Simon Calder's Independent Travel Podcast

New EU border checks and travel for the Olympics will make the Port of Dover “exceptionally busy” this summer, its boss has warned.In today's travel podcast, I talk to Doug Bannister, the port's chief executive, about the great exodus that begins next weekend, and how to beat the queues.This podcast is free, as is my newsletter. Get it delivered every Friday by signing up here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the late, great Leonard Cohen so rightly predicted: "First we take the Netherlands – then we take Berlin."Want to be in the German capital on Sunday for the Euro 2024 final? Here's my guide.This podcast is free, as is my newsletter. Get it delivered every Friday by signing up here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I've been taking a walk – and a train – in the Black Forest of southern Germany. I visited the ticket office in the town of Triberg, where the person behind the counter is sitting at a desk 20 miles away.Remote ticket office staff are already a reality on German railways, as staff are still able to give advice, take money and print tickets.But could video ticket kiosks catch on in the UK?This podcast is free, as is my newsletter. Get it delivered every Friday by signing up here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today I'm with Eddie Wilson, chief executive of Ryanair DAC, the main operating division of Europe’s biggest budget airline. He's in Tangier, announcing a big expansion in Morocco. I talked to him about the plan.This podcast is free, as is my newsletter. Get it delivered every Friday by signing up here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Yet more carnage of airline schedules on Sunday, with British Airways and easyJet both cancelling 32 flights in and out of their main hubs, London Heathrow and London Gatwick respectively.Booking a flight departing early in the day is a good plan – but if your trip is grounded your airline must get you to your destination as soon as possible.This podcast is free, as is my newsletter. Get it delivered every Friday by signing up here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are you in line to be the next transport secretary? You're in luck. In just 10 minutes, I’ll give you free advice on everything you need to tackle, from road, to rail, to air.Tune into today's podcast for a concise guide to transforming our transport system.This podcast is free, as is my newsletter. Get it delivered every Friday by signing up here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Three weeks tomorrow, the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics 2024 takes place. Yet I think the French capital will be a bit of a ghost town. Air France has just said: “International markets show a significant avoidance of Paris.Here's my take on what will be happening in the city – and how you could benefit.This podcast is free, as is my newsletter. Get it delivered every Friday by signing up here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I'm Simon Calder, and in today’s podcast, I speak with Ian Jeffrey, who leads Great British Rail Replacement. This new company aims to improve the often-dreaded experience of rail replacement by enhancing bus, coach, and taxi services during disruptions. We discuss how they plan to make this service more efficient and customer-friendly.This podcast is free, as is our weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it every Friday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I'm Simon Calder, and today’s guest is Gediminas Ziemelis, chair of Avia Solutions Group. With peak holiday season underway, we discuss how his organisation is tackling the aircraft shortage affecting airlines like EasyJet and British Airways, ensuring that flights operate more reliably for travellers across Europe.This podcast is free, as is our weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it every Friday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I'm Simon Calder, and on today's podcast, Chris Hancock, CEO of Avioxx, discusses how his company is pioneering new methods to produce sustainable aviation fuel, potentially transforming the aviation industry's environmental impact.This podcast is free, as is our weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it every Friday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.