Travel Briefs

A cross-border tunnel opened between France and Spain through the western Pyrenees on Jan. 17. The 5.3-mile Somport Road Tunnel starts near Urdos, less than two kilometers south of Fort du Portalet on the French side, and emerges near Canfranc, the terminus for trains from Jaca in Spain.

Much controversy surrounds the building of the tunnel as environmental groups, who favored reopening a rail link instead, fear heavy traffic in the frontier will bring pollution and also threaten France’s last population of brown bears.

Starting Jan. 1, 2011, Germany will levy a new Air Passenger Duty (ADP) on flights departing from German airports. Based on the distance to be traveled, the ADP will be €13 (near $17.50) for flights under 2,500 kilometers (about 1,553 miles) and €26 for longer trips.

On Nov. 1, the UK will increase its already high ADP to £12 ($19) for flights under 2,000 miles; £60, 2,000-3,999 miles; £75, 4,000-5,999 miles, and £85, 6,000 miles or more. All of these taxes are double for a passenger flying premium or premium-economy class.

(The Netherlands abandoned its ADP in 2009 when...

The 170-passenger easyCruiseOne is visiting 11 Greek islands on 3- to 14-night itineraries in 2007. Travelers can choose anything from a weekend break to a 2-week vacation by combining itineraries. A 3-night cruise is £35 (near $70) per person, and a 14-night cruise is £224 ($440) per person, double occupancy. Contact easyCruise (The Rotunda, 42/43 Gloucester Crescent, London, NW1 7DL, U.K.; phone +30 211 211 6211).