Eurostar Chaos!

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  • 更新日:2015/01/27
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Here is what we were experienced in these four days.

We had a weekend travel to Paris for three days...supposed to be. It was very good trip, at least until Saturday.

Our travel was originally planned to go back to London on Saturday. We actually were on board an Eurostar train at Paris Gare du Nord around 4:30pm and heading for London, but the train stopped at Lille and went back to Charles-de-Gaulle, neither London nor Paris Gare du Nord. Why did they take us such deserted station?

It was middle of nowhere, we had no information, no food, no water, and even very little toilets. There were only three staffs, who made no public announcement but just were answering individual questions. The answers were ever changing. Everytime we asked them something, we got different answer, such as "flight fare is not refundable," then "all transportation including airfare will be refunded" after 10 minutes.

All we could do there was just waiting in very cloud place of the station lobby. After 2 or 3 hours, we were taken at a hotel, but they made no reservation there and no single room was available. Actually the bus driver took us a wrong hotel, and the right hotel rooms were taken by another party and passengers from Air France.

Finally passengers got outrageous to SCNF staffs (national rail of France) at the hotel lobby, who started to think it as a severe situation. Eventually we were assigned at a hotel room, but it was already after midnight.

I tried to make a booking for a flight as the Eurostar would not run on Sunday, but managed to book one on Monday evening since flights were already pretty full.

The bad situation continues...

On Monday, we were on board an Air France flight from Paris Orly to London City Airport, which was only available one at that moment. But the weather condition was awful in London area, and we were forced to head back to Paris Orly before 10 minutes of landing, again!

When we arrived at Paris again, we were immediately offered a hotel room and meals from Air France, which was way better managed than Eurostar.

On Tuesday, the Air France check-in was total mess, due to many double booking between us who already having boarding tickets and others who having just e-ticket confirmations. Even some passengers were coming in the aircraft with having the same seat. Our flight delayed two hours because of this.

But anyway we made it at London City Airport finally after stranded four days, people on board appraused at touchdown with the feeling of releaf.

I had to spend over 1,000 pounds out of my pocket for flights, hotels, meals, and stuff in this all chaotic situation, but I'm not sure how much will be reimbursed from Eurostar according to the announcement from them. I cannot find web pages that describe the situation like us, but we will definitely claim our all money back to Eurostar.

Anyway, I strongly recommend you not to travel via Eurostar on this season. ;-p

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