Simon Calder's Independent Travel Podcast

I've been at the Annual Hotel Conference in Manchester, which from a travel point of view is more exciting than the Conservative conference in Birmingham. My takeaways: hotel rates are well up on pre-pandemic levels and could stay high; properties are still in the 20th (or even 19th) century, requiring guests to line up at reception to check in; and "the last place I would be thinking of going for Christmas shopping is New York".Of course, this podcast is free, as is my weekly newsletter, which you can subscribe to at: https://www.independent.co.uk/newsletters Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A major commuter train operator has announced that it will scrap first class on its trains linking Kent and East Sussex with London. Southeastern says making its trains one-class-only from December 2022 onwards will allow it to add more standard class seats. Could the move signal the wholesale removal of first class?Of course, this podcast is free, as is my weekly newsletter, which you can subscribe to at: https://www.independent.co.uk/newsletters Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the eve of the next round of Rail strikes, could hitchhiking provide an alternative transport solution? I’m on the road in Wales, where I search (in vain, I might add) for a lift and tell you about my experiences of hitchhiking and how its changed in my time thumbing for a lift.Of course this podcast is free, as is my weekly newsletter that arrives in your inbox every Friday. To subscribe, you can find it here: https://www.independent.co.uk/newsletters Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Saturday 1 October will see the biggest shutdown of the Great Britain rail network by industrial action for 40 years. Only one train in nine will run. And there will be further disruption right through to 10 October.Of course this podcast is free, much like my newsletter that you can get delivered to your inbox every Friday. Subscribe here: https://www.independent.co.uk/newsletters Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I'm currently near Stuttgart, and I'll be spending the day travelling around the city and ending up at its airport, all through the use of trains.So let me share with you what it is like to travel using Germany's rail network.Of course this podcast is free, as is my weekly newsletter, which you can find by subscribing here: https://www.independent.co.uk/newsletters Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The extra passport checks the UK requested after leaving the EU are “not sustainable”: that is the damning view of Jacques Damas, outgoing chief executive of Eurostar.The boss of the cross-Channel train operator revealed that post-Brexit border arrangements have reduced capacity on links from London to Brussels and Paris by one-third – forcing Eurostar “to charge higher prices to our customers”.Of course this podcast is free, as is my weekly newsletter, which you can find by subscribing here: https://www.independent.co.uk/newsletters Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After Friday's "mini" budget, Britain has found itself in the midst of a financial storm with markets spooked by the government's plans for tax cuts and borrowing. It has sent the pound crashing to historic lows against other currencies, which is causing all manner of headaches - not least making our holidays all the more expensive. But there is some things you can do to make that holiday money stretch as far as possible - I'll tell you how.Of course this podcast is free, as is my weekly newsletter, which you can find by subscribing here: https://www.independent.co.uk/newsletters Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I’m at Kintan, a Japanese barbeque joint in London’s west end, to celebrate Japan reopening its borders to international travellers.Hong Kong has also today opened its doors to foreign tourists for the first time since the Covid pandemic broke out.Of course this podcast is free, as is my weekly newsletter, that you can subscribe to here: https://www.independent.co.uk/newsletters Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"Shutting down the railway network" – that is what the RMT union has vowed to do on 8 October, with its latest strike. The rail union made the announcement on World Car Free Day, and said: "Our industrial campaign will continue for as long as it takes." I am not sure that is a great message for the long-term health of the rail industry.Of course this podcast is free, as is my weekly newsletter, that you can subscribe to here: https://www.independent.co.uk/newsletters Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When rail services between London and Yorkshire were disrupted due to overhead wire problems, a Labour MP took to Twitter to say: "Just another reminder that we need to bring rail into public ownership and make it fit for the future." But she was aboard a state-run LNER train, on tracks owned and operated by Network Rail. Both organisations are offshoots of the Department for Transport (DfT), which means they are ultimately owned by us. Fixing the railways takes more than slogans.This podcast is free, as is my weekly newsletter. You can get it delivered every Friday by subscribing here: https://www.independent.co.uk/newsletters Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.