Simon Calder's Independent Travel Podcast

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...

Greece: is it really a year-round destination?

08 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Eleni Skarveli, director of the Greek National Tourism Organisation in London, says Athens and Thessaloniki are excellent winter destinations – and ...

How tourism can help endangered species

07 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

My guest today is Paul Goldstein: photographer, expedition guide, and campaigner for protecting wildlife. He’s also author of a book out this week c...

Travel Desk Tuesday: top tips for '26 from Global Travel Editor Annabel Grossman

06 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Uganda and northern Argentina are off the tourism mainstream, but high on Annabel's recommendations for the year ahead. Adventure travel in Africa and...

Preston to Carlisle – the pretty way

05 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Avanti West Coast is providing a glorious workaround to the closure of the main rail line between Preston and Carlisle: a scenic train diversion along...

How the Eurostar chaos *should* have been handled

02 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Right at the end of 2025, tens of thousands of passengers had their New Year plans wrecked when a problem in the Channel Tunnel. 30 trains linking Lon...

How to be a responsible tourist

01 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

To start 2026, I'm talking to Mark Tanzer, well respected chief executive of Abta, the travel association – about reasons to be cheerful, challenges...

How does a hotel keep going through Christmas and into New Year?

31 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

I'm talking to Mike Vincent, General Manager of the Langdale Chase Hotel overlooking Windermere in Cumbria – who has been working through the festiv...

The secret behind Manchester Airport's growth

30 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

I've been talking to Chris Woodroffe, managing director of Manchester airport, about plans for the future in terms of passenger numbers – and also p...

Part 2/2 – 2026 predictions with travel CEO

29 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Paul Charles, chief executive of travel consultancy the PC Agency, is back to talk about travel in 2026.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel...

Part 1/2 – From cake to caterpillars: Travel boss reveals 2025 highs and lows

26 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Paul Charles, chief executive of travel consultancy the PC Agency, flies more than anyone else I know. So in the first half of a two-part interview, I...

Coming to a bus stop near you this Christmas Day?

25 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For people living in the UK without a car, Christmas Day has long been a problem. No trains are running, and in most areas local buses remain in the d...

Part 3/3 — Dubai airport CEO's advice to the UK

24 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Paul Griffiths, Chief Executive of Dubai Airports, used to run Gatwick airport. In the third and final part of our conversation, the boss of the world...

Part 2/3 — The future of aviation according to Dubai airport boss

23 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In the second part of my exclusive conversation with Paul Griffiths, Chief Executive of Dubai Airports, we gaze deep into the future of aviation. Not ...

Global vision: how the boss of Dubai airport sees the world

22 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Today and for the following two days, I am bringing you a conversation with the man who is responsible for more "passenger miles" than anyone else on ...

Essential airline etiquette for the festive season and beyond

19 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

I'm joined by The Independent's US travel editor, Ted Thornhill, for his insights on the tricky business of reclining seats, sharing armrests, stowing...

Your city-break dream list for 2026 – part two

18 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Amelia Neath, travel writer for The Independent, continues her romp through the best-value European city breaks for 2026. Today: the top five are reve...

What's on your city-break dream list for next year?

17 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Travel writer for The Independent Amelia Neath has compiled a brilliant list of best-value European city breaks for 2026. It's another two-parter: tod...

Joy to the world – if you go by train

16 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Travel desk Tuesday, and today senior travel writer Natalie Wilson is reporting on the Belmond British Pullman Christmas lunch trip from London Victor...

Guatemala 2026: risks and rewards

15 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Starting a new year with a journey to a new destination is always rewarding, and one of the most memorable 1 January departures took me to Guatemala. ...

Fast track to America – from Scotland?

12 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 – chi...

Looking ahead to smoother skies and swifter journeys

11 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

My guest today is Kathryn Leahy, chief operations officer for the air-traffic control service, Nats. We talked about the impact of bad weather – suc...

All change: Rail Minister Lord Peter Hendy on the future with Great British Railways

10 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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

09 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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?

08 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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

05 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Best beach, mountain, river, bar and country? Ask an expert

04 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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...

What will AI mean for the future of travel planning?

04 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

"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 –...

Going Dutch? These are the highlights in the Netherlands in 2026

02 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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?

01 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

My first guest of the month is Rachel O’Reilly Director of Communications for Dertour UK – a company that includes Kuoni, Journey Latin America, I...

Wizz Air's UK boss promises new routes from Luton to key holiday destinations – and restoring links with Ukraine

28 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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?

27 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Exploring the Arctic is one of the greatest experiences open to tourists – visiting remote locations such as Svalbard and Greenland – but there ar...

What a way to go to India – reminiscing about overland travel 50 years ago

26 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 h...

Cambodia, a nation transformed

25 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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'

24 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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...