Simon Calder's Independent Travel Podcast

Leeds Bradford Airport has unveiled its Vision 2030 strategy, aiming for more flights and more passengers but a more gentle environmental footprint.Simon Calder speaks with Vincent Hodder, the airport’s chief executive, about plans to boost the transform the gateway to – and from – Yorkshire.This podcast is free, like the Independent Travel newsletter. Get it delivered every Friday to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

London Euston, London King's Cross and London St Pancras International. I've visited them all this morning to explain what will happen to intercity trains on north-south routes over the impending August bank holiday weekend. Network Rail engineering work will lead to some interesting changes. A mention, too, for London Paddington to South Wales services, diverted via Gloucester from 24 to 26 August.This podcast is free, like the Independent Travel newsletter. Get it delivered every Friday to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I'm at London St Pancras International, hub for Eurostar trains to Paris and Brussels. The lowest return fare from London to Paris, looking a day ahead for a 48-hour stay, is £338. Airlines are charging at least £100 less. What we need on this most essential intercity link is proper competition between rail firms.This podcast is free, like the Independent Travel newsletter. Get it delivered every Friday to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I'm Simon Calder, and today I discuss why Jordan and Egypt are excellent travel destinations despite current travel advisories. With rich histories and welcoming atmospheres, these countries offer unforgettable experiences. Plan your trip to these underrated gems today.This podcast is free, like the Independent Travel newsletter. Get it delivered every Friday to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With tension rising in the Middle East, what are the implications for travellers? A range of airlines have suspended their operations to Tel Aviv although a couple haven't. If you want to continue flying to a no go area you may also want to check your travel insurance.This podcast is free, like the Independent Travel newsletter. Get it delivered every Friday to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I’m at Land’s End, but not the one you might expect. This is Cap Gaspé in Québec, Canada, the tip of the Gaspé Peninsula. It’s also the start of the Appalachian Trail, a breathtaking 1,000km journey that winds through the scenic landscapes of Québec and crosses into the United States, passing through Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, and Connecticut.Join me as we explore the stunning vistas, diverse wildlife, and rich history along this remarkable trail, discovering the unique beauty of each state along the way.This podcast is free, like the Independent Travel newsletter. Get it delivered every Friday to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the first day of the peak travel month of the year, Simon Calder gives you the lowdown on BA’s misleading advice on passport validity - which it has now finally corrected.British Airways had claimed, wrongly: “To travel on an international flight your passport must have been issued less than 10 years before the date you enter a country.”The airline now says, correctly, than non-EU nationals who wish to travel to an EU member state (except Ireland) or the Schengen Area nations of Switzerland, Norway and Iceland must carry a passport “issued less than 10 years before the date you enter the country”.This podcast is free, like the Independent Travel newsletter. Get it delivered every Friday to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Play is the latest Icelandic airline to join the fray between the UK and Keflavik International Airport near Reykjavik – with onward connections to five North American destinations. I've been talking to the chief executive and largest shareholder, Einar Örn Ólafsson – and heard about starting an airline during Covid and the unusual appeal of Iceland in winter to Brits (with everyone else it's summer).This podcast is free, like the Independent Travel newsletter. Get it delivered every Friday to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the past 24 hours I have been to three different airports – Paris Orly, London City and Dublin. Here's what you need to know about the different security procedures at each for your own travels.This podcast is free, like the Independent Travel newsletter. Get it delivered every Friday to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

France attracts more international visitors than any other country, and in summer its capital is usually rammed – particularly with big tour groups from Asia and North America. But this year they are staying away from Paris during the Olympics.In today's pocast, Simon Calder gives you the lowdown on his budget weekend in France's capital, and why you too should visit before the end of the Games.This podcast is free, like the Independent Travel newsletter. Get it delivered every Friday to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.