All change on the railway. This week the livery for Great British Railways was revealed, with enough red, white and blue for the most ardent admirer of the Union flag. Yet passengers wouldn't care if the trains were fluorescent orange or camouflage khaki so long as they turned up on time and charged a reasonable fare. At the launch of the new look, rail minister Lord Hendy promised: "We're going to rekindle the passion of railway people and managers to provide a better service, grow revenue, and reduce cost by giving them real authority." Starting on Sunday, some services will see drastic improvements. That's coincidental, because train timetables across the nation are always re-cast on the second Sunday of December. You can look forward to a new Trans-Midland Express from Crewe to Lincoln and a Seaside Shuttle from Matlock in the Peak District to Cleethorpes (I made up those train names, but East Midlands Railway is welcome to them.) The biggest benefit will be felt on the East Coast Main Line, connecting London King's Cross with Yorkshire, northeast England and Scotland. After years of delay the line is finally being tuned to run at maximum efficiency. From Newcastle to London there will be up to four fast trains an hour – three from state-run LNER and one from low-cost Lumo – taking as little as 2h42m. That is virtually a turn-up-and-go frequency – except that you will need to commit to a specific train to get the best fare. Dynamic pricing is here to stay on intercity routes. Otherwise, says Lord Hendy, the 6pm LNER departure from London King's Cross to Edinburgh "would have about 14,000 people trying to catch it on a Friday evening". The minister aims "to try and smooth the edges so that the first off-peak train doesn't have people hanging out of the windows, and the last peak train isn't half-empty because the fares are so high nobody wants to pay them". But, he says, "Seven per cent of people this Christmas will pay less for their fares than last Christmas because there are more trains, giving more cheap fares. That's the result you want." Delay hurray: Avanti West Coast passenger offered £10k in compensation Preclearance plan: Edinburgh airport wants a US border in the terminal Continental thrift: Amsterdam-Berlin trains for as little as €10 from March
Romeo ruckus: Visiting Juliet's balcony in Verona now costs £10 | |
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Fast and frequent for the festive season: Up to four trains each hour from Newcastle (above) to London |
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| A Tate Britain exhibition celebrates Turner and Constable, with this part of England the inspiration. Read more. |
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| In the battle to become climate-neutral, this historic Havila route is now powered by biogas. Read more. |
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| Seeking a stay surrounded by Kenya's rural landscape, this manor house offered spectacular views of Mount Kenya. Read more. |
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Essential listening: Independent travel podcasts |
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Whether or not you are a football fan, every so often the orbits of travel and sport overlap. The last World Cup, in Qatar in 2022, had a short term impact on airfares between the UK, Asia and Australia: demand from fans, organisers and media pushed up Christmas getaway fares. The long-term impact is benign: Qatar has an oversupply of accommodation, and a month from now you need not pay more than £50 for a double room in a well-appointed property in Doha. This time last week I was looking forward to the draw for the opening stages of next summer's World Cup in North America, to assess the consequences for football tribes keen to follow their team– as well as the effects for more casual fans. "Donald Trump wins inaugural Fifa peace prize" was not on my bingo card. But by teatime on Saturday we knew where the British teams would face their opponents in the opening stage of the tournament: Boston for both England and Scotland, preceded by Dallas for England and followed by Miami for Scotland and New York for England.
Predictably enough, fares soared as fans activated their adventures. An open-jaw ticket from London to Dallas-Fort Worth on the day before England's opening match against Croatia, returning from New York the day after the Panama game, is currently £300 (or 40 per cent) more expensive than it was a week ago. Finding flights is only one part of the jigsaw. I advise the most ardent supporters of Scotland or England to treat the event as a chance for an American adventure with some football attached; I have devised road trips for fans of both teams.
Also not on my bingo card: US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) proposing applicants for the Esta travel permit must "provide their social media from the past five years". Nothing changes for now, so anyone hoping to visit America next year should apply promptly. Further proposals from the CBP include supplying all the phone numbers that you and close family members have used over the past five years – and providing your DNA, though no details are given about how a sample of genetic material might be offered. Columnist Sophie Wikinson says it is certainly enough to put the frighteners on anyone who actually wants to visit the country – and thinks she'll just stay home instead. Meanwhile, my bid for a World Cup ticket is strictly south of the border: I aim to be in Guadalajara in southern Mexico on the day the tournament kicks off, 11 June to watch South Korea play – well, no one yet knows. I'll post on social media when I find out. |
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Will mandatory social media inspections stop you from going to the US? |
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As Donald Trump demands that foreign visitors should be "vetted and screened to the maximum degree possible", I want to know if mandatory social media inspections will stop you from going to the US? Vote using the buttons above. Last week, I asked whether you would attempt to avoid air passenger duty rises by visiting a different European country to connect with a long-haul flight. Interestingly, two-thirds would trade convenience for the chance to save cash. |
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Need a Christmas getaway? |
The travel industry loves Christmas. November and the first half of December sees many businesses trading at a loss. Then demand for winter sun, family visits and ski trips surge. British Airways still has economy seats from London to Sydney on 20 December, returning two weeks later – but the fare is £3,640. Delay your departure by a month and you'll save over £2,000. Yet for something swift and hopefully sunny – flying out on Christmas Eve, back on Boxing Day – bargain escapes are still available this morning. Ryanair will fly you from Newcastle to the fine northern Italian city of Bergamo (below) and back for £42. From Gatwick, easyJet has Lanzarote flights – taking you nearly halfway to the equator – for £112 return. And Jet2 has a two-night package from Birmingham to Murcia in southern Spain for £200 per person. |
End to Paris CDG terminal confusion? |
Give it 15 months, and flying from or through Paris Charles de Gaulle airport will become a little more bearable. This week the airport authorities announced the bizarre nomenclature of terminals is to be made more logical from 28 March 2027. Only Terminal 1 stays the same. The current Terminal 3 (previously numbered 9) will change to 2. Today's Terminal 2 shambles (fragments with names like "T2EK") gets rationalised with simple numbering from 3 to 7 – the last of which is so distant that it feels as though you are almost in Belgium.
On the same day, the much-delayed CDG Express train from Gare de l'Est in the French capital is finally due to open, whisking passengers to the airport in 20 minutes. Other airports are available, such as the concise and now easily accessible Paris Orly.
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Next August, we plan 10 days exploring the Baltic states by public transport – starting in Riga and ending up somewhere on the coast for a few days. What is your recommended itinerary? |
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You will be in the eastern Baltic at the time of year when the sea is at its warmest (though at least 10 degrees C lower than the Caribbean). The days will be long, too, allowing you plenty of time to see one of the most fascinating corners of Europe. Riga is certainly worth 48 hours to enjoy the contrast between the atmospheric old town and Soviet adornments – as well as time on the beach in nearby Jurmala.
Head north by train to Tallinn in Estonia, the most alluring of all the Baltic capitals. After this, the excellent coach services offered by Lux Express and others will take you everywhere at low cost. Go to Narva, and peer across the river into Russia; then south to Tartu, the cultural heart of Estonia. Return to Riga via the interesting border town of Valga. Now for Lithuania. See the Hill of Crosses – a testament to the national spirit – near Siauliai. Then, depending on how your time is looking, either go due west to the beach resort of Palanga, just north of the interesting city of Klaipeda. Or squeeze in a visit to the capital, Vilnius, and second city Kaunus. All three of these locations have direct flights back to the UK. |
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"At The Independent, we've always believed journalism should do more than describe the world – it should try to improve it.
This Christmas, we're asking for your help again as we launch our new campaign with the charity Missing People – the SafeCall appeal.
Every year, more than 70,000 children in the UK are reported missing. The misery that follows – for the child, for the family, for the community – is often hidden. Too many of these young people have nowhere to turn when they need help most. SafeCall will change that. Our goal is to raise £165,000 to help Missing People launch this new, free service – designed with the input of young people themselves – offering round-the-clock support, advice and a route to safety."
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| Pack your bags and enjoy an affordable escape with these short-break deals – also perfect as a Christmas gift! Use code XMAS20 for extra savings and choose from luxury spa stays, murder-mystery experiences, UK safari breaks and more, with individual T&Cs applying. Learn more. |
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| Sail with Marella Cruises for less on an all-inclusive package where all your meals, drinks, tips and transfers are covered. Explore the Mediterranean or venture further, with various dates and departures available. Learn more. |
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| Best digital photo frames to relive your travels at home |
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| Need a gift for a globetrotter? Save 29% on this scratch the world travel map – Prime exclusive! |
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| Jet off with silky-smooth skin! Grab the suitcase-friendly IPL hair removal handset from Keskine and save £100. |
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