Simon Calder's Independent Travel Podcast

After Italy, the US and several other countries imposed restrictions on travellers arriving from China, what is the likelihood the UK could follow suit?This podcast is free, as is my weekly newsletter, which you can subscribe to here: https://www.independent.co.uk/newsletters Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hong Kong, one of the last big tourism destinations in Asia with onerous Covid travel restrictions, has lifted almost of them for vaccinated visitors – starting immediately.The government says the move has been made “to fully leverage Hong Kong’s strengths in connecting with the world”. But is it too late to lure travellers back after a ban on tourists?This podcast is free, as is my weekly newsletter, which you can subscribe to here: https://www.independent.co.uk/newsletters Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I'm at Paddington Station where the great reset following the Christmas break and recent industrial action was supposed to be behind us. Unfortunately for many travellers though, the railways continue to be in a right old state. When this shambles of strikes, overrunning engineering work, signal failures and general mayhem is finally over, the railway industry will have a heck of a job to do to try to entice passengers back. This podcast is free, as is my weekly newsletter, which you can subscribe to here: https://www.independent.co.uk/newsletters Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As industial action plays on, I take a look at what's gone wrong and what is actually running on the rails today,Of course, this podcast is free, as is my newsletter at https://www.independent.co.uk/newsletters Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rail fares in England will rise by nearly 6 per cent in March, the Department for Transport (DfT) have said.The DfT has set a cap of 5.9% for increases to fares regulated by the government, such as season tickets on most commuter journeys, some off-peak return tickets on long distance journeys and flexible tickets for travel around major cities.So, in this episode I explore whether this rise in fares is... fair.This podcast is free, as is my weekly newsletter, which you can subscribe to here: https://www.independent.co.uk/newsletters Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Travellers are getting really stressed about reaching their Christmas destinations.I would advise to please start as early as you can — and if you were thinking of driving on Friday or Saturday, avoid the middle of the day. Bear in mind that trains are going to be very busy on Friday and shutting down very early on Christmas Eve, but I'm very much hoping everyone will get where they need to be.This podcast is free, as is my weekly newsletter, which you can subscribe to here: https://www.independent.co.uk/newsletters Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

British Airways has been forced to cancel dozens of long-haul flights. I explain what caused the problem, what the likely consequences will be and your rights as a passenger. Also, an update on expected disruption by industrial action over the coming days.This podcast is free, as is my weekly newsletter, which you can subscribe to here: https://www.independent.co.uk/newsletters Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I'm on a train yet again – the 100mph (average speed!) new nonstop from Coventry to London. But less than brilliant news about the extreme Christmas Eve cancellations caused by the next rail strike.This podcast is free, as is my weekly newsletter, which you can subscribe to here: https://www.independent.co.uk/newsletters Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You will have heard that airport security rules surrounding cabin baggage are to be relaxed in June 2024. It'll allow you to leave liquids, laptops, and all that other malarky, in your handheld luggage.However, until then nothing has changed, so I will remind you of what you can and can't put in your bag as you fly over the Christmas period.This podcast is free, as is my weekly newsletter, which you can get delivered every Friday to your inbox by signing up here: https://www.independent.co.uk/newsletters Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There has been a development with the train strikes. As rail workers belonging to the RMT union prepare for 10 more days of national strikes, members of the white-collar TSSA union have voted “overwhelmingly” to accept the pay deal offered by Network Rail.This podcast is free, as is my weekly newsletter, which you can subscribe to here: https://www.independent.co.uk/newsletters Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.