The travel journal

Planning notes from the transfer desk: how to get from the airport to town, what a layover is long enough for, when to leave for the cruise pier, which festival weekends jam the roads, and the entry rules that catch travellers out. Each guide ends with the private-transfer option, and says plainly when the train or the bus is the better call.

DWC vs DXBDubai has two commercial airports and your ticket names only one. Here is how far Al Maktoum sits from the places you are going, who flies…Read the guide →Billy Bishop tunnelBilly Bishop sits on an island, so every trip starts with a choice between a tunnel and a boat. Here are the distances, hours and kerb…Read the guide →Cancún terminals guideCancún has several passenger buildings and no single public map that says which airline lives where. Here is the usual pattern, how to…Read the guide →Delhi terminals guideDelhi's Indira Gandhi International has three terminals, and a flight number can decide which one you need. Here is how the split works,…Read the guide →Dubai terminals guideDubai International has three passenger terminals, and the airline on your ticket decides which one you walk into. This is the official…Read the guide →Heathrow drop-off chargeHeathrow charges £7 every time a car enters a terminal drop-off zone, 24 hours a day, and the penalty for forgetting is £80. This guide…Read the guide →How early to arriveThree hours is a fair default, but it hides four separate clocks: the drive, bag drop, security and the border. This guide adds them up for…Read the guide →LAX terminals and pickupLAX is a one-way loop of terminals with its own rules for rideshare, taxis and chauffeurs. This guide covers how pickups differ, what LAWA…Read the guide →Narita vs HanedaBoth airports serve Tokyo, but they sit in very different places. Here are the verified rail times, the official taxi flat fares and the…Read the guide →Pearson arrivals guideToronto Pearson has two terminals, and the kerb you walk out to depends on which one you land in. This guide gives landing-to-kerb…Read the guide →Pearson parking vs carParking at Toronto Pearson is cheap for a weekend and expensive for a fortnight, and the sticker price ignores fuel, 407 tolls and your own…Read the guide →Pearson security wait timesThe security line at Toronto Pearson is rarely the problem. The hour you leave home, the road you take and the bag-drop deadline on your…Read the guide →Pearson Terminal 1 vs 3Pearson has two passenger terminals and no connection between them once you are through security. Find your airline, the door your driver…Read the guide →Tulum vs Cancún airportTulum's own airport opened in December 2023 and promises a short ride to the beach. Cancún still has the bigger route map. Here are the…Read the guide →747 bus vs taxiThe 747 is the cheapest way from Montréal-Trudeau to downtown and it never stops running, but it is not always the fastest. Here is how the…Read the guide →Magical Express replacementThe free Magical Express bus stopped carrying guests after 31 December 2021. Here is what replaced it, what a family of four pays on each…Read the guide →Dubai to Abu Dhabi guideThe E101 intercity bus costs AED 25, a metered taxi costs several times that, and a chauffeured car sits in between on convenience. Here is…Read the guide →Eurostar check-in guideEurostar closes ticket checks 30 minutes before departure, but that is the deadline, not the plan. Since the EU Entry/Exit System became…Read the guide →GO Train to NiagaraGO Transit runs to Niagara Falls all year, every day of the week, but the station is not at the Falls and the last train sets your evening.…Read the guide →Haramain train guideThe Haramain high-speed railway has a station inside King Abdulaziz International Airport, but the Makkah station is 3.5 km from the Haram…Read the guide →Heathrow into LondonHeathrow Express is the fastest train to Paddington, the Elizabeth line reaches more of London for a lower fare, and a car wins on luggage…Read the guide →Japan Rail Pass mathsThe 7-day Japan Rail Pass now costs 50,000 yen online and does not cover the fastest Nozomi trains without a surcharge. Whether it pays for…Read the guide →JFK AirTrain guideThe JFK AirTrain is free inside the airport and $8.75 to leave it. Here is what it connects, what the full trip to Manhattan really costs,…Read the guide →RTS Link and JB guideThe RTS Link will cover the 4 km between Woodlands North and Bukit Chagar in about five minutes, but it is not running yet. Here is the…Read the guide →Toronto to Ottawa optionsToronto to Ottawa is 444 km by rail and about 450 km by road. We compare the train, the car and a flight on real door-to-door times, the…Read the guide →UP Express vs carThe UP Express ride is 28 minutes, yet nobody's trip is only the ride. We time the whole journey from baggage claim to the hotel door, list…Read the guide →Toronto to Montreal comparedVIA Rail lists 538 km and an average of 5 h 13 between Toronto Union and Montreal Central. We set that against the drive and a flight that…Read the guide →Changi layover guideJewel's waterfall, a free 2.5-hour city tour and Marina Bay are all within reach of a long Changi layover. Here is how many hours each one…Read the guide →China 240-hour transitPassport holders from 57 countries can spend up to ten days in China without a visa if they are passing through to a third country. Here is…Read the guide →Doha layover guideMost Doha layovers need no more than a passport and a clear head about the clock. We cover who can leave Hamad International Airport, the…Read the guide →Dubai transit visa guideWhether you can leave Dubai International on a layover depends on your passport, and whether it is worth it depends on the clock. We cover…Read the guide →Haneda layover guideHaneda is 11 to 37 minutes by train from the Tokyo stations travellers want, which makes a short layover tempting. Here is the arithmetic,…Read the guide →Incheon layover guideIncheon runs transit tours for layovers of up to 24 hours, but the entry paperwork, the 30-minute check-in rule and the ride into Seoul…Read the guide →1-hour layover guideWhether 60 minutes is enough depends less on distance than on three procedures: customs, a bag recheck and a second security screening.…Read the guide →Istanbul layover guideTurkish Airlines runs a free city tour for connecting passengers, but the ticket conditions, the buffer before your next flight and the 50…Read the guide →London layover ETA guideThe UK ETA depends on one thing: whether your route takes you through UK border control. Staying airside at Heathrow is different from…Read the guide →Paris CDG layover guideA Charles de Gaulle layover only works for a city trip when the border checks, the terminal change and the A1 road are counted honestly.…Read the guide →Pearson layover plansA Pearson layover works if you plan backwards from the check-in deadline. Here is what four, eight and twelve hours allow, including the…Read the guide →Missed connection guideWhen a connection fails, the ticket decides everything: one booking brings rebooking duties and, in some regions, compensation; two…Read the guide →Abu Dhabi cruise terminalShips dock at Zayed Port, on the northern tip of Abu Dhabi island. Whether you fly into AUH or arrive from Dubai, 150 km away, the route,…Read the guide →Alaska cruise port guideBoth cities sell Alaska cruises, but only one can start a one-way voyage on most big ships. Here is why, what you need at the border, and…Read the guide →Athens airport to PiraeusPiraeus is about 50 km from Athens Airport, and the hard part is the last kilometre inside a port that stretches for miles. Here is what…Read the guide →Barcelona cruise portBarcelona's cruise terminals sit on two different quays, up to 3 km apart from the old town. Here is how to find yours, how the shuttle…Read the guide →Civitavecchia to RomeCivitavecchia to Rome is 70 to 80 km by road, but on a cruise day the real journey is port, shuttle, platform, train and then the city.…Read the guide →Galveston cruise parkingThe Port of Galveston runs its own lots and garages for all four cruise terminals. This guide maps them, explains how the pricing works,…Read the guide →Great Lakes cruises TorontoToronto is a turnaround port for small expedition and river-style ships on the Great Lakes. Here are the lines that call, the terminal…Read the guide →PortMiami parking and terminalsPortMiami has ten terminals and a garage for almost every one. This guide matches each cruise line to its terminal and garage, lists the…Read the guide →Nassau cruise port guideThe Nassau cruise port drops you into the middle of downtown, so half of the sights are on foot. The other half need a taxi or a ferry.…Read the guide →Port Canaveral parkingPort Canaveral charges the same daily rate at every terminal, and Orlando airport is about 75 km (47 mi) away by toll road. Here is the…Read the guide →Pier 91 vs Pier 66Seattle runs its Alaska cruises from two piers that sit several miles apart. Picking the wrong one is the most expensive mistake of the…Read the guide →Southampton cruise terminalsSouthampton has five cruise terminals split between the Eastern and Western Docks, each with its own gate. Here is how to find yours, park…Read the guide →Australian Open 2027 transportThe Australian Open runs 11 to 31 January 2027 at Melbourne Park, about 25 km from the airport and a 10-minute walk from the city centre.…Read the guide →Cannes Film Festival 2027The 80th Festival de Cannes runs from 11 to 22 May 2027. This guide explains who can attend, how the Palais and the Croisette work, and how…Read the guide →Chinese New Year 2027 travelChinese New Year 2027 falls on Saturday 6 February. This guide covers what changes at the airports of Hong Kong, Singapore, Shanghai and…Read the guide →Global Village Dubai guideGlobal Village Dubai opens Season 31 on 14 October 2026 and runs until May 2027. This guide covers the hours, tickets, parking lots, bus…Read the guide →Cherry blossom season 2027Cherry blossoms usually open in Tokyo and Osaka in the last week of March and reach Hokkaido in May. Here is how to read a forecast, book…Read the guide →Junkanoo Nassau guideJunkanoo fills Bay Street in downtown Nassau in the early hours of 26 December and 1 January. This guide explains the parade, where to…Read the guide →Las Vegas Grand Prix 2026The Las Vegas Grand Prix runs 19 to 21 November 2026 on a 6.2 km street circuit around the Strip. This guide explains the closures, the…Read the guide →Melbourne Cup 2026 guideMelbourne Cup Day is Tuesday 3 November 2026 at Flemington, about 7 km by road from the city centre. Here is how the trains, trams, gates…Read the guide →Monaco Grand Prix 2027The 2027 Monaco Grand Prix runs 4 to 6 June, with a sprint format for the first time. Monaco is about 30 km from Nice airport, and race…Read the guide →Super Bowl 2027 transportSuper Bowl LXI is set for SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday 14 February 2027, about 8 km (5 mi) by road from LAX. No transport plan is…Read the guide →NYE Times Square guideThe ball drops at midnight on Thursday 31 December 2026 into 1 January 2027, and the hardest part is the hour afterwards. Here is how the…Read the guide →Wimbledon 2027 guideThe 150th Championships run from 28 June to 11 July 2027. The public ballot has closed, so this guide covers the Queue, resale tickets and…Read the guide →Best time to visit BaliThe best month for Bali depends on what you want to avoid: rain, crowds, a 24-hour airport shutdown or two hours in a car. Here is the…Read the guide →Best time to visit CancúnCancún's best month depends on three clocks running at once: the weather, the seaweed and the crowds. This guide lines them up month by…Read the guide →Best time to visit Punta CanaDecember to April is the safe answer, but it is also the most expensive. Here is what the rainy season is really like, when the hurricane…Read the guide →Best time to visit St LuciaSt Lucia has a clear dry and wet season, a July carnival and an October Creole celebration. Yet the biggest swing in your holiday may be…Read the guide →Chichén Itzá day tripThe ruins sit about 200 km (125 mi) from Cancún, and the day is won or lost before you arrive. Here are the drive times by road, the…Read the guide →Cu Chi tunnels guideTwo sites share the Cu Chi name, and the one your tour picks decides how far you travel, how crowded it is and what you see. Here is how…Read the guide →Grand Canyon day tripThe Grand Canyon from Las Vegas is two different day trips. One rim is two to three hours away, the other more than five. Here are the real…Read the guide →Kennedy Space Center guideThe Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is about an hour east of Orlando by toll road, with no public transport to the gate. This guide…Read the guide →Mount Fuji day tripA Mount Fuji day trip from Tokyo takes roughly two hours each way to the Fuji Five Lakes. Here is how the bus, the train and a private car…Read the guide →Pompeii day tripPompeii from Naples or Sorrento is easy by rail once you know which stop matches which gate. Here are the hours, the booking rules, the…Read the guide →Mosque and Louvre day tripThe Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is about 130 to 145 km and roughly 1.5 to 2 hours by road from Dubai. Here is the dress code, the Friday and…Read the guide →Taj Mahal timingsThe Taj Mahal opens 30 minutes before sunrise, closes 30 minutes before sunset and is shut for general viewing on Fridays. This guide…Read the guide →Border crossing guideDocuments decide whether you cross at all; the crossing you pick decides how long you wait. Here are the rules for each direction, a dated…Read the guide →Car seat rules guideRules for child seats in taxis, ride-hailing cars and chauffeured vehicles differ by city and vehicle type, and the safest default is to…Read the guide →Mexico passport guideFor a flight to Mexico you need a passport, and the immigration officer decides how many of the 180 possible days you get. Cruise and land…Read the guide →Dominican E-ticket guideThe E-ticket is the digital entry and exit form every visitor to the Dominican Republic completes. This guide covers the official address,…Read the guide →ESTA guide for UKA practical walk-through for British passport holders heading to the United States: the official application route, validity, timing, the…Read the guide →Canada eTA guideThe Electronic Travel Authorization is simple once you know the three questions that decide it: your passport, how you are arriving and…Read the guide →ETIAS guideETIAS is the EU travel authorisation people keep expecting and keep not being able to apply for. Here is where it stands in October 2026,…Read the guide →EES border checksEES has replaced the passport stamp for non-EU visitors to Schengen countries. This guide explains what is collected, where the…Read the guide →Ramadan 2027 UAE guideRamadan 2027 is expected to start around 8 February in the UAE, subject to moon sighting. Here is what changes for visitors: daytime…Read the guide →SG Arrival Card guideThe SG Arrival Card is free, official and due within three days of landing. Here is how it works, who skips it, which sites to avoid and…Read the guide →Tipping in CanadaCanada has no legal tipping rate, but it has strong customs. Here are the norms by service from an official Toronto source, what Ontario…Read the guide →UK ETA guideA plain-English guide to the UK Electronic Travel Authorisation as of October 2026: who has to apply, the official fee, how quickly…Read the guide →Visit Japan Web guideJapan Customs asks every arriving passenger to declare, and it recommends Visit Japan Web as the fastest way. This guide covers what is…Read the guide →CES 2027 transport guideCES 2027 runs Wednesday 6 to Saturday 9 January across three campuses. Here is how the free shuttles, the monorail, the Loop and a booked…Read the guide →Emirates chauffeur-driveEmirates chauffeur-drive is a complimentary car for First and some Business Class tickets, with limits that differ by city. Here is what it…Read the guide →Global Entry vs PreCheckGlobal Entry costs US$120 for five years and includes TSA PreCheck, which costs US$79.75 to US$85 on its own. Here is the cost-per-trip…Read the guide →Heathrow Fast Track and VIPHeathrow sells Fast Track for security from £12.99 and for passport control from £25, both from 06:00 to 21:00. Here is what each covers,…Read the guide →Private jet cost guidePrivate flying is priced three different ways: you buy a share, you prepay hours, or you charter by the trip. Here is how each one is…Read the guide →Jet lag planPublic health guidance gives jet lag a rate: roughly an hour a day eastward and an hour and a half westward. Plan the flight, the car and…Read the guide →MIPIM 2027 transportMIPIM 2027 fills the Palais des Festivals from 16 to 19 March, about 30 km along the coast from Nice airport. Here is how delegates arrive,…Read the guide →NEXUS application guideNEXUS costs US$120 for five years and needs an interview with both border agencies. The rules for booking that interview change on 1 April…Read the guide →PDAC 2027 delegate guidePDAC 2027 takes over the Metro Toronto Convention Centre and the Fairmont Royal York from 7 to 10 March. Here is how to reach both from…Read the guide →Riyadh metro business guideRiyadh now has a six-line metro with a line along the airport road, but a business day is more than the airport run. Here is where the…Read the guide →Web Summit Lisbon guideParque das Nações is minutes from Lisbon airport on paper. With the whole of Web Summit arriving the same morning and leaving the same…Read the guide →Web Summit Vancouver guideWeb Summit Vancouver is set for 25 to 28 May 2027 at the Vancouver Convention Centre on Coal Harbour. Here is how the Canada Line compares…Read the guide →