Eurostar at Christmas 2026: Which Paris–Brussels Trains Are Cancelled?
Last verified: · All train times are local.
Someone is saving you a seat at Christmas dinner. Or perhaps you’re finally taking that December trip together, with no bigger plans than wandering under the lights and finding somewhere warm to stop.
Between Paris and Brussels, a train ride is often what brings those plans together. So finding out that your departure is cancelled can feel like more than a change of timetable.
If you’re travelling this Christmas, there is still time to adjust. Eurostar has announced selected cancellations, and checking your train now could save a last-minute scramble later.
Here are the affected dates and departures, plus your options for keeping the trip on track.
Are Paris–Brussels trains cancelled over Christmas?
Yes, selected departures are cancelled between 19 December 2026 and 2 January 2027. This is not a complete suspension of the route. Match your date and train number against the tables below, then check your booking for the latest status.
Our count of the notice is 28 cancelled departures on the direct Paris–Brussels route. It also lists a separate Paris–Amsterdam service on Christmas Day, explained below. The count describes this notice, not every possible disruption over the holidays.
Source: Eurostar’s Christmas and New Year cancellation notice.
Which Paris–Brussels trains are cancelled?
The tables group repeated cancellations by train number. Only the dates shown are covered by each row. December dates are in 2026; the January departure is in 2027.
Paris Gare du Nord → Brussels-Midi/Zuid
| Train | Departure → arrival | Cancelled dates |
|---|---|---|
| 9317 | 08:55 → 10:17 | 22, 23, 24, 29, 30, 31 December 2026 |
| 9359 | 15:55 → 17:18 | 19, 25, 26, 31 December 2026; 2 January 2027 |
| 9387 | 20:22 → 21:44 | 21, 22, 23, 28, 29 December 2026 |
| 9469 | 17:24 → 18:47 | 31 December 2026 |
Brussels-Midi/Zuid → Paris Gare du Nord
| Train | Departure → arrival | Cancelled dates |
|---|---|---|
| 9326 | 10:43 → 12:05 | 22, 23, 24, 29, 30, 31 December 2026 |
| 9338 | 12:43 → 14:05 | 24, 31 December 2026 |
| 9374 | 18:43 → 20:05 | 21, 28 December 2026 |
| 9440 | 13:13 → 14:35 | 31 December 2026 |
Source: Eurostar notice 72552, checked 28 October 2026. These are the times of the cancelled departures, not replacement services. Brussels-Midi and Brussels-Zuid are names for the same station.
31 December has six cancellations in this list. Check both directions before building a return trip around a dinner or celebration.
A date absent from this notice is not a guarantee that every departure will run. The booking and live service information can change after publication.
Does Eurostar run on Christmas Day?
This is where two different parts of the Eurostar network are often confused.
| Journey | Christmas Day position |
|---|---|
| To or from London | Eurostar says London services do not run on 25 December. |
| Between continental European cities | Services operate, subject to the timetable and individual cancellations. |
Source: Eurostar’s Christmas Day guidance.
In the specific holiday notice, 9359 from Paris to Brussels at 15:55 is cancelled on 25 December. So is 9439 from Paris to Amsterdam at 12:22, scheduled to arrive at 15:50. Anyone booked on that Amsterdam service should check their booking, including travellers using an intermediate stop.
Do not assume a continental journey is cancelled simply because London trains are not running. Equally, “continental trains run” does not mean every departure is available.
Source: Eurostar’s listed Christmas Day cancellations.
Why are these services being cancelled?
Eurostar gives the reason as operational restrictions. The Christmas notice does not provide a more detailed explanation.
That matters because separate notices cover engineering works earlier in the season. Those should not be used to explain these particular cancellations without further confirmation. The holiday notice also does not describe them as strike cancellations.
Source: Eurostar’s stated reason for the cancellations.
What to do if your train is cancelled
Before buying another ticket, open the affected booking. A cancellation gives you options that differ from changing a ticket simply because your plans have changed.
| What you want to do | Option to check |
|---|---|
| Keep the trip | Exchange the unused ticket without charge in the same travel class, subject to availability. |
| Travel another time | Choose a later journey, or consider an e-voucher under Eurostar’s stated conditions. |
| Drop the affected journey | Request a refund for the unused ticket. Eurostar says booking and exchange fees are excluded. |
Eurostar gives passengers three months from the scheduled travel date to choose an option. If you know about the cancellation in advance, make the exchange before going to the station. For a full refund on a ticket bought through another retailer, contact that retailer.
Source: Eurostar’s cancellation and refund policy.
Decide which you need before requesting a refund. A refunded unused ticket should not be treated as a promise that Eurostar will also pay for a replacement journey you arrange yourself.
If you are already travelling when things go wrong
Ask staff about rerouting and assistance before making expensive arrangements. EU guidance provides refund or rerouting choices where cancellation would cause a delay of more than 60 minutes at the final destination. Assistance can include refreshments and, where necessary and physically possible, overnight accommodation.
If rerouting options are not communicated within 100 minutes of the scheduled departure, EU guidance allows necessary, appropriate and reasonable alternatives by public rail, coach or bus. Keep evidence and receipts. This is not an automatic right to reimbursement for any taxi or flight you choose.
Source: Your Europe’s rail passenger rights guidance.
Other ways to travel between Paris and Brussels
Start with a different Eurostar departure on the same date. If the available times no longer work, compare the whole journey rather than only the next ticket price.
Check OUIGO Train Classique
There is a slower direct rail option. OUIGO Train Classique links Paris and Brussels in around three hours.
There is also a useful change for the festive season: SNCB announced an additional return service from 13 December 2026, running on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. It adds a late-morning journey towards Paris and an afternoon journey towards Brussels.
This is a service announcement, not confirmation of a seat on your chosen Christmas date. Check the exact timetable, station names and ticket availability through the operator before changing your plans.
Source: SNCB announcement, 30 September 2026.
Compare a coach or change the travel day
A coach may be worth checking if rail timings no longer fit. Compare the actual departure and arrival points, luggage conditions and total journey time. Do not assume a replacement booking will be reimbursed.
If you have not booked yet, another travel day may be easier than rebuilding several connections. If you have booked, check the cancellation options before paying for a separate replacement.
How to protect the rest of your Christmas trip
A cancelled train can take more than its own time slot out of the day. Work backwards from whatever is hardest to move: a flight home, a family gathering or a timed reservation.
- Check the return first. An available outward train is only half a workable day trip.
- Leave room around onward travel. Avoid a plan where one late arrival makes a separately booked flight or train impossible.
- Check the booking’s contact details. Eurostar says it sends disruption notices by email or text.
- Keep tickets and messages offline. Include replacement reservations and any authorisation to arrange alternative transport.
- Recheck before setting off. A list published in October is a planning aid, not a live departure board for December.
Source: Eurostar’s notification guidance.
For a running continental Eurostar service, the operator recommends arriving around 20 minutes before departure. Be ready to board at least five minutes beforehand, or ten minutes when leaving Paris Gare du Nord. Follow any specific instructions on your ticket.
Source: Eurostar’s station arrival guidance.
Frequently asked questions
Are all Paris–Brussels Eurostar trains cancelled at Christmas?
No. The published notice identifies selected trains and dates. Check your own departure rather than treating it as a route-wide closure.
Can I take Eurostar from London on 25 December?
No. Eurostar’s published Christmas guidance says trains to and from London do not run on Christmas Day. The continental network has a different operating pattern.
Can I board another train with my cancelled ticket?
Arrange the exchange or obtain instructions from Eurostar first. Do not assume your original reservation gives you a seat on any other departure.
Does a cancellation automatically mean extra cash compensation?
A refund for an unused journey and compensation for arriving late are different things. Eurostar’s customer charter says passengers who continue on the next available service the same day can qualify for delay compensation if their overall arrival delay is at least 60 minutes. Check the applicable conditions before claiming.
Source: Eurostar customer charter.
Last verified and update log
This version records Eurostar’s published holiday cancellation list, Christmas Day guidance, cancellation options and station arrival advice. It also checks SNCB’s December OUIGO service announcement.
For changes after this date, use Eurostar’s travel updates and your booking. Replacement seat availability has not been checked for individual dates.
The lights in both cities can stay in the plan. Make sure the train between them does too.
