Simon Calder's Independent Travel Podcast

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 CDG, Istanbul, and Dubai will be celebrating yet another goal.This podcast is free, like the Independent Travel newsletter. Get it delivered to your inbox every Friday.

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 every Friday.

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.

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 podcast is free, like the Independent Travel newsletter. Get it delivered to your inbox every Friday.

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.

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 new store in Kensington, west London, where prospective passengers can try out posh seats and buy merchandise – and plane tickets.This podcast is free, like the Independent Travel newsletter. Get it delivered to your inbox every Friday.

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 the Independent Travel newsletter. Get it delivered every Friday to your inbox.

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 thriving in extreme adventure travel.This podcast is free, like the Independent Travel newsletter. Get it delivered every Friday to your inbox.

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 trade for the GWW.This podcast is free, like the Independent Travel newsletter. Get it delivered every Friday to your inbox.