Are you landing in the capital of the Gauls and need to get to the city center? Here’s how to get from Lyon airport to the city center.
Lyon-Saint Exupéry airport, formerly known as Lyon-Satolas, is an international airport located twenty-five kilometers east of the capital of Gaul. With eleven million passengers in 2018, Lyon airport is France’s fourth busiest airport.
Many airlines offer flights to Lyon. If you want to get to the city, there are a number of options open to you. From the Rhône Express to cabs and electric car rentals, there’s something to suit every taste and budget.
Here’s a quick overview of the means of transport available to get you from Lyon airport to the city center.
The cheapest way: public transport
Photo credit: Shutterstock / frantic00
Price:
- Adults and children aged 4 and over: €1.76
- Children aged 6 to 14: €5.50
- Family ticket: €6.20
- Return ticket: €2.52
Timetable:
- Bus: every 8 minutes
- Metro: every 3 minutes (daytime), every 5 minutes (evening), every 10 minutes (after 11pm)
Since September 2019, you can transfer between Lyon airport and the center using the city’s public transport system.
To reach the Gare Part-Dieu Villette business district, take line 47 to the Méyzieu industrial zone. From there, you can board tramway line 3. Allow around an hour to reach your destination.
To get to downtown Lyon, take line 47, then tramway line 3 and get off at Vaulx en Velin la Soie. From there, take metro line A.
The fastest: Rhônexpress
Photo credit: Flickr – Rob Kievit
Fares:
- Adults: €16.30
- 12-25 years old: €10
- Free for children under 12
- Internet ticket: €15.20
- Return ticket: 28.30€ (over 25s), 24€ (12-25s), 26.70€ (internet ticket)
Opening hours:
- 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.: every 20 minutes
- From 4.25 a.m. to 6 a.m. and from 9 p.m. to midnight: every 30 minutes approx.
The Rhônexpress tramway line links Lyon-Saint Exupéry airport and Gare Lyon Part-Dieu in less than 30 minutes. It’s the perfect way to get to the city center and Lyon airport. All with the utmost comfort: Wi-Fi, air conditioning, luggage storage and even magazines in the carriages.
Of course, the journey can be made in either direction. So you can get to the airport from Part-Dieu as early as 5 a.m., using the same frequency as above.
The most comfortable way: by cab or VTC
Photo credit: Shutterstock – NothingIsEverything
Prices: between €45 and €60
Opening hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Cabs and private transport are the most popular means of transfer between Lyon airport and the city center. For example, you can book your cab for a transfer to the center with TaxiTender. TaxiTender is an online booking platform for airport transfers. Your driver will be waiting for you in the arrivals area, with a sign bearing your name, before taking you to the location of your choice.
Please note that call points are located at the exits of Terminals 1 and 2. Please note that some cabs do not accept credit cards, so check before boarding. Rates are charged by the minute, plus an access fee that depends on the length of your subscription. Nearly a hundred stations are available in the Lyon area.
The friendliest way: carpooling
Source : sharingame.org
Rates: set by vehicle owner
Times: no fixed times
It’s practical, cheap and environmentally friendly! For transfers between Lyon airport and the city center, use car-sharing. You’ll pay around five euros for one trip.
The alternative: rent a car near Lyon airport
Are you coming to Lyon for several days to explore the region? Car rental is a practical and comfortable solution. To do so, book your vehicle in advance on a site like Rentalcars. Depending on the vehicle you choose, you can expect to pay between €20 and €35 per day.
Recently, self-service electric cars have also been available at Lyon airport.
Sleeping near Lyon airport
If, for whatever reason, you need to sleep near Lyon airport, there are several hotels close by. For budget travelers, the Comfort Hôtel Aéroport Lyon St Exupéry is a good option. TheHôtel Ibis Budget Aéroport Lyon is another. TheNH Lyon Aiport offers top-of-the-range services.
Now you know how to get from Lyon airport to the city center. And if you want to get to the region’s ski resorts, shuttles are available.