I'm trying to make sense of the government's announcement of the first three train operators to be brought back into public ownership. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to have it delivered every Friday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

I'm talking with Marion Geoffroy, Managing Director of Wizz Air UK, about the airline's operation at London Gatwick airport. The disruption on 22 November caused by a security scare was a headache for airlines and their passengers; Marion tells me about how the airline handled it. March 2025 will see the deployment of a new mid-to-long-haul aircraf…

Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition when they travel on holiday to our favourite foreign destination, but from today, the government in Madrid is expecting to collect a lot more data from travellers. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to have it delivered every Friday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/…

Untangling the red tape of global travel with Samantha McKnight, vice-president of Client Solutions for CIBTvisas in London. Subscribe to The Independent Travel newsletter. It arrives in your inbox every Friday, so make sure you're on the list here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

Today I have been covering two big railway stories: the roll-out of a new £1bn fleet of trains, known as Arterio, at London Waterloo; and, the remarkable news that the taxpayer is currently subsidising the railways to the tune of £12.5bn a year. That is a difficult figure to conceive, so I have calculated a less-cumbersome figure: £400 of public mo…

I am talking to the present – and future – bosses of Britain's biggest budget airline, easyJet, about the latest financial figures and the year ahead. Current CEO Johan Lundgren is leaving at the end of the year, and current CFO Kenton Jarvis is taking over at the top. Apologies for the less-than-perfect audio quality, as I explain, the interviews …

Ant Stone, Director of Marketing EMEA for G Adventures, tells me about how Pakistan and Tibet are opening up – and that he's a backpacker at heart. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to have it delivered every Friday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

Holiday prices and air fares surge during school holidays compared with term times – two, three or four times as much. Always has been the case, always will be. Or will it? I'm talking to aviation expert Jonathan Hinkles, who is hoping to persuade the government that action short of legislation is the answer. This podcast is free, as is Independent…

Today's travel podcast guest is Paul Goldstein, wildlife guide and photographer who is just back from leading a tour in the Pantanal of Brazil – where he reports dozens of jaguar sightings. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to have it delivered every Friday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for m…

The Office of Rail and Road has released the latest figures on the UK's busiest – and quietest – rail stations. London's Elizabeth Line dominates the table – but worryingly, there are three stations with fewer than two passengers a week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Richard Brown CBE has been one of the leading railway figures in the UK for four decades – including 11 years as chief executive and then chairman of Eurostar, the Channel Tunnel passenger rail service. He has just brought out a book – Changing Times, Changing Trains – in which he prescribes what is needed to turn around the fortunes of the UK's in…

It's Travel Desk Tuesday for The Independent's travel podcast, and today I am talking to travel writer Amelia Neath about a new Wales-England-Scotland train link; an unfortunate legal case of Norovirus on a cruise ship; and Spirit Airlines entering bankruptcy – though not in a way that should alarm anyone with a forward booking on the US budget car…

On today's travel podcast for The Independent, I am talking to Ranjiv Bhalla – founder and chief executive of Veenus Travel, which organises high-end heritage steam train journeys in the UK. What's the appeal of a Bristol to Plymouth day-trip costing nearly £1,000. Ranjiv says: you'll feel like a superstar. This podcast is free, as is Independent T…

I’m at London St Pancras International with transport guru, Thomas Ableman. How do Paddington, Marylebone and Euston compare – and which is his overall winner? This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to have it delivered every Friday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

I’m at London St Pancras International with transport guru Thomas Ableman. How does he rate the station, King's Cross, Liverpool Street, London Bridge, and Victoria? This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to have it delivered every Friday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

It's 30 years tomorrow since the first ever Eurostar train. I'm talking to the culture and history specialist from France 24, Florence Gaillard. We're talking about how the French look at the UK. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to have it delivered every Friday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy…

On Travel Desk Tuesday I'm talking to Ben Parker about Dorset about how it's become a cool trendy secret. Perched on the south of the UK, Dorset is a hidden gem between Devon and Cornwall. If you head there you could try Sherborne Abbey amongst the hills, or you could check out Shaftesbury or go in land and explore the area Thomas Hardy wrote about…

Today will see the first easyJet flight from Gatwick to Luxor take off, opening up southern Egypt to travellers. Philip Breckner, director of Discover Egypt, tells me about the opportunities around Luxor and Aswan on the Nile. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to have it delivered every Friday. Hosted …

I am talking to Harald Henning, director of the German National Tourist Office in the UK, in a tiny Trabant car. Almost 35 years ago he bought one in Berlin for £25 and drove it to London as a competition prize. He recalls the unification of German – and talks about what makes the capital so special. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's…

I'm in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, in the company of Roland Hunter – founder of The Mountain Company and an expert on trekking in the Himalayas. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to have it delivered every Friday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

I love a new niche guidebook and I'm particularly curious about Travel Guides For The Wine Curious. Today I'm interviewing Adam Lechmere, Publishing Director of Acadmy Du Vin, to find out more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's Monaco Grand Prix week and I'm interviewing out Global Travel Editor, Annabel Grossman, who has been there, about the travel and hotel experiences of the super rich in Monaco. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to have it delivered every Friday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more infor…

I'm interviewing Mark Tanzer the CEO of Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) to discuss the travel industry and the European entry-exit system. According to him the travel industry appears to be recovering steadily from the pandemic. Investors are looking to join the industry, people are continuing to prioritise experiences and travel agents…

Most airlines overbook their seats, in fact you and I have probably both flown on an overbooked flight. How do you feel about that? I don't mind at all, I think it's great that you can ask an airline for a last minute flight and they're more likely to give you a seat, worrying about the specifics later on. Here's how I benefit from overbooking. Hos…

I've been travelling on the Eurostar for nearly 30 years now since it's launch in November 1994. But recently, I've been finding that the eye-watering prices has meant I've rather fallen out of the habit. In this episode though I take a look at Eurostar Snap, which is a ticket scheme aimed at making the most of an opportunity for the right price. T…

Snap up a Eurostar bargain? I’m back at London St Pancras International, home of the Channel Tunnel rail firm, with an exploration of the new discount tickets for passengers prepared to book late and have no choice about the departure time on the day they choose to travel. This podcast is free, as is The Independent's weekly travel newsletter. Subs…

It's Travel Desk Tuesday which means we're interviewing Annabel Grossman, Global Travel Editor for The Independent, who says that when asked about her favourite place to go in the world she keeps thinking of Pembrokeshire. From St Davids to Tenby to some of the most beautiful coasts in the world the county has a lot to offer. This podcast is free, …

SAS airlines recently made the shift from Star Alliance to Sky Team. Rhys Jones, writer at Head For Points, explains what that actually means. Rhys talks us through how alliances work and why they exist, as well as what 'codesharing' mean in airline lingo. This podcast is free, as is The Independent's weekly travel newsletter. Subscribe here to hav…

As we enter the cusp of winter you might assume that travellers are reducing however according to my guest, Julia Lo Bue-Said, chief executive of advantage today people, who have the option, are increasingly choosing unconventional times of the year to go away. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Get all the latest t…

Today I'm speaking to Alastair Willson, Chief Executive of Ascend Airways. His airline help other airlines overcome operational difficulty by supplying the aircraft and the cabin crew for them. As the industry becomes increasingly seasonal, with there being a huge difference between the number of summer flyers compared to the winter, Ascend Airways…

The third-quarter financial results from the UK’s biggest airport are out –I’ve been hearing the details from chief financial officer Sally Ding about passenger numbers and how Taylor Swift's Era Tour gave a late-summer surge for travel hubs like Heathrow Airport. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Get all the lates…

What happens when a single female goes to a couples’ resort in the Caribbean? Find out from Natalie Wilson, who recently returned from Sandals St Vincent. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In today’s episode, I’m joined by Kaya Niedenthal of Currency Online Group to discuss the recent fluctuations in currency markets, how the strength of the pound and dollar impacts travel, and why cash still plays a vital role—even in an era dominated by plastic payments. We also delve into tips for getting the best rates and why some places still p…

You pay a fortune for a business-class ticket because you want to experience the sumptuous new comfort of the latest generation of the premium product – and then the airline changes the plane type and you're back with a seat that is almost prehistoric in modern aviation terms. Rob Burgess, founder of the frequent-flyer website Head for Points, is d…

Yesterday I was at Gatwick – today it's Heathrow, the one true hub airport in the UK. Within six months, transit passengers changing between international flights will need to pay £10 and fill in an online form for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) – making the UK's policy completely at odds with other nations. Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Paris CD…

Winter is coming – and for UK airports that can spell trouble. I'm at London Gatwick, talking to Chief Operating Officer Mark Johnston about preparations for ice and snow at the world's busiest single-runway airport. Plans include polar bears and yetis... This podcast is free, like the Independent Travel newsletter. Get it delivered to your inbox e…

Travel Desk Tuesday today features Ben Parker, UK travel editor (and secret surfer), who has returned from an island-hopping trip around Hawaii – where he learned about the links between Hawaiian royalty and the British monarchy. This podcast is free, like the Independent Travel newsletter. Get it delivered to your inbox every Friday. Hosted on Aca…

By mid-October many of us are looking at options for winter sun. For my money, the optimum combination of great weather, ancient history and good value is to be found in Egypt. I'm talking to Philip Breckner, director of Discover Egypt, about the options – and the prospects of the much-delayed Grand Egyptian Museum opening later this month. This po…

The EU Entry Exit System has been postponed again. But when it is rolled out it could delay our entrance to the Schengen Area. Here's what it means for you ... This podcast is free, like the Independent Travel newsletter. Get it delivered to your inbox every Friday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

The airline city-centre ticket office is making a comeback. In the 20th century, every airline had walk-in shops in all the major cities served. But that was in the bad old days of extremely high fares that could pay for lavish rentals in areas like Mayfair. They disappeared when online booking took hold. But this week Emirates has opened a fancy n…

England's worst motorway is the M42 south and east of Birmingham, according to a new survey of over 9,000 motorists by Transport Focus. I've been finding out more about this despised dual carriageway – and what can be done to improve the driver experience – with Alex Robertson, chief executive of the independent watchdog. This podcast is free, like…

In this episode, Simon Calder chats with Annabel Grossman about her intense skiing journey through the isolated landscape of Fins, Norway. Known as “Little Antarctica,” this region tests even the most experienced explorers. Annabel reflects on her trek, led by polar explorer Wendy Searle, and shines a spotlight on the untold stories of women thrivi…

The Great West Way is a marketing enterprise for the corridor from London to Bristol – taking in Stonehenge, Windsor Castle, Blenheim Palace, and the Roman Baths in Bath. Next year promises to be busy, with the 250th anniversary of the birth of Jane Austen. I heard more from Fiona Errington, head of marketing, and Florence Wallace, head of travel t…

Ahead of the weekend, where's best to be a wine tourist around the globe? I'm talking to the doyenne of wine experts, Jilly Goolden – who has great things to say about English wine, and visiting vineyards in Sussex and the Cotswolds. But don't offer her a glass of prosecco ... This podcast is free, like the Independent Travel newsletter. Get it del…

Finnair is an intriguing airline. The national carrier of Finland carved a Nordic niche offering great connections through its Helsinki hub between western Europe, including London Heathrow and Manchester, and east Asia – thanks to a fast track across Siberia. The closure of Russian airspace means it has had to rethink its strategy. I've been talki…

Cruise lines are often condemned for the environmental impact they have on the planet. But Ponant, the upmarket French small-ship expedition line, has a head of sustainability, Wassim Daoud, who is focused on cutting emissions – and the impact on nature and communities. He also talks about "training" tourists – we could do with more of that. Hosted…

In a new feature, Travel Desk Tuesday, I talk to one of my excellent colleagues at The Independent about their recent journeys. First up: Natalie Wilson, who flew to Mallorca with some trepidation after a summer of writing about over tourism – but her worst experience was having to dine on KFC in her hotel room because all the restaurants had close…

I'm at the British Museum in London where a blockbuster exhibition called Silk Roads has just opened – exploring the tangle of connections that linked communities as far apart as Scotland, Ireland, Ethiopia and Japan, as well as the more familiar lands of China, and central Asia. My guest is the world's foremost expert on the Silk Roads, and guidin…

I'm at London Waterloo, home of Network Rail. But I am not using the public WiFi – the system has been taken down since the landing page was replaced by a strange message about terrorist acts in Europe. It appears this was not a hack, but the act of someone working for the company that provides the landing page. Hopefully the system will be up and …

Anna Hughes, the distinguished director of FlightFree UK, has been telling me about how she believes a frequent-flyer levy could and should work to reduce the amount of flights we take. This podcast is free, like the Independent Travel newsletter. Get it delivered every Friday to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more informati…