How to get to Lyon St Exupéry airport easily?

 

 

1. Reach Saint-Exupéry airport by car and take advantage of the Blue Valet offer

The first thing you think about when you have to go to Lyon Saint-Exupéry airport is "how do I get there? Indeed, the airport is located in the town of Colombier-Saugnieu, about 25 kilometers from downtown Lyon. At first glance, it is not necessarily obvious how to get there without using a means of transportation or public transport.

If, like many Lyonnais who live in the center or on the outskirts of the city, you have your own vehicle, then driving to St Exupéry airport may seem like a good idea. However, there are two main disadvantages.

First of all, there is the risk of traffic jams. Indeed, at certain times of the day (especially in the morning and evening), the outskirts of the city and the ring road can turn into a real hell for motorists. It is therefore advisable to make arrangements and leave well in advance.

Moreover, finding a suitable airport parking lot is not always easy, especially from a financial point of view. If you are going on a trip for several days, the price of a parking at Lyon airport can quickly become exorbitant.

That's why Blue Valet offers its services to users of Lyon Saint-Exupéry airport. This company provides each traveler with a valet who will wait for him/her in front of the airport before departure, and who will meet him/her at the same place upon his/her return. Thus, you will save yourself any unnecessary stress, and all for a very affordable price. With Blue Valet, all you have to do is enter your flight information on the online booking platform, and that's it!

 

2. Take a cab to Lyon airport

Unfortunately, not everyone is lucky enough to have a car, or at least a vehicle that can be immobilized for several days at Lyon airport. If none of your friends can drop you off at St Exupéry and pick you up on your return, you will have to find an alternative solution.

Among the means of transportation available to take you to the airport, there is first of all the cab. Cabs approved by the airport are centralized on the same reservation platform, which is rather convenient. You can call them to take you to the airport or to take you home.

However, the fare for a cab can quickly become very high. From downtown Lyon, a trip to the airport will cost you about 50 euros. But if you live in the Lyon area, the prices tend to go up quickly.

For Grenoble, for example, you should count between 150 and 250 euros, depending on whether the journey is made during the day or at night.

For some winter sports resorts, prices can even exceed 400 euros per trip. At that price, it's like paying twice as much for your plane ticket. And if you have the misfortune to come across a dishonest cab or one that is not approved by Lyon St Exupéry airport, it is possible that the rates are not regulated and reach even more extravagant amounts.

 

Read also | How is a stopover in Paris?

 

3. Board the Rhônexpress or the Tram Lyon Express

The Rhônexpress, sometimes called the Lyon Express Tram, is a means of transportation that will allow you to connect downtown Lyon to the St Exupéry airport in less than 30 minutes. It is a good alternative to get to the airport, especially if you are staying in the city center.

Halfway between the train and the tramway, the Rhônexpress runs between 4am and midnight. You can take one every 20 to 30 minutes. It leaves from Part-Dieu, which is convenient because it is rather central and at the crossroads of the B and D metro lines.

However, the Rhônexpress is a solution that also has some limitations. If you need to get to the airport at night, for example, you will not have any trains at your disposal. In addition, the price is relatively high for such a short trip. It costs more than 15 euros for a one-way ticket, and more than 26 euros for a round-trip ticket. If you have a large family, the bill can quickly become expensive, and taking a car or a cab becomes more interesting.

 

4. Take the train to Lyon-Saint-Exupéry station

Among the alternatives for getting to Lyon St Exupéry airport, there is one last solution: taking the train to the Lyon St Exupéry SNCF station. For many travelers, this is an ideal solution, as the station is only a few minutes walk from the airport terminals.

The station is served by a large number of trains on a daily basis from many French cities, such as Paris, Marseille or Grenoble, and from international cities such as Milan or Turin. This station is served by TGV trains, but also by OUIGO trains. This solution is therefore preferable if you come from far away to take a flight at Lyon St Exupéry airport.

However, if you live in Lyon, this option makes less sense. Indeed, the trains that leave from Lyon-Perrache or Lyon Part-Dieu stations to reach Lyon-Saint-Exupéry station are not so numerous and can quickly become expensive depending on the time of day or the period of the year (especially during school vacations). The car is then the best choice.

 

Lire aussi | Voyageurs à destination du Royaume-Uni, qu’est-ce que le brexit change pour vous ?