The newest train line in decades has now opened in London and expectations are that it will serve around 200 million riders each year. It is sleek, clean, smooth, and affordable. We love that it goes to and from London’s Heathrow Airport terminals for just one-third of the price of the same-day purchasing of the famous Heathrow Express train. Another advantage is that you can board or disembark from it at forty different stations throughout the city, rather than just Paddington Station.

So what are its disadvantages? Well, it will take longer than the Heathrow Express, double the time when both lines are compared side by side from Paddington. But does fifteen minutes compared to thirty really matter when you can save a whopping £20 each way? We don’t think so.

We have always enjoyed taking the Heathrow Express but will now probably only use it when we can take advantage of its super-discounted price of £6 (!) which is what you get when booking more than a month in advance online. Either way, it’s always nice when travelers are given more choices.

Happy travels, Dean and Andie

After a long wait, we are pleased to announce the arrival of our newest guide book, Bored in Miami – Awesome Experiences for the Repeat Visitor. It’s a truly fantastic book that will get your juices flowing as you plan your next trip to South Florida. Available in both eBook and paperback, it’s also a great read for first-time visitors to Miami and Miami Beach. Grab a copy here.

Happy travels, Dean and Andie

It’s finally over. Today, the last major hurdle for international travelers has been rescinded by the CDC. As of July 12, 2022 people reentering the Untied States from abroad will NOT have to show a negative Covid test before their flight. You can now travel freely without any Covid testing during your beautiful trip. In addition Italy, England, Scotland, and France have lifted all of their Covid restrictions and rules. Let’s celebrate!

Happy travels, Dean and Andie

This month, we decided to feature awesome local sights that you may not have heard of. In each of our Clued In cities there’s a treasure trove of undiscovered places. Take a peek from the menu bar above and see if you actually know about them already. Below are just three of the ten.

Happy travels, Dean and Andie

But there are a few caveats. Here’s the need-to-know on the subject:

This new benefit extends to all Amex cardholders regardless of which Amex card they have, but the flights must all be booked through “Amex Travel.” In addition, the cardholder will only be reimbursed for a portion (up to 75%) of the non-refundable flight cost.

This new benefit is called Trip Cancel Guard and was previously only extended to Platinum Amex cardholders -if they had a good reason to cancel their trip.

While no reason for the cancellation is now needed, all cardholders/travelers must cancel at least two full days before their departure date.

We think it’s a good deal overall, especially for those wanting that extra peace of mind when booking a flight. Hey, it’s better than nothing.

Safe and happy travels, Dean & Andie

Whether you’re looking for info on fantastic food crawls in Barcelona, chocolate-making in Edinburgh, or the newest “historic palace tour” in Paris, we’ve got you covered. The monthly updates to our city-by-city pages will have everybody talking and traveling. Just click on the menu bar of our Clued In Travel Books website and choose the location you’re most interested in. This way you won’t miss a minute of the fun.

Happy and safe travels, Dean & Andie

As expected, Italy has announced that it will be removing all of its pandemic restrictions on June 1, 2022. This includes all green passes, health passports, entry/ travel requirements, testing, mask mandates and the like. Let’s hope the rest of Europe takes note and shows the same courage. It’s time to get back to our normal lives. Enough.

Happy travels, Dean and Andie

It’s time to plan that trip to Paris…  We are happy to report that France has finally removed its “health pass” requirement and lifted nearly all of its mask mandates; the only place where masks are still required is on public transportation. The inconvenient health pass was formerly required to enter all restaurants, museums, theatres, and trains.

France has suddenly eased its border restrictions as well. The US has now been re-classified as a “green” country so that fully vaccinated travelers can enter simply by showing their proof of vaccination. (Unvaccinated travelers are also welcome if they show proof of a negative Covid test taken within 48-hours of their departure.)  Alternatively, travelers may show proof that they contracted Covid-19 and recovered within six months of their trip!  Children under age twelve are exempt from all the entry requirements.   Here is the official link from France: Covid-19 questions answered

Happy travels, Dean and Andie

Yearning for an easy Scottish side trip? A super affordable, direct train route between London and Edinburgh is now operational and tickets start at around £20.  (Competition from Easy Jet and other budget airlines is the reason; it used to cost five times as much to travel between the two capitals by train compared to the cheapy-cheap airlines.)

Now you can just hop on-board one of Lumo’s new, electric-powered trains right from London’s Kings Cross Station. Trains feature a catering service, free WiFi, entertainment systems, and paperless ticketing.  The route ends at Edinburgh’s Waverley Station which just happens to be smack dab in the very center of town.  Let’s go get a wee bit o’ Scottish love.  Slangevar!

Things are definitely turning more positive for travelers. France has now dropped all Covid test requirements for travelers entering their country from the UK and USA as long as they are “fully vaccinated.” This means boosted too, if the original vaccination was completed more than nine months prior to the intended travel. Many other European countries have dropped restrictions as well. Start planning that amazing vacation while airfares and hotels are still discounted. Europe is back!

Happy travels, Dean and Andie