Simon Calder's Independent Travel Podcast

I'm back in the USSR – or at least what was a small part of that vast and brutal empire. Today, Lithuania is a modern, democratic nation and a member of the European Union. Its capital, Vilnius, shook off its communist chains 35 years ago. As excellent tourist guide Ieva – from Vilnius With Locals – told me, the scars still run deep. But there is much to celebrate...This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today I'm talking to Martin Johnson, chair of the Expedition Cruise Network, about the ships that take travellers to the ends of the world.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I really enjoyed talking to Christine Shacklady, Managing Director of the TRIP Group – Travel Risk & Incident Prevention. She began with some top safety tips, and then the conversation veered off towards wonderful Venezuela.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My excellent colleague, Natalie Wilson, has just returned from a short but intensive exploration of Sweden with Intrepid, and talks about the food, drink, coffee culture and beauty ... as well a welcome encounter with a moose.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My friend Arvi has just returned from Uzbekistan, and – aged 80, having visited every country in the world, is now planning his next adventure. After a lifetime of travelling, Arvi has much to share with us.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I'm talking to Nicholas Wood, director of Political Tours, who organises trips to various frontlines around the world. The 2026 offering has just been published. It includes Taiwan, under threat from China; Poland and Lithuania, bordering on Russia; and the US for the mid-term elections late next year.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I have been talking to Ruth Kelly, author of the review into the shutdown of Heathrow airport on 21 March, following a fire at the North Hyde electricity substation.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Air passengers' rights rules have been around for a couple of decades now – spurring the creation of a side industry in claims handling. Companies such as AirHelp offer to pursue claims for delays and compensation on your behalf in exchange for a sizeable chunk of any payout. Today, though, AirHelp has launched a new app that monitors your flights for you and lets you know if there is trouble ahead. I have been speaking to the chief executive of AirHelp, Tomasz Pawliszyn.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A pan-European consumer group is urging the EU to force airlines to allow passengers to bring a wheelie bag on board planes as well as a smaller item without paying extra. Frankly I think they are on a hiding to nothing – and talking of hiding, the accusation that these are "hidden charges" does not stand up. Airlines are extremely clear about their baggage limits, and the costs for taking more.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I was on board the 6.14am train to Shepperton, along with the transport secretary, Heidi Alexander. What is the big idea behind renationalising the railways?This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The boss of Britain's biggest budget airline, easyJet, reveals pre-emptive action:Sharper turns between arrival and departure.Spare parts and planes judiciously deployed.More slack in crew rosters in case of air-traffic control delays.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I have been talking once again to Gediminas Žiemelis, boss of Avia Solutions Group – which runs 14 different airlines including Ascend of the UK. He's been talking about how his company helps meet peak demand, but also warning of possible strikes in Scandinavia and France. Also: check in early is his advice, to swerve possible overbooking.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The transport tech giant Uber is to take on Eurostar through the Channel Tunnel – but you may need an Uber to reach the departure station in east London. Uber has teamed up with a start-up operator, Gemini Trains, to promote a planned rival service linking London with Paris and Brussels. If the partners are permitted to launch trains to Continental Europe, they will not start from the terminal at St Pancras – but six miles down the track at Stratford International.Chief executive of Gemini Trains, Adrian Quine, has been telling me more.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Many people grumble at soaring air fares. But if an airline is setting fares at a preposterous level, such as £900-plus from London to Edinburgh, that's because it doesn't want you to buy it – rather, the hope is that a long-haul passenger will use it as part of a more lucrative trip. Aviation economist Oliver Ranson has been telling me more.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fenix, which has just had its opening weekend, is a breathtaking new museum that explores the deep-rooted human instinct of migration. “In every family, there is a migration story to tell,” says director Anne Kremers. “As long as we exist as human beings, we move, we migrate, and we will always keep on doing that.”This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A giant Airbus A380 plane in the colours of Global Airlines will lift off from Glasgow airport in Scotland, destination New York JFK. The founder, businessman James Asquith, has pledged to “take passengers back to the Golden Age of Travel, reinvigorating the onboard experience with elevated service”. But not everyone agrees that a newcomer flying a very large aircraft is what the world needs.So what is the story behind Global – and what are its chances of success? I have bought a ticket for the inaugural departure.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the UK basks in unusually warm weather, everyone is in holiday mood. But beware the natural world, says the doyenne of travel health, Dr Jane Wilson-Howarth. She has been telling me about protection against the most dangerous creature on earth for humans: the mosquito. Pack that EX4 insect spray.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ben is sadly leaving The Independent this week after two years with the travel team. He looks back over the highlights during that time – with Scottsdale well ahead of Santorini – and predicts a summer of travel calm. Ben will be missed.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Foot passengers and cyclists across the Channel from Dover to France have a tricky experience with the traditional ferry operators. But this summer there is an alternative, in the shape of a catamaran sailing from the port to Boulogne in northern France – taking advantage of the winds and tides to provide a refreshing alternative to conventional international travel.Andrew Simons, the skipper of the Sail Link enterprise, has been telling me more.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For the final part of my exclusive week-long series with Trailfinders founder and chairman, Sir Mike Gooley, I learn about his relationship with the late Queen, his succession planning for his travel firm and what he does with his considerable cash – and that doesn't include buying a superyacht.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Day four of my conversation with Trailfinders founder and chairman Sir Mike Gooley, in which he reveals how the company name was chosen; why booking online isn't always brilliant; and how the firm very briefly owned a light aircraft.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sir Mike Gooley CBE, founder and chairman of Trailfinders, has given The Independent an exclusive, in-depth interview about his innovative company – which has been unlocking the world for millions of people since its inception in 1970.Today: the mission of the firm, and how he kept it afloat in the early days by instructing motorists on the overland trail to Africa.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

All week I am talking to Sir Mike Gooley CBE, founder and chairman of Trailfinders, about the story of this innovative company – which has been unlocking the world for millions of people since its inception in 1970.Today: why he thinks booking travel through a human being is better than going online, and how Trailfinders could pay instant refunds to customers when Covid struck.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

All week I am talking to Sir Mike Gooley CBE, founder and chairman of Trailfinders, about the story of this innovative company – which has been unlocking the world for millions of people since its inception in 1970.Today: how he spotted a gap in the market.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

LNER is saying don't travel on the East Coast main line between Doncaster and York unless you really have to. On the West Coast main line there will be planned disruption all weekend. And the skies aren't looking too clever.Good luck everyone.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I'm aboard the 8.26am from London to Sunderland, run by "open access" train operator Grand Central. My ticket cost £42. Grand Central had to pay around £2 in commission to rival LNER, with whom I chose to book because of a cashback offer.I think train operators should behave more like budget airlines.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I have been enjoying an excellent day out from the Croatian city of Split to Krka National Park and the town of Skradin. The excellent local guide, Mate (pronounced Matay) used WhatsApp to keep everyone in the loop – sending out maps, coordinating movements and ensuring everyone was on the bus at precisely the right time. Eye-opening in all senses.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's Travel Desk Tuesday so I'm talking to my excellent colleague Natalie Wilson about the curtailment of Britain's longest rail route, the bus vs the train and the upcoming South Wales Metro.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hundreds of thousands of travellers to, from and within Spain and Portugal have faced chaos after a massive power cut across the Iberian peninsula. These are the key issues for British travellers.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Thursday night a Ryanair flight from Agadir to Manchester was diverted due to a disruptive passenger. A tech issue was found. Ryanair wanted to lay on a rescue flight using its EU, rather than UK, subsidiary. But the CAA said no.Eddie Wilson, chief executive of Ryanair DAC (the EU part) is furious.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A report says the number of applications for these cards – which get you free or reduced-rate health care – is falling. I think that's no surprise, but it's a good moment to remind travellers about why they are worthwhile.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today I've discovered the average plane flying in and out of Heathrow have three fewer passengers than they did a year ago.P&O Cruises has disappointed 1,800 passengers with the abrupt cancellation of a voyage with 24 hours' notice.And after the sad passing of Pope Francis, what are the effects for tourists in Rome?This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

That is the question on Travel Desk Tuesday for my colleague, Natalie Wilson. So many factors are at work when deciding where to go and what to do on holiday – does care for the planet figure strongly?This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A special Easter Monday edition. I've been talking to Sue Partridge, head of the Wing of Tomorrow programme at Airbus, about how folding wings on short-haul aircraft will reduce the damage caused by aviation.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I'm talking to Andy Anderson, founder of Passport Waiting Time – which does what it says and helps travellers with their expectations of how long it will take to get that all-important document. So how does HM Passport Office rate?This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Many travellers have welcomed speculation that facial recognition combined with digital passports could allow smoother journeys through the airport. But as I have been hearing from tech writer and broadcaster, Kate Bevan, the concept raises serious concerns – from digital exclusion to privacy.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sandra Greig, senior cabin crew for Aer Lingus, says Barbados is her favourite destination anywhere in the world. Sandra kindly took a call from me while on the island, to which she had flown from Manchester on one of the three weekly flights the airline offers.Sounds like I should get back there soon ...This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's travel desk Tuesday, which means I am talking to one of my excellent colleagues. Today it's Natalie Wilson, just returned from the fine island of Malta.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rod Dennis of the RAC is telling me how to avoid getting caught in the worst of the traffic over Easter, which is projected to peak on the M25 anticlockwise from the Gatwick turn-off (M23) to the M40 to Oxford and Birmingham at 11.45am on Good Friday.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

That's the long-term prospect for the West Midlands airport, which aims to compete with the London airports. In the very short term, Birmingham is expecting its busiest Easter ever. I'm talking to the airport's chief executive, Nick Barton, who says the restoration of flights to New York can't come soon enough.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

That's the hope of London St Pancras Highspeed, the company that runs the UK's only functioning international rail station – as well as the High Speed 1 rail link to the Channel Tunnel near Folkestone in Kent.Chief executive Robert Sinclair has been telling me about the prospects for trebling the number of international passengers between the UK and Continental Europe, adding new destinations and cutting fares.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Villains are stalking social media in search of passengers frustrated at the lack of contact from their airlines.I've been hearing from Karen Welsh, who told me: "Potentially being scammed out of a fortune is upsetting and worrying, but more than anything, if I could get there then goodness knows who else could get there as well."This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's Travel Desk Tuesday, and I'm talking to travel writer for The Independent Amelia Neath about a survey that rates the most beautiful approaches to airports around the world – including three that are reasonably accessible for British travellers.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When Europe's much delayed entry-exit system finally takes effect, motorists departing by ferry from Dover will face a two-stage process to enter the EU – with the locations for each element taking part a mile apart. AI will be deployed to detected any unusual activity between the two checkpoints.Doug Bannister, chief executive of the Port of Dover, has been telling me all about it.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Many schools break up on Friday 4 April, and I've been looking ahead to the likely pain points on road, rail, air and ferry.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.