Best Simon Calder Podcasts (2025)

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Indian autumn: Sophie Dickinson is just back from her first trip to the world's most populous country 6:09

Play Pause

19h ago6:09

6:09

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 …

1
Women are extremely under-represented in senior roles in aviation – how could that change? 5:48

1d ago5:48

5:48

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…

1
All along the watchtowers – with self-guided tourism where they lend you the key! 7:26

5d ago7:26

7:26

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…

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"The jungle has everything you need to survive, but also things that can kill you" 5:34

6d ago5:34

5:34

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.…

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Should premium passengers pay a £500 climate levy? 4:34

7d ago4:34

4:34

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…

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S9 Ep7: Investing in the Early Years: Can policy catch up with evidence? with Eleanor Ireland 32:01

7d ago32:01

32:01

Almost a third of five-year-olds in Britain enter primary school without the essential language, communication, and literacy skills they need to thrive. Eleanor Ireland, our guest today, looks at the critical importance of early childhood development and the widening disadvantage gap as inequality deepens in Britain. Eleanor is one of the Programme…

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November 11th - Ryanair is about to insist that everyone uses a smartphone boarding pass* 8:56

8d ago8:56

8:56

(* 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…

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November 10th - Meet Byway – which harnesses tech to deliver slow travel across Europe 7:04

9d ago7:04

7:04

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…

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November 7th - 30th birthday – on Monday – of Britain's biggest budget airline 5:33

12d ago5:33

5:33

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 …

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PODCAST 227 Castles, caravanserai and the ruins of Baalbek 29:57

12d ago29:57

29:57

Simon reports on his recent journeys to Lebanon, Northern Cyprus and Moldova. Also, we discuss the timeless allure of castles.

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November 6th - Discover your inner scientist - on holiday 4:41

13d ago4:41

4:41

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…

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November 5th - Meet the new minister – Stephanie Peacock MP, promoting tourism to Britain 6:31

14d ago6:31

6:31

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…

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S9 Ep6: Can language convict a criminal? with Tim Grant 33:54

14d ago33:54

33:54

Professor Tim Grant is one of the world's most experienced forensic linguistic practitioners who specialises in the analysis of abusive and threatening communications. He is an academic practitioner in the field of forensic linguistics - teaching and leading research as a professor at Aston University. As the former director of the Aston Institute …

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November 4th - West Midlands to the West Highlands – by overnight train 6:42

14d ago6:42

6:42

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…

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November 3rd - Horror on the 6.25pm from Doncaster to London King's Cross 5:49

16d ago5:49

5:49

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. …

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October 31st - Eurostar gets competition from London to Paris and beyond from Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Trains 4:24

19d ago4:24

4:24

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…

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PODCAST 226 Prepare for the EES 30:08

19d ago30:08

30:08

We try to make sense of the new entry /exit system that will affect UK travellers to Europe's Schengen area: what is it? when will it start? what will it mean for travellers, apart from delays?

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October 30th - Inside the world of Jack's Flight Club 6:29

19d ago6:29

6:29

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…

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S9 Ep5: Evidence for change: rethinking child poverty policy with Alex Beer 27:34

21d ago27:34

27:34

Our guest today, Alex Beer, joins us at a critical time as the UK Government prepares to publish its child poverty strategy this autumn. According to official numbers, there are 4.5 million children living in poverty in the UK and 1.1m children are in families that have used a food bank in the past year. The Nuffield Foundation launched a major new…

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October 29th - 'You'll feel like at home, only better': Chisinau tourist guide Irina Iacoban 6:35

21d ago6:35

6:35

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…

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October 28th - Eastern Airways closes down – what happens next? 6:03

22d ago6:03

6:03

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…

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October 27th - How badly wrong can an Airbnb booking go? 6:26

22d ago6:26

6:26

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…

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October 24th - Winter is coming ... on Sunday 26 October the northern hemisphere winter season begins for the world's airlines 6:17

26d ago6:17

6:17

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…

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October 23rd - Secret Maps: Unlocking a world in which travellers are not supposed to know where's where 4:52

27d ago4:52

4:52

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…

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October 22nd - Is there really a future in "Green Travel?" 6:52

27d ago6:52

6:52

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 …

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S9 Ep4: Inoculating the mind: protecting against misinformation with Sander van der Linden 34:48

28d ago34:48

34:48

Professor Sander van der Linden explores the impact of misinformation and how to prevent its spread within the general public. His work as Professor of Social Psychology at the University of Cambridge and Director of the Cambridge Social Decision-Making Lab focuses on the origins of "fake news" and its role in societal divisions. In this conversati…

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October 21st - Can Sweden enhance your mind and body in winter? 5:19

29d ago5:19

5:19

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 …

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October 20th - Is Manchester really a key force in UK aviation? 6:07

30d ago6:07

6:07

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…

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October 17th - 25 years on: Kicheche Safari Camps – a model for wildlife tourism? 5:31

1M ago5:31

5:31

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…

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October 16th - New trains for old on Chiltern Railways, linking London Marylebone with Banbury and Birmingham 5:41

1M ago5:41

5:41

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…

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October 15th - EU entry-exit system: UK borders minister on the new challenges for travellers 5:28

1M ago5:28

5:28

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…

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S9 Ep3: Our Love Affair with Travel with journalist Simon Calder 32:12

1M ago32:12

32:12

Simon Calder is the man with the answers when it comes to any travel related questions. Having started as a travel journalist at the Independent newspaper in 1994, Simon has decades of knowledge and insight when it comes to the travel industry. He joins our host Will Hutton to impart some of his expertise and they tackle topics from the pros and co…

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October 14th - Inside the world of British Airways cabin crew 5:31

1M ago5:31

5:31

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.…

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October 13th - Entry-exit system arrives – and I try it out 5:58

1M ago5:58

5:58

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.

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October 10th - Entry-exit system starts on Sunday – hear from Abta's EES expert 7:19

1M ago7:19

7:19

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…

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October 9th - How to make the most of Mallorca 5:38

1M ago5:38

5:38

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…

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October 8th - How to start – and run – a successful travel business 5:47

1M ago5:47

5:47

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…

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S9 Ep2: Saving the 86 bus and designing better cities for the old and young with Tine Buffell and Julia King 33:13

1M ago33:13

33:13

By AcSS

2M ago4:08

4:08

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…