When will the green list be announced and who will be on it? Simon Calder
International leisure travel may resume from the UK on 17 May, the government has said.
But strict rules on returning to the UK will be enforced – based on a “traffic light” system that assigns red, amber or green to every overseas country. The main concern is that variants of concern could be imported and ultimately undermine the UK’s vaccination programme.
The Independent has canvassed opinions in the travel industry and researched the data on which the government will decide. These are the key questions on what we know – and don’t know – so far.
25 brilliant train journeys to take in 2021
The tours have been planned, the locomotives stoked, the dining carriage prepared: our experts pick their top rail trips
The Jacobite Steam Train is famous from the Harry Potter films
Credit: Filippo Maria Bianchi/Getty
From jaunts across America to steam specials through Staffordshire, we offer our pick of great rail trips for 2021 .
UK and Ireland
Flying Scotsman and Tornado
With arguably the two most famous steam locomotives in the world running together on the national network for the first time – and along the Settle and Carlisle line, one of the most spectacular routes in the UK – this is surely mainline steam’s highlight for 2021. Four tours, all originating from different locations and running to Carlisle, are planned during October (20, 21, 27 and 28); passengers will get to ride behind Tornado one way and Flying Scotsman the other with the locos swapping at the border city.
Why this year trains will be the way to travel
Adrian Bridge rounds up all there is to look forward to in the glamorous world of train travel, in the UK and beyond
9 April 2021 • 4:00pm
Luxury train specialist Belmond is staging a series of summer outings from London Victoria southern England’s loveliest seaside resorts on board the British Pullman
Now where were we before life took such an unexpected turn? Ah yes, trains. In those innocent pre-Covid days, trains were all the rage. Greta Thunberg had made us all more aware of our carbon footprint, and increasingly it was being said that travel was about more than simply getting from A to B as quickly as possible: that there was a lot to be said for enjoying the journey itself. Trains were clearly moving into a new age prior to the pandemic, but the events of the past 12 months and more have accelerated that process. A new age for rail travel indeed dawns.
Cruise offers are there, demand will be high and capacity tight – so book now
Companies have switched to generous no-quibble booking policies so customers don’t lose out if things go awry
20 February 2021 • 6:00am
There are still millions of avid cruisers around the world – more than two million from the UK alone
Credit: GETTY
Holidays are banned, so it doesn’t seem the most auspicious time to book a cruise. But with the vaccine rollout going great guns, and all the deals on offer, it’s a great moment to dive in.
It’s about supply and demand. A lot of older ships were scrapped as Covid-19 hit, new ones due this year have been delayed, and others will come back slowly and with fewer passengers, to allow people to space out. So capacity will be down.
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