UK-France trains delayed by heatwave, holiday traffic

Train service between Britain and France was hit Friday by the heatwave and increased rail traffic, with Eurotunnel passengers warned to expect delays and problems with the air conditioning.

Delayed passangers wait for a Eurostar train in Paris on October 18, 2016. THOMAS SAMSON / AFP

Some Eurotunnel passengers looking to leave the UK on holiday may be in for a long, hot ride.

In a tweet on Friday, Eurotunnel wrote that delays on the British side have reached two and a half hours in total – with pre-check-in delays of 30 minutes, and post-check-in wait times of two hours.

Hi, the delay to booked departures from Folkestone remains at 30 mins wait Pre Check-in, and 2h00 wait on site. We are working hard to improve the service and get everyone on there way as quickly as possible. Sorry for the inconvenience caused to your journey. ^FF

  Eurotunnel Le Shuttle (@LeShuttle) 27 juillet 2018

According to Eurotunnel, the heatwave is largely to blame for both the delays and the dysfunctional air conditioning. Bad news for travellers in the UK, just one day after the hottest temperature of the year was recorded there. The mercury hit 35.1 degrees in Wisley on the southwest edge of London on Thursday.

Passengers have been encouraged to stock up on water beforehand.

The high Temperatures are affecting the operation of air conditioning on our trains resulting delays. We recommend you stock up with drinking water before you arrive at Folkestone. Thank you for your understanding. ^FF

  Eurotunnel Le Shuttle (@LeShuttle) 27 juillet 2018

"It's a very busy day, it's the day when everyone leaves on holiday," AFP quotes a Eurotunnel spokesman as saying.  

However, wait times on Friday were an improvement compared to Thursday, when the transport service announced that delays hit four to five hours.

Eurotunnel operates a drive-on train service for cars and trucks going through the Channel Tunnel. 

The Channel Tunnel runs for 50 kilometres between Kent in southeast England and northern France. Opened in 1994, it is the world's longest uninterrupted undersea link.    

Different services run through the Channel Tunnel: Eurostar passenger trains, Eurotunnel vehicle shuttles and goods trains.