonight. Return train cancelled. Phones and chat lines are not being answered. Online through account I could get refund for return....but not from London to Paris! Since this was a turnaround trip with reports of extensive queues at Gare du Nord, severely limited availability and warning advice from Eurostar not to travel if it’s not absolutely necessary .... I made claim for a FULL refund for RT since this would have been a trip in vain. Our OB train was to arrive Paris @ 1017 and we had last train of day @ 2109 IB which was cancelled as was the 1900 train.

I expect I will have to wait a long while for a response from Eurostar despite their claim they’ll respond in 24 hrs..... CC company told me to get response from them and I could file under trip delay/Cancellation....

Chris,

I got a reply on my refund request in about 30 hours?

For reasons unknown to me they actually refunded my round trip even though I had already taken the London to Paris train (I am not complaining!)

I still have not received any response to my claim which I filed at 4pm on 3/18/2019. Not a word.

Did they post it back to your credit card?

Thanks
Chris