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Lyon Saint-Exupéry Airport (LYS)

Lyon Airport Taxi with a fixed price before you land

25 km to the city centre, 35 to 45 minutes by road

Lyon Saint-Exupéry is a long way out of town. The Rhônexpress tram stops at midnight, rank taxis switch to the night tariff at 19:00, and the queue at the rank is always longest when several flights land at once.

We agree one price when you book, follow your flight, and wait for you inside arrivals with your name on a sign.

This page lays out our fares next to the airport's own metered estimates, every public transport alternative, and straight advice on when you're better off without us.

Get my fixed price Compare every way out of LYS
  • Price fixed at booking
  • Flight tracked, not just scheduled
  • Driver waits inside arrivals
  • 60 min free wait, 90 for non-Schengen
  • Licensed, insured French operators
  • Free cancellation up to 24 h
Private transfer car waiting outside arrivals at Lyon Saint-Exupéry Airport
Fixed price, airport to Lyon centre 35–45 min, 25 km
€62per vehicle, not per person

The airport estimates a metered taxi on this route at about €70 by day and €95 at night. Ours stays at €62 whatever the clock or the traffic says.

Distance

About 25 km east of Lyon, reached by the A43 and A432.

Drive time

35 to 45 minutes, often over an hour in weekday rush hour.

Night tariff

Meter runs higher from 19:00 to 07:00, Sundays and public holidays.

Last tram

The Rhônexpress stops at midnight. The taxi rank runs 24/7.

Every way from Lyon Saint-Exupéry to the city centre

Daytime prices. Metered taxis charge the night rate from 19:00 to 07:00 and on Sundays and public holidays.

Transport options from Lyon airport to Lyon city centre with journey time and price
Option Journey Price
Pre-booked transfer (us)Door to door, price fixed at booking 35–45 min €62 per car
Rhônexpress tramTo Part-Dieu station, then metro or on foot 30 min + onward €16 online / €17.10 machine
TCL bus C200 or 248Standard TCL ticket, change to metro or tram 60–75 min €2.10
Taxi rank, meteredAirport's own estimate to the centre 35–45 min ≈ €70 day / ≈ €95 night
Ride-hail appApp price, dedicated pick-up zone 35–45 min Varies with demand
TGV from the airportFor Paris, Lille, Marseille, Montpellier. Not for Lyon n/a n/a

Taxi figures are Lyon Aéroport's published estimates for a metered trip to central Lyon; the meter, not the estimate, decides what you pay. Rhônexpress and TCL fares are the operators' own. Checked September 2026.

Lyon airport taxi prices: our fixed fare next to the meter

There is no official flat fare from Lyon Saint-Exupéry. Taxis at the rank run on the meter under the Rhône prefecture's tariff, so the final figure depends on the time, the traffic and your exact address. Lyon Aéroport publishes estimates to give travellers a rough idea, and we reproduce them here unchanged. Our fixed price is in the fourth column and does not move once you've booked.

Where the meter is cheaper, we say so. Inside Lyon we're below the metered estimate at any hour. On longer regional runs and to the ski resorts, a daytime rank taxi can cost less than our fare. A fixed price earns its keep at night, on Sundays and public holidays, and on any day the A43 grinds to a halt.

From the airport to Lyon and the inner suburbs. * Our estimate from the metered tariff; the other figures are published by Lyon Aéroport.

Lyon airport taxi fares to Lyon and suburbs
DestinationMeter, dayMeter, nightOur fixed priceDrive
Lyon city centreBellecour, Presqu'île, Hôtel-Dieu≈ €70≈ €95€6235–45 min
Lyon Part-DieuMain station and business district≈ €67≈ €90€5930–40 min
Eurexpo LyonChassieu exhibition centre≈ €50≈ €65€4515–25 min
Cité InternationaleConvention centre, Parc de la Tête d'Or≈ €60≈ €80€5635–45 min
Écullyemlyon, Institut Lyfe (ex-Paul Bocuse), western suburbs≈ €80≈ €110€7245–55 min
Vieux Lyon and Fourvière5th arrondissement≈ €70*≈ €95*€6435–50 min
Lyon Perrache and ConfluenceSouthern Presqu'île≈ €70*≈ €95*€6435–50 min
Groupama Stadium, DécinesOlympique Lyonnais, concerts≈ €45*≈ €60*€4215–20 min
VilleurbanneLa Doua campus, Gratte-Ciel≈ €60*≈ €80*€5530–40 min

Night-time meter rates apply from 19:00 to 07:00 and all day on Sundays and public holidays. Our prices are per vehicle for a standard car and include tolls, waiting time and luggage. Metered estimates checked against Lyon Aéroport, September 2026.

What the fare includes, and which car turns up

A low headline price that grows at the kerb is the oldest trick in airport transport. Here is everything that's inside ours.

Tolls and airport parking

Already in the price. You won't see a separate line for the A43 or the car park.

Waiting time

60 minutes from the actual landing time, 90 minutes for flights from outside the Schengen area.

Flight tracking

We follow the flight number, so an early or late landing moves your pick-up with it.

Child and booster seats

Free of charge. Ask when you book so the right seat is fitted before the driver sets off.

Luggage and ski bags

No per-bag charges. Tell us how many bags you have so we send a car that closes.

Card payment, proper receipt

No card surcharge, and a receipt that works for company expenses.

Choosing a vehicle

Tell us the number of bags as well as the number of people. Six adults with six ski bags and six boot bags will not fit in a car sized for six people with hand luggage.

Standard car

Up to 3 passengers with 3 medium suitcases. The fares on this page are for this car.

People carrier

Up to 4 passengers with large cases, or a couple with ski gear.

Van

Up to 7 passengers, the usual choice for families and ski groups.

Minibus

Larger groups, conferences and wedding parties. Quoted on request.

Every way to leave Lyon Saint-Exupéry, honestly compared

We sell private transfers, so read this with a sceptical eye and check it for yourself. If you're travelling alone, landing at two in the afternoon with a cabin bag, the tram is the right answer and we're the wrong one. Here's when each option wins.

Rhônexpress tram

€16 online, €17.10 at the machine, about 30 minutes to Part-Dieu

The express tram-train built for the airport. It leaves from the stop beside the TGV station every 15 minutes, from about 04:25 until midnight, and calls at Meyzieu ZI and Vaulx-en-Velin La Soie before Part-Dieu. A return costs €28 online. Travellers aged 12 to 25 pay €10.50 one way and children under 12 ride free. Buy before you board: tickets from the on-board conductor cost extra.

Choose it over us when

One or two of you, daytime, light bags, and a hotel near Part-Dieu or on a metro line. For a solo traveller nothing is quicker for the money.

Where it falls short

Part-Dieu isn't your hotel. Add the metro and a walk with suitcases and the 30 minutes becomes 50. Four adults pay €64, more than our car. Land after midnight and it has stopped for the night.

TCL buses C200 and 248

€2.10 standard ticket, 60 to 75 minutes with a change

Few visitors know that Lyon's ordinary bus network reaches the airport. Line C200 runs from Vaulx-en-Velin La Soie, on metro line A, and only some departures continue to the airport: roughly one in three on weekdays and one in two at weekends. Line 248 links Meyzieu ZI, the end of tram T3, with the airport bus station. Check the TCL timetable before relying on either.

Choose it over us when

You're counting every euro, you have one small bag, and an extra hour doesn't matter.

Where it falls short

There's barely any room for luggage, you have to change onto the metro or tram, and line 248 finishes around 22:00. Miss the last bus and you're at a suburban stop late at night.

TGV and OUIGO from the airport station

Direct trains to Paris, Lille, Marseille and Montpellier

The Lyon Saint-Exupéry TGV station, the Santiago Calatrava building with the bird-shaped roof, is joined to the terminals by a covered walkway with moving belts. High-speed trains run from here to Paris Gare de Lyon, Paris-CDG airport, Marne-la-Vallée, Lille, Marseille and Montpellier, with extra ski-season trains towards the Alps. It is not a way into central Lyon; for that you want the Rhônexpress.

Choose it over us when

You're heading to Paris, Lille or the Mediterranean. Two hours on the train against four or five on the motorway isn't a contest, and we'll tell you so when you ask for a quote.

Where it falls short

The timetable is far thinner than at Part-Dieu, so check the day's departures before you plan a tight connection. Miss the last train and the next may be the following morning.

Flixbus, BlaBlaCar Bus and ski shuttles

From a few euros to Grenoble, Chambéry, Annecy and Geneva

The airport's coach station is a short walk from the terminals. Flixbus and BlaBlaCar Bus run to Grenoble, Chambéry, Annecy and Geneva, and in winter the airport sells seats on shuttles to the main Alpine resorts.

Choose it over us when

You're going to Grenoble, Annecy or Chambéry alone or as a couple, and your flight lands in the middle of the day.

Where it falls short

Coaches leave on schedule, not when your plane does. Miss the last departure to Grenoble and the taxi you end up taking at 23:30 costs more than booking one would have.

The taxi rank outside arrivals

Metered: about €70 to the centre by day, €95 at night

Licensed taxis wait outside Terminal 1, Terminal 2 and the TGV station around the clock. You take the car at the front of the line. Fares follow the Rhône prefecture's meter, with the night rate from 19:00 to 07:00 and all day on Sundays and public holidays. Cards are accepted.

Choose it over us when

The line is short, you didn't book ahead, and you're comfortable paying whatever the meter shows. It's a regulated service and a perfectly sound choice.

Where it falls short

Traffic is on you, not the driver: a slow A43 or a jam on the eastern ring road ends up on the meter. When several flights land together, especially on ski Saturdays and Friday evenings, the wait can pass half an hour.

Uber and other VTC apps

Price shown before you confirm, pick-up from a dedicated zone

Uber and other licensed VTC platforms operate at Lyon Saint-Exupéry. Drivers collect from a dedicated ride-hail zone rather than the taxi rank; follow the signs once you're through arrivals.

Choose it over us when

You already use the app, it's a quiet weekday afternoon, and the price on the screen looks fair.

Where it falls short

Surge pricing bites on exactly the days the rank is under pressure: ski Saturdays, trade-fair Mondays, the Fête des Lumières. The app also doesn't follow your flight, so after a long delay you start from scratch.

Hire car

All the main rental firms have desks at the airport

Useful if you're touring the Beaujolais, the Drôme or the Ardèche, or driving yourself to a chalet for the week.

Choose it over us when

You're touring the region or heading to the mountains with an overnight stop, and you're happy driving on French roads.

Where it falls short

For a city break it's more trouble than it's worth: costly parking, the city's low-emission zone, and a centre full of one-way streets and pedestrian areas.

Pre-booked private transfer: what we do

Fixed price, door to door, flight tracked

A named driver waits inside arrivals with a sign, helps with the bags and drives you straight to the address on your booking. The price is agreed when you book and doesn't change for traffic, the hour, luggage or a delayed flight.

Book us when

There are three or more of you, you have real luggage or ski gear, you land late, you need a child seat, you're on a business schedule, or you simply don't want to work out Lyon's transport on the first evening of your trip.

Get my fixed price

Lyon Saint-Exupéry terminal guide: where to find your driver

The airport is simpler than its reputation. Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 sit either side of a central building and you can walk between them in a few minutes, no shuttle needed. The old low-cost Terminal 3 no longer operates, so if a booking still mentions T3, check your airline's current terminal on the airport's live arrivals board.

Terminal 1

The larger terminal, extended with a new hall in 2017. It handles most of the airport's traffic, including the low-cost carriers.

Terminal 2

The smaller, older terminal on the other side of the central building.

Central building

Between the two terminals. The Rhônexpress stop and the walkway to the TGV station start here.

TGV station

Reached by a covered walkway with moving belts. Allow ten minutes with luggage. There's a third taxi rank outside.

Finding ground transport

Everything leaves from the arrivals level. Walk out of baggage reclaim, follow the signs for ground transport, and the options spread out from there.

Taxis wait directly outside the arrivals exits of Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, with a third rank at the TGV station. Pre-booked drivers, ours included, meet you inside the hall by the exit doors rather than on the kerb, where stopping time is strictly limited. The Rhônexpress is signed from the central building, a couple of minutes on foot from either terminal. The coach station and TCL bus stops are a short walk further on.

Before you fly out

Both terminals have their own security and passport control, with paid fast-track lanes. Lyon Aéroport also runs ZenLine, a free service for booking a security time slot in advance. It's worth doing on Monday mornings during trade-fair season and on winter Saturdays.

Passengers from outside the Schengen area go through passport control before baggage reclaim, so it takes longer to reach the arrivals hall. That's why our free waiting time for those flights is 90 minutes instead of 60.

The most common booking mistake

Putting the gate number in the booking form. Drivers need the terminal (T1 or T2) and the flight number, not the gate. Your boarding pass or the airline's app will show the terminal.

What's actually at the airport

Around ten million passengers a year pass through Lyon Saint-Exupéry, with easyJet, Air France, Transavia and Volotea among the busiest airlines. Facilities are decent rather than lavish: cafés and a brasserie, duty free, paid lounges, luggage wrapping, an eSIM counter, click-and-collect shopping, electric charging points, assistance for passengers with reduced mobility and an accompaniment service for teenagers travelling alone. Lyon is France's food capital, but the airport is not where you'll discover that. Save your appetite for the city.

Taxi rank rules at Lyon airport, and when the queue bites

France regulates taxis closely and Lyon Saint-Exupéry enforces the rules. Four of them will keep you clear of almost every problem travellers report here.

The four rules that matter

  1. 1

    Take the first car in the line. The rank is a queue for drivers too. You don't choose the vehicle, and asking to skip to a nicer one will be refused.

  2. 2

    The meter sets the price. Rank taxis at Lyon Saint-Exupéry charge by the meter under the Rhône prefecture's tariff. A driver who quotes a round figure instead of switching the meter on isn't following the rules. Ask for the meter.

  3. 3

    Never accept a ride offered inside the terminal. A genuine rank taxi waits at the rank. A genuine pre-booked driver holds a sign with your name and a company name. Anyone approaching you in the hall asking "taxi?" is neither.

  4. 4

    Ask for a receipt. It's your right, it's what makes a complaint possible, and your employer's expenses system will want it.

When the queue gets long

The rank usually works fine. When it doesn't, it's predictable:

  • Ski Saturdays, late December to April. Charter flights land within an hour of each other and many cars are already booked on runs to the Tarentaise. This is the longest queue of the year.
  • Big fairs at Eurexpo. Sirha, Pollutec, Equita and the Foire de Lyon bring tens of thousands of visitors, and the Monday-morning and Friday-evening peaks empty the rank.
  • Fête des Lumières, 5 to 8 December 2026. Four evenings, around two million visitors, road closures in the centre from early evening and a transport network under real strain.
  • Any evening the Rhônexpress is suspended. Engineering closures send every tram passenger to the rank at the same moment.
  • Arrivals after midnight. Fewer drivers on shift and no tram at all.

Supplements are legal, surprises aren't

The night and Sunday rate, and a small number of approved supplements, are allowed. They appear on the meter and on the receipt. A "card fee", an "airport fee" or a demand for cash at the end of the trip does not.

The honest summary

On an ordinary weekday afternoon you'll wait a few minutes and pay the meter. On the occasions above, booking ahead isn't an upsell. It's the difference between leaving and standing in line.

Airport-to-airport transfers from Lyon

Lyon sits in the middle of a cluster of airports, and missed connections, cancelled legs and split itineraries move people between them all the time. These trips need a fixed price and a driver who is watching the inbound flight, because there's usually another plane to catch.

Lyon Saint-Exupéry to Geneva (GVA)

About 150 km, 1 h 45 by road, our price €275

The busiest of these runs, because Geneva is the other gateway to the same mountains. There's no direct train: rail means changing along the way and the journey passes two hours. Coaches take around two and a half hours and won't wait for a delayed flight. Tell us whether you need the French or the Swiss side of Geneva airport. They're separate areas, and people miss flights over it.

Lyon to Grenoble-Alpes-Isère (GNB)

About 95 km, 1 h 05, our price €185

Grenoble's airport is a winter charter hub about 45 km from Grenoble itself, which catches people out. There's no direct rail link. Most of the traffic is skiers flying in and out of different airports.

Lyon to Chambéry-Savoie (CMF)

About 105 km, 1 h 15, our price €190

The closest airport to the Tarentaise, and busy mainly in winter. The train works if you have time and one bag. With ski gear and a connection to make, it doesn't.

Lyon to Saint-Étienne-Bouthéon (EBU)

About 85 km, 1 h 10, our price €175

A small regional airport with no useful public transport link to Lyon Saint-Exupéry. Almost always a road transfer.

Lyon Saint-Exupéry to Lyon-Bron (LYN)

About 25 km, 30 minutes, our price €58

Business and private aviation, and the shortest airport-to-airport run in the region. Often booked as a same-day connection between a scheduled arrival and a private departure.

Lyon to Clermont-Ferrand (CFE) and Turin (TRN)

About 2 h and 3 h 30 by road

Clermont has no direct rail link from Lyon Saint-Exupéry. Turin means the Fréjus tunnel, passports to hand and a toll allowance agreed in writing before the day.

When we'll tell you not to book a car

For Paris-CDG, the direct TGV from the airport's own station takes about two hours, against four and a half by road, and wins on cost, time and reliability. For Marseille, take the TGV to Marseille Saint-Charles and the airport shuttle bus from there. We'll still quote if you want the car, but we'll say this first.

Lyon airport to the Alps: what a ski transfer really involves

In winter, a large share of this airport's traffic heads east into the mountains. Lyon is the gateway to the Trois Vallées, Espace Killy, Paradiski, the Portes du Soleil and the Chamonix valley, which is why the airport publishes a separate taxi tariff for 21 resorts.

Saturday is a different day

Plan around it, not through it

Alpine resorts change over on Saturdays, so every chalet, coach and taxi in the region moves at once. The Tarentaise valley road towards Moûtiers, Bourg-Saint-Maurice and the Trois Vallées can add ninety minutes to a normal run. A metered taxi charges you for that time. A fixed transfer doesn't, which is the whole case for booking one on a Saturday.

Declare your gear

Skis, boards, boot bags, boosters

Give us the bag count as well as the head count and we'll send a vehicle that actually closes. Child and booster seats are free and a legal requirement, so ask when you book, not on the day.

Night rates hit hardest here

Compare the last two columns

Look at the resort table again. Val d'Isère is published at €383 by day and €551 at night, and Tignes and Avoriaz show the same jump. Ski charters often land in the evening, so on this route the night tariff is the normal case, and that's where a fixed price saves the most.

The alternatives are real. Scheduled coaches serve Chamonix, Annecy and Chambéry, and the airport sells seats on seasonal ski shuttles to the big resorts. Both are good value if you land mid-morning and your resort is on the route. Neither waits for a delayed plane, and neither will take you up the mountain road to your chalet door.

Events in Lyon, and what they mean for your airport transfer

Lyon runs one of Europe's busiest exhibition calendars out of Eurexpo in Chassieu, which happens to be the closest major venue to the airport: 15 to 25 minutes, and the cheapest fare on our list. When a big show is on, book the return trip at the same time as the outbound.

Eurexpo Lyon, Chassieu

Dates as announced by the organisers. Always confirm before you travel.

  • 28 Oct – 1 Nov 2026

    Longines Equita Lyon

    The international horse show, with a big family audience. Traffic around Chassieu slows noticeably in the evenings.

  • 6 – 8 Nov 2026

    Epoqu'Auto

    Classic cars over a weekend, so the Sunday meter rate applies to rank taxis on the way back.

  • 17 – 20 Nov 2026

    Piscine Global Europe

    The international pool and spa trade fair. Heavy weekday exhibitor traffic.

  • 28 – 29 Nov 2026

    Japan Touch

    Asian pop-culture festival with a young weekend crowd.

  • 21 – 25 Jan 2027

    Sirha Lyon

    Food service and hospitality, home of the Bocuse d'Or. The hardest week of the year to find a car or a hotel room in Lyon. The 2027 edition adds a dedicated pizza area.

  • 11 – 14 Feb 2027

    Salon du 2 Roues

    Motorbikes and bicycles, with a strong public weekend. Overlaps the busiest ski weekends.

  • 27 Mar – 5 Apr 2027

    Foire de Lyon

    The city's big consumer fair: ten days, two weekends, crowds every day.

  • 22 – 26 Sep 2027

    Salon de l'Auto de Lyon

    Five days of new cars, open to the public, busiest at the weekend.

  • 12 – 15 Oct 2027

    Pollutec

    Environmental and energy technology, with a large international delegation programme.

  • 1 – 4 Feb 2028

    Eurobois

    Timber and woodworking, trade visitors only.

The biggest week of the year

Fête des Lumières

Saturday 5 to Tuesday 8 December 2026

Four evenings of light installations across the city, free to attend, drawing around two million visitors. It's well worth planning a trip around, and it's the hardest week of the year to get around Lyon.

The Presqu'île closes to traffic in the evenings, so a car can only drop you at the edge of the closed area. If you can, stay outside it, in Part-Dieu, Villeurbanne, Gerland or Confluence, and walk or take the metro in. Hotels in the centre fill up months ahead. For your airport transfer, choose a daytime flight or a pick-up point outside the perimeter.

The rest of the year

Groupama Stadium, Décines

Olympique Lyonnais play here and it doubles as a big concert venue. It's one of the closest destinations to the airport, 15 to 20 minutes away, but road closures after matches move the pick-up points. On match days we send the meeting point by message.

Nuits de Fourvière, June to July

The summer festival held in the Roman theatres on Fourvière hill. The site is at the top of a steep hill with very limited vehicle access, so expect to be dropped nearby.

Congress season at the Cité Internationale

The convention centre beside the Parc de la Tête d'Or hosts medical and scientific congresses through spring and autumn.

Beaujolais Nouveau, 19 November 2026

The third Thursday of November. Villefranche-sur-Saône and the wine villages north of Lyon fill up for the weekend.

Going back to the airport: when to leave Lyon

Most people book the arrival and leave the return to chance. The return is the trip with a hard deadline. Book both legs together and you'll know your pick-up time before you've even landed.

From the Presqu'île, Bellecour or Vieux Lyon

Allow 45 minutes outside rush hour and at least an hour between about 07:30–09:30 and 16:30–19:00 on weekdays. In Vieux Lyon's narrow streets, your driver may meet you on the nearest quay.

From Part-Dieu or Villeurbanne

Usually 30 to 40 minutes. Part-Dieu station has several entrances and drop-off areas, so tell us which exit or hotel entrance to use.

From Écully and the western suburbs

The longest urban run, 45 to 55 minutes, because you cross the whole city. Leave extra time on weekday mornings.

Very early flights

If you fly before about 07:00, compare the first Rhônexpress from Part-Dieu with your check-in time. For many early departures a car is the only practical option. Our fixed price is the same at 04:00 as at noon.

On top of the drive, add the check-in time your airline recommends. Lyon Aéroport also publishes a recommended arrival time for each flight on its website, which takes into account how busy the terminal is expected to be.

Lyon, and what's within an hour of the airport

Two rivers, two hills, a UNESCO-listed old town and a food culture that happily picks fights with Paris. Most of it lies 25 km west of where you land, and a few places are closer to the airport than the city is. Times below are driving times from Lyon Saint-Exupéry.

Vieux Lyon

35–50 min

One of Europe's largest Renaissance quarters and part of Lyon's UNESCO World Heritage site. Look for the traboules, covered passageways cut through the buildings so silk workers could move cloth in the dry. Some are still open to walk through, and finding them is half the fun.

Fourvière hill

35–50 min, then the funicular

The basilica on the skyline, and just below it two Roman theatres still used for concerts. The view from the esplanade explains Lyon's geography in about ten seconds.

Presqu'île and Bellecour

35–45 min

The peninsula between the Rhône and the Saône: the big squares, the shopping streets, the Opéra, and the bouchons where Lyonnais cooking is still served the traditional way.

Musée des Confluences

35–45 min

The steel-and-glass museum where the two rivers meet, covering natural history and anthropology. The building alone is reason enough for many visitors.

Les Halles Paul Bocuse

30–40 min

The covered food market near Part-Dieu. Cheese, charcuterie, quenelles and oyster bars. Go hungry, and go before two in the afternoon.

Parc de la Tête d'Or

35–45 min

A huge free park with a lake, botanical gardens and a zoo, right next to the Cité Internationale. The easiest thing to do in Lyon with children and jet lag.

Croix-Rousse

40–50 min

The old silk-weavers' hill, with more traboules, a daily market and the giant Mur des Canuts mural. Steep, and worth the climb.

Pérouges

About 30 min, closer than Lyon

A walled medieval village on a hilltop, listed among the most beautiful villages in France, and a good use of a long layover. Try the sugared galette.

Grand Parc Miribel-Jonage

20–25 min

A vast lake and nature park between the airport and the city, with swimming areas in summer. A local favourite rather than a tourist sight.

Vienne and the Beaujolais

45–55 min

South, Vienne's Roman theatre and temple. North, the Beaujolais wine villages and the golden-stone country around Villefranche-sur-Saône. Both make an easy half-day by car.

Annecy

1 h 45

The lake, the canals and the mountains behind. Too far for an afternoon, but ideal for a two-night stop before a flight home.

How booking a Lyon airport transfer works

  1. 1

    Give us the flight number

    Not just the landing time. The flight number lets us track the actual aircraft rather than the timetable.

  2. 2

    Get a fixed quote

    One price per vehicle, including tolls, airport parking, luggage and waiting time. It doesn't change afterwards.

  3. 3

    Driver details the day before

    Name, phone number, vehicle and the exact meeting point for your terminal, sent by email and text.

  4. 4

    Meet inside arrivals

    Your driver waits in the hall with a sign, not on the kerb. If you're slow getting out, that time is already allowed for.

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before pick-up. No charge for paying by card. If your flight is cancelled and you're rebooked, send us the new flight number and the booking moves with it at no cost.

Get my fixed price

How reliable are the alternatives? What travellers report

We read what people say about the other options as well as feedback on our own transfers, because that's the real choice you're making at the arrivals exit.

Rhônexpress

Reliable, and priced like it knows it

The recurring complaint isn't punctuality, it's the fare. Around €16 for a single is high next to most French airport links, and travellers say so again and again. The service itself runs to timetable; the criticism centres on engineering closures and on discovering the on-board surcharge too late.

Taxi rank at LYS

Regulated, and generally fine

These are licensed drivers on a published tariff, and most trips are uneventful. Complaints cluster around the gap between the fare people expected and what the meter showed after traffic, and around queue length when several flights land together.

Ride-hail apps

Fine off-peak, unpredictable at peak

Availability is decent during the day and thins out late at night. The common thread in traveller reports is surge pricing on exactly the dates you'd least want it: ski Saturdays, festival week and trade-fair Mondays.

Popular transfers from Lyon Airport

The routes our passengers book most often from Lyon Saint-Exupéry, with our fixed price per vehicle and a typical driving time.

Lyon and nearby

Lyon Airport to Lyon city centre

35–45 min

from €62

Lyon Airport to Part-Dieu station

30–40 min

from €59

Lyon Airport to Eurexpo

15–25 min

from €45

Lyon Airport to Cité Internationale

35–45 min

from €56

Lyon Airport to Villefranche-sur-Saône

55 min

from €110

Lyon Airport to Saint-Étienne

1 h 15

from €155

Alps and ski resorts

Lyon Airport to Chamonix

2 h 15

from €255

Lyon Airport to Courchevel

2 h 35

from €330

Lyon Airport to Méribel

2 h 35

from €320

Lyon Airport to Val Thorens

2 h 50

from €345

Lyon Airport to Les Arcs

2 h 50

from €340

Lyon Airport to La Plagne

2 h 45

from €335

Cities and airports

Lyon Airport to Grenoble

1 h 05

from €195

Lyon Airport to Annecy

1 h 45

from €230

Lyon Airport to Chambéry

1 h 15

from €185

Lyon Airport to Geneva Airport

1 h 45

from €275

Lyon Airport to Valence

1 h 30

from €215

Lyon Airport to Grenoble Airport

1 h 05

from €185

Airport taxis at other French airports

Flying on from Lyon, or arriving somewhere else in France? We run the same fixed-price, meet-and-greet service at these airports.

Lyon airport taxi questions, answered

The questions people actually ask, with answers short enough to read standing in the arrivals hall.

How much is a taxi from Lyon airport to the city centre?
A metered taxi from the rank to central Lyon costs about €70 during the day and about €95 at night, according to Lyon Aéroport's own estimates. Traffic and your exact address can push it either way. Our pre-booked transfer to the city centre is a fixed €62 per vehicle at any hour.

Is there a fixed taxi fare from Lyon Saint-Exupéry?
No. Taxis at the rank run on the meter under the Rhône prefecture's tariff, and there is no official flat fare to Lyon. If you want a guaranteed price, book a private transfer in advance: the fare is agreed at booking and does not change.

How far is Lyon airport from the city centre, and how long is the drive?
Lyon Saint-Exupéry is about 25 km east of the city. The drive takes 35 to 45 minutes in normal traffic, and can pass an hour on weekday mornings and evenings when the A43 and the eastern ring road are busy.

What is the cheapest way from Lyon airport to the city?
The TCL buses. Line C200 runs to Vaulx-en-Velin La Soie (metro A) and line 248 to Meyzieu ZI (tram T3), both for the price of a standard TCL ticket, currently €2.10. Expect an hour or more with the change, and very little room for luggage.

How much is the Rhônexpress and how often does it run?
A single adult ticket is €16 online or €17.10 from the machine, and a return is €28 online. Under-12s travel free and 12 to 25 year olds pay €10.50 one way. Trams run every 15 minutes from about 04:25 until midnight and take around 30 minutes to Part-Dieu.

How do I get from Lyon airport to the city after midnight?
The Rhônexpress stops at midnight and the TCL buses finish earlier, so your options are the taxi rank (open around the clock), a ride-hail app or a pre-booked transfer. If you know you'll land late, booking ahead means a driver is already waiting when you come through.

When does the night tariff apply to Lyon taxis?
Metered taxis in the Rhône charge the higher rate from 19:00 to 07:00, and all day on Sundays and public holidays. A pre-booked fixed fare is not affected by the time of day.

Do I need to book a taxi at Lyon airport in advance?
Not usually on an ordinary weekday. It is worth booking for late arrivals, ski Saturdays, big trade fairs at Eurexpo, the Fête des Lumières in December, or whenever you are travelling with a family, ski gear or a lot of luggage.

Is Uber available at Lyon airport?
Yes. Uber and other licensed VTC apps pick up at Lyon Saint-Exupéry from a dedicated zone, separate from the taxi rank. You see the price before you confirm, but it can climb sharply at busy times, and the app does not follow a delayed flight.

Where will I meet my driver at Lyon Saint-Exupéry?
Inside the arrivals hall of your terminal (Terminal 1 or Terminal 2), just past the exit from baggage reclaim. Your driver holds a sign with your name. The driver's name, phone number and exact meeting point are sent to you the day before.

What happens if my flight is delayed?
Nothing you need to do. We track the flight number, so the driver adjusts to the actual landing time. Waiting time counts from when the aircraft lands: 60 minutes free for Schengen flights and 90 minutes for non-Schengen flights, where passport control takes longer.

Can I get a child seat or a bigger vehicle?
Yes. Baby seats, child seats and boosters are free, but must be requested when you book. For groups, ski bags or lots of luggage, tell us the number of bags as well as the number of people and we will quote a vehicle that fits.

How much is a taxi from Lyon airport to Grenoble, Annecy or the ski resorts?
Our fixed fares are €195 to Grenoble, €230 to Annecy, €185 to Chambéry and from €255 to the ski resorts (Chamonix), with most Tarentaise resorts between €320 and €345. The full list, with the airport's metered estimates, is in the fare tables on this page.

Can I pay by card?
Yes. Card payment carries no extra charge, and you receive a receipt you can use for expenses. Rank taxis in Lyon also accept cards.

How early should I leave Lyon for the airport?
Allow 45 minutes for the drive outside rush hour and an hour or more on weekday mornings and late afternoons, then add the check-in time your airline recommends. For flights before 07:00, check the first Rhônexpress departure against your check-in time; for many early flights a car is the only practical option.