Getting to Lyon: By Plane, Train or Automobile
A train awaits passengers in Gare de Perrache, Lyon; A Peugeot 307, one of many rental cars available from AutoEurope.
As the second-largest city in France, Lyon is easily reached by any means of transportation.
Flying to Lyon
Lyon's airport, Lyon-St-Exupéry, is also known by its former name, Lyon-Satolas. Its airport code is LYS. Lyon-St-Exupéry is linked to the major cities of France and the world. The flight from Paris to Lyon is under an hour. It is France’s fastest growing airport in terms of customers, welcoming over six million passengers each year.
Lyon-St-Exupéry Airport facilities include ATMs, a post office, travel agency, infirmary, snack bars, restaurants, a newsagent, pharmacy, duty-free shops in all departure lounges.
Lyon Airport is located 25 km (15.5 mi) from Lyon's city center. To get from the airport to downtown Lyon, take the Satobus, a shuttle bus that goes to the city center between 5 AM and 9 PM and to the train station between 6 AM and 11 PM. The journey time is 35-45 minutes, and the fare is 45 francs. Alternatively, a taxi into Lyon costs about 200 francs.
Riding the Train to Lyon
If you're arriving in Lyon from the north (like Paris) by train, don't get off at the first station, Gare La Part-Dieu. Continue to Gare de Perrache, where you can begin sightseeing. Lyon makes a good stopover en route to the Alps or the Riviera. For train information and schedules, call tel. 08-92-35-35-35.
The SNCF, France's national rail service, is fast, punctual, comfortable, and comprehensive. The high-speed TGV takes only 2 hours from Paris; the one-way fare is 54€ to 68€ ($62-$78). TGVs depart for Lyon both from Paris' Gare de Lyon and Charles de Gaulle Airport.
You must always make a seat reservation for the TGV -- easily obtained at the ticket window or from an automated machine. Before boarding, you must punch your ticket in one of the orange machines at the entrance to the platforms, or else the ticket collector will fine you EUR15.25 on the spot.
Driving to Lyon
If you're driving from Paris, head southeast on A8/E1 into Lyon. A6 speeds south from Paris to Lyon, a distance of 463 km (287 mi). The Tunnel de Fourvière, which cuts through Lyon, is a classic hazard, and at peak times you may sit for hours.
From Marseille, Lyon is 313 km (194 mi) north on Autoroute 7. From Nice, head west on E1/A7 toward Aix-en-Provence, continuing northwest toward Avignon. Bypass the city and continue north along the same route into Lyon. From Grenoble or the French Alps, head northwest on A48 to A43, which will take you northwest into Lyon.
Car Rentals in Lyon
Even if you arrived in Lyon by train or plane, Lyon makes a great starting point for exploring southern France. Our partner AutoEurope has a large selection of cars available for pick-up or drop off in Lyon, with guaranteed lowest rates.
