How to Get from Paris to Lyon, France (& Best Options!)

Paris and Lyon are two of the most popular travel destinations in France.  If you’re planning to visit both cities, you’re probably wondering how to get from Paris to Lyon France.

I’ve visited France several times, with two more trips planned this year.  I’ve traveled all over the country from the beaches of Normandy to the French Riviera.

Lyon and Paris are my two favorite cities in France!  I’ve got all the information you need on how to travel from Paris to Lyon, so you can choose the option that works best for you.

Lace up your shoes and let’s go!

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How to Get from Paris to Lyon by Train

Duration:  2 hours via high-speed train

Taking a train journey is one of the easiest ways to travel between Paris and Lyon. 

The train stations (or ‘gares’) are centrally located in Lyon and Paris. They are part of the cities’ public transportation networks, so you can easily get to your hotel from the train station.

With the high-speed train (TGV), you can travel from the Gare de Lyon station in Paris to the Lyon Part-Dieu station in Lyon in 2 hours.   There are several high-speed trains daily, so you can easily find a time to fit your schedule.

Taking the high speed train from Paris to Lyon is more expensive than taking a regional train.  You’ll need to purchase a ticket in advance to reserve a seat. 

(Tip: Save money and buy your Paris to Lyon TGV tickets early!  I bought my ticket for the TGV InOui train several months in advance and was able to get a first-class ticket for around $55.  But if I waited until the last minute, it could cost three times as much!)

If you’re on a budget, you can choose to take the slower regional TER trains. 

They’re cheaper, and you don’t have to get your tickets far in advance.  However, these trains can take up to 5 and a half hours to travel to Lyon from Paris.  So, if your time is limited, these are not your best bet.

Tip:  Flying into the Paris Charles de Gaulle airport but not planning to stay in Paris?  Take the high-speed train directly from the CDG airport in Paris to Lyon.  This is also a 2-hour train ride.

How to Get from Paris to Lyon by Plane

Duration:  1 hour 10 minutes (flight time from CDG to LYS)

Air France offers several daily nonstop flights from the Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris to the Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport in Lyon. 

(No carriers are offering nonstop flights between the Orly Airport in Paris to Lyon at this time.)

Paris to Lyon flights are only 1 hour and 10 minutes, but the overall travel time is much longer.  As with all plane travel, you have to arrive at the airport at least an hour before your flight departs. 

The airports in Paris and Lyon are well away from the city center, so you have to plan additional time to get from the airport to the city center or vice versa. 

For example:  In Paris, you can take the RER from the city center to the Charles de Gaulle airport.

 We’ve done this multiple times from our hotel near the Eiffel Tower and Rue Cler.  It takes about 45 minutes to an hour depending on if you are on the express RER or the one that stops at every station.

If you have large pieces of luggage, a taxi or a Paris airport transfer service is a better option.  Depending on traffic, it will take about the same amount of time – but is significantly more expensive.

The Lyon airport (LYS) is about 20 miles from the city center.  You can take the RhônExpress, a taxi, or an airport transfer service to reach the city.

Book your airport transport in advance! Welcome Pickups is highly rated with friendly, English-speaking drivers. They operate in many cities worldwide, offering both Paris transfers and Lyon airport transfers!

How to Get from Paris to Lyon by Car

Duration:  4 hours and 30 minutes (without any stops)

You don’t really need a car in either Paris or Lyon. 

Each city has a great public transportation network.  Driving (and parking) in either city is a headache.  So, unless you’re going to venture way off the beaten path in France, renting a car isn’t necessary.

But, if you like having the flexibility of having your own wheels when you’re on vacation, you certainly can drive from Paris to Lyon.

This distance from Paris to Lyon is about 466 km (290 miles).  The fastest route uses the A6 autoroute, so it’s pretty much a straight shot once you get out of the Paris city center.

If you drive straight through (which is how my parents always did road trips), it’s a 4.5-hour trip.

Note:  The A6 is a toll road, so be prepared for that expense.  If you want to avoid tolls, that is going to add 2 hours to your drive between Lyon and Paris.

Ridesharing, or carpooling, is also an option if you want to travel by car to Lyon from Paris.  You can find rideshare services such as BlaBlaCar in France.  (Although being in a car with strangers for over 5 hours would be a nightmare for me!)

How to Get from Paris to Lyon by Bus

Duration:  ~6 hours

Taking the bus is certainly the cheapest way to travel from Paris to Lyon, and you can find prices as low as $10.

Several companies including BlaBlaBus and FlixBus offer routes between Lyon and Paris, with an average travel time of 6 hours.

However, your trade-off is time vs money, since driving takes a lot longer than flying or taking the train.

And buses aren’t known for comfort, so that bus ride would feel like it took forever!

Map Paris to Lyon Travel Options

Here’s a quick visual map of the travel options between Lyon and Paris. You can see that it takes quite a bit longer to drive or take the bus to Lyon from Paris!

Best way to get from Paris to Lyon

Unless you’re retired, your vacation days are limited, and time is a precious resource. 

You’re probably not going to want to waste several extra hours traveling between Paris and Lyon driving or taking the bus.

In my opinion, taking the train is the best way to get from Paris to Lyon. 

I prefer taking the train instead of flying for many reasons:

• The train ride is a more scenic route from Paris to Lyon
• You have much more space on a train (yay, leg room!)
• You can have more carry-on luggage on a train than on a plane (Note, this can vary by the type of train you choose.)
• Your total travel time between Lyon and Paris is shorter

Final Thoughts:

Now that you know how to get to Lyon from Paris, it’s time to start thinking about what to do in Lyon!

These posts will help you plan your visit to Lyon:

• Best Things to Do in Lyon France (start with this one!)
• Lyon one day itinerary
• Top food tours in Lyon France
• Save money with the Lyon City Pass
• Best photo spots in Lyon

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