Traveler’s Notes ...

Catalina Express has dropped its fuel surcharge of $1 each way on boat trips between Santa Catalina Island and the Long Beach and San Pedro harbors. Adult round-trip fares cost $40. It also cut the surcharge from $1 to 50 cents each way on trips between the island and Dana Point. The charges began in 2000.... France’s TGV train between Paris and Marseilles, which debuted June 10 as the fastest long-distance train in the world, now carries 60% of the rail and air traffic total on the route, up from 40% carried by the former conventional (slower) line, Rail Europe says. The train makes the 537-mile trip in about three hours; planes take about 11/2 hours.... The Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture in Spokane, Wash., has more than doubled its size under a nearly $30-million expansion that opened last month. Exhibits focus on American Indian and other cultures, regional history and visual art. Entrance fees are $7 for adults; the museum is closed Mondays. (509) 456-3931.