Simon Calder's Independent Travel Podcast

More on the international travel rules – and the incoherence across the UK. A year late, red list hubs are opening up – underwhelming. And how Turkey will become the quarantine laundrette. Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletters and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The international travel rules have changed. I’ll explain why we’re still on red, amber and green. And how the testing regime will change. Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletters and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The waiting game goes on – how I predict international travel rules will change. What could happen to the despised red list. And trains turn out to be much more punctual if there are fewer of them, and hardly any passengers. Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletters and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.co...

Passport validity – the travel giants agree with me, at last. Qantas vows to start flying from the UK to Australia by Christmas. Probably. And Switzerland’s national airline starts selling its sandwiches at cut prices. Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletters and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/priv...

Red alert – what could change in the next "traffic light" review? Boeing says, we’re back in business. And Tubes and trains are still cordoning seats off from passengers. Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletters and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

More government leaks about easing travel restrictions. Manchester airport closed and flights diverted after a medical emergency. And how the ending of the “ID card” option will hit inbound tourism to the UK. Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletters and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for mo...

A reduction in testing for travellers arriving in the UK is on the cards – how will ministers justify it? Wales now allows cheaper Covid tests. And 20 years after Ansett Australia collapsed – the state of Australian aviation. Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletters and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. S...

20 years on from 9/11 – what has changed in aviation? Passport rules for Europe – please check yours as soon as you’ve finished listening And, no, you don’t need a PCR test to board a plane from Spain to the UK Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletters and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for...

Rail commuters disappear. Bus wars in Bristol and beyond. Jet Airways trying to revive itself. Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletters and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today: easyJet and Wizz Air call the whole thing off The “traffic light” review – what can we expect? And back on the rails? Let’s see. LNER reports leisure passenger numbers are now above pre-pandemic levels, but business travel is still only at the halfway mark. Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletters and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independ...

The desperate state of inbound tourism to the UK has been revealed. Europeans touch down in Singapore for a quarantine-free holiday. More on those cheap trains between England and Scotland – railcards and timings. Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletters and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy f...

New cheap trains between England and Scotland As one London Eye lookalike closes down, another is set to open up. And talking of opening up – that’s what Canada is doing. Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletters and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I’ve been at Heathrow assessing the queues to get into the UK. Ryanair breaks up talks with Boeing – is it a flounce or a strategy? And that Brazil Argentina match – what triggered its abandonment? Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletters and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more informat...

Travel restrictions: the three reasons why even the most bizarre remain in place. Flights are being cancelled – can you expect more than a refund? And Sunday best for rail travel – in some parts of the UK at least. Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletters and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy...

Inbound tourism to the UK is being destroyed. Should you care? What’s happening with queues at airports? British Airways explains its plans for Gatwick airport – not what you might have thought? Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletters and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information...

Should the UK scrap the “red list” requiring hotel quarantine? Why cruises cost more from Liverpool than from Southampton. And if you want to pay an homage to Abba in Stockholm – is there any way around the tough Swedish ban on British visitors. Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletters and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted o...

Portugal opens up – a bit. Australia closes down – a bit more. And Russia may be back on the travel map soon. Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletters and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is your journey to Devon or Cornwall by rail really necessary? What could happen to Turkey at the next “red list review” And does your middle name have any significance at all in travel? Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletters and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ryanair declares a fares war for autumn. Italy’s new rules on travel start today. More trouble on the rails – bring back the relief trains Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletters and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chaos on evacuation flight from red-list Montenegro Concern that the European Union could reinstate restrictions on American visitors. And Qantas sets out its plans for December onwards. Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletters and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Italy opens up to British holidaymakers – my pick of September escapes. Short-notice cancellations – why are they still happening to holidaymakers? And: “Save our G&Ts” – my take on the changes in British Airways’ inflight service. Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletters and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. S...

I warned you yesterday of a bank holiday squeeze on the railways this weekend – well, I’m caught up in it. What to do when it all goes Tango Uniform on the trains And Jamaica goes a funny kind of amber. Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletters and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more inf...

After Thursday’s bizarre “traffic light” changes, the fall-out continues from furious travel industry bosses. British Airways has a cunning plan for its Gatwick short-haul operation: a new budget airline. And prepare for a bank holiday squeeze on the railways this weekend. Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletters and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at...

The new green list announcement – Canada is good to go, Turkey stays on the red list. Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletters and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s been described as the unanticipated Covid travel trap – could your vaccination record lose its sheen as early as the end of the year? Gatwick plans a second runway, saying: ‘Here’s one we prepared earlier” And German trains – fine once you’ve got a ticket, but trying to buy one can make you lose the will to live. Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletters and a...