Simon Calder (@SimonCalder) / X

Simon Calder

15.7K posts

Simon Calder

@SimonCalder

The Travel Expert podcast linktr.ee/TheTravelExper… InstagramLive 1730 weekends instagram.com/simon_calder Travel news/advice here

Here, there and anywhere

simoncalder.co.uk

Joined September 2010

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Simon Calder
@SimonCalder
Jun 3, 2023
Passport validity for European Union. A UK passport must meet two conditions: On day of entry to the EU, issued less than 10 years ago. On intended day of exit from EU, at least 3 months left before expiry date. (Also Switz/Iceland/Norway but not Ireland.) independent.co.uk/travel/europe/…
665K
Simon Calder
@SimonCalder
Oct 4, 2023
People of Sheffield and Leeds: Rishi Sunak says he will quadruple the number of trains between Sheffield and Leeds. As there are currently five per hour each way, that will mean 20 trains per hour: one every three minutes. Rail boffins: can you help me understand how that works?
2.4M
Simon Calder
@SimonCalder
Jan 27, 2022
EXCLUSIVE Taxpayers spent £500,000 pounds so the foreign secretary didn't have to fly to, from and within Australia on @Qantas. Instead, @trussliz travelled 22,000 miles by private government Airbus A321, creating almost 500 tonnes of CO2 emissions. #COP26
Liz Truss flew by private jet to Australia at cost of £500,000 to taxpayers
From independent.co.uk
Simon Calder
@SimonCalder
Apr 1, 2023
Dover: sympathy for all the people stuck on coaches for hours. The UK asked for an European Union external frontier, similar to the hard borders the EU has with Russia and Turkey, to take effect in Kent, with every British passport inspected and stamped
Will Dover and Folkestone travel chaos continue and is Brexit to blame?
From independent.co.uk
1.1M
Simon Calder
@SimonCalder
Nov 8, 2021
Made it.
Simon Calder
@SimonCalder
Feb 27, 2024
Southampton to Newcastle: cheaper by cruise ship than rail or air. Balmoral sets sail tomorrow evening from the Solent to the Tyne. The 2-night voyage, including all meals and entertainment, has been selling for £99. Super off-peak train: £103 Flight: £161
Southampton to Newcastle: cheaper on cruise ship than by rail or air
From independent.co.uk
830K
Simon Calder
@SimonCalder
Jun 28, 2024
Stanley Johnson was aboard the BA flight from Malaga to Gatwick that diverted to Heathrow due to the runway closure. Plan: refuel then fly to Gatwick. Passengers say he insisted on leaving the plane at Heathrow. Police were called, onward flight cancelled.
‘Stanley Johnson caused our flight to be cancelled’ say BA passengers
From independent.co.uk
1.6M
Simon Calder
@SimonCalder
Apr 26, 2023
On EU border access. The UK asked for British travellers to become third-country citizens, the same as people from Tonga, Venezuela and dozens of other faraway lands, with passports stamped and scrutinised. And Europe delivered exactly what was asked for.
Analysis: Europe has delivered the post-Brexit borders we demanded
From independent.co.uk
743K
Simon Calder
@SimonCalder
Jul 29, 2023
Oh ... bother, I may have bought the wrong brand of wine.
921K
Simon Calder
@SimonCalder
Apr 14, 2024
What’s your worst-value hotel stay? I’ll start. Just emerging from the TWA hotel at New York JFK. For a room that cost more than my flight to London, I won the building site view and the right to pay £12* for a “pint” of beer in a plastic glass. (*plus service)
1.5M
Simon Calder
@SimonCalder
Jun 29, 2024
More on the Stanley Johnson "Gatwickgate". After the passengers were offloaded at Heathrow, the crew stayed on board. The plane was needed back in Gatwick to fly holidaymakers to Crete. But it didn't arrive until 6pm. The flight to Heraklion was cancelled.
‘Stanley Johnson caused our flight to be cancelled’ say BA passengers
From independent.co.uk
610K
Simon Calder
@SimonCalder
Mar 18, 2024
Key Brexit policy: ban EU citizens from holidays in the UK using national identity cards. Overnight 200 million-plus potential visitors to the UK with ID cards but no passports were excluded. “A disastrous act of economic self-harm” says top tourism leader
Brexit ban on EU ID cards ‘disastrous act of economic self-harm’, says tourism boss
From independent.co.uk
350K
Simon Calder
@SimonCalder
Nov 11, 2023
Goodbye old friend: about to go through the UK border for the last time with my final European Union passport. It runs out tomorrow. “Dangerous” said the lady at the departure gate. I think she meant travelling with such little headroom before passport expiry, rather than Brexit.
699K
Simon Calder
@SimonCalder
Apr 6, 2023
Dover: did French border staff slack last weekend? No, the port boss tells me. “Police aux Frontieres turned up with the full complement of resource on the Friday. On Saturday, when they knew that we were having challenges, they turned up with more people"
Dover port chief contradicts Brexiteer MPs who blamed France for coach delays
From independent.co.uk
424K