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Simon Calder's Independent Travel Podcast

January 28th - Grant Shapps' Travel Dead Cats

Grant Shapps has made a number of transport announcements. These have fallen during the ongoing controversy surrounding alleged parties held at 10 Downing Street, leading many to refer to these announcement as convenient 'dead cat' distractions. I go through each of them and what they mean for travellers. From less announcements on trains to updates on testing before travel.


Of course this podcast is completely free, as is my weekly travel email. You can sign up at independent.co.uk/newsletters.

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  • November 21st - Tracking down the busiest rail station

    06:25|
    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.
  • November 20th - Changing Times, Changing Trains

    08:42|
    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 increasingly unhappy rail industry.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to have it delivered every Friday.
  • November 19th - Planes, trains, and travel pains

    06:57|
    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 carrier.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to have it delivered every Friday.
  • November 18th - First-Class Steam Dreams

    05:12|
    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 Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to have it delivered every Friday.
  • November 15th - Which is the best London terminus station, Part 2

    07:56|
    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.
  • 14th November - The best London terminus station, Part 1

    10:04|
    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.
  • November 13th - Celebrating 30 years since the first Eurostar

    06:36|
    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.
  • November 12th - What makes Dorset a hidden Gem

    07:55|
    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.
  • November 11th - Fast track to Luxor

    06:43|
    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.