Travellers make last-minute trips on Eurostar as EU nations ban UK flights

world
Travellers Make Last-Minute Trips On Eurostar As Eu Nations Ban Uk Flights
People at St Pancras station in London, © PA Wire/PA Images
Share this article

Tom Pilgrim, PA

Travellers have booked last-minute Eurostar tickets out of the UK amid flight cancellations, closing international borders and a tightening of Covid-19 restrictions.

A long, snaking line of passengers formed inside St Pancras station in central London today as they waited to board one of the afternoon’s sold-out Eurostar trains.

Advertisement

One 23-year-old Frenchman, who only gave his name as Francois, said he booked his ticket to Paris in the morning after changing it from next week.

He told the PA news agency: “I know that it’s not really good to leave and go back to France. I haven’t seen my family for four months and a half.

Coronavirus – Sun Dec 20, 2020
People at St Pancras station in London waiting to board the last train to Paris on Sunday (PA)

Advertisement

“I tried to isolate myself as much as possible.

“I booked my train this morning, not really reasonable because of the evolution of the virus.

“It’s a pretty personal choice, I don’t feel proud about that.”

The sales management student admitted he was “worried” ahead of seeing his family, adding that he planned to self-isolate and take a test first.

Advertisement

Miguel Gallego (32) from the Netherlands, said he booked his train ticket “half an hour” before speaking to PA.

Travelling to Brussels in Belgium, he had seen both a flight and Eurostar train to Amsterdam cancelled.

Mr Gallego, who works in aerospace engineering, explained he was moving for work and his house was now empty.

Advertisement

 

Asked if he had considered staying in the UK, he said: “I would have if I could have a place to stay but at the moment the easiest [thing] is to go away.

Advertisement

“To be honest I wouldn’t know what to do if I didn’t have this train.”

New Tier 4 rules imposed on London and parts of the south-east and east of England mean people can only travel out of these areas for limited reasons, such as for work, education or caring responsibilities.

International travel is also restricted to legally permitted reasons, including for work.

UK prime minister Boris Johnson introduced the tougher measures amid concern that a new strain of coronavirus was driving up cases.

Eurostar trains between Belgium and the UK are cancelled from Monday, following the Belgian government’s announcement that borders with the UK will close at midnight on Sunday.

No trains will run between London, Brussels and Amsterdam, but trains continue to operate on the Paris route.

Coronavirus – Sun Dec 20, 2020
Police officers patrol at St Pancras station (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

Belgium has also been joined by Italy and the Netherlands in banning flights from the UK.

Amid suggestions France was likely to ban UK travellers, three Eurostar trains leaving London for Paris on Sunday, at 12.24pm, 3.31pm and 7.01pm were sold out on Sunday.

One traveller, who only gave her name as Marie, booked her Eurostar ticket to France a month ago.

Asked if she had thought about not travelling, she said: “No, because I want to go to friends for Christmas, so I didn’t want to cancel my ticket.”

She said she planned to take a coronavirus test, explaining: “I’m going to do it when I arrive in France today or tomorrow, it’s pretty quick in France.”

A 21-year-old engineering student travelling home to Brussels, who did not want to be named, said he was heading back for work and to access documents and a working computer.

He said: “I contracted the coronavirus a month ago. I should be pretty immune. I know it’s not 100% sure. I’ve been self-isolating for the last two weeks. Hopefully it’s going to be OK.”

The student criticised the UK government’s “abrupt” changes to Covid-19 restrictions in England.

“Now they just created chaos and chaos is never good for any reason,” he said.

Read More

Message submitting... Thank you for waiting.

Want us to email you top stories each lunch time?

Download our Apps
© BreakingNews.ie 2024, developed by Square1 and powered by PublisherPlus.com