Families flying off for half-term next weekend, whether to the Alps for skiing or much-craved winter sun in the Canary Islands, may wish to look away now. Thanks to readers sharing their accounts of border nightmares, I am building up a picture of how well – or badly – the EU entry-exit system roll-out is going. "Haven't even got to queues at security," reports Karen from Geneva airport. "Don't know if we'll make our flight. Chaos and shambles doesn't even begin to describe it." Peter says: "We were lucky in that we made our flight from Fuerteventura by the skin of our teeth. It was inevitable that others missed theirs. We heard Brexit mentioned a lot, and not in a positive way."
Welcome to the inevitable conclusion of decisions made a decade ago. Early in 2016, the UK enthusiastically promoted a digital border scheme for the European Union: the entry-exit system (EES). To control frontiers and know exactly who was coming or going, third-country nationals should provide facial biometrics and fingerprints to enter and leave the Schengen area (comprising most of the EU plus Iceland, Norway and Switzerland).
Then we voted Leave and negotiated to become third-country nationals in solidarity with the people of Australia, Canada, the US and Venezuela. As a result of our democratic decision, the number of travellers subject to the EES more than doubled: Brits travelling to Europe outnumber the rest of the world combined. And contrary to some assertions during that distant Brexit battle, each of the 29 constituent countries of the Schengen area is a sovereign nation and can select their own procedures for enforcing the digital border system. Chaos? Quelle surprise. My key message: when you arrive at your EU destination, just be patient. There is nothing you can do to accelerate the process. While it is annoying to be waiting for hours to reach the beach or the ski resort – especially since those blessed with Irish passports are already in the bar or on the beach – far worse is to be hyper-delayed by passport formalities on the way home. On departure: turn up at the airport ridiculously early. The most likely outcome of getting to the terminal four hours ahead is that you will spend several hours feeling grumpy due to a lack of sleep and the obligation to pay £10 for a coffee and a stale croissant. But the alternative – turning up a normal two hours before departure and hoping for the best – will cost you much more. My longer-term prediction is that the full deployment of the entry-exit system, due to be complete by 9 April, will be suspended in the next few weeks. The EU will then come up with a new schedule – and get rid of the fingerprinting element, which is where the real friction is happening now. All you need to know about the EU entry-exit system | |
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Checkpoint Charlie? Brits are not having much luck with the new EU entry-exit system |
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| Getting lost in a story, away from doom scrolling and work deadlines, can be very cathartic. Read more. |
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| As Royal Beach Club Paradise Island opens to cruise passengers, here's what you will find. Read more. |
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| Can a boutique stay in Dorset help travellers to rest and reboot? Read more. |
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| I completed Marathon des Sables 120km edition – this gear got me through |
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Essential listening: Independent travel podcasts |
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| Welcome to the end of the world: that is the message from the tourist industry here in Ushuaia, the main town on the "island of fire", Tierra del Fuego, at the southern tip of South America. After an unsteady journey taking in Ṣo Paulo in Brazil, Fray Bentos in Uruguay and the Argentinian capital, Buenos Aires, I am glad to have made it to a breezy, beautiful location that makes the most of its extreme position. The End of the World Museum spells out the astonishing courage of the early explorers. Today, we lucky tourists are assured warmth and comfort while touching the raw edge of the planet. The final frontier? Not for many of the travellers passing through. At the peak of the southern hemisphere summer, they are heading for Antarctica aboard an array of ships tied up at the harbour. Ushuaia and its surroundings are wild enough. The southernmost curl of the Andes unravels into the ocean here. You can clamber through the snow to come face to face with a glacier Рas I did 24 hours ago, sustaining a selfie-related injury in the process that was more face-to-rock than face-to-face. The landscape comprises a corrugation of mountains, some of them still blanketed in snow, with inland lakes rippling in a steady western breeze. Tour guide Giuli divides the summer population 80:20 in favour of tourists and celebrates her good fortune in being able to reveal the raw edges of the planet to visitors: "This is my office, every day." It is not, though, the end of the world. Wherever you are, as a traveller the planet never ceases to deliver wonders. |
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Is Valentine's weekend the most romantic time to travel? |
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As we approach the dedicated day of love, I want to know if the weekend of 14 February is the most romantic time to travel with your sweetheart? Are city breaks all champagne and rose petals? Or do half-term crowds of children ruin the romance? Vote using the buttons above. Last week's announcement that Britons can travel to China for 30 days without a visa, matching arrangements already in place for 50 other countries, prompted a simple question: would it make you more likely to go? For two-thirds of you, it made no difference at all. |
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Eurostar returns for £78 in March |
Next weekend, high demand fuelled by a combination of Valentine's Day and February half-term will see fares on Eurostar to Paris, Lille, Brussels, Rotterdam and Amsterdam soar: the cheapest London–Paris fare for 13–15 February is £245 return. But during March, you can find a fair number of days when the lowest fare for specified trains – £78 return – is available. Travel each way from Monday to Wednesday for the best deals. To make the most of the rail advantage, visit either Lille or Rotterdam (below), which are difficult to reach by air. |
Travel to UAE during Ramadan |
The Islamic month of fasting is expected to begin on Thursday 19 February 2026. Many British travellers will be in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and the northern emirate of Ras al Khaimah during the ensuing four weeks. The Foreign Office says: "It may cause offence if you: eat, drink, smoke or chew gum in public in the daytime, including in your car; play loud music or dance; swear in public." The UAE government says: "Non-Muslims are not required to fast during Ramadan. Non-Muslims can find dining options in shopping malls, where restaurants and food courts provide designated areas away from those who are fasting." |
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Best cash option for Barbados? |
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I am going to Barbados in October. What is the best currency to use there: the Barbados dollar or the US dollar? |
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Given the largely abysmal weather in the UK so far this year, it's no wonder people are looking ahead to warmer climes later in 2026. Your question is particularly pertinent because it applies to much of the Caribbean. Should you take local currency or American dollars? Always the latter. Many British currency providers sell Barbados dollars, but you will be wasting some of your hard-earned holiday cash if you buy any. The Barbados dollar is locked to the American currency at a rate of B$2 = US$1. You might infer that the exchange rate should therefore be exactly double. But a company that offers, say, US$135 for £100 will give you only 240 Barbadian dollars for the same amount. You will have only US$120-worth, having lost nine per cent on the deal. Arrive with only American dollars. You can be certain they will be accepted everywhere. Any change from traders will be returned in either – or both – currencies. Try not to leave the island with any Barbadian dollars. While US dollars are welcomed practically everywhere on earth, currency from small Caribbean islands is not. You might find somewhere to change it in the UK, but the rate will be dismal. The same applies to Eastern Caribbean dollars, as used in Antigua, Grenada, St Lucia and elsewhere – though the rate is an annoyingly tricky EC$ for each American dollar. |
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| Need a break? Travelodge has over a million rooms available for £35 or less. Choose from a hundred of locations, available for selected stays until 7 January 2027. Learn more. |
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| Explore one of the UK's first independent lager breweries. You'll enjoy behind-the-scenes stories, and samples of beers crafted in partnership with Jeremy Clarkson. Learn more. |
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| Make your next voyage even more enjoyable with a half-price drinks package! Available on selected 2026, 2027, and 2028 sailings. But hurry – this offer ends 12 February. Learn more. |
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| There's up to 60% off outdoor essentials and travel gear in the Passenger sale. |
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| Get 15% off Peper Harow socks with code "SAVE15" – perfect for flights, packing cubes and gifts. |
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| Be the first to see big travel stories by following me on X/Twitter @SimonCalder. My direct messages are open – and I try to reply to as many as possible. |
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| Follow me on Instagram @Simon_Calder. Join me here live every weekend at 5.30pm British time as I answer your travel questions. |
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