The Transports en commun lyonnais  or “TCL” as it is commonly known is Lyon’s public transport agency. Second only to Paris as France’s largest public transport system, the TCL covers 62 communes, including the entire territory of the Urban Community of Lyon, spread over 606km2. Lyon is quite fortunate to enjoy an excellent and reasonably priced public transport system.

At time of writing: Please note that at present it is obligatory to wear a face mask on all TCL services due to the Covid19 pandemic. 

Network

The TCL system comprises 4 metro lines, 2 funiculars, 6 tramway lines, 26 high-frequency bus lines and 147 normal bus lines which plus 9 electric trolleybuses. All of these services are integrated, meaning that the same ticket is valid on each of the services including connections or return journeys for up to one hour.  The TCL’s own website includes an excellent journey planner which you can consult here.

The network largely stems from a number of principal stations:

  • Bellecour which is found in the very heart of the Presqu’ile, serves as a junction between metro lines A and D and has numerous bus stops on the street level. 
  • Part-Dieu which is also a major train station, the final stop of the Rhônexpress, is served by tramways T1, T3, and T4 together with numerous bus stops. Part-Dieu is at the centre of Lyon’s business district and the shopping mall of the same name can also be accessed from the metro station
  • Hôtel de Ville – Louis Pradel, which is located beside Place de Terreaux offers connections between lines A and C, and a number of bus lines.
  • Charpennes – Charles Hernu, which is located in Villeurbanne just over the city limit of Lyon, connects metro lines A and B together with tramways T1 and T4 and several buses.
  • Gare de Vaise, on metro line D, is both a rail and bus stations
  • Vaulx-en-Velin la Soie joins metro line A, tramway T3, numerous bus routes and the Rhônexpress
  • Perrache is a major railway station and a stop for metro A together with tramway T1 and T2
  • Saxe-Gambetta joins metro lines B and D

The Metro

Evidently the fastest and most direct way to travel between two points, Lyon’s metro system comprises 4 lines, all of which intersect to varying extents with each other, the tramway lines, and the numerous bus routes.

  • Line A of the metro (which is also identified in the colour pink) links Vaulx-en-velin-la-soie and Perrache
  • Line B (identified in blue) links Charpennes – Charles Hernu to Gare d’Oullins
  • Line C (which is the shortest line and is identified in yellow) links Hôtel de Ville – Louis Pradel to Cuire
  • Line D (identified in green) runs from Gare de Venissieux to Gare de Vaise

The Tramway

The Lyon tramway comprises seven lines, six lines operated by TCL and one by Rhônexpress (NB the Rhônexpress, which serves Lyon’s airport is not part of the TCL system despite using some of the same tramway tracks. A TCL ticket is not valid on the Rhônexpress. For more information, see here). The original tramway network in Lyon was developed in 1879 but, after being wound down for a number of years, abandoned in 1957. The modern network opened in 2001.

  • Line T1 stretches from Debourg to IUT Feyssine. Major stops include Perrache, Gare Part-Dieu – Vivier Merle, and Charpennes – Chales Hernu.
  • Line T2 extends from Perrache to Saint-Priest – Bel-Air. Principal stations include Jean Macé, Grange Blanche and the Porte des Alpes shopping complex. 
  • Line T3 runs from Gare Part-Dieu – Villette to Meyzieu Z.I./Meyzieu Les Panettes (on weekdays) and also stops at Vaulx-en-Velin – La Soie (where one can catch the Rhônexpress to the airport).
  • Line T4 travels from the university campus La Doua to Hôpital Feyzin Vénissieux. Its major stops are Charpennes – Charles Hernu, Gare Part Dieu – Villette, Jet d’Eau and Gare de Vénissieux. 
  • Line T5 goes from Grange Blanche to Parc du Chêne or Eurexpo (the expositions centre) via Bron. 
  • Line T6, which opened in November 2019, stretches from Debourg to Hôpitaux Est – Pinel and stops at Beauvisage – CISL, Mermoz – Pinel and Desgenettes.

The Funiculars

The Funiculars of Lyon were established in 1862. At one time they counted five lines, today only the two routes on Fourvière hill remain in operation. The other lines of the original network have either been closed, converted for road traffic use, or fully integrated into the metro system. 

The two lines leave from the Vieux-Lyon metro station and carry passengers to either side of Fourvière hill.

  • Funicular 1 (F1) travels from Vieux-Lyon – Cathédrale Saint-Jean station to Saint-Just with a stop at Minimes – Théâtres Romains. The entire journey takes approximately 3 minutes 20 seconds. The line functions from 5:00am to 00:00am with services every 5 to 10 minutes.
  • Funicular 2 (F2) travels from Vieux-Lyon – Cathédrale Saint-Jean station to Fourvière directly. The entire journey takes approximately 2 minutes. The line functions from 6:00am to 10:00pm with services every 5 to 10 minutes.

Bus Service

Currently comprising some 147 bus routes and an additional 9 trolleybuses, Lyon’s bus network assures some 136.2 million journeys each year. The system comprises 4605 bus stops where passengers can board or descend. Many of these stops correspond with the major metro stations and tramway stops. 

Pleine Lune – Night service

A small number of bus lines run one bus per hour throughout the night, for the most part this is to facilitate young people getting home. These are the “Pleine Lune” (“full moon”) lines and are currently as follows:

  • Pleine Lune 1: Place des Terreaux / Gare Part-Dieu / La Doua (University Campus) / Cité Internationale
  • Pleine Lune 2: Hôtel de Ville-Louis Pradel / Mermoz / Grange Blanche
  • Pleine Lune 3: Hôtel de Ville-Louis Pradel / Saint Irénée / Écully Grandes Écoles
  • Pleine Lune 4: Hôtel de Ville-Louis Pradel/ Jean Macé / Saint-Priest

Fares

  • Children younger than 4 years of age travel for free when accompanied with an adult.
  • Reduced rates are available for children, students and the elderly
  • A standard ticket for one trip costs €1.90, and €2.20 when bought from the driver on board a bus. The price is slightly cheaper when tickets are bought as a ‘book’ of tickets from a distributor machine (these are found at all metro stations, tramway stops, and some bus stops) or shop (commonly in a tabac or tabac-presse) in advance
  • The TCL offers a number of options for longer duration tickets (24 hours, 48 hours, one week, one month, annual ticket). Further details are available on its official website https://www.tcl.fr/en/fares . 
  • Validate your ticket prior to entering the metro or funicular system and as soon as possible when you board the bus or tramway. Ticket inspectors perform frequent controls.