Simon Calder's Independent Travel Podcast

Easyjet is having a nightmare today, having to cancel dozens of flights as IT failures ground its fleet. It's a good time to remind you of your rights as passengers if flights are cancelled unexpectedly on you by any operator. Of course this podcast is completely free, as is my weekly travel email. You can sign up at independent.co.uk/newsletters. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Railway workers have voted overwhelmingly to strike in a dispute over jobs, pay and conditions, the RMT union has announced. I let you know when these strikes could begin, and which lines are likely to be impacted.Of course this podcast is completely free, as is my weekly travel email. You can sign up at independent.co.uk/newsletters. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After years of delays, spiralling costs and a name change, Crossrail, now the Elizabeth Line has finally begun service today and I'm one the first train to take passengers this morning. The Elizabeth Line promises to make travel across the capital far quicker and much more simple for passengers, joining Reading out in the west of London to Shenfield, out in Essex. Though the line is open now, there are still works ongoing to deliver what's been promised to tube passengers, but those behind the project are for now enjoying the moment of finally opening.Of course this podcast is completely free, as is my weekly travel email. You can sign up at independent.co.uk/newsletters. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Just ahead of the half-term week for many UK schools, Spain has dropped its hard-line approach to unvaccinated British visitors. Now any unvaccinated British visitor aged 12 or above can enter Spain with proof of a negative coronavirus test – which can be a relatively cheap and quick rapid antigen (lateral flow) test taken within the 24 hours before departure.Of course this podcast is completely free, as is my weekly travel email. You can sign up at independent.co.uk/newsletters. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Scotrail is having a terrible time of it, having to slash one-third of trains across the nation from Monday. I look at the reasons why they have to, with a shortage of drivers and a backlog in training new ones and what it means for their service across Scotland.Of course this podcast is completely free, as is my weekly travel email. You can sign up at independent.co.uk/newsletters. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ahead of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee weekend, there are reports of travel chaos for people travelling to the capital for the celebrations. I can see a bit of disruption, but mainly in northern England. So don't panic ...Of course this podcast is completely free, as is my weekly travel email. You can sign up at independent.co.uk/newsletters. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A summer like no other. Never before have I seen such extremes of pricing for holidays abroad – including a Ryanair trip from Stansted to Pisa that costs just £24 return next Monday to Thursday – but £500 more for identical flights a week later. If you don’t have to travel during school holidays, you’ll save a fortune. But if you must – there’s always the French camping option…Of course this podcast is completely free, as is my weekly travel email. You can sign up at independent.co.uk/newsletters. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The sermon today is Smart Save. Never heard of it? Well, it’s the name given by LNER, the train operator on the East Coast main line from London to Yorkshire, northeast England and Scotland, for special “split tickets” that will save money for some travellers. You can only find them on the LNER app; a trial appears to be taking place at present, and they are fairly rare. But hopefully they represent another step along the road to sensible rail pricing.Of course this podcast is completely free, as is my weekly travel email. You can sign up at independent.co.uk/newsletters. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A Sunderland football fan is travelling to London via ­Menorca to watch a match at Wembley, as it’s cheaper to fly on a budget airline than getting a train or bus, papers have reported this week. James Jelly, a 33-year-old purchasing manager, says he is travelling to the capital for Sunderland’s League One play-off against Wycombe Wanderers at Wembley Stadium this Saturday.He claims a £23 total air fare with Ryanair from Newcastle to Menorca and on to London Stansted is the cheapest option, with trains to the capital running into the hundreds of pounds and even coaches more expensive than flying. But is the story all it's cracked up to be? I've done some fact-checking.Of course this podcast is completely free, as is my weekly travel email. You can sign up at independent.co.uk/newsletters. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Sunday the rail schedules in Great Britain will undergo their usual summer update – with winners and losers across the nation.Of course this podcast is completely free, as is my weekly travel email. You can sign up at independent.co.uk/newsletters. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.