- Thousands of passengers who had queued for five hours told to come back at 3am tomorrow
- Salvation Army serves hot drinks to freezing travellers
Police were forced to turn away some passengers after the freezing weather conditions ruined journeys at London's St Pancras station as speed restrictions and cancellations affected the service.
About 6,000 travellers endured freezing temperatures as queues snaked through the main terminal and out into the street stretching to an estimated length of 1.2 miles.
And this evening people who had queued for up to five hours were told to go home and return at 3am tomorrow.
© Stephanie SchaererDesperate: Passengers queue by the British Library, hundreds of yards away from the Eurostar terminal at St Pancras International station.
At 12.30pm transport police began turning away new arrivals who had no hope of getting on a train.
Hundreds of thousands of commuters were also forced to give up and return home after the rail network across the country suffered massive disruption.
Angry passengers told of long waits and cancelled trains for Eurostar services. Shivering travellers have been told they face a seven-hour wait - with no guarantee they will get on a train today.
The Salvation Army set up a tea van outside the main entrance to the station to provide hot drinks to passengers who have been queuing for hours in -3C conditions.
'I've been standing outside for hours, it's freezing, there are no blankets and heaters. They knew this would happen,' said Marie Lovecchio, a 25-year-old student returning home to Brussels for Christmas.
Eurostar staff said the service was operating on a 'first come, first served' basis, and warned passengers not to travel unless absolutely necessary.
A spokesman said: 'We are running and that's what counts. But due to the severe disruption we have experienced today we have a number of trains and crew out of position. We expect ongoing weather conditions to result in speed restrictions and delays on our routes.'
Nancy and Juan Ochoa, both teachers from Riverside, California, said their trip had been ruined by cancellations.
Ms Ochoa, 25, said: 'Having to queue like this all day has ruined our trip. We're not sure what we're going to do if we don't make the train today.'
Onlookers said disabled passengers were being escorted to the trains directly, but many people in their sixties and seventies - mainly parents travelling to spend Christmas with their children - are being left waiting in the queue.
Surrounded: A passenger attempts to organise baggage at St Pancras as he waits for news of trains.
© AFP/Getty ImagesToo many people: Police were forced to step in when the terminal filled to almost-dangerous levels.
© EPAA distraught stranded EuroStar traveler weeps after realizing of severe delays to her travel plans at King's Cross-St. Pancras.
© APStruggling to cope: The arrivals board at St Pancras this morning.
'I've been here an hour and a half and I've been told that I'll be here for another four or five hours,' he said.
'There were a lot of Eurostar staff around but I haven't seen any for a while.'
Advice on the company's website said: 'If you hold a booking leaving London St Pancras or Paris Nord today and are not already at the station, please do not travel to the station as unfortunately we are not able to accept any more passengers for travel today.
'We will provide advice later this afternoon about travel tomorrow.
'If you hold a booking leaving Brussels, please check-in one hour before your service is due to depart and you will be put on the next available train.'
© National Pictures/Nick EdwardsA Salvation Army Emergency Response Unit out side the station serving drinks for passengers this afternoon.
In your dreams!