Simon Calder's Independent Travel Podcast

What could possibly go wrong? From last-minute flight cancellations (or missing your flight) to overbooked hotels and empty car-rental lots, your rights when it all goes Tango Uniform.This podcast is free, like my weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered every Friday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Travel agents: High Street or online? I receive more complaints about online travel agents (OTAs) than any other part of the industry. So why would anyone ever book with them, and what are the potential pitfalls if you do?This podcast is free, as is my weekly newsletter. Sign up here to receive every Friday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Travel insurance: it’s the part of travel that no-one likes to think about, but it’s also – for many trips – an essential. All you need to know on pre-existing conditions, EHIC and GHIC.This podcast is free, as is my weekly newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox every Friday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Your rights on a cruise: Cruising can be a great escape, but things go wrong. In particular, what are your rights if the ship diverges from the planned itinerary? And, perish the thought, if you’re left standing on the quayside?This podcast is free, much like my weekly newsletter. Subscribe here and have it delivered every Friday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Holiday Money: cash, credit card, debit card? What’s the best way to handle your travel expenditure, and what pitfalls should you avoid? I answer your questions on the best ways to use foreign currency.This podcast is free, as is my weekly newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered every Friday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I’m a loser – seven years ago I voted to Remain in the European Union, but was on the losing 48% side. So what has the 52% won in terms of travel? I’ve been taking a deep dive into the miracles of duty-free, domestic tourism and blue passports.If you like this podcast, subscribe here for my weekly travel newsletter. Free and arriving every Friday to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of the world’s great railway stations: London Blackfriars. Honest. It used to be a hub for European travel – with links to the Kent ports. Today it straddles the river Thames, with an entrance on both the north and south bank, and its glass sided platforms provide wonderful views of the capital.If you like this podcast, subscribe here for my weekly travel newsletter. Free and arriving every Friday to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s a year since the first national rail strikes since the 1980s began. I’ve been speaking exclusively to Mick Lynch, general secretary about the dispute so far, the deadlock and how it might end. I’m afraid that if you, like me, rely on railways for transport, it’s not sounding optimistic.This podcast is free, like my weekly newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox every Friday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Quick! Eurostar has launched a summer flash sale on its intercity trains linking London with Paris, Lille and Brussels. Those very rare entities, £35 one-way tickets, are available from Monday to Friday from 10 July to 7 September, though with some other black-out dates and only on some less in-demand trains.Tempted? You have until 11pm British time on Thursday 22 June to avail of the deal, through Eurostar.com or the Eurostar app.This podcast is free - as is my weekly newsletter. Subscribe here to receive it every Friday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A British Airways flight from Singapore to London Heathrow hit such severe turbulence over the Bay of Bengal that the plane had to return to its starting point where possible damage was checked. Several BA cabin crew were injured in the incident, in the early hours of 16 June. One newspaper report was headlined: “We were in freefall for 1,000ft.” That did not happen. But just how dangerous is turbulence – and is it getting worse? I’ve been investigating.This podcast is hopefully turbulence free as well as being free to listen to, just like my weekly newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered every Friday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.