Simon Calder's Independent Travel Podcast

What is happening with the EU entry-exit system and the Etias permit?

28 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Get up to speed with the help of data sleuth Dr Nick Brown, who believes that in time the EES will work well – but adds a warning or two about Etias...

The story behind a hotel revolution: Yotel!

27 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

My guest today is Simon Woodroffe – the entrepreneur behind household names including YO! Sushi and Yotel, and also one of the original Dragons on B...

Travel Desk Tuesday: Taxi prices in Tuscany and the EU entry-exit system

26 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Senior travel writer Natalie Wilson has just returned from her first trip to Tuscany and Umbria. She tells of being quoted €1,000 for a cab ride in ...

What is the future for international rail travel in Europe?

25 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The European President has set out her vision for more integrated rail travel across Europe. Mark Smith, the international rail guru known as The Man ...

Mississippi, land of the Blues

22 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Global travel editor Annabel Grossman has just returned from the Deep South of the US, exploring the state of Mississippi. She tells me about the musi...

How will your Bank Holiday weekend journey or summer flight turn out?

21 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Today I am assessing the picture on aviation fuel, after easyJet boss Kenton Jarvis added to the airline leaders vowing to fly the full schedule this ...

See the magnificent coast of Norway from the local ferry

20 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Today I'm talking to Matthew Valentine, Global Head of Sales for Havila Voyages – the enterprise that is serving the Norwegian shoreline from Bergen...

Touching distance to Russia – Travel Desk Tuesday

19 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

“In both Finland and Poland I somehow found myself as close as it is possible to be to Russia without actually crossing the border”. Global travel...

The best of Armenia in six minutes flat

18 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Direct flights from London Luton to the Armenian capital, Yerevan, begin on 8 June, and I am getting a preview of this fascinating nation. Today I hav...

Hope for better public transport in Derbyshire's Hope Valley – "Mini Switzerland"

15 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Transport expert Thomas Ableman has been telling me about his vision for “joined-up” mobility in the UK – giving people the freedom to live with...

Should you plan a trip to Pakistan?

14 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Over the past few days I have heard several people speak very warmly about Pakistan - saying it is a much-misunderstood country full of wonders and di...

90 days until it goes dark during the day – with the 2026 total solar eclipse

13 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Dr John Mason, eclipse chaser extraordinaire, has been studying the astronomical event on 12 August, when a total solar eclipse will sweep down from G...

Over from Dover: how is the EU entry-exit system working at the UK's main ferry port?

12 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Chief executive of the Port of Dover, Doug Bannister, tells me about the investment made in preparing for the digital borders scheme in a location whe...

UK visitors will get fast-track entry to Greece until better solution is found, minister tells me

11 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

After Greece decided unilaterally to scrap biometric border checks for British visitors, the tourism minister has said the “UK fast track” will co...

How to cope with long-haul flights

08 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Top cinematographer Douglas Bolton shares his secrets of transatlantic travel – basically, stay awake to bedtime.This podcast is free, as is Indepen...

Holidays are very important to people from a psychological and welfare point of view

07 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

With so much uncertainty and confusion among travellers, I am talking today to the man who has led Abta, the travel association, for 20 years: CEO Mar...

Who would ever want to work in the travel industry in these difficult days?

06 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Warnings of flight cancellations, a cruise with a killer virus on board, the EU entry-exit system ... Julia Lo Bue-Said, chief executive of the Advant...

En suite bathrooms in First Class – bunk beds in Economy?

05 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Travel Desk Tuesday, and I am talking to Senior Travel Writer Natalie Wilson about two fresh concepts in the longhaul aviation world: Emirates' plan f...

Hantavirus, flight cancellations, EU entry-exit system and Venezuela

04 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

It is an extremely busy weekend on the travel front, and I am rounding up the headline. There are alarming reports of a small expedition ship off the ...

Demand is displaced, not depleted – people still want to travel

01 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Nine weeks ago, before the US-Israeli attack on Iran and subsequent reprisals, the intercontinental travel world looked very different. I’ve been ta...

Wizz Air UK sees a bright summer despite the dark clouds

30 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

We have just launched our biggest ever network from the UK" – so says Yvonne Moynihan, Managing Director of Wizz Air UK. "Airlines are well used to ...

Come to my home town – Gdansk

29 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Yesterday I talked to global travel editor Annabel Grossman about her first trip to Poland – a country I have been visiting for decades. Our colleag...

Poland: So much more than a cut-price city break destination

28 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

I have been travelling to Poland since before you were born (specifically 1985) and, every time I go there, the nation becomes more appealing – from...

British Airways Club kerfuffle over elite status

27 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Over the past few days, there has been controversy in the frequent-flyer community about the apparent extension of Silver and Gold status by BA t...

Brittany Ferries says no cancellations nor surcharges due to fuel shortages

24 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

All week you may have been reading headlines about flight cancellations and soaring airfares. Well, to round off the week, I have been talking to the ...

Hoping to put travel anxieties to rest

23 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

On St George's Day, there's no need to trim your travel sails. Despite challenging headlines travel remains in good health. My guest today, Ted Wake, ...

Meets the boss of Hawaiian Airlines

22 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Six months ago, Hawaiian Airlines became part of the Alaska Air Group, with the understanding that its identity as the carrier to, from and within the...

Where the Earth Meets the Sky

21 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Today I'm talking about the deep south of the world, with conservation biologist Dr Louise Blight – whose book of that title is published today. The...

British Airways back to Guernsey in the Channel Islands

20 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

It is more than 40 years since BA last connected its main base, London Heathrow, with the Channel Island of Guernsey. I was on board the first departu...

Is this the most extreme "holiday" in the world?

17 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Paul Goldstein, wildlife photographer and expedition leader, is just back from Baffin Island in Canada – where the temperature, with wind chill, dro...

The view from the frontline of the UK travel industry

16 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Richard Slater, Founder and Managing Director of Henbury Travel of Macclesfield,, tells me that traveller confidence took a knock when the US and Isra...

Driving tests and dual citizenship: my conversation with rock legend Suzi Quatro

15 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Today's podcast is rather different from usual. For the first time, I am talking about driving tests but not any driving test. This one involves the Q...

Dispatch from Kosovo, Europe’s youngest nation

14 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Eighteen years ago, Kosovo declared independence from Serbia after years of turmoil following the break-up of Yugoslavia. Serbia still regards Kosovo ...

British Airways’ pilot academy open for fresh applications tomorrow

13 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In 2023 I covered the launch of the British Airways Speedbird Pilot Academy: recruiting young people to be the pilots of tomorrow. I am delighted to b...

All change at European frontiers? Not exactly ...

10 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

From today, the EU’s “entry-exit system” is expected to be running at all Schengen area frontiers – bringing to an end the stamping of passpor...

Beond: The new business-class only airline flying from London Heathrow to the Maldives from December 2026

09 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Could you be tempted by the prospect of an exclusive 44-seat aircraft?All-business-class carrier Beond is set to take passengers in some luxury to the...

Welcome to Derry/Londonderry, one of my favourite UK cities

08 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

My guest today is Charlene McCrossan of Martin McCrossan City Tours – which has been introducing tourists to this corner of the far northwest of Nor...

Tourism is coming slowly to Greenland, but that's part of the charm of it

07 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, is currently enjoying over 14 hours of daylight, a figure that is climbing swiftly towards midsummer. But how much fun...

Hotels are magnets for criminals’ – so what needs to be done to make them more secure?

06 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

You will probably have heard of the shocking case of a woman who was sexually assaulted in a Travelodge by an attacker who was handed a key to her roo...

Travel without fear: the world should be accessible to everybody, no matter how you identify

03 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

To round off the week, I'm talking to travel expert Rob Staines about queer travel around the world. He and his partner have just returned from India ...

Should British Airways be flying from airports such as Liverpool and Leeds Bradford?

02 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

That might look an odd question. In the past there have been links from these airports to London Heathrow, which were ditched because the slots could ...

EU entry-exit system is stepping up – or is it?

01 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The much-delayed digital borders scheme for the Schengen area is supposed to be up and running in full from 10 April – but Julia Lo Bue-Said, chief ...

Travel Desk Tuesday with Natalie Wilson

31 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Talking with my excellent colleague, senior travel writer Natalie, about a wide range of travel stories: the shocking business of hotel security, a ne...

King Charles III England Coast Path – meet the man who helped it happen

30 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The 2,700 mile-long trail around the shore of England is the longest managed coastal walking route in the world. It gives unprecedented access to the ...

Jet2 launches from Gatwick – and the company boss has plenty to say

27 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Just when you thought London Gatwick couldn’t get any more competitive, Britain's biggest holiday company has launched at scale from the Sussex airp...

'Dubai will come back – the influencers will see to that'

26 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

That's the surprising view of an eminent commentator on travel, tourism and geopolitics: the formidable all-rounder, Ash Bhardwaj, who has served arou...

Mind the doors – and the escalators, and other rail passengers

25 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Govia Thameslink Railway, which runs Gatwick Express, Southern, Great Northern as well as Thameslink – has brought out a new safety video which is d...

Travel Desk Tuesday with Global Travel Editor Annabel Grossman

24 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

We talk about the effects of the Iran conflict on travel in the immediate and more distant future. Plus: how will it affect travellers' views on visit...

Views from the top: three aviation leaders assess the state of travel after three weeks of the unfolding tragedy in Iran

23 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Michael O'Leary, chief executive of Ryanair and Kenton Jarvis, CEO of easyJet tell me how the crisis has affected their airlines, while Willie Walsh, ...

Natural History Museum become the most popular UK tourist attraction in history

20 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

I'm talking to Bernard Donoghue OBE, director of the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions. Today he has revealed the stars of the visitor attrac...

Lost bags and inefficient airports: can things really only get better?

19 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

On a typical holiday plane with 160 passengers, one piece of checked baggage will go missing. That’s the shocking statistic from Sita, the IT provid...

Changing planes in the danger zone

18 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

I am reporting from Abu Dhabi airport, where I have been transferring between Etihad flights. Even though the Foreign Office is warning against travel...

Heathrow airport Terminal 4: the ghost hub

17 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Today I'm reporting from London Heathrow Terminal 4. This is the main Middle Eastern hub at the UK's busiest airport. But with so many of its regular ...

In Indonesia, let the train take the strain

16 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Today I'm reporting from on board an express train on the Indonesian island of Java. It's a relaxing and fun way to get around this fascinating nation...

Video masterclass from award-winning cameraman Douglas Bolton

13 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In the second half of our focus on the lens, this top cinematographer reveals the mistakes that people most often make when shooting video. Hoping you...

What will the current crisis mean for travellers in future?

12 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

“People will think, maybe I’ll fly Singapore Airlines next time.” So says Lonely Planet co-founder Tony Wheeler, in the last episode of a travel...

What will the current crisis mean for travellers in future?

11 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

“People will think, maybe I’ll fly Singapore Airlines next time.” So says Lonely Planet co-founder Tony Wheeler, in the last episode of a travel...

US and Israel didn’t think Iran would respond by hitting Dubai

10 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The attack on Iran that began on 28 February closed the nation’s airspace, as well as that of neighbouring Iraq. But within hours, the whole Gulf re...

How does the current disruption in the Gulf compare with previous crises?

09 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Perspective is important in travel. There is one person who can put the current chaos arising from the US Israeli attack against Iran into context: le...

Esther, Queen of the Desert

06 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

I am in Broken Hill, New South Wales: the Silver City. Besides being a classic Australian mining town, it has been the location for some cult movies –...

We've got to get out of this place!

05 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

I have been talking to stranded travellers in Sydney – probably the location with the highest number of people keen to get to the UK, but scuppered ...

Could you be tempted by a political tour?

04 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

My guest today is Nicholas Wood, founder and director of Political Tours: friend of the podcast, to whom I talked to last May. Since then a vast amoun...

Finland: In the far-from-bleak late winter

03 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Travel desk Tuesday – and today's excellent colleague just back from a big trip is Global Travel Editor Annabel Grossman. She has returned from wint...

Gulf crisis: my assessment of the aviation impact

02 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Just before I boarded a flight to China, I set out the scale of the problem caused by the closure of the three biggest Middle East air hubs – And co...

National Lottery Open Week is back from 7 to 15 March 2026

27 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Each year, heritage venues and attractions funded by the National Lottery offer special deals for anyone who can demonstrate they have played the lott...

‘Heathrow’s third runway should have been built 10 years ago’

26 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

That's the message from Thomas Woldbye, chief executive of Europe's busiest airport, who is keen to build a third runway and opening it to flights wit...

Red tape gets even more tangled from today

25 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

For many British travellers who plan to travel to Ireland, or who happen to be dual nationals, red tape has become a lot more complicated from today. ...

First time in Africa for senior travel writer Natalie Wilson

24 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Travel desk Tuesday – and the joy of working at The Independent is that my excellent colleagues are constantly returning from exciting places. Senio...

Mexico: UK Foreign Office issues urgent warning as flights are cancelled due to drug cartel violence

23 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Many thousands of tourists are stranded in the resort of Puerto Vallarta after violence erupted following the killing of narcotics kingpin ‘El Mench...

"Huge, massive beautiful place" – welcome to Mongolia

20 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Ulan Bator, the capital, is a busy, creative location, says Anna Butler – Tour Manager for Expat Adventure. She has lived in the vast land – six t...

Dual citizens may now be able to use expired passports to enter the UK

19 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

From Wednesday 25 February, people who are British but also citizens of another country were told they can travel to the UK only with a valid British ...

Forget travel with family or partner – the trend is to explore with friends

18 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Andrea Godfrey, head of the long-standing and highly innovative travel company Regent Holidays, tells me about the new Holidays with Friends portfolio...

Are you tempted to travel to the frozen north?

17 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Greenland, Iceland, Lapland – their names alone might make you shiver. Then there's the geological instability of Iceland (remember the volcano?) an...

Egypt: new opportunities in an ancient land

16 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The Grand Egyptian Museum is finally fully open on the edge of Cairo. It tells the story of this amazing nation in what has become one of the world's ...

'Please, let's get on with expanding Heathrow'

13 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

That's the perhaps surprising message from Paul Griffiths, chief executive of the world's leading international airport: Dubai, whose code is DXB. Pau...

The expert's guide to the great cities of the world

12 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

What makes a great city? The man who knows is top geographer David Gilbert, Professor of Urban and Historical Geography at The Royal Holloway Centre f...

View from the flight deck

11 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Captain David Sanders, who has a long and distinguished career in aviation, tells me how passengers could help themselves by turning up on time and no...

How does river cruising compare?

10 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

It's Travel Desk Tuesday, and cruise writer Marc Shoffman is bringing me up to speed on the joys of river cruising – in Europe and beyond.This podca...

Insider’s guide to Portugal’s Algarve

09 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Sharon Cleator has been travelling to the lovely south coast of Portugal for 40 years. She knows the Algarve like the back of her hand, and now offers...

Rome's most celebrated public space now costs €2 for admission

06 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The Trevi fountain in the Italian capital has been overrun by tourists for many years, and now the Roman authorities are seeking to impose some order....

Your audio guide to Argentina

05 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In the second part of my conversation with Buenos Aires local Stephen Melton, we discuss the highlights of Argentina beyond the capital.This podcast i...

Insider tips on Buenos Aires

04 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In the beautiful wrought-iron market of San Telmo in Buenos Aires, British teacher and all-round Latin legend Stephen Melton has been telling me about...

Is flying really cheaper?

03 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

That’s the title of a challenging event being organised by campaigning group Flight Free UK. Director Anna Hughes talks to me about exploring Europe...

China: 'Go before you get too old' – because so much walking is involved

02 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The first UK tour operator to China in the 1970s was Regent Holidays. Neil Taylor, now a tour leader and travel guide writer, was the man behind the t...

China visa for UK holidaymakers could be dropped as early as Monday, says top tour operator

30 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

I am talking to Wendy Wu, founder of Wendy Wu Tours, a leading provider of holidays in the People's Republic. She believes red tape for China could be...

How do passengers feel about the luggage rules on budget airline?

29 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Britain's biggest budget airline, easyJet, has had its knuckles rapped over its charges for larger pieces of cabin baggage. I have come to London Gatw...

What are the world’s most useful currencies for travellers?

28 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Once again I am talking to Kaya Niedenthal of the Currency Online Group – but in unusual circumstances. He is a busy man so I could interview him on...

Skyscanner expands its price-comparison service to include package holidays

27 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Travel desk Tuesday, and my excellent colleague Sophie Dickinson gives her thoughts on the highly popular airfare comparison site moving into the real...

It's Australia Day – but how to make the most of the vast and distant nation?

26 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

For insights and advice I've been talking to top expert Lauren McLeod, who heads up the Australia product portfolio for Trailfinders – the largest i...

Liverpool John Lennon airport sets a new passenger record

23 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The UK has a fabulously competitive bunch of airports as well as airlines. Today, I’m talking to John Vincent, chief executive of Liverpool John Len...

Michael O'Leary on Elon Musk, air traffic control and drinking at airports

22 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In which the chief executive of Ryanair – Europe’s biggest budget airline – challenges the world's richest man to an arm-wrestling contest.This ...

If the earth is actually curved, we’ll be able to tell

21 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Fifty years to the day since the first British Airways Concorde took off with passengers on board, a final interview with Blake Scholl, founder of Boo...

Who knows where the tourists go?

20 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Patricia Yates does: she is chief executive of Visit Britain, which has just delivered a major survey on the value of inbound tourism to the UK.This p...

Wish it could be Concorde every day? Hear what a leading environmental campaigner has to say

19 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Back by popular demand: more on supersonic flying. But Anna Hughes, director of Flight Free UK, does not believe we should return to the era of breaki...

What is the market for supersonic flying?

16 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

All week I've been hearing about Boom Supersonic's plan for its Overture aircraft, 50 years after Concorde first flew with paying passengers. For an a...

New York? Sydney? Boom Supersonic wants to take you there more swiftly.

15 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Blake Scholl, CEO and founder of Denver-based Boom Supersonic, tells me in part 4 of supersonic week, that the longer the route, the better the appeal...

Fly supersonic between London and New York for £4,000 return?

14 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

That's the plan from Blake Scholl, CEO and founder of Denver-based Boom Supersonic. In part 3 of supersonic week, he has been telling me about the pri...

Boom Supersonic's big idea for a small impact on the planet

13 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Part 2 of my exclusive interview with Blake Scholl, CEO and founder of Denver-based Boom Supersonic. His Overture aircraft aims to be the first supers...

Welcome to Supersonic week! Will passengers ever break the sound barrier again?

12 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

It’s 50 years this month since the first-ever passenger flights on Concorde, the Anglo-French supersonic jet that travelled at 1,350mph. All this we...

In search of the UK's most beautiful railway station

09 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

I am stuck at Crewe, the rail junction in Cheshire, but I have been hearing from two of the presenters of an excellent new Channel 4 series, Britain's...