Android users can upload a digital passport for travel

Since the dawn of time, the romance of railways has seduced poets, spellbound novelists, and dealt directors the perfect hand for capturing fleeting friendships, illicit affairs, and all manner of crimes and capers. A ticket is not just a permit to ride, it’s permission to trespass on the intimacies of other people’s lives. Trains bring us up close and personal—both inside and outside the carriage. On board, passengers chat politics in Finnish dining cars, clamber into couchettes above strangers on the Trans-Siberian, and share samosas on India’s many raucous mail trains. Outside, the world flashes by, a slideshow of rivers growing into oceans, deserts rising into mountains and cities sprawling then receding into darkness as the train thunders on through the night.

Late-day sunlight bounced off the rapids in the river below. The water sang different notes as it splashed up and over rocks. As I cycled along the riverside path, heading downstream just like the current, the flowing water and the route it carved over eons along the valley floor presented an ever-changing landscape.

There are two types of train trip: The long, slow, and often luxurious train journey that takes you through beautiful scenery that you book specifically to spend time on the rails; and the speedy, no-nonsense, cheap train ride you take to get from point A to point B as quickly as possible. In the first category, you’ll find grand trips like Australia’s The Ghan, South Africa’s Blue Train, and Britain’s Caledonian Sleeper. In the second, there are trips from London to Brussels in just two hours, from Rome to Venice in four hours, and from Miami to Orlando in three hours. And if you’re a train traveler who belongs to the second category and likes getting places fast without flying, there are plenty of trains in this world that do just that at speeds previously unimaginable on land, including the fastest train in the world and its closest competitors.

At a time when most airlines, budget or otherwise, are determined to make you pay through the nose for any piece of luggage you want to bring with you on a flight, Avelo Airlines, is going against the grain. Since May 25, 2024, Avelo, a US-based budget airline, lets adult passengers departing from Sonoma County Airport (STS) fly with one case of wine for free. As of September 16, 2024, however, the airline will be expanding its Wine Travel Free program to and from all its routes in the Western US.

The Mining Exchange Hotel sits in the heart of downtown Colorado Springs, serving as a historic, revamped reminder that now matter how drastically the city has changed since its early prospecting days, some things have remained the same. Its name is a nod to the Centennial State’s “gilded past” — this property dates back to 1902, having originally served as the city’s stock exchange for precious gold and silver in its heyday. Back then, it quickly became a local hangout spot for those seeking to strike it rich (and those already wealthy). Inside, the atmosphere is ritzy and refined but not unapproachable. Stepping into the lobby is like partaking in a living history film as it’s playing out right in front of your eyes.

Few films drive home travel’s ability to help us understand one another as poignantly as Will & Harper. When Will Ferrell’s longtime friend and Saturday Night Live collaborator Harper Steele comes out as a trans woman, the two set off on a road trip from New York to Los Angeles to better understand her transition and, in turn, their friendship. “I love this country so much,” Harper says. “I just don’t know if it loves me back right now.” Over 17 days, a three-vehicle crew followed the pair and, with mounts on Harper’s Jeep and car-to-car shooting, captured 240 hours of footage. Here, director Josh Greenbaum reflects on the places that moved him and on navigating the country in a new light.

Fall is officially here and October provides travelers an excellent combination of ideal weather and great rates ahead of the busy holiday travel period.

Nobody understands the magic of Amtrak's California Zephyr train quite like Brad Swartzwelter, better known to passengers as Conductor Brad.

San Francisco Travel Association, the official destination marketing organization for the city and county, has named Anna Marie Presutti as its president and CEO – the first female to lead the organization.

Ennismore, Accor's playful joint venture offshoot of luxury and lifestyle brands, is on track to make a splash in the capital of Spain's Catalonia region.

Looking to celebrate Halloween in a truly spooky fashion? Why not try and brave a night at one of the most haunted hotels in the world?

Just as September or «National Passport Month is underway, the U.S. State Department has released additional dates for its ongoing passport fairs, making applying for a first time passport even easier.  The agency published an updated schedule for September and October, which will take place in many states including California, Georgia, New Jersey, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. For example, the Seattle Passport Agency will be open on Saturday, Sept. 28 from 9am-2pm, where the office is regularly closed on weekends. Applicants should be advised that appointments are required, and can be booked on the office’s website.  Other events include the Boston Passport Agency on Sept. 26, Atlanta Passport Agency on September 28, the University of Texas at Dallas on September 28, the Broward County Clerk in Ft. Lauderdale, FL on Oct. 12, and more.