Save on Rail Europe round-trip tickets, from $257

The Real Deal: Discounted round-trip tickets in Leisure Select class on the Eurostar route (18 departures daily between London, Paris, and Brussels) start at $257 per person—plus between $10 and $18 in fees. Leisure Select class is more spacious than economy class, with reclining seats and more legroom; you also get complimentary newspapers and a [...]

Park Service predicts peak for Washington cherry blossoms

Those famous pink and white flowers in Washington are expected to bloom on schedule on trees around the nation’s capital as soon as the end of March, the National Park Service predicted Thursday. Horticulturalist Rob DeFeo, who keeps a close eye on the city’s cherry blossom trees for the park service, said they likely will [...]

Thailand offers tourists free insurance

Thailand is continuing to offer insurance coverage worth $10,000 to anyone harmed in riots and demonstrations as it seeks to attract tourists scared off by political turmoil, officials say. Other carrots range from a waiver on all visa fees to discounts on airline landing fees. “The measures are to support the tourism industry. The situation [...]

$135 for a passport? Feds mull fee hike

Get ready to open your wallet a little wider to satisfy your travel bug: It may soon cost more to apply for a new U.S. passport or renew an old one, and the news is not sitting well with some lawmakers. The State Department is proposing fee hikes that would require adults applying for their [...]

South Africa marks 100 days to World Cup

With 100 days to go before the World Cup, jackhammers shuddered and bulldozers rumbled Tuesday as workers wearing “Proud to be building Soccer City for 2010″ buttons readied South Africa’s main stadium. Inside, the grass was smooth and inviting. But not far away stacks of pavement tiles waited to be laid, and parking lots and [...]

Mexico’s spring break king rebounds

Mexico’s spring break king — Cancun — is rebounding quickly from last year’s triple blow to its tourism industry caused by the country’s swine flu epidemic, drug violence and a global economic crisis. Those worries couldn’t compete this year against Mexico’s cheap airfare from the United States and phenomenal package deals that include the popular [...]

France sprucing up cultural treasures

Mixing an abundance of cultural treasures and national pride, France is spiffing up its sights and museums from the Rhine to the Pyrenees. Of course, the biggest news is in Paris, where 2010 brings important changes that smart travelers will want to know about. The Eiffel Tower’s new online reservation system should help on-the-ball travelers [...]