About Lyon
Located in the center of France close to the Alps, the country’s third largest city and second largest metropolitan area is a popular tourist hotspot. Boasting historic points of interest, contemporary attractions and neighborhoods, and well-known events such as the annual Fête des Lumières (Light Festival), Lyon is an important cultural and economic metropolis. The city is located on the convergence of two rivers, which also allows for scenic cruises along the waterways.
The city was founded in 43 BC and originally known as Lugdunum. Soon after it became the capital of Gaul and a major trading hub in Europe. Throughout history, and numerous wars, the city grew and became a main site of architectural significance. Many of the preserved architectural structures are a draw for thousands of visitors annually, and are the reason the city has earned its UNESCO World Heritage Site status.
Some of the most visited attractions in Lyon include Fourvière basilica and the views from its observatory, the St Irénée church and Parc de la Tête d'Or, a sprawling urban park which offers boating on its large lake. The city is most popular with tourists between May to August, with July and August being the peak months for summer weather.
Arriving in Lyon
Nearly 9 million passengers pass through this facility, the 4th largest in France, annually. It is located around 25 kilometers from Lyon, and services flights to the majority of large European cities, North Africa, Canada, the Caribbean, Senegal and the Middle East. The majority of large European airlines operate here.
Transporting 26 million passengers a year, this is the largest train station in France outside of Paris. Its popularity is in part to the large number of connections it serves from within France and Europe. Opened in 1983 it served French connection exclusively until 2011 when services to a from Germany began. It currently also serves connections to Spain and Italy.
This facility is actually part of the train station but serves a large number of regional, national and international destinations. Destinations in Italy and Spain have the highest number of direct services from here, however Geneva, Karlsruhe and Munich are also accessible. Eurolines and iDBUS both operate here.
How to Get Around in Lyon
Public Transport in Lyon
With an reliable and efficient public transport system, metro, bus or tram stops can be found every 300 meters or so. There are no zones so tickets are valid city-wide.
- Public Transport Provider:
- Cost of a Ticket: 1 hours access to the transport system will cost around 1.80 Euro, or 2 hours is approximately 3 Euro. A day ticket is around 6 Euros, or 10 separate journey tickets will cost approximately 16 Euro. You can also buy a week ticket for just under 20 Euro. An evening ticket, valid from 7:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. will cost 3 Euros.
- Discounted Ticket Types: A monthly student ticket is just under 30 Euro, or just over 30 Euro for those about 65 years of age.
- Availability of Public Transport at Night: From 1:00 a.m. to 4:00 a.m. night buses "pleine lune" are in service.
Cycling in Lyon
Cycling in Lyon is relatively common with many locals as well as visitors making use of the bike rental service. The municipal provider, Vélo'V has been in operation since 2005 and is considered one of the best bike rental services in Europe. Alternatively independent hire companies are available at a cost of around 15 - 30 Euros a day. As a word of warning for inexperienced city cyclists, many of the bike lanes here are shared with bus lanes.
- Official Municipal Bike Provider:
- Rental Costs: A ticket will need to be purchased to access the bikes the cost of which begins at 1.50 Euro for a day. 7 days of access will cost around 5 Euro, whilst a year is priced at around 25 Euro (15 for those under 25 years of age). Once a ticket has been purchased the first 30 minutes of riding is free and then charged at 1 Euro for every additional 30 minutes.
Taxis in Lyon
Taxis are readily available in all of the expected areas; train stations, bus stations, airports and busier parts of the city center. Taxi Lyon is a useful app which will help you book a taxi service, or save the following contacts to your phone; Taxi Lyon (+04 72108686), Taxi Lyonnais (+04 7826 8181) or Allo Taxi (+04 7828 2323).
- Base Minimum Fare: This is charged at just under 7 Euro.
- Cost: Around 1 kilometre per hour.
Driving in Lyon
Although the public transport is efficient and well connected, many residents and visitors to Lyon also drive in the city. That being said driving should be avoided during rush hour periods. Some free parking is available in Lyon, however much of it will cost. Averages parking costs are between 50 cents and 1 Euro per hour.
Walking Around Lyon
In comparison to most French cities sidewalks in Lyon are fairly wide. In addition there are many pedestrianized zones. These two factors make Lyon a great city to explore on foot.
