Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
pass includes all Lyon museums, free use of the Métro/bus system, a river cruise (April-
Oct), a walking tour of Lyon with a live guide, and free use of the TI's audioguide. The
one-day pass pays for itself if you visit the Gallo-Roman Museum and the Resistance and
Deportation History Center, plus take a guided walking tour and use public transit.
Helpful Website:
For useful information in English about visiting Lyon, check out
By Train:
Lyon has two train stations—Part-Dieu and Lyon-Perrache. Many trains stop
at both, and through-trains connect the two stations every 10 minutes. Both stations are
well-served by Métro, bus, tram, and taxi (figure €15 for a taxi from either station to my
recommended hotels near Place Bellecour), and both have the standard car-rental com-
panies. Only Part-Dieu has baggage storage, along with free Wi-Fi in the waiting area.
The all-day transit ticket is a great value—buy it upon arrival at the station if you plan
to do much sightseeing that day (coin machines only), or wait to pick up a Lyon City
Card—which covers transit—at the TI (for more on public transportation and tickets, see
“Getting Around Lyon,” later).
Arriving at Part-Dieu Station:
Thisiswheremostvisitorsarrive.Therearetwoexits
from the station:
Porte du Rhône
and
Porte des Alpes
. Bag check is near the
Porte des
Alpes
exit. To reach Place Bellecour in the
city center
(close to most hotels and the TI),
exit by following
Sortie Porte du Rhône
signs, then enter the Métro station and buy your
ticket from the machine. Take the blue Métro line B toward Stade de Gerland, transfer at
Saxe-Gambetta to the Gare de Vaise route, and get off at Bellecour. At Bellecour, follow
Sortie Rue République
signs.
The other main exit,
Sortie Porte des Alpes
, offers access to the handy
airport
tram
(called Rhône Express, described later under “By Plane”; tickets available from machines
only, bills and coins accepted, conductors can help). Also out this exit are SNCF buses to
Annecy and Grenoble (but train connections are more frequent). Taxis wait outside either
exit, though they seem more plentiful at the
Sortie Porte des Alpes
.
Illuminated Lyon
The golden statue of Mary above Notre-Dame Basilica was placed atop a 16th-cen-
turychapelonDecember 8,1852.Spontaneously,theentirecitywelcomed herwith
candles in their windows. Each December 8 ever since, the city glows softly with
countless candles.
