Passengers are stuck in tunnel for four hours as Eurostar service and second train BOTH break down

By AMIE GORDON and AIDAN RADNEDGE, SENIOR NEWS REPORTER Published: 10:42, 27 May 2026 | Updated: 11:00, 27 May 2026 Thousands of commuters travelling from Kent had journeys delayed and cancelled by several hours today after a Eurostar service broke down just outside of St Pancras station. More than 250 passengers on a service from Faversham to St Pancras in central London were stuck in a tunnel for just under four hours this morning. One passenger missed a flight abroad, while dozens of others missed connecting Eurostar services travelling to Paris. Further chaos then ensued as the train attempted to drive backwards towards Kent - and broke down. Subsequent trains were then sent to tow both the Eurostar and Southeastern services out of the tunnel. One commuter told the Daily Mail: 'Had I not been five hours late for work, it would have almost been rather comical.  'The guard didn't know what was going on and with each rescue attempt, another disaster struck.  'What isn't funny however is when another guard said, "Oh, well, it can't be helped". A Eurostar train broke down near London St Pancras this morning - causing knock-on effects that left passengers stranded on board various trains for hours (file photo) Eurostar's website provided live timetable updates while commuters voiced frustration 'My rail card costs thousands of pounds a year. I'd like to think that five-hour delays, hundreds of people being stuck in a tunnel and train services repeatedly breaking down in the heat can be helped.' Passengers broke down in tears as they were forced to desperately try to rearrange flights to get on holiday. Trains were then sent back to Stratford station in east London, meaning commuters then had to get Underground or Elizabeth Line services back towards central London. Southeastern has placed the blame on the broken-down Eurostar train - on a day when temperatures were soaring again, tipped to hit 33C. There were record-breaking conditions recorded yesterday and on Bank Holiday Monday, with highs of 35C in some areas.  And rail services have been affected by the heat, with steel tracks buckling and expanding - with operators warning of further disruption to come.  Train companies have come under fire for blaming 'severe weather' for cancelling services with announcements saying it is 'too hot to go on'. The Met Office confirmed Tuesday became the hottest May day ever recorded in both England and Wales, with temperatures soaring to a provisional 35.1C at Kew Gardens in south-west London and 32.9C at Cardiff's Bute Park. Meanwhile, as the record temperatures continue, South East Water has confirmed that more than 10,000 households are without water. Customers across Kent and East Sussex have no running water and homes in Herne Bay, Ashford and Hastings have been completely cut off. The unprecedented spring heat has sent thousands flocking to beaches, lakes and rivers across the country, but emergency services have been stretched by a string of fatal incidents involving children and teenagers getting into difficulty in open water. Commuters travelling between Kent, Essex and London expressed their irritation following this morning's train breakdowns.  Posters kept on board delayed Southeastern services challenged the firm in posts on X One posted on X, formerly Twitter: 'We have been stuck in a tunnel for two f***ing hours and been promised for the past hour a train will attach to ours and take us back to Stratford. 'It is a three-minute journey to do this, why is it taking so long?' Southeastern responded by saying: 'Hi, apologies about this. Because of a broken down Eurostar, the train you're on had to stop in a part of the tunnel which has what is known as "neutral" power. 'Therefore, it now requires a rescue team to get moved. Please remember Delay Repay compensation does apply.' After being asked why 'a rescue team takes over an hour to rescue us for a three-minute journey', the firm added: 'There are many safety protocols that need to be followed to rescue a train, especially in London Tunnels (the bit of the line you're on). 'As you may imagine, it's not as easy as just jumping off the train and walking on the tracks. Once again, apologies about this.' Another poster wrote: 'The situation on the high speed this morning @Se_Railway is unacceptable. You cannot empty one commuter train onto another. 'Expecting people who pay a fortune to stand all the way to St Pancras. Also announcing it late into Ashford so people didn’t have a chance to even get ready.' The reply from the firm was: 'Hi KW, I appreciate the frustration, this is because of disruption on High speed lines this morning, caused by a broken down Eurostar train at St Pancras. 'Staff at Ashford did their best to accommodate as many passengers as possible onto other commuter services.' A fellow traveller affected by the chaos accused Southeastern of 'disgraceful service into St Pancras', adding: 'We've been sat in a tunnel outside #StratfordIntl now for over 20 minutes with one announcement finally after 20 minutes. 'You have to keep your customers informed what’s going on and for God's sake, get us out of the tunnel!' Southeastern posted to the company's 258,000 X followers: 'A train has broken down near #StPancras. A rescue train has arrived to help the broken down train to move. 'You can use your ticket at no extra cost on Elizabeth Line & Underground between Stratford and London, and Thameslink between Rainham and St Pancras.' Southeastern and Eurostar have been approached for comment.  A Southeastern spokesman said the Eurostar train broke down due to a locked axle, whereas their train's problem was a loss of power supply while within a tunnel rather than in the open air amid the high temperatures. He added that Southeastern services were not all affected but those on this particular blocked lane were being held.  Elsewhere, Great Western Railway said a speed restriction had been put in place between Didcot Parkway in Oxfordshire and London Paddington 'because of high track temperatures'. A spokesman added: 'This means a slight delay to some journeys but overall we're still running a good level of service.' No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? 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