An international Eurostar train broke down south of Rotterdam on Thursday morning after smoke developed in an electrical cabinet. More than six hundred passengers are being evacuated with another train. Train traffic on the high-speed line between Rotterdam and Breda is at a standstill.
The train from Amsterdam to Paris came to a standstill around 10:00 AM near ‘s-Gravendeel, near Dordrecht. That happened after smoke was seen in the rear carriage. The fire brigade came to the train with a lot of equipment.
Initially, there was hope that the train could continue on its own. But it turned out to take too much time to restart the train and prepare it for departure, a spokesperson for NS told NU.nl.
Therefore, passengers are now being transferred to another train. That train travels back to Rotterdam. Eurostar and NS employees are helping them get to their destination.
“Some may be able to take another train to Paris,” the spokesperson said. “Others have to change trains in Brussels. Several trains depart from there to Paris. Unfortunately, their journey will take longer than they thought this morning. It’s not a good day for the travelers.”
It is not known when the track will be clear again and the remaining train traffic on the high-speed line between Rotterdam and Breda can use it. Train traffic is being diverted via Dordrecht.
International trains also use that route, but not all of them. “Some trains have Breda instead of Rotterdam as their final destination. Passengers can then transfer to the other trains to Rotterdam,” the spokesperson said.