Simon Calder's Independent Travel Podcast

Unions are threatening legal action against P&O Ferries after making 800 workers redundant earlier today. The company suspended its sailings after making all UK seafaring employees redundant with immediate effect. The former employees are to be replaced with cheaper agency workers in an effort to reduce the company's current annual losses of £100m. Like many transport companies, P&O Ferries suffered from a drastic reduction in passengers during the coronavirus pandemic. A spokesperson for the company said in a statement, “In its current state, P&O Ferries is not a viable business." I have come to Dover to find out how the situation unfolded for the unfortunate former staff members, and what is likely to come.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 UK's leading airport, Heathrow, has ended the requirement for passengers to wear masks in the terminals. In a statement, the airport said it “strongly encourages those at the airport to continue wearing a face-covering – particularly when coming into close contact with others”. I've come to Heathrow to see how it feels to wander around mask-free, and how other passengers are reacting to the policy change.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.

As I take a seat in the unusual (for me, anyway) surrounds of first class on my way to Crewe, I take advantage of the extra legroom and complimentary tea to have a think about the direction of travel for first class rail seats. The economics for rail travel is becoming harder to cover costs and I wonder where first class sits in that future.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.

Budget airlines are hoping to recover from the huge impact of the coronavirus pandemic by offering some incredible deals on flights. In fact, I've discovered that is even possible to travel around the world on a budget. Here is my itinerary for a round-the-world trip that takes advantage of the best flight deals being offered by the world's low-cost airlines.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.

It's the eve of the centennial anniversary of the birth of literary legend, Jack Kerouac. The 'On The Road' author, who pioneered the radical beat generation of the 1950's, holds a special place in my heart. To commemorate his life, work and too-early death, I go out on the road and down memory lane to discuss the magic and mishaps of hitchhiking.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.

Today's podcast is rather unusual: taking as its starting point a selection of questions asked by readers of the Independent about travel. I not only provide the answers – including strong views on some subjects – I also give a score out of 10 as to whether or not I would want to undertake the trip that the questioner has asked about.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.

Gatwick airport, located in picturesque West Sussex, is ordinarily the UK's second busiest airport with flights to hundreds of destinations worldwide. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has left Gatwick struggling to control huge losses, of £1 million a day in 2021, as well as an 84% drop in passenger numbers compared to 2019. Now, Gatwick is getting ready to restart a reduced short-haul programme, of about half of its previous scale, for the Summer season. This is due to the government's "Living With COVID" plan, which ended all remaining travel restrictions in England and Northern Ireland earlier this year and will be extended to Scotland and Wales by the end of March. Jumping on the chance for recovery, Gatwick will be reopening its South Terminal on 27th March, and even has plans to bring into use a standby runway.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.

St. Petersburg is one of the biggest cities involved in cruise line tours, with many operators stopping along the way in the Russian city. But as the invasion of Ukraine continues and Russia becomes evermore a pariah due to sanctions and companies pulling out of doing business there, I've had a lot of correspondence with readers and listeners asking whether they should be thinking again about their cruises that involve St. Petersburg as some cruise lines begin to cancel trips well into the summer.I may be fatally optimistic, but I hope the awful atrocities in Ukraine will cease soon and the sanctions will have done their part in bringing about change for the better, so my advice is to hold on for now unless you really do feel uneasy about taking a trip to the region - and if you do, I'll talk you through your options.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 UK boasts of 2,000 miles of canals and rivers, forming a tranquil network of inland waterways that span the length and breadth of the country. Today, I'm celebrating the benefits of using canals to explore cities and countryside alike, whether you're on the water or using the well-maintained towpaths beside them.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.

As the Russian military invasion of Ukraine continues, many are feeling apprehensive about travelling in Eastern Europe. I look at how to navigate the dangers of travelling to countries in conflict, and how Russia's bombardment and the resulting refugee evacuation may affect transport in neighbouring countries.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.