Simon Calder's Independent Travel Podcast

Rejoice! For the first summer since 2006, passengers at some UK airports can leave all electrical items and liquids inside their cabin baggage at the security checkpoint. Al Titterington, Birmingham Airport Terminal Operations Director, 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.

Ahead of the key England v Wales match in the Women's Euros in St Gallen, Switzerland, I have been assessing the cost of being a tourist in the Alpine nation. For more advice, I am talking to Alex Herrmann, director United Kingdom & Ireland for Switzerland Tourism – about Big Macs and much else.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.

An entry fee for the Lake District on busy days, and the prospect of many more tourist taxes? I’ve been hearing from Henri Murison, chief executive of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership – and an advocate for more funding and decision-making for local leaders.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've been back through the archive to bring you a report of the first departure from Waterford to London Gatwick – including an interview with chief executive Michael O'Leary from the end of 2019, which is entirely pertinent today.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 Adam Lechmere, publishing director of the Academie du Vin Library – which has just brought out The Smart Traveller's Wine Guide to Napa Valley, north of San Francisco in California.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 contention from Rene Frey, chief executive of Rough Guides and Insight GuidesThis 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 you buy a rail ticket, that's it: you just show up at the station and board the train. Flying should be like that. But instead, passengers are obliged to check in with the airline. I think the aviation industry could do away with 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.

I am reporting from a speedy Austrian train on the former route of the Orient Express - and talking about the many benefits of Interrail.You can get 1/5th off if you buy today or tomorrow.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.

An unusual way to start the month: talking to my friend Daniel Bettendorf outside the Art Inn in Linz, Austria, where we have cycled. Since the early day of Uber, he has been a regular user of the ride-sharing app – and has strong views on rating and tipping drivers, partly based on his knowledge of Game Theory as a mathematician.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 the eve of the peak summer months of July and August, Julia Lo Bue-Said, chief executive of the Advantage Travel Partnership, looks ahead to the main holiday season at a time of uncertainty.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.