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Travel News — week of 4 October 2026

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Carefully selected travel news, interpreted for the individual traveller. Checked 4 October 2026.

What this briefing covers. This is a weekly read on the ten destinations Great Wide Open writes about — Australia, Canada, China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Spain and the USA. It is not a global bulletin. A quiet week here tells you nothing about anywhere else: if you’re travelling to another country, please keep checking the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) advice and your own providers for developments that may affect your plans.

What matters this week

Catalonia was under red rain warnings on Saturday night and Sunday morning, and more than 200 flights were cancelled at Barcelona. In Japan, part of the storm-damaged Uchibo Line reopens on Monday, and a new typhoon passes well out to sea. Hawaii came through Hurricane Nolo without a landfall, though some park closures remain. The Japan Rail Pass now costs more, with one exception worth knowing. And the fee for a US travel authorisation rises by 35 cents.

At a glance

DevelopmentWho it affectsAction
Red rain warnings in Catalonia; 200+ flights cancelled at Barcelona on 3 OctoberAnyone flying or taking a train on Spain’s Mediterranean coast this weekCheck your airline, Renfe and the forecast before you set out
Uchibo Line reopens Nagaura–Kisarazu on 5 October; Anegasaki–Nagaura stays closedRail travellers to Kisarazu, Tateyama and the Boso coastAllow for a slow replacement bus
Hawaii parks mostly reopened after Hurricane Nolo; Glacier Point Road closed in YosemiteHikers on the Big Island and in YosemiteCheck the park’s page on the day
Japan Rail Pass prices rose on 1 OctoberAnyone buying a pass for a coming tripBuy on JR’s own website while it holds the old price
US travel authorisation fee rises to $40.62 on 16 OctoberUK visitors to the USAApply only at esta.cbp.dhs.gov

Weather and natural events

Spain: red warnings in Catalonia, and more than 200 flights cancelled at Barcelona.
A slow-moving storm crossed Spain’s Mediterranean coast this week. The state weather agency (AEMET) put the coast of Valencia, Castellón and Tarragona on red warning on Thursday 1 October, and Renfe suspended every Valencia commuter line and the trains to Catalonia from 6pm. They ran again during Friday. On Saturday the rain moved north. The Barcelona coast was on red warning from 9pm on Saturday 3 October to midday on Sunday, and parts of Girona into Sunday evening. Catalan press reported more than 200 flights cancelled at Barcelona–El Prat on Saturday night, and about 500 high-speed rail passengers stranded at Camp de Tarragona. We found no deaths attributed to this storm. AEMET expects the Mediterranean side to settle early in the week. We could not read its day-by-day table, so check it before you travel.

Japan: part of the Uchibo Line reopens on Monday; the gap that matters does not.
JR East’s notice of 3 October restores trains between Nagaura and Kisarazu from Monday 5 October, two an hour each way. The section between Anegasaki and Nagaura stays closed, still for “at least about three months”. A replacement bus covers the gap, but JR says it carries only 10–20% of what the trains did, so expect to queue. The Kururi Line beyond Kururi has no reopening date, and the Sazanami limited express is suspended. Last week’s Typhoon Surigae passed the Daito Islands and Hachijojima; NHK reported no major damage on Hachijojima. A new storm, Typhoon Choi-wan, is forecast to pass east of the Ogasawara Islands between Monday evening and Tuesday morning, well clear of Honshu. Forecasters expect high waves on the Pacific coast and nothing more.

Hawaii: Hurricane Nolo missed, but check before you hike.
Nolo passed within 150 miles of the Big Island without making landfall and is now moving away to the west. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park reopened most areas on 27 September. Hilina Pali Road, Mauna Loa Road beyond the second cattle guard and the Kīpukapuaulu Trail were still closed in the park’s notice that day, and several state-park trails and cabins on the Big Island remain shut. The Hōlei Sea Arch collapsed while the park was closed.

California: a fire in Yosemite has closed Glacier Point Road.
The Dome Fire had burned more than 6,000 acres and was 40% contained on 2 October. Glacier Point Road, the Chilnualna Falls area and the Ostrander Lake Trail are closed. The park’s other roads are open, and smoke may reach Yosemite Valley.

Money and entry

Japan Rail Pass: dearer from 1 October, except on JR’s own website.
The 7-day ordinary pass has risen from ¥50,000 to ¥53,000, the 14-day from ¥80,000 to ¥84,000 and the 21-day from ¥100,000 to ¥105,000. JR said in April that its own online sales would hold the old prices “for a fixed period”, with the end date to be announced. Its price page still showed ¥50,000 on 4 October. If you are buying soon, buy there.

United States: the travel authorisation fee rises to $40.62 on 16 October.
On 18 September we told you no new fee had been set for the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). One now has. A Federal Register notice of 1 October puts it at $40.62, up from $40.27, from 16 October. Apply only at esta.cbp.dhs.gov.

Following up

Sydney Airport. Last week we flagged a further stoppage on Monday 28 September. The action reported that week was by about 50 airfield safety officers, between 10pm and 1am on four nights, and the airport expected no effect on passengers. We could not confirm that a daytime stoppage by security screeners went ahead, and we have found no further dates.

Dates for the diary

  • To 7 October (China and Hong Kong): the National Day holiday. China’s railways carried a record 25.2 million passengers on 1 October. Expect full trains to 8 October, and queues at Hong Kong’s land crossings at Lo Wu, Lok Ma Chau and Shenzhen Bay.
  • To 7 October, possibly longer (Spain and Italy): Italy has extended its passport checks on arrivals from Spain to 16 October. Spain’s checks on arrivals from Italy run to the end of 7 October. Spanish press reports an extension to 22 October, but we have not found the official order. Carry your passport either way.
  • 16 October (Italy): a 24-hour easyJet strike and strikes at Pisa and Florence airports are on the transport ministry’s register. They may affect connections through Italy.
  • 17–21 October (France): pilots’ and cabin crew unions have filed a strike notice for crews on French contracts. No airline had announced cancellations when we last found a report, on 29 September.
  • From 1 October (South Korea): Korail tickets can now be booked two months ahead instead of one.
  • 1 November (Japan): tax-free shopping changes. You will pay the tax in the shop and claim it back once customs has confirmed your purchases as you leave, within 90 days.

Before you travel

This briefing is a weekly selection covering only our ten destinations, not a global or emergency service. For anything time-sensitive — or for any country we don’t cover — check the FCDO advice for your destination and your airline or operator directly. Rules and disruption can change between editions.

Sources

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