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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 and the Independent Travel Podcast will bring you all you need to know from the world of travel.
Latest episode
Fast track to America – from Scotland?
06:23|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 executive of the Scottish hub. Allowing passengers to go through US Customs and Border Protection before they board a flight to America "would be incredibly powerful for Edinburgh, and we are pursuing it", he tells me. "If the two governments can find common ground and sign the agreement, we’ll start building the next day."This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox.
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Looking ahead to smoother skies and swifter journeys
07:02|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 as Storm Bram – on air-traffic control. And looking ahead, how “performance-based navigation”will make journeys more punctual.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox.All change: Rail Minister Lord Peter Hendy on the future with Great British Railways
07:31|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 unifying tracks and trains will bring better services. He also believes the Great British Railways app will be the optimum way to buy tickets in future.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox.Storm Bram sweeps in, hitting trains, boats and planes
05:18|Dozens of flights and ferry sailings have been cancelled due to strong winds and heavy rain. British Airways cancelled its first wave of domestic departures, while Aer Lingus Regional has grounded many flights between Great Britain and the island of Ireland – Belfast City and Dublin. Most Irish Sea ferry sailings are cancelled. And on the trains, ScotRail has imposed speed restrictions on lines to Carlisle, Inverness and beyond.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox.On the road – again?
07:43|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 to the most minority of sports – on the periphery of transport, with most people never having stood by the side of the road hoping for a lift. Adam Renak and Dan Smith are two engineers seeking to transform hitchhiking with an app called Hitchr. This is their story.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox.Today: I'm in India, but looking ahead to the World Cup draw tonight
05:27|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, prices for flights and accommodation will skyrocket.My hack? Well, you'll have to listen to today's episode to find out that!This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox.Best beach, mountain, river, bar and country? Ask an expert
07:21|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 Adventures, but has enjoyed a lifetime of travelling. So he is just the man to talk about a hidden beach in Mallorca and the trials and rewards of climbing Kilimanjaro – with a certain fear of heights.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox.