The situation gradually returned to normal on Saturday for the circulation of Thalys between France and Belgium, interrupted on Friday because of a shock with an animal, but the travelers did not hide their dissatisfaction.
“Things are much better, the situation is gradually recovering,” said a spokeswoman for Thalys. “Following yesterday’s incident, disruptions are still to be expected today,” said the website of the Brussels-based company on Saturday morning, but the link to provide real-time information led travelers on an error page.
More than 700 people spent the night in Bruxelles-Midi
Thousands of passengers were stuck on trains until late Friday evening, or had to wait for a train that never left. In Paris and Brussels, customers were offered to go home by taxi, to sleep at the hotel or in Thalys trains that remained at the station, said the spokesperson.
Between 700 and 800 people spent the night in Brussels-Midi in the Thalys, according to the spokesperson. Others did the same in Paris, but Thalys and SNCF – its majority shareholder – were unable to say how many on Saturday. In the morning, the trains were between 10 and 50 minutes late Gare du Midi in Brussels, AFP noted on the spot.