Simon Calder's Independent Travel Podcast
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Simon Calder's Independent Travel Podcast
Simon Calder is the Independent’s travel correspondent, the UK’s leading travel journalist. From news updates to discussions with experts, Simon Calder's Independent Travel Podcast will bring you all you need to know from the world of travel. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more informati...
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Fast track to America – from Scotland?
Could Edinburgh airport be the first in the UK to offer pre-clearance for travellers to the US? That's the hope of today's guest, Gordon Dewar – chief...
Looking ahead to smoother skies and swifter journeys
My guest today is Kathryn Leahy, chief operations officer for the air-traffic control service, Nats. We talked about the impact of bad weather – such...
All change: Rail Minister Lord Peter Hendy on the future with Great British Railways
I've been hearing from the man responsible for improving reliability and attracting more people to the railway. Lord Hendy has strong views on how uni...
Storm Bram sweeps in, hitting trains, boats and planes
Dozens of flights and ferry sailings have been cancelled due to strong winds and heavy rain. British Airways cancelled its first wave of domestic depa...
On the road – again?
I have been hitchhiking for half a century. But in that time thumbing rides has shrunk from the mainstream method for budget travellers to get around...
Today: I'm in India, but looking ahead to the World Cup draw tonight
What's the best strategy for booking your travel to attend the FIFA World Cup next summer in the US, Canada, and Mexico?As soon as the draw is made, p...
What will AI mean for the future of travel planning?
"AI and the internet will be a huge part of the future of travel." So says Andy Headington, CEO of digital travel marketing specialists Adido. LLMs –...
Best beach, mountain, river, bar and country? Ask an expert
Continuing the theme of looking ahead to 2026: I have been talking to an old travel pal of mine, Brian Young. He is now EMEA managing director for G A...
Going Dutch? These are the highlights in the Netherlands in 2026
Subtract Amsterdam from the Netherlands and what's left would comprise a beautiful, diverse and cultured nation. I've been singing the praises of seco...
Advent begins: so what are the travel trends for 2026?
My first guest of the month is Rachel O’Reilly Director of Communications for Dertour UK – a company that includes Kuoni, Journey Latin America, Ingha...
Wizz Air's UK boss promises new routes from Luton to key holiday destinations – and restoring links with Ukraine
Wizz Air's UK Managing Director, Yvonne Moynihan, has been telling me about the year so far; Wizz Air's new "Class" product that will emulate British...
Could "solar sails" be the future for polar adventure voyages?
Exploring the Arctic is one of the greatest experiences open to tourists – visiting remote locations such as Svalbard and Greenland – but there are co...
What a way to go to India – reminiscing about overland travel 50 years ago
In the 1970s, air fares were so high that the best way to reach India from the UK was on public transport – which Butterfield's Overland Tours was hap...
Cambodia, a nation transformed
I first visited Cambodia in 1993, as the south east Asian country was recovering from the genocide of the appalling Khmer Rouge regime under the dicta...
'Your primary audience is you in 10 years. That's who you're writing your updates for'
Claire Jones is chief executive of Polar Steps, a travel planning up that takes you worldwide (not just the Arctic and Antarctic). The idea is that al...
Why a short hop from Newcastle to London Heathrow might involve going around in circles
In the second part of my conversation with Martin Rolfe, chief executive of NATS – formerly National Air Traffic Services – we discuss the need to mod...
Keeping the skies safe – and open
Today and tomorrow I'm talking to Martin Rolfe, chief executive of NATS – formerly National Air Traffic Services – about the work air-traffic controll...
I'm on the train – and the wifi is superb
Great Western Railway has just unveiled "Formula 1" high-speed internet connectivity on one of its intercity express trains, connecting London Padding...
Indian autumn: Sophie Dickinson is just back from her first trip to the world's most populous country
Travel Desk Tuesday, and The Independent's Deputy Travel Editor has top tips on travelling around by rail and road. Sophie's highlight: the Golden Tem...
Women are extremely under-represented in senior roles in aviation – how could that change?
Katherine Moloney is founder of Elevate(her) Aviation. She started flying at 18, and is licensed to fly both helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft. Kath...
All along the watchtowers – with self-guided tourism where they lend you the key!
Heilbronn is a small city in western Germany. It is notable for being selected as European Green Capital for 2027. But what I find rather more amazing...
"The jungle has everything you need to survive, but also things that can kill you"
I'm finding out about how to survive in jungles and other wildernesses with Dr Joshua Allison, Medical Director at Unique Expeditions. All you need to...
Should premium passengers pay a £500 climate levy?
That's the plan being discussed at COP30, the UN climate summit in Belem, Brazil. France, Spain and Kenya want to see business class, first class and...
November 11th - Ryanair is about to insist that everyone uses a smartphone boarding pass*
(* Though, as Dara Brady, Chief Marketing Officer of Europe’s biggest budget airline has been telling me, if you need a boarding pass printed out at t...
November 10th - Meet Byway – which harnesses tech to deliver slow travel across Europe
Five years ago, Cat Jones created a start-up to use smart tech solutions (coupled, often, with Interrail passes) to deliver tailor-made journey by rai...
November 7th - 30th birthday – on Monday – of Britain's biggest budget airline
I am at London Gatwick airport, location of easyJet's biggest base, to celebrated the 30th birthday – on Monday – of Britain's biggest budget airline....
November 6th - Discover your inner scientist - on holiday
Today I'm at World Travel Market, the UK's biggest travel trade event, and talking to Lara Paxton of New Scientist Discovery Tours about the prospects...
November 5th - Meet the new minister – Stephanie Peacock MP, promoting tourism to Britain
Four weeks ago the MP for Barnsley South took over the tourism brief: a real challenge, in my view, with visitor numbers and spend last year lower tha...
November 4th - West Midlands to the West Highlands – by overnight train
The Caledonian Sleeper has long linked London Euston with Fort William in the West Highlands of Scotland, as well as Inverness and Aberdeen. From 15 J...
November 3rd - Horror on the 6.25pm from Doncaster to London King's Cross
Everyone's heart must go to the injured and their families, as well as passengers and train crew, after the appalling knife attack on an LNER train so...
October 31st - Eurostar gets competition from London to Paris and beyond from Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Trains
After airlines, domestic railways and a cruise line, the bearded billionaire is set to bring better service and lower fares on international trains to...
October 30th - Inside the world of Jack's Flight Club
Jack's Flight Club is an enterprise that specialises in finding exceptional deals on tickets to Europe and beyond. I've always been intrigued about ho...
October 29th - 'You'll feel like at home, only better': Chisinau tourist guide Irina Iacoban
In the Moldovan capital, deep set in autumn, I've been enjoying a walk and talk with Irina – who helps tourists make the most of a beautiful and intri...
October 28th - Eastern Airways closes down – what happens next?
The latest UK regional airline to closed down is Eastern Airways, which linked Aberdeen with Teesside, Humberside and Wick airports as well as flying...
October 27th - How badly wrong can an Airbnb booking go?
At the weekend I was in the Moldovan capital, Chisinau, to report on the finish of the latest Lupine Travel race across Europe.
Chatting to pas...
October 24th - Winter is coming ... on Sunday 26 October the northern hemisphere winter season begins for the world's airlines
Aviation analyst Sean Moulton tells me about some of the new routes, which include Pakistan International returning to the UK. Aberdeen to Paris and M...
October 23rd - Secret Maps: Unlocking a world in which travellers are not supposed to know where's where
The British Library, right next door to London St Pancras International, has a new exhibition – opening tomorrow, Friday 24 October – about the way th...
October 22nd - Is there really a future in "Green Travel?"
My guest today is Richard Hammond, founder of Green Traveller – an organisation that aims to provide news and inspiration about lower-carbon holidays....
October 21st - Can Sweden enhance your mind and body in winter?
Travel desk Tuesday – and my colleague, senior travel writer Natalie Wilson, has been writing about a Visit Sweden initiative that seeks to promote ph...
October 20th - Is Manchester really a key force in UK aviation?
That's the claim from aviation analyst Sean Moulton, who I met in his home town, Manchester. We talked about the way Britain's third-biggest airport –...