Coming to Lyon by train
If you are coming by train we recommend to travel to Lyon Part-Dieu train station, the main station in Lyon. Another train station named Lyon Perrache is also an option. Both are located in Lyon downtown and reachable by public transport.
Coming to Lyon by plane
If you are coming from abroad by plane, you have three main possibilities:
- fly to Lyon Saint Exupéry airport (LYS)
- fly to Paris Charles de Gaulle airport (CDG)
- fly to Geneva airport (GVA)
Below you can find details about those options.
From Lyon Saint Exupéry airport (LYS) to Lyon city centre
The RhôneExpress company operates a train linking the airport terminals to the Lyon Part-Dieu train station. At the train station you can transfer to subway, tramway or bus lines, for which you need a separate ticket (see details on transportation within Lyon below).
The ride to/from the airport takes about 30 minutes. A train departs every 15 minutes and the cost of one way ticket for one person is around 16€. It is also possible to purchase other kind of tickets. A discount is given if you purchase the tickets online, which is highly recommended anyway since the number of operating ticket vending machines both at the airport and at the Part-Dieu train station may be rather insufficient at some periods.
A taxi is an alternative way to reach the city centre from the airport. The 22km-long ride takes about 30 minutes and may cost about 60€. In some taxis you can pay by any major credit card.
From Paris Charles de Gaulle airport (CDG) to Lyon city centre
A high speed train line links the Aéroport Charles de Gaulle 2 TGV train station and Lyon Part-Dieu train station. The direct trip takes about two hours and there are several trains per day. The train station is located at terminal 2 of the airport, so you don't have to go to downtown Paris.
Details on schedule and prices can be found at the French railway company.
From Geneva airport (GVA) to Lyon city centre
Several trains per day connect Geneva to Lyon Part-Dieu train station. The direct trip takes about two hours and makes several intermediate stops, but you don't need to transfer. There are less trains per day than from Paris CDG but the train ticket is less expensive since those are not high-speed trains.
Details on schedule and prices can be found at the French railway company.
From Paris downtown to Lyon city centre
The most convenient option is probably to take the high speed train which departs from Paris Gare de Lyon train station in Paris and takes you to Lyon Part-Dieu train stration in Lyon (yes those train station names may be confusing). The direct trip takes two hours: some trains make one intermediate stop while others don't stop.
Two companies operate this segment: the French railway company and the Italian railway company. Prices, schedule and number of trains per day vary.
Public transportation in Lyon
The venue of the workshop is conveniently reachable by public transportation. Lyon transport network is composed of subway, tramway and bus lines. The stop nearest to the venue is Université Lyon 1. This stop is served by both tramway T1 and tramway T4 lines.
The nearest subway stop is Charpennes (subway line A). At Charpennes you can transfer to both tramway T1 and tramway T4. The Charpennes stop is 5 stations away from Bellecour stop, located at the heart of Lyon. The journey from Charpennes to Bellecour by subway takes about 15 minutes.
TCL, the public transportation company, proposes several fares:
- single ticket: valid for any kind of transport (subway, tramway, bus) for 1 hour, including transfers (price: 2.00 €). You can buy a ticket with a contactless credit card directly on the bus, tramway or at the validation machine in the subway stations.
- long duration ticket 2 hours: same conditions than single ticket, but valid for 2 hours (price: 3.6 €)
- long duration ticket 24 hours: same conditions than single ticket, but valid for 24 hours (price 6.70 €)
- long duration ticket 48 hours: same conditions than single ticket, but valid for 48 hours (price 12.90 €)
- long duration ticket 72 hours: same conditions than single ticket, but valid for 72 hours (price 17.50 €)
You need to validate your ticket each time you change lines, except from one metro line to another. The validation machines are located at the entry of each subway station and inside the tramway and buses.
You can buy tickets at vending machines which are located in all the subway and tramway stations. There you can pay using coins and major credit cards. You can also pay wirelessly with major electronic payment cards: the card readers are red and are found inside the vehicles (see details here).
TCL provides a journey planner that you may find useful. In addition, you can download a schematic plan of major lines (subway, tramway and major bus lines)
