Simon Calder's Independent Travel Podcast

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 on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 trainsSign 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 MontenegroConcern 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. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 trainsAnd 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 information.

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 independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.