Lyon is one of the largest cities in France. In fact, it is the third largest city in France. A big city like Lyon has, therefore, several means of transport to help you get around comfortably. However, if you are used to small cities or if you come from another country, transport in Lyon can be confusing at first… But don’t worry! At ITECH Lyon we’ll explain how it works so you can master it in no time at all.
TCL, the public transport network
Let’s start with the public transport network ran by TCL. It operates metro, tramways and buses. The network is pretty efficient and easy to navigate with. Before you start searching for a place to live, we advise you to check for places with a close access to a bus stop or metro stop if you wish to take it to come to ITECH.
Riding the metro
It is the best option to move around Lyon. It consists of several lines that connect the city center, the suburbs, train stations and popular neighborhoods. It even connects with the funicular in case you want to visit Fourvière during your free time (and you should, the view is beautiful!).
- Operating hours: the metro operates between 5 am and 12 am on a daily basis and until 2 am every Friday and Saturday.
- Consisting of 4 lines (A, B, C, D), each of a different color, you can go from anywhere in the suburbs to the city center. To come to ITECH using the metro, the best way is to take the metro line D (direction Gare de Vaise) and get off at Gare de Vaise station (and take the C6 or C6E bus lines) or at George de Loup station (and take the C3 bus line). Take a look at this TCL’s diagram.
Taking the bus
While for some it may seem the slowest transport method, buses in Lyon are pretty useful for some destinations. For instance, you will need to take one to come to Lyon (specifically the C6, C6E or C3 lines). Moreover, it will be the only public transportation method you will find if you choose to go out and stay up till late during the weekend.
- Operating hours: bus lines operate between 5 am and 12:30 am on a daily basis. There are also night buses that operate between 1:15 am and 4:50 am from Thursday night to Saturday night.
- Consisting of over 100 bus lines, the bus network operates throughout the whole city, outskirts and surrounding towns.
Riding the tram
Whereas the metro is the transport preferred by most people in Lyon, there are some areas that aren’t reached by it. For those metroless areas, you can use the tramway. Of course, it isn’t as fast as the metro but it serves the outskirts and nearby suburbs.
- Operating hours: the tramway operates between from 5 am and 12:30 am on a daily basis.
- Consisting of 7 lines (T1 to T7).
How much does a ticket cost?
All the tickets your purchase can be used on the whole TCL network. For 2022, the public transport fares in Lyon are the following:
- Single ticket (valid for a free transfer and round trip within an hour): 1,90 euros (2,20 euros if purchased directly on the bus). Note: the ticket must be validated with each transfer (otherwise there is a risk of 5-euro fine).
- 10-ticket booklet: 18 euros or 15,40 euros for people under 26 and 28-year-old students or younger.
- 2-hour ticket: 3,30 euros.
- Night ticket (valid from 7 pm): 3,30 euros.
- 24-hour ticket: 6 euros.
- 48-hour ticket: 12 euros.
- 72-hour ticket: 16,50 euros.
- Monthly subscription (ages 18-25): 25 euros.
- Monthly subscription (26-27-year-old students): 25 euros.
Where to buy a TCL ticket?
You can buy a TCL ticket at a tramway or metro station (using ticket machines), at TCL agencies, at service points, on TCL’s mobile app, and you can purchase it directly on the bus (however, the single ticket would cost 2,2 euros instead of 1,9 euros).
Find out where is the nearest point of sale for you on TCL’s website.
Vélo’v or bicycle
Do you wish to do some sport while moving around Lyon, enjoy the fresh air and get to know Lyon better? Maybe a bicycle would suit you better. The city of Lyon is well arranged for cyclists, since they are seeking to reduce car usage and incite people to use eco-friendlier transport methods.
Of course, you could buy a bicycle or an e-bike (with a good-quality bicycle lock), but you could also rent a bicycle. In fact, Vélo’v offers bicycles on self-service available all around the city (428 stations).
You can rent a bicycle for a single ride (1,8-euro ticket), for a day (4-euro ticket) or for a year (16,5-euro annual membership for 14-25-year-old people). By subscribing to the annual membership, you will be able to take as many rides as you wish. Be careful however, only the first 30 minutes are included (but you can always dock it in one of the Vélo’v stations and take another one immediately, the timer will restart).
Electric scooters
When you arrive to Lyon, you will notice a big number of electric scooters laying on the street without any type of locks. These are self-service electric scooters offered by different companies. You can rent them through the company’s mobile app. Fares differ from one company to another, so don’t hesitate to check them before renting one.
