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Travel to Lyon

Flying to Lyon

British Airways, easyJet and Flybe operate direct flights to Lyon from the UK. There are no direct flights from the USA. Prices are fairly consistent year-round, though it's worth booking well in advance to find cheaper tickets in the school summer holidays.

Flight times

From London - 1 hour 40 minutes; New York - 10 hours (including stopover); Los Angeles - 14 hours (including stopover); Toronto - 10 hours (including stopover); Sydney - 29 hours (including stopover).

Travel by road

Lyon is located in the heart of a dense network of motorways where tolls are charged.

Traffic drives on the right and the minimum legal driving age is 18. The speed limits are 50kph (31mph) in urban areas, 90kph (56mph) on main roads and 130kph (81mph) on motorways.

A national driving licence, the car's registration documents and a red warning triangle must be on hand at all times or you're liable to be fined. The French police fine motorists on the spot for driving offences such as speeding. All headlamp beams must be adjusted for right-side driving by either using beam deflectors or tilting the headlamp bulb-holder.

Although helpful, a Green Card is not compulsory if bringing your car from another EU country.

Road and route information is provided by Société des Autoroutes Rhône-Alpes (AREA) (tel: 3620, in France only; www.aprr.fr) and Vinci Autoroutes (tel: 3605, in France only; www.vinci-autoroutes.com).

Emergency breakdown services

If you breakdown on a motorway, dial 112.

Routes

The main routes to Lyon are the A6 motorway from Paris, the A7 from Marseille, the A43 from Geneva and the A48 from Grenoble.

Coaches

The coach station is situated at Lyon Perrache railway station, 10 cours de Verdun.

Within the Rhône-Alpes area, the main operator is Transports en Commun Lyonnais (TCL) (tel: +33 4 2610 1212; www.tcl.fr).

Eurolines (tel: 0892 899 091, in France or +33 1 4186 2421; www.eurolines.fr) provides links throughout Europe.

Time to city

From London - 10 hours; Paris - 4 hours 30 minutes; Nice - 4 hours 15 minutes; Geneva - 1 hour 40 minutes. 

Travel by Rail

Services

The French TGV network (high-speed trains) is highly developed, branching out in three main directions - southeast (Paris-Lyon-Mediterranean), Atlantic and north.

Lyon Part-Dieu, place Beraudier, and Lyon Perrache, 10 cours de Verdun, are the two main railway stations in Lyon’s city centre. Lyon-Saint Exupéry TGV station is five minutes from the airport terminal.

Operators

SNCF (tel: 3635, in France only or +33 892 353 535; www.sncf.com) is the national rail service provider running the efficient TGV network.

A TGV leaves Lyon Part-Dieu for Paris almost every half an hour. Direct connections are also available to and from other cities, including Marseille, Geneva, Lille, Brussels and Nice.

Eurostar (tel: +44 1233 617 57, in the UK; www.eurostar.com) runs a direct service from London St Pancras station to Lyon Part-Dieu.

Journey times

From London - 4 hours 40 minutes; Paris - 2 hours; Marseille - 1 hour 40 minutes; Geneva - 1 hour 40 minutes; Lille - 3 hours; Brussels - 4 hours; Nice - 4 hours 30 minutes.

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Book Accommodation

Featured Hotels

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Globe et Cecil Hôtel

This tasteful, elegant hotel is situated right in the historic centre. Modern features like Wi-Fi access blend seamlessly with the charming décor. The 60 rooms are individually decorated.

Cour des Loges

Immaculate contemporary interiors within restored Renaissance buildings make this hotel very special. Lush fabrics, enormous beds and meticulous service combine to fine effect.

Radisson Blu Hotel

A stones throw from the Atheneum in the heart of Bucharest, the 5-Star Radisson Blu Hotel offers guests an all mod con experience. This 487-room business hotel, complete with indoor and outdoor pools, international restaurants, jogging track, meeting rooms and Wi-Fi throughout, is a great base from which to explore the city.

Collège Hôtel

Located in the heart of Lyon's old town, Collège Hôtel is a fashionable school-themed hotel with school desks, blackboards and a refectory. The preppy décor makes some concessions to modernity - rooms are bright and airy and there's Wi-Fi access. Breakfast is extra.

Hôtel des Artistes

This small hotel has a long history of housing singers and actors performing next door at the Théâtre des Celestins. Rooms can be on the small side, but the staff are friendly and the location central. Breakfast is extra.

Hôtel Dubost

This 2-star hotel is a good option for budget travellers. It's close to the station, clean and inexpensive.