Eurostar trains cancelled after unexploded WWII bomb found in middle of tracks

Passengers stand under an information screen displaying that traffic has been stopped.
Trains are not running between Paris Gare du Nord and London St Pancras International (Picture: AFP via Getty Images)

Eurostar trains from London to Paris have been cancelled after an unexploded World War Two bomb was found on the tracks.

The bomb was found in the Saint-Denis area of Paris during overnight works last night.

The disruption is also impacting local metros, national and international train services to Belgium and The Netherlands as police try to disable the device.

Pictures from social media show large crowds of people in the Gare du Nord terminal.

Departure boards inside the station warn passengers to expect delays until further notice because of the unexploded bomb.

Laura Harman, senior entertainment reporter at Metro, was en route to Paris for a hen do with some friends when their train was cancelled.

She said: ‘I arrived to St Pancras at 6:30 hoping to get the 8:01 train but arrived to find queues everywhere and complete confusion.

‘I’m with a group of 14 about to go on a hen do to Paris and this has completely messed up our arrangements.

‘We’ve managed to change our tickets to go to Lille but we will still have to work out what to do once we get there.’

Outlining how they’re going to save the hen do, she added: ‘In true hen style we’re going to drink in a Wetherspoon pub until 1pm when we get a replacement train to Lille. 

‘We’re not 100% certain how we are getting to Paris from Lille but it looks like it could be an expensive cab.’

Maid of Honour, Tara Jackson, told Metro: ‘I’m delighted with the customer service from the Eurostar with their ability to move us to the Lille train. But it’s unfortunate that we have to spend €2,000 on a taxi from Lille to Paris.’

The Bride, Serena Beck, added: ‘We’re thriving in the chaos in a Wetherspoons, no bomb can ruin this day.’

Passengers stand under an information screen displaying that traffic has been stopped at the Gare du Nord station in Paris on March 7, 2025, following the discovery of a World War II bomb. Railway services at the Gare du Nord station, that have been interrupted on March 7, 2025 morning after the discovery of a World War II bomb, will remain "highly disrupted throughout the day", warned the Minister for Transport. (Photo by GEOFFROY VAN DER HASSELT / AFP) (Photo by GEOFFROY VAN DER HASSELT/AFP via Getty Images)
Passengers stand under an information screen displaying that traffic has been stopped at the Gare du Nord station (Picture: AFP via Getty Images)

Four trains from London to Paris have been cancelled so far, while the first six trains departing Paris for London have also been cancelled.

French national railway company TER posted on X: ‘An unexploded bomb from the Second World War was discovered near the tracks.’

A statement from Eurostar on its website says: ‘Due to an object on the tracks near Paris Gare du Nord, we are expecting disruption to our services this morning. Please change your journey for a different date of travel.’

These are cancelled until at least 11am this morning.

Passengers wait as Eurostar trains to London and all trains heading to northern France have been brought to a halt following the discovery of an unexploded bomb dating back to World War II near the tracks, Friday, March 7, 2025 at the Gare du Nord station in Paris. (AP Photo/Samuel Petrequin)
Passengers wait as Eurostar trains to London and all trains heading to northern France have been stopped (Picture: AP)

It is not yet known how long it will take to dismantle the bomb.

It is not good news for passengers, with Gare du Nord being Europe’s busiest rail station and serves 214 million passengers a year.

The station serves more than 600,000 passengers a day.

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