vital

ONE train station that sees over 167,000 passengers each day will completely close next week.

Due to essential works, no trains will run to or from Amsterdam Centraal on October 3 – this includes Eurostar services to and from St Pancras.

The train station that serves the city of Amsterdam in the Netherlands is about to undergo ‘vital’ rail works.

As a result it will be closed for one full day on October 3 with schedules significantly reduced on the two following days between October 4-5.

The upgrades include connecting new tracks around Amsterdam Centraal to the rail network.

ProRail’s construction manager Wai Ko explained: “We are adapting the station step by step so that there will be more space for passengers and trains in the future.

DIG IN

Best UK garden centres with arcades, FREE soft play, fairgrounds… & even a beach

BE-LEAF IT

Perfect autumn attractions from £1.95 per kid from pumpkin patches to waterparks

“Over the weekend of October 3, together with contractor Dura Vermeer, we will connect track 11a to the rail network. We will also disconnect track 14a.

“That involves a great deal of visible work, such as physically joining the tracks, as well as a great deal of work that passengers never see.”

Other works taking place will be ‘invisible’, held within the signalling systems in technical rooms and at the traffic-control center.

It’s likely to cause major disruption over the weekend considering that Amsterdam Centraal is the second-busiest railway station in the Netherlands and one of the busiest in Europe.

As a result of the engineering works, Eurostar has said that there will be no trains between St Pancras and Amsterdam between October 3-5.

On its website, Eurostar apologised for the disruption.

On Saturdays there are typically three direct Eurostar routes to Amsterdam Centraal and 15 indirect routes from London St Pancras.

There are also the same number of services between Amsterdam and London.

On Sundays there are usually four direct routes and nine indirect journeys with the same from Amsterdam to London.

Eurostar usually has five direct Amsterdam services on Monday and nine indirect services – on the return are typically five direct trains and six indirect.

Eurostar’s services to Rotterdam will remain unaffected.

If you were due to travel to Amsterdam on these dates – these are the options provided by Eurostar…

Eurostar has provided the following options for those affected by Amsterdam Centraal’s closure between October 3-5…

• Use your ticket to get on or off your train at the station before or after your cancelled stop if your planned journey is only partially disrupted.

• Exchange your booking for free to travel in the same travel class at a different time or date. It only takes a minute to rearrange your trip.

• Cancel your booking and claim an e-voucher. You will have 12 months from the date of your disrupted journey to redeem it on eurostar.com.

• Cancel your booking and get a refund. You’ll receive a refund for the value of your ticket but not for any booking or exchange fees. We’ll process your request within 28 days.

You have three months from the date you were due to travel to claim your preferred option.

A FERRY route connecting England to France is being scrapped earlier than planned after running for 13 years.

The vital transport link, which has been taking passengers across the channel since 2013, was set to be axed at the end of September.

However, the Brittany Ferries route between Portsmouth and Le Havre in France is being stopped earlier than planned.

The scrapping of the ferry route was initially given the green light due to financial challenges, with September 28 outlined as its final sailing date.

However, the service has been forced to retire early, due to technical issues with the Brittany Ferries Commodore Clipper vessel.

In a statement, the company confirmed that the final voyages would not be made and apologised to passengers.

AUTUMN HIGHS

Where is hot in October? 10 destinations over 26C with holidays from £59pp

KICKED OUT

Brit deported from Italy due to new entry rules mistake & it WASN’T her fault

A Brittany Ferries spokesperson said: “We apologise to all affected customers, and are sorry that the route can’t complete its final sailings; we know many had hoped to be part of them.

“It has been a pleasure for all at Brittany Ferries to link Portsmouth and Le Havre since 2013.”

The statement continued: “The current economic context means the route is no longer viable and, sadly, we have had to make the difficult decision to close it.”

The cuts to various Brittany Ferries routes were announced back in June.

The business explained that it was having to “adapt” and “plan for a secure future” after facing a bill of €27 million in 2026.

Brittany Ferries also confirmed the end of its Poole to Cherbourg service, which will set sail for a final time on October 31.

This particular ferry route has been in operation, in either a passenger or freight capacity, for over 50 years.

The Poole to Cherbourg route is set to be replaced by a daily service from Portsmouth to Cherbourg, which will begin in November, as part of a “more efficient” schedule.

A VITAL ferry route linking the UK to France will soon be axed after more than 40 years.

The last crossing is set to take place this autumn, with the company citing rising costs as cause for the closure.

Brittany Ferries is set to permanently axe its Poole to Cherbourg crossing route at the beginning of November.

Passengers have been travelling between Dorset and France for over forty years, but now the popular journey will shut down.

The company cited growing financial pressures as the cause for the decision, including outstanding Covid-19 loan repayments, competition on the Eastern Channel and weaker demand for travel.

Rising costs of the European Union’s Emissions Trading System have further burdened the company’s remaining debt.

PASS IT ON

New passport rules introduced for Brits travelling by ferry or risk being banned

SMOOTH SAILING

New ferry linking quirky UK seaside town to France is setting sail in weeks

Around 20 jobs are expected to disappear as a result of the closure.

The decision comes as part of a wider restructuring by Brittany Ferries, with the firm taking a “pragmatic approach” to the economic challenges.

Steps also include the sale of the Cotentin, which sails between Cherbourg and Rosslare, alongside the closure of the Portsmouth to Le Havre route from October 2026.

A spokesperson for Brittany Ferries told The Sun: “This wasn’t a decision we took lightly, and we know it will be disappointing news for our customers in Poole and the surrounding area.

“We’ve worked hard over many years to keep this route running, but a long-term decline in passenger and freight numbers, compounded by rising costs and red tape, including Brexit-related border processes, EU environmental taxes, and unfavourable exchange rates, has made the route commercially unsustainable.

“We’re not withdrawing from Poole. Customers will still be able to travel to France with us via a seasonal service from Poole to St Malo, as well as our conventional routes from Portsmouth and Plymouth to Caen, Cherbourg, St Malo and Roscoff, including a new daily Portsmouth–Cherbourg service.”

A high-speed crossing between Poole, Guernsey and St Malo is also set to be debuted in 2027.

The crossing was first introduced in 1985, with the iconic MS Barfleur starting her voyages between Dorset and France in 1992.

It takes just four hours and 15 minutes – the shortest journey over the Channel – and garnered a huge amount of success, leading to a £6million overhaul of the ferry terminal in the 1990s.

The route has faced a number of challenges in recent years, temporarily shutting down in 2010 owing to a decrease in ticket sales – however it was reopened in 2013.

The Barfleur will soon undertake its final journey, but all may not be lost quite yet for the route.

Captain Brian Murphy, chief executive of Poole Harbour Commissioners told the Bournemouth Echo that Brittany Ferries’ departure could pave the way for another operator to take over the route.

RIYADH: Saudi-Russian cooperation has proven vital in supporting the stability of global energy markets and achieving a balance that serves the interests of both producers and consumers, the Kingdom’s foreign minister said on Tuesday.

During a visit to Moscow, Prince Faisal bin Farhan said the partnership between Riyadh and Moscow contributes to sustainable global economic growth and fosters cooperation across the economic, trade, and investment sectors.

Prince Faisal met with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov who said that the minister’s visit offers a valuable opportunity to discuss Russian-Saudi relations which are witnessing year-on-year development across the trade, economic, investment, cultural, and humanitarian spheres.

Lavrov also affirmed his country’s sincere desire to contribute to efforts aimed at de-escalating the situation in the region and addressing regional issues.

The two ministers emphasized the importance of supporting the diplomatic path to resolve current regional and international challenges — including the Palestinian cause and the situation in Yemen.

They underscored the necessity of ensuring the security and freedom of navigation in international waterways, particularly the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab El-Mandab Strait.

Both sides affirmed their aspiration to advance Saudi-Russian relations which were established a hundred years ago.