Lyon Saint Exupéry Station at LYS Airport; (c) Brice Robert/ONLYLyon
Lyon Transportation
Airports
Lyon Saint Exupery Airport (LYS) is named after Saint Exupery in honor of Lyonnais aviation pioneer and writer Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. The airport is is served by Aegean, Are Lingus, Air Algeria, Air Arabia, Air Canada, Air France, Air Senegal, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, Emirates, Iberia, KLM, Lufthansa, Norwegian, Royal Jordanian, Turkish Airlines, and many smaller airlines. LYS AIRPORT MAP.
Most Americans arrive by international flight at Paris CDG Airport, then take a taxi or Uber into central Paris. A day or many days later, they depart from Paris Gare de Lyon via high-speed train to Gare Lyon Part-Dieu.
Some Americans arrive by international flight at Paris CDG Airport, then transfer at CDG Airport Station to a southbound high-speed train to Lyon. If that is you, carefully look at Paris CDG Airport signage to locate CDG Airport Train Station located between Terminals 2E & 2F. It has a mezzanine level to watch approaching trains and LED display to inform you when trains arrive/depart.
Some Americans arrive by international flight at London Heathrow Airport, then take a transfer flight to LYS Airport. Some American cities also have direct flights to LYS Airport. From there take a taxi or RhoneExpress Tram to central Lyon.
WiFi and plenty of electric outlets and rest rooms exist within terminals. But you need an American-to-European electrical plug adapter. Travelers can reach duty-free stores and border control posts on the 4th floor by tunnels passing under the tarmac to the terminal sections where boarding gates are located. Follow the signs for baggage claim and customs. In French, “Sortie” means Exit, and “Toilettes” mean Restrooms.
Tickets for the Metro and Trams can be bought individually or Packs of 10. We recommend a 10-pack per person for each 5 days you spend in Lyon. If you are staying in Lyon for 5 days or more, also consider purchasing a Lyon City Card for unlimited travel on most modes of Ground Transport, as well as discounts at museums and other attractions. The airport has an electric car sharing station. Bolloré Bluecar vehicles are available for rent.
Flight & Airport Transit Tips
Check the luggage policy for your airline and confirm your flight at least 72 hours in advance. Make a copy of your passport on your smartphone, flight itinerary & hotel reservations and leave it with someone at home. If you take a non-stop flight to Lyon from America, people with long legs should purchase added legroom for the 7-hour to 11-hour journey.
Pack headache and other medicines in your hand luggage. To pack efficiently ladies, include no more than 2 outfits per day. If you have a cold or problems with air pressure on airplanes, bring noise-canceling headphones or purchase air-pressure earplugs available at most airports or large pharmacies.
Exchange your U.S. Dollars for Euros at your American airport for the best exchange rate.
When you arrive at LYS Airport, you can take RhoneExpress Tram which has luggage racks and costs only €15. It runs daily every 15-30 minutes from 4:25 am to 12:00 am with 30-minute trip time between Saint Exupery Airport Station and Gare Part-Dieu in central Lyon. Taxis from Lyon Gare Part-Dieu are plentiful.
Gare de Lyon Part-Dieu in central Lyon; (c) Brice Robert/ONLYLyon
Train Stations
Gare = Station. Most people ride TGV from Paris or Marseille to Lyon Saint-Exupery Airport Station or to Gare Part-Dieu for central Lyon. A smaller number of TGV trains from Paris and other SNCF Regional trains go to Gare Lyon Perrache.
Gare Lyon Part-Dieu anchors most travel to & from the City of Lyon. Gare Part-Dieu and Gare Perrache each have Metro, Tram, RER, Taxi & Uber connections. Lyon Saint-Exupery Airport Station and Gare Lyon Part-Dieu have a wide range of retail and dining options, less so for Gare Perrache.
On your print or virtual train ticket, memorize your Train #, Car # & Seat #. When your train (some are very long) arrives, find your Car # posted in LED lights on the exterior of each car. This is particularly important when catching a bi-level TGV train. You don’t want to enter the wrong TGV bi-level car then have to lug large luggage up & down steps and through doorways to reach the right car. Trains from outside France are typically single-level trains.
TGV Ouigo train at Gare de Lyon Part-Dieu; (c) Soul Of America
From Lyon you can take high-speed trains to Paris, London, Macon, Avignon, Valence, Nimes, Marseille, Brussels, Lille, Chambery, Grenoble, and Turin.
Rapid Transit
Lyon has excellent rapid transit options with 4 Metro Heavy Lines lettered A, B, C & D), 6 Tram lines numbered 1-7, and 2 Funiculars that climb steep hills. The Metro system was opened in 1978 and continues expanding.
Lyon Metro B Line train at Debourg Station; (c) Soul Of America
We recommend purchasing a Lyon City Card for convenient access to all parts of Lyon. Metro & Tram lines are named by their endpoints. Study Lyon Metro Map endpoints along with your destination station to know which direction you need to go, then follow wayfinding signs to the correct platform. Metro System Maps are wall-mounted at each station. Even better pick up a Lyon Metro Map at a nearby Carrefour or Monoprix local store then look it over at your hotel.
The 3- & 6-minute headways between trains and the relative cleanliness of Metro & Tram stations attract high ridership from young and old. Though Lyon Metro is generally safe, a single visiting woman may choose to ride with her man or girlfriends to lesser-used stations after 10 pm. Metro platform displays alert you minute-by-minute to train arrivals. Metro lines intersect 3-5 other Metro or Tram lines. Transferring between trains is common.
A Lyon Metro, Tram & Bus ticket costs €1.90 and last for 2 hours and permits transfers between them. Keep your ticket until you have completed your journey, as you may be asked to show it by Metro-Tram-Bus ticket inspectors or risk paying a fine. They do check for fare-evaders.
Colorful Tram at Place des Archives Station in Perrache District; (c) Soul Of America
When you review Metro & Tram maps, note that they get you within 4 blocks of most attractions. See PARIS METRO & RER SYSTEM MAP.
Pay attention to signs that state “Renove”, meaning renovation. Given the large number of Metro, Tram and RER stations, a few are always under renovation. Before exiting a Metro station, look at the wall-mounted Metro & Tram map and figure out exactly where you are going. Use the Sortie (exit) nearest your destination. If you need assistance, ONLY ask for help from Metro station agents at their information booth.
Lyon City Boat cruising on the Rhone River; (c) ONLYLyon
Tours
Lyon City Bus is an open-top, double-decker option for tourists to Hop on-Hop off. They are a good option to conveniently see tourist attractions on your first full day. Open-air seats on the top of the bus provide the best views. After the first day, you’ll want to ride the Metro, Tram, Lyon City Boat or a Vaporetto boat on the rivers.
Though you often see motorcycles and electric bikes on the streets, we do NOT recommend renting them to explore Lyon. It is mildly dangerous for a first-time visitor to drive one as motorcycle and electric bike accidents are common. Renting bicycles and electric scooters within a large park, however, can be a pleasant experience.
Consider these self-guided walking tours of Lyon as well.
