Travel Desk Tuesday, and The Independent's Deputy Travel Editor has top tips on travelling around by rail and road. Sophie's highlight: the Golden Temple at Amritsar. And, she adds:"The food was the best thing about the trip." This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted …

Katherine Moloney is founder of Elevate(her) Aviation. She started flying at 18, and is licensed to fly both helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft. Katherine has been telling me: "Aviation as a whole is actually 30% female, but less than 5% in key roles such as engineering, pilot roles, and air traffic control." And she intends to change that ... Thi…

Heilbronn is a small city in western Germany. It is notable for being selected as European Green Capital for 2027. But what I find rather more amazing is that there are two medieval towers that you can climb, on your own, having picked up the key from the tourist office. Wild and wonderful: I hope you will try it too. This podcast is free, as is In…

I'm finding out about how to survive in jungles and other wildernesses with Dr Joshua Allison, Medical Director at Unique Expeditions. All you need to know about them is that they are, quote, “experts in the extreme.” This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast.…

That's the plan being discussed at COP30, the UN climate summit in Belem, Brazil. France, Spain and Kenya want to see business class, first class and private jet passengers taxed much more heavily, with the money going to help less developed countries. The International Air Transport Association (Iata), representing the world's airlines, does not a…

(* Though, as Dara Brady, Chief Marketing Officer of Europe’s biggest budget airline has been telling me, if you need a boarding pass printed out at the airport staff will do that for free, so long as you have already checked in online.) This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inb…

Five years ago, Cat Jones created a start-up to use smart tech solutions (coupled, often, with Interrail passes) to deliver tailor-made journey by rail, sea and bus across Europe. 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 inform…

I am at London Gatwick airport, location of easyJet's biggest base, to celebrated the 30th birthday – on Monday – of Britain's biggest budget airline. Since 10 November 1995, aviation has been democratised, giving us wider horizons than ever. I've been talking to Bill Rivett, captain of the first historic flight from Luton to Glasgow. Turns out he …

Today I'm at World Travel Market, the UK's biggest travel trade event, and talking to Lara Paxton of New Scientist Discovery Tours about the prospects for a new kind of adventure: whether searching for dinosaur traces in the Gobi Desert, or visit the Large Hadron Collider at CERN outside Geneva. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's week…

Four weeks ago the MP for Barnsley South took over the tourism brief: a real challenge, in my view, with visitor numbers and spend last year lower than pre-Covid. I've been hearing about her vision for boosting business, and in particular broadening the appeal of the UK beyond London. To places such as Yorkshire ... This podcast is free, as is Inde…

The Caledonian Sleeper has long linked London Euston with Fort William in the West Highlands of Scotland, as well as Inverness and Aberdeen. From 15 January 2026, the overnight train will call at Birmingham International, serving the city's airport. I've been hearing more from two Caledonian Sleeper executives: Interim Managing Director Graham Kell…

Everyone's heart must go to the injured and their families, as well as passengers and train crew, after the appalling knife attack on an LNER train south of Peterborough on Saturday night. The horrifying incident was handled with great professionalism and heroism by LNER staff and the police. But it raises wider questions about security on trains. …

After airlines, domestic railways and a cruise line, the bearded billionaire is set to bring better service and lower fares on international trains to the Continent – but not until 2030. 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…

Jack's Flight Club is an enterprise that specialises in finding exceptional deals on tickets to Europe and beyond. I've always been intrigued about how it works – and Head of Community and Content, Katy Maclure, has been revealing the inner workings. “We're the guys who do the hard graft and let you know when the price is right.” This podcast is fr…

In the Moldovan capital, deep set in autumn, I've been enjoying a walk and talk with Irina – who helps tourists make the most of a beautiful and intriguing city. Just search for "free tour Chisinau" – and of course tip, between 100 and 200 lei (£4.50-£9). This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it del…

The latest UK regional airline to closed down is Eastern Airways, which linked Aberdeen with Teesside, Humberside and Wick airports as well as flying between Gatwick and Newquay. What happens next? 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/priva…

At the weekend I was in the Moldovan capital, Chisinau, to report on the finish of the latest Lupine Travel race across Europe. Chatting to past winner and pal of mine Bram Houtenbos, I learnt he had a fabulous city-centre apartment with a spare room. Yes, I could split the cost with him – a real win-win! Except that in the early hours of the morni…

Aviation analyst Sean Moulton tells me about some of the new routes, which include Pakistan International returning to the UK. Aberdeen to Paris and Manchester to Ljubljana are among his other highlights. 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.co…

The British Library, right next door to London St Pancras International, has a new exhibition – opening tomorrow, Friday 24 October – about the way that cartography has been used to conceal and confuse through the ages. I toured a preview with Tony Wheeler, co-founder of Lonely Planet, who has supported the project. This podcast is free, as is Inde…

My guest today is Richard Hammond, founder of Green Traveller – an organisation that aims to provide news and inspiration about lower-carbon holidays. We're talking at a time when the Berlin-Paris sleeper train is about to come to a shuddering halt. But Richard says competition between rail firms can lead to the kind of growth we saw with low-cost …

Travel desk Tuesday – and my colleague, senior travel writer Natalie Wilson, has been writing about a Visit Sweden initiative that seeks to promote physical and mental well-being for the traveller to Scandinavia (as well as boosting the fortunes of the local travel industry). Travel anywhere, in my experience, is always a restorative. This podcast …

That's the claim from aviation analyst Sean Moulton, who I met in his home town, Manchester. We talked about the way Britain's third-biggest airport – after Heathrow and Gatwick – is getting more intercontinental links, and becoming a hub between Asia and North America. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up her…

In the year 2000, two travel professionals with experience across Africa teamed up to create a safari camp that brings together nature, community, energy and inspiration in Kenya's Maasai Mara. A quarter-century on, my guest Greg Monson and his partner Paul Goldstein are still working their socks off to provide great travel experiences that support…

On a shiny 21st-century train with just one careful previous owner, I am talking to Richard Allan – managing director of Chiltern Railways – about new rolling stock for a network that currently relies on trains nearly half a century old. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inb…

At London St Pancras International, hub for Eurostar – and one of three locations in the UK where passport control is carried out before departing for France – I caught up with Alex Norris, Minister for Border Security and Asylum. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hos…

My colleague, senior travel writer Natalie Wilson, has been telling me more about the making of a film about training to be cabin crew. 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 in Prague, tackling the Kafkaesque bureaucracy of the new Schengen area digital borders scheme. 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.

This weekend it's not exact all change for British holidaymakers going to the European Union and wider Schengen area – but some of us will have our fingerprints and facial biometrics taken. I've been talking to Luke Petherbridge, director of public affairs for Abta, the travel association, who – like me – has been reading EU directives and regulati…

Today I'm talking to Alex Smith – who has lived and worked in the travel industry in Mallorca for two decades. Five years ago she created the YouTube channel Mallorca Under the Sun, helping prospective visitors to our favourite Mediterranean island. She's been telling me about the highlights of the island – and why it's worth getting out of the res…

Jacqueline Dobson, president of Barrhead Travel and Internova Leisure, tells me that this chain of travel agencies grew from a single branch in a suburb of Glasgow half a century ago. Its key difference: staying open later, seven days a week, which in 1975 was revolutionary. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign u…

Meet Dr Nick Brown, resident of Palma in Mallorca. His day job is as data sleuth, but he also does all he can to help tourists make the most of the island that he has made his home. He offers tours on an entirely pro bono basis – with a request that satisfied customers donate to a homeless charity. More details here: https://www.facebook.com/profil…

That's the discussion I've been having with my excellent colleague, global travel editor Annabel Grossman. In September we both had flight cancellations, and without a buffer that can trigger stress and disappointment. It's worth politely and respectfully pushing back to ask for better replacement flights. Best of all, have your flight cancelled on…

Rob Burgess, founder of the frequent flyer website Head for Points, explains how to benefit from this quirk: could status with one airline earn you the equivalent of British Airways Silver with the help of a $199 payment? This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Ac…

That's the belief of Rhys Jones of the frequent-flyer website Head for Points, who explains why the economics of the extra long range narrow-bodied twin jet makes it the perfect plane for many unserved routes. But watch out for meal times ... This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to you…

The carrier is telling passengers: “All flights have been cancelled.” Around 500 staff have lost their jobs. It follows former Icelandic carriers Primera Air and Wow Air into aviation oblivion; those airlines failed in 2018 and 2019 respectively. Last summer I talked to the chief executive, Einar Örn Ólafsson, who set out his vision. Sadly, it was …

That's the message from Yann Leriche, chief executive of Getlink – the company that runs Eurotunnel and LeShuttle car-carrying operation between Folkestone and Calais. He's been talking me through the planning and the experience once the EU's digital border scheme begins. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up h…

Steve Wilson, founder of Linger, tells me that many legal and financial services firms are happy for their top people to take sabbatical – a break to help them re-energise – and he and his team can deliver life-changing experiences. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. H…

Hi from London St Pancras International – most beautiful railway station in the world, and also the hub for Eurostar. I am talking to Simon Lejeune, Chief Safety and Stations Officer for the cross-Channel rail firm, about the big changes the impending entry-exit system will bring. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. …

My guest is Stewart Wingate, Vinci Airports Managing Director for United Kingdom, overseeing future development and strategic direction of London Gatwick, Edinburgh Airport and Belfast International. 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/pri…

I am in Brno in the Czech Republic, where I have come to meet Kevan Vogler – a Canadian who has been living in his adopted homeland of the Czech Republic for more than 20 years, and is therefore the ideal person to write Culture Smart! Czech Republic: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly …

I've been covering airport expansion in south-east England for decades. Could this finally be the moment when an additional runway is pressed into service, or will it get tangled up in controversy? 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/priva…

That's the recommendation of the International Air Transport Association (Iata). Opponents say the airlines see raising the age limit as an attempt to deal with a temporary shortage of pilots. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency says the risk of a serious health incident on the flight desk increases with age, and that skills decline with the …

Flying is incredibly safe. But as we have seen over the past nine months, accidents happen with tragic consequences. I am talking to Elmarie Marais, the chief executive of GoCrisis – a company that works with airlines to prepare emergency procedures, and gets to work to care for the loved ones of the victims. As I make clear, aviation has an outsta…

I am still in southwest France, specifically at Toulouse airport departure lounge, where I am talking to Jackie Banfill and Frank Epstein – who have been in the high Pyrenean co-principality of Andorra. I know the place mainly from winter, but they say it is glorious in summer. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sig…

I'm just on the French side of the Pyrenees, but I reached here – with my hiking friend Mick – after some extreme stress, when our Vueling flight from Gatwick to Barcelona was cancelled at the airport. 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/p…

Steve is Head of Engineering at the UK's second-busiest airport, and responsible for the baggage systems. Almost all the time things work well for the passenger, the airport and the airline. But sometimes bags with loose straps and the like can gum up the system. And if you leave old barcodes on your case (those little labels) your bag might end up…

All week I have been covering the strike by members of the RMT union working for London Underground, which has paralysed the capital. While some Tube trains have been running on each day, they represent only a tiny fraction of the network. I took one of the rare trains running from Baker Street to Harrow-on-the-Hill, sharing the journey with a pige…

The summer has actually been excellent in terms of coming out of the UK," says Jeremy. While the peak day for flights from the UK is still back before Covid, in October 2019, and UK-US flights are showing a downturn, the trend is unrelentingly upwards. North Africa bookings doubled this summer and the Middle East is expanding ... This podcast is fr…

Today is the day that Intrepid Travel has revealed its Not Hot List – places off the tourism mainstream, from Nevada to Sierra Leone. I've been speaking to Hazel Maguire, chief marketing officer for the adventure travel company. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hoste…