Eurostar to suspend Channel train service indefinitely

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Most people think “airlines” when the topic turns to the misery of holiday travel. Well, the trains are getting in on the action now. European railway Eurostar‘s Channel Tunnel train, which connects England and France, is being shut down indefinitely. It’s a natural side-effect of having more than 2,000 passengers trapped inside the tunnel for several hours because of technical glitches.

Several hours? Try 15 of ’em! Sans food, water or information, passengers had no relief from a truly miserable situation.

Eurostar has promised that it won’t send any more trains into the tunnel until the problem has been identified and resolved. On Sunday, it said that the malfunction was related to “acute weather conditions in northern France,” according to a report by The Associated Press. The area is suffering its worst winter in recent memory.

The suspension of train service under the English Channel forced 31,000 people in Great Britain, France and Belgium to cancel their travel plans on Saturday, with another 26,000 estimated to have been impacted on Sunday. The backlog is still building, and Eurostar isn’t planning to start selling tickets again until after Christmas.
So, time to hop on a flight, right? Not quite.

The winter storm conditions that Eurostar is blaming for the train’s being trapped in the tunnel forced air carriers to cut almost half the flights departing from both airports in Paris through the middle of Sunday afternoon. More are expected for Monday. Lines were long at the airport in Brussels, as well.

[Photo by OliverN5 via Flickr]

Thousands trapped in Channel Tunnel

by Sean McLachlan on

More than two thousand passengers were trapped in the Channel Tunnel last night when unusually cold weather in northern France made four Eurostar trains break down at the same time.

Four trains coming from Brussels and Paris entered the tunnel between France and England and promptly broke down because of the temperature change between the cold air in France and the warm air inside the tunnel.

Some passengers were evacuated after a few hours, but others had to spend all night in the tunnel. The blockage caused a huge traffic jam of cars on either side of the tunnel.

Eurostar has warned that services will remain severely disrupted throughout the weekend and that passengers should seek alternative ways to get to their destination. Eurostar has apologized for the delays and has offered refunds. It’s also considering compensation.

But the trouble doesn’t stop there. Heavy snowfall and unseasonably cold temperatures have disrupted travel in many parts of England and Scotland. Drivers are being turned away from the Channel Tunnel and being warned not to drive on the M20 near Folkstone or Dover. The Port of Calais in France is also closed.

Leaf peeping in the northern hemisphere

by Brenda Yun on

Let’s face it: autumn is here. But why not embrace the fall by heading to the hills and enjoying the turning of the leaves from green to fiery red?

It’s no secret that New England is one of the world’s top fall foliage destinations, but I bet you didn’t know that there are several other places in the northern Hemisphere where you can see the trees in their autumn glory. An additional bonus? Fewer people travel in the fall, and prices tend to be cheaper too!

Here are a few of the world’s best places to check out fall foliage:

In the USA:
Arizona Highlands — Arizona might have deserts and canyons, but the higher elevations around Flagstaff and its White Mountains have really photo-worthy foliage.

The Great Lakes Region — The Lakes region is famous for its huge expanse of fresh water, but the trees in fall paired with the blue of the water makes fall a great time to travel north.

Maine — This whole state is ablaze with fall colors come October. Just ride the I-95 north and breathe in the New England air. It’s no wonder the state slogan is, “Maine: The Way Life Should Be.”


In Canada:
Vancouver Island — Canada’s western isle is teeming with fall colors — from the city of Victoria, British Columbia’s capital, to the wilderness of Strathcona Provincial Park.

Prince Edward Island — Leaf peepers can hike, bike or take a horseback ride through the uncrowded trails on Prince Edward Island. Additionally, Charlottetown rings in the fall with its Fall Flavours food and wine festival.

In Europe:
High Tatras, Poland — Poland’s eastern mountains are great for skiing in the winter, but the fall offers fantastic opportunities for hiking. Zakopane makes a good base for fall excursions.

Lot Valley, France — Walk, bike, or drive around Lot Valley’s orchards and vineyards, which glow with autumn colors. The region is great for active bird watching or just a quiet weekend retreat.

Bruges, Belgium — Take a stroll around Bruges’s canals or drink a Belgian beer while admiring the trees. This is one of the few places where the city offers just as many photo-worthy fall shots as the outskirts.

The Swiss Alps — While this mountain range is famous for its skiing, fall offers great opportunities for multi-day hiking or road tripping along winding mountain roads as you admire the warm colors of the hills.

Lake Bled, Slovenia — Take a boat onto Lake Bled and take in the perfect blend of the area’s clear waters and the trees’ fiery hues.

[via SkyScanner.net]

Get out and go: Events around the world (September 30-October 1)

by Brenda Yun on

Happy Hump Day, Gadling’ers! It’s time to look at the festivals and events happening around the world, and this week has a particularly international selection of happenings. If you’re close and have time, then you have no excuse to get out and go!

  • Victoria (Australia) – Spring Racing Carnival: The Spring Racing Carnival will take place today at various race courses in Victoria. The carnival is a series of racing and fashion events which will continue until November 18, so if you missed the first event, you still have 6 more weeks to take part!
  • Shanghai – Shanghai International Music Fireworks Festival: One of Shanghai’s most lively festivals will begin today in Century Park, Pudong. The event will continue until November 6, so you have plenty of time to catch some music or other festivities.
  • Belgrade – Belgrade Jazz Festival: This international festival begins October 1 and lasts the whole month. A series of concerts by domestic and foreign performers is held at the Belgrade Youth Centre, the hall of the Belgrade Trade Union House, Kolarac Foundation and other venues.
  • Colombia – Hip Hop in the Park: Bogotá’s “Hip-Hop al Parque”, a festival of beats and rhymes that begins tomorrow, has taken place annually since 1968, providing two days of bass and hip-hop.
  • Paris – Spring Summer 2010 Ready to Wear show: If you’re into high fashion, head to Paris this week! Its Ready to Wear show presents the latest fashion. The show begins tomorrow and will continue until October 8.
  • Cuba – Celebration of The Cubania: The celebration of Cuban art and culture begins today in Bayamo, Cuba.

If you make it to one of these events, let us know how it was, or if you know of an even that’s coming up, please let us here at Gadling know and we’ll be sure to include it in the next “Get out and go” round-up.

‘Til next week, have a great weekend — the first of October!

Cyclist circles the globe in 174 days

by Kraig Becker on

Last weekend, British cyclist James Bowthorpe rolled into London’s Hyde Park, finishing an epic ride around the globe, and setting a new world’s record in the process. Bowthorpe became the fastest person to circumnavigate the planet by bike, finishing the 18,000 mile ride in 174 days, beating the old record by 20 days.

Bowthorpe’s journey took him across France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, the Ukraine, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, Iran, India, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States, before returning him home. In order to finish in this record time, he averaged more than 100 miles per day, and near the end of his journey, he was riding as much as 150 miles in a single go.

The 32-year old cyclist, who rode to raise funds for Parkinson’s research, faced plenty of challenges along the way. The weather was a constant adversary with high winds and rains tormenting him at times, while heat and humidity took their toll at others. Road conditions were tricky in some of the more remote areas as well, and while he was riding through India, Bowthrope took ill and spent three days in bed trying to recover.

The new record bests the one set by Mark Beaumont last year when he circled the globe in 194 days. Beumont is currently on another long distance cycling expedition, riding from Anchorage, Alaska to Ushuaia, Argentina, the southernmost city in South America.

Although the ride may be over for Bowthorpe, his goal to raise money to find a cure for Parkinson’s Disease continues. He had hoped to raise £1.8 million on his journey, and he is still focused on reaching that goal. To find out more about James and his long distance ride, and how you can contribute to his cause, go to GlobeCycle.org.