This page explains how to buy train tickets from Lyon to other European cities at the cheapest prices, buying online direct from the operators, usually with print-at-home tickets.  Click here to buy tickets starting in another city.

I want to go from Lyon to...

Before you buy your tickets

Take a moment to read these important tips for buying European train tickets.  It answers all the usual questions, "Do I need to book in advance or can I buy at the station?", "Can I stop off?", "Are there Senior fares?" and that old favourite, "Should I buy an $800 railpass or a €35 point-to-point ticket?".  How far ahead can you buy train tickets?

Which station in Lyon?

• Lyon Part Dieu is the main station and normally the one you want.  A modern station built in 1978, it has 11 platforms, lettered A to K.  The platforms are linked by a pedestrian subway with stairs and a lift up to each platform.  See Lyon Part Dieu station guide.

• Lyon Perrache was Lyon's former main station, some trains still serve it in addition to calling at Lyon Part Dieu.  Most Lyon-Paris TGVs start at Lyon Perrache then call at Lyon Part Dieu before speeding to Paris.  Lyon Perrache is closer to Lyon's old town, so can be more convenient than Part Dieu, depending where you're staying and whether your train is one that starts there.

• Lyon St Exupéry is 18 km (10 miles) outside the city at Lyon Airport, on the north-south Paris-Marseille high-speed line which by-passes Lyon.  See Lyon St Exupéry station guide including how to transfer between Part Dieu & St Exupéry by Rhone Express tram.

Lyon Part Dieu station, opened in 1983.		The train from Barcelona has arrived at platform H.

European train travel FAQ

Lyon to Paris from €20

Option 1, Lyon to Paris by high-speed TGV train - fastest & most frequent

• High-speed TGV trains link Lyon Part Dieu with Paris Gare de Lyon in 1h57 to 2h08 roughly hourly through the day.

  These TGVs travel at up to 300 km/h (186 mph) with 1st & 2nd class and a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Most TGVs on this route are now double-deck TGV Duplex, see the TGV page for photos & tips.

  Tip:  Most Lyon-Paris TGVs start at Lyon Perrache before picking up at Lyon Part Dieu.  Lyon Perrache is closer to Lyon's old town, so depending where you are staying, it might be more convenient.  See city plan with stations.

• Fares start at €20 in 2nd class or €35 in 1st class.

  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

• Buy tickets at either www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or www.sncf-connect.com (French Railways own site, no booking fee).

  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.

Option 2, Lyon to Paris by high-speed Frecciarossa- just as fast & cheap, but less frequent, now up to 5 per day

• SNCF now has competition from Trenitalia (Italian Railways) on the Lyon-Paris route.

  There are now up to 5 daily Lyon-Paris departures by Italian Frecciarossa 1000 trains with cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats.

  They have 3 classes, standard (2nd class), business (1st class) and the luxurious executive class, see photos here.  They leave from Lyon Part Dieu, a few also serve Lyon Perrache.

• Fares start at €23 in standard, €29 in business or €139 in executive.

  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

• Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee).  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.  All tickets come with a reserved seat.  It's ticketless, you simply print out your booking reference or show it on your phone.

Option 3, Lyon to Paris by TER regional train - the slower but more flexible alternative, fixed-price, cannot sell out, takes bikes

• Several times a day, TER (Trains Express Régionaux) regional trains link Lyon Part Dieu with Paris Gare de Bercy.  These use the original classic line through Dijon and take around 5h12.  They're 2nd class only and have no catering so bring your own supplies.

• These trains can be worth knowing about, as they have one fixed price with no reservation necessary or possible, so they can never sell out, and at around €66 can be the cheaper option at short notice when TGVs become expensive.  They also take bikes.

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Lyon to Cannes, Nice & anywhere else in France

• Check times and buy tickets at either www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or www.sncf-connect.com (French Railways' own site, no booking fee). 

  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.

  TGV high-speed trains link Lyon Part Dieu with Avignon, Marseille, Cannes, Nice, Monte Carlo, Nimes, Montpellier, Perpignan, Toulouse.

  There are also TGVs which by-pass Paris, linking Lyon Part Dieu with Marne la Vallée (for Disneyland), CDG Airport and Lille.

  TGVs and TER regional trains link Lyon Part Dieu with various destinations including Grenoble and the French Alps.

• Remember that TGV high-speed trains & most Intercités are all-reserved so can in theory sell out (though in practice usually have places on the day) and they have airline-style pricing, cheaper in advance, more expensive on the day.  TER regional trains have one fixed price and no reservations, you can buy on the day, tickets cannot sell out.  See the Train Travel in France page for more information.

• Lyon to Bordeaux

  Oddly enough there are no direct trains between Lyon and Bordeaux.  Journey planners such as www.raileurope.com tend to send you from Lyon to Paris Gare de Lyon by TGV then Paris Montparnasse to Bordeaux by TGV, but this means changing stations in Paris by taxi or metro.

  Tip, on www.raileurope.com click More options and enter Marne la Vallée - Chessy as a via station.  You'll find several daily options by TGV from Lyon to Massy TGV or Marne la Vallée, one easy same-station change, then back south by TGV to Bordeaux, with no need to change stations in Paris.

  You can also try entering Nimes as a via station, which produces some interesting 1-change options via the longer and slower southern route through Montpellier, Narbonne & Toulouse.  It's an interesting route and can be cheaper, if you don't mind the extra hour or two rolling sedately across southern France.

• Lyon to Marseille

  There are direct TGVs between Lyon Part Dieu and Marseille St Charles at least every hour taking around 1h50, check times & buy tickets at www.raileurope.com, www.thetrainline.com or www.sncf-connect.com, looking for a direct train with 0 changes.

  These TGVs use the high-speed line, tickets include a seat reservation and TGVs have dynamic pricing, cheaper in  advance, expensive on the day.  You print your own ticket.

  Tip:  It's worth knowing that there are also TER regional trains between Lyon Part Dieu and Marseille St Charles roughly every 2 hours.  These use the original classic line and take 3h30.  But seat reservation is unnecessary, tickets cannot sell out, there's one fixed price that doesn't change so this can be a cheaper option at short notice when TGV prices become expensive.  These TERs also take bikes.  Journey planners show the fast TGV service by default, so to find these slower cheaper trains simply go to www.raileurope.com and run a Lyon to Marseille enquiry, but click More options and add Avignon Centre as a via station, or use the via option at www.thetrainline.com or www.sncf-connect.com.

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Lyon to Brussels, Bruges & Belgium

Option 1, Lyon to Brussels by direct TGV in 5h50.  The fastest & easiest option

• Every day, half a dozen direct TGV trains link Lyon Part Dieu with Brussels Midi in around 3h50 at up to 300km/h (186 mph).   These TGVs by-pass Paris on the high-speed avoiding line through Marne la Vallée (for Disneyland) and CDG airport.

• TGVs have 1st & 2nd class and a cafe-bar, see the TGV page for photos & tips.

• Buy tickets at either www.raileurope.com,  www.thetrainline.com or www.sncf-connect.com (French Railways own site, no booking fee).

  Look for the direct trains with 0 changes.

  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.

Option 2, Lyon to Brussels via Paris.  Means changing stations in Paris by metro or taxi, but more frequent & sometimes cheaper

• Step 1, take a TGV from Lyon Part Dieu to Paris Gare de Lyon, these leave every hour or so, taking around 2 hours.

  The TGVs have a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seat & free WiFi.  Most are double-deck TGV Duplex.

  Fares start at €20 in 2nd class or €40 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

• Change trains and stations in Paris by metro or taxi.  Allow at least 60 minutes between trains.

• Step 2, take a Eurostar (formerly Thalys) high-speed train from Paris Gare du Nord to Brussels Midi in 1h22.

  Eurostars run at up to 300 km/h with 3 classes, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  More about Eurostar (formerly Thalys).

• Change in Brussels for a Belgian domestic train to Bruges, they run twice an hour.  No reservation is necessary or possible for these, you just sit anywhere you like.  10 Minutes is enough to change in Brussels, if the Eurostar is late and you miss one, you catch the next one.  Belgian domestic tickets are good for any train that day.

• Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or www.sncf-connect.com (French Railways own site, no booking fee). 

  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.

Tip:  You can book this as one journey, but make sure it gives you an hour between trains in Paris, it sometimes gives less than this.  It can be better to book from Lyon to Paris first, add to basket, then book Paris to Brussels, add this to your  basket and check out.  The latter method gives you more control and allows you to build in a stopover in Paris, perhaps to have lunch there - maybe at the Train Bleu Restaurant at the Gare de Lyon or at one of these restaurants at the Gare du Nord.

A Eurostar high-speed train.  See panorama photos inside the train.  More about Eurostar (formerly Thalys).

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Lyon to Amsterdam & the Netherlands

Option 1, Lyon to Amsterdam with one easy change in Brussels - The easiest option

• Every day, half a dozen direct TGV trains link Lyon Part Dieu with Brussels Midi in around 3h50 at up to 300km/h (186 mph).  Change in Brussels for a Eurostar (formerly Thalys) high-speed train to Amsterdam taking 1h50 more.

• TGVs have 1st & 2nd class and a cafe-bar, see the TGV page for photos & travel tips.  Eurostar trains have standard, comfort & premium classes, see more about Eurostar (formerly Thalys).  These TGVs by-pass Paris on the high-speed avoiding line through Marne la Vallée (for Disneyland) and CDG airport, so there's no need to cross Paris.

• Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or www.sncf-connect.com (French Railways own site, no booking fee). 

  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.

Tip:  These websites will show lots of 1-change journeys, some via Paris some via Brussels.  Look through the search results carefully, click to see details and find a journey with a change in Brussels not Paris.

Option 2, Lyon to Amsterdam via Paris.  Means changing stations in Paris by metro or taxi, but more frequent & sometimes cheaper

• Step 1, take a TGV from Lyon Part Dieu to Paris Gare de Lyon, they leave every hour or so, taking around 2 hours.

  The TGVs have a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seat & free WiFi.  Most are double-deck TGV Duplex.

  Fares start at €20 in 2nd class or €40 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

• Change trains and stations in Paris by metro or taxi.  Allow at least 60 minutes between trains for this.

• Step 2, take a Eurostar (formerly Thalys) from Paris Gare du Nord to Amsterdam Centraal in 3h20, they leave every hour or two.

  Eurostars run at up to 300 km/h with 3 classes, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  More about Eurostar (formerly Thalys).

  Fares start at €35 in 2nd class or €79 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

• Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or www.sncf-connect.com (French Railways own site, no booking fee).

  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.

Tip:  You can book this as one journey, but make sure it gives you an hour between trains in Paris, it sometimes gives less than this.  It can be better to book from Lyon to Paris first, add to basket, then book Paris to Brussels, add this to your  basket and check out.  The latter method gives you more control and allows you to build in a stopover in Paris, perhaps to have lunch there - maybe at the Train Bleu Restaurant at the Gare de Lyon or at one of these restaurants at the Gare du Nord.

A Eurostar at Amsterdam Centraal.  See panorama photos inside the train.  More about Eurostar (formerly Thalys).

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Lyon to Luxembourg

• Check times & buy tickets from Lyon to Luxembourg at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or SNCF's own site www.sncf-connect.com (in €, no booking fee).

  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.

• Look carefully at the search results.  There are normally two direct TGV high-speed trains per day, around midday and in early evening, taking around 5h30 with fares from €25 upwards.  These are the best trains to take.

  Other journeys are often via Paris, shown as 1-change, but they in fact involve transferring by metro or taxi between Paris Gare de Lyon and Paris Gare de l'Est.  If you can, stick to the direct trains!

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Lyon to London

• See the London to France page for times, fares & tickets in both directions.

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Lyon to Switzerland

Option 1, Lyon to Switzerland via Geneva.  The most frequent, direct & scenic route

• Step 1, travel from Lyon Part Dieu to Geneva by TER regional train, these run roughly every 2 hours, taking around 1h55.  It's a scenic trip!

  There's 1st & 2nd class but no catering so bring your own food & drink.  There are no seat reservations, you sit where you like.

  The fare is a fixed €33.40 in 2nd class or €50.80 in 1st class, you can buy at the station on the day, tickets cannot sell out.

  Buy tickets at either www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or www.sncf-connect.com (French Railways' own site, no booking fee).

  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.

Tip:  The station in Geneva is sometimes called plain Geneva, sometimes Geneva Cornavin, sometimes Geneva main station.

• Step 2, take Swiss domestic trains from Geneva to Lausanne, Montreux, and anywhere else in Switzerland.  These run frequently.

  Book from Lyon to your final Swiss destination at www.thetrainline.com or www.raileurope.com.

  Tip:  Regular full-flex Swiss domestic tickets can be expensive.  You can save money by pre-booking a cheap Supersaver fare at either www.thetrainline.com or the Swiss Railways website www.sbb.ch, these can save up to 70% off regular fares, but they commit you to one specific train - so I'd allow at least an hour between trains in Geneva.

TER Lyon to Geneva

The Lyon-Geneva TER trains have a fixed price & no reservations, you sit where you like.  There are plenty of seats in various configurations.

2nd class seats on Lyon-Geneva TER.  These are comfortable old mainline Corail cars, some with 8-seat compartments, most open-plan like this.  Larger photo.		A TER to Lyon about to leave Geneva.  It's a push-pull train:  There's an electric locomotive at one end, and a driving cab built into the coach at the other end.

Scenery between Lyon & Geneva, along the River Rhône.  The line follows the river for much of the way, mainly on the left hand side going Geneva to Lyon, right hand side Lyon to Geneva.

Option 2, Lyon to Switzerland via Mulhouse & Basel.  Slightly less direct, but the fastest route to Basel & Zurich

• If you run an enquiry from Lyon to Basel or Zurich at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com you'll see several 1-change options using a high-speed TGV from Lyon to Mulhouse then a TGV-Lyria high-speed train from Mulhouse to Basel & Zurich.  Change in Basel or Zurich for Swiss domestic trains to anywhere in Switzerland.

• You can try booking through from Lyon to your final Swiss destination using www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com, but it can be cheaper to book from Lyon to Basel or Zurich at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com, then buy onward Swiss domestic tickets separately.

  Regular full-flex Swiss domestic tickets can be expensive.  You can save money by pre-booking a cheap Supersaver fare at either www.thetrainline.com or the Swiss Railways website www.sbb.ch, these can save up to 70% off regular fares, but they commit you to one specific train - so I'd allow at least an hour between trains in Geneva.  Booking for Swiss trains opens 60 days ahead.

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Lyon to Italy

Option 1, Lyon to Turin & Milan by Frecciarossa 1000 - the direct daytime option, twice a day, suspended due to landslide, resumes 1 April 2025

• Two Italian Frecciarossas run direct from Lyon Part Dieu to Milan Centrale every day, see the timetable here.

  These Frecciarossa trains run from Paris to Milan in competition with SNCF's Paris-Milan TGVs, but unlike the TGVs (option 2 below), the Italian trains call at Lyon Part Dieu in Lyon city centre and they go directly to Milan Centrale for easy onward connections.  That's why they're option 1!

  The modern Italian Frecciarossa 1000 trains have a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats, and 3 classes:  Standard (2nd class), business (1st class) and the luxurious Executive class, see the photos here.

  The morning train connects in Milan Centrale for Venice, Florence, Rome, Naples or anywhere in Italy.  The afternoon train arrives too late for onward connections.

• Fares start at €25 in standard (2nd), €32 in business (1st), or €149 in Executive (premium 1st).

  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

• Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee).  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.  All tickets come with a reserved seat.  It's ticketless, you print out your booking or show it on your phone.  If using the morning train, you can book through to anywhere in Italy.

Option 2, Lyon to Lyon to Turin & Milan by high-speed TGV - the other daytime option, suspended due to landslide, resumes 1 April 2025

• 3 daily TGV high-speed trains link Paris with Turin & Milan every day, some but not all call at Lyon St Exupéry station, 18 km (10 miles) outside the city at Lyon Airport.

  Check times at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com - but option 1 is now a better bet, with city centre departures from Lyon Part Dieu twice a day, every day.

  To reach Lyon St Exupéry, take the air-conditioned Rhônexpress tram from Lyon Part Dieu to Lyon St Exupéry (= Lyon Airport) see the photos & information about this tram transfer here.

  Opened in 1994, Lyon St Exupéry TGV station is magnificent, designed by legendary Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava - see Wikipedia page about St Exupéry.  There are shops and cafes there, so arrive in good time for your train.  There's are restaurants in the air terminal.

  The TGVs spend very little of their journey at high-speed on this route, as they start in Paris and come off the high-speed line soon after Lyon.  The trains snake their way through the Alps, see the Paris to Milan by TGV page for photos, video guide & travel tips.

• Fares start at €29 in 2nd class or €44 in 1st class.

  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

• Change at Turin Porta Susa for high-speed Frecciarossa trains to Venice, Florence, Rome & Naples.  Turin to Florence or Venice starts at €19.90, Turin to Rome or Naples starts at €29.90.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

• Buy tickets at either www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com.  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.  For the TGV, you print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.  For Italian trains it's ticketless, you simply print out your booking reference or show it on your phone.

  Tip:  If changing trains at Turin, I'd allow at least 45 minutes between trains, or perhaps more.  The journey planner may allow less than this if you book all in one go, so I recommend booking from Lyon to Turin, adding this to your basket, then booking from Turin to your Italian destination making sure the time between trains is 45 minutes or more, add that to your basket and check out.

Option 3, Lyon to Italy via Geneva.  Use this route while the landslide blocks the direct route.

• You can also take the hourly TER regional train from Lyon Part Dieu to Geneva in around 1h57, then a EuroCity train to Milan in around 4h.

• Lyon to Geneva is a fixed-price €33.40.  Geneva-Milan starts at €29 in 2nd class or €49 in 1st class, fares vary like air fares so book ahead.

• Check times and buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.

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Lyon to Barcelona, Madrid & Spain

Option 1, Lyon to Barcelona by direct afternoon AVE train - the recommended option

• A direct AVE leaves Lyon Part Dieu at 14:35, arriving Barcelona Sants 19:33.

  This comfortable AVE S100 high-speed train has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

  Look out for Béziers cathedral on the right, colonies of flamingos on the étangs in southern France, the Fort de Salses on the right approaching Perpignan and the imposing 2,784m Mt Canigou as the train rounds the southern end of the Pyrenees.  More about this journey.

• Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €49 in 1st class.

  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

• Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or using Renfe's own website www.renfe.com (in €, much more fiddly, may reject some overseas credit cards, see advice on using it).

  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.

• A same-day connection to Zaragoza & Madrid is possible.  For other Spanish destinations, stay overnight in Barcelona and continue next day.

Day 2, Marseille to Barcelona by AVE, seen here at  Barcelona Sants.		2nd class seats, all with power sockets & free WiFi. Panorama photo of 2nd class.

1st class seats on an S100 AVE, all with power sockets.  Panorama photo of 1st class.		Cafe-bar on an S100 AVE serving tea, coffee, beer, wine, soft drinks, snacks & hot dishes.

Mt Canigou & the Pyrenees.  One of the highest peaks in the mighty Pyrenees, the 2,784m (9,137 feet) high Mt Canigou dominates the skyline on the right all the way from Girona to Perpignan, see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canigou.

Option 2, Lyon to Barcelona & Spain, morning departure

• Step 1, travel from Lyon to Barcelona, leaving Lyon Part Dieu at 06:40, change at Béziers, arriving Barcelona Sants 14:29.

  Lyon to Béziers is by TGV with cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, Béziers to Barcelona is by TGV Duplex also with cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

  It's an enjoyable & scenic ride, the TGV Duplex passes Béziers cathedral, flamingos on the lakes between Montpelier & Narbonne, the historic Fort de Salses by the tracks before Perpignan, with great views of the imposing 2,784m Mt Canigou as the train rounds the southern end of the Pyrenees, see more about this journey.

• Step 2, travel from Barcelona to Madrid, Valencia, Alicante and so on by high-speed train.

  For Madrid, a high-speed AVE leaves Barcelona Sants at 15:25 Mondays-Fridays, arriving Madrid Atocha 17:55.

  Another AVE leaves Barcelona Sants at 16:00 every day, arriving Madrid Atocha 19:12.

  For Cordoba & Seville, a high-speed AVE leaves Barcelona Sants at 15:15, arriving Cordoba 20:10, Seville Santa Justa 21:25.

  For Malaga, a high-speed AVE leaves Barcelona Sants at 15:15, arriving Malaga Maria Zambrano 21:45.

  For Valencia & Alicante, a fast Euromed train leaves Barcelona Sants at 16:10 arriving Valencia Joaquin Sorolla 19:02 & Alicante 21:34.

  All these trains have a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

• How much does it cost?

  Lyon to Barcelona starts at €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class.

  Barcelona to Madrid starts at €17.05.  Barcelona to Seville or Malaga starts at around €45.

  All these fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

• How to buy tickets

  Buy tickets is at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com as you can buy all your tickets together in one place, in plain English, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee.  Booking normally opens up to 4 months ahead.  About Raileurope.  About Thetrainline.

  Step 1, book the morning train from Lyon Part Dieu to Barcelona and add that to your basket. 

  Step 2 if going beyond Barcelona, book a train from Barcelona to your Spanish destination for next morning, add to basket & check out.

  For French trains you can print your ticket or select a mobile ticket to show on your phone.  For Spanish trains you print your ticket.

• How to buy tickets, advanced

  You can of course book each train separately with the relevant operator, with no booking fee.  This means more work and it won't necessarily make it any cheaper.

  Step 1, book from Lyon to Barcelona at the French Railways website, www.sncf-connect.com.

  Step 2, book onward trains in Spain at www.renfe.com (in €, much more fiddly, see advice).

Option 3, Lyon to Barcelona & Spain, afternoon departure, any day of the week

• Day 1, travel from Lyon to Barcelona by AVE, leaving Lyon Part Dieu at 14:35, arriving Barcelona Sants 19:33.

  This comfortable AVE S100 high-speed train has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. 

  Look out for Béziers cathedral on the right, colonies of flamingos on the étangs in southern France, the Fort de Salses approaching Perpignan and the imposing 2,784m Mt Canigou as the train rounds the southern end of the Pyrenees.  More about this journey.

• Stay overnight in Barcelona.

  Hotels close to Barcelona Sants station with good or great reviews include the Hotel Barcelo Sants (4-star, great reviews, directly above Barcelona Sants station itself, recommended), AC Hotel Sants by Marriott (4-star, just 50m from the station), Hotel Catalonia Roma (3-star), Hostal Baler (2-star), Hotel Transit (1-star), Meeting Point Hostel (inexpensive private rooms & dorm beds).

• Day 2, take an onward train from Barcelona Sants:

  For Madrid:  AVE-S103 high-speed trains link Barcelona Sants with Madrid Atocha every hour or two in as little as 2h30 from €18.

  For Granada:  Leave Barcelona Sants at 06:45 by AVE S112 high-speed train arriving Granada 13:10.

  For Malaga:  Leave Barcelona Sants at 08:35 by AVE-S112 high-speed train arriving Malaga Maria Zambrano 14:51.

  For Cordoba & Seville:  Leave Barcelona Sants at 08:35 by AVE-S112 high-speed train arriving Cordoba 13:42 & Seville Santa Justa 14:32.

  For Valencia & Alicante:  Euromed trains link Barcelona with Valencia & Alicante regularly through the day, for example one leaves Barcelona Sants at 07:15 Mondays-Saturdays arriving Valencia Joaquin Sorolla 10:10 & Alicante 12:38 or at 10:15 every day arriving Valencia Joaquin Sorolla 13:13 & Alicante 15:32.

  For Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña & Vigo, there's a morning Alvia train to Galicia, see details here.

• How much does it cost?

  Lyon to Barcelona starts at €39 in 2nd class or €49 in 1st class.

  Barcelona to Madrid starts at around €18.  Barcelona to Seville or Malaga starts at around €45.

  All these fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

• How to buy tickets

  Buy tickets is at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com as you can then buy all your tickets together in one place, in plain English, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee.  Booking normally opens up to 4 months ahead.  About Raileurope.  About Thetrainline.

  Step 1, book the afternoon train from Lyon Part Dieu to Barcelona and add that to your basket. 

  Step 2 if going beyond Barcelona, book a train from Barcelona to your Spanish destination for next morning, add to basket & check out.

  For French trains you print your ticket or can show on your phone.  For Spanish trains you print your ticket.

• Another way to buy tickets

  You can of course book each train separately with the relevant operator, with no booking fee.  This means more work and it won't necessarily make it any cheaper.

  Step 1, book from Lyon to Barcelona at the French Railways website, www.sncf-connect.com.

  Step 2, book onward trains in Spain at www.renfe.com (in €, fiddly, see advice on using it).

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Lyon to Lisbon & Portugal

• Step 1, travel from Lyon to Madrid with a change in Barcelona, leaving Lyon Part Dieu at 06:40, arriving Madrid Atocha around 15:45.

  There's great scenery at low speed past the lakes in Southern France, past the Fort de Salses near Narbonne.  There are great views of Mt Canigou as the train rounds the southern end of the Pyrenees on the Perpignan-Barcelona high-speed line at up to 320 km/h (199 mph).

  Fares start at €39 for Lyon-Barcelona and €18 for Barcelona-Madrid.  Fares work like air fares so book ahead.

  Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com, looking for the early morning direct train with 1 change.  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead for Lyon-Barcelona and normally 60 days ahead for Barcelona-Madrid, although this varies.  You print your own tickets.

  Enjoy an afternoon in Madrid.

• Stay overnight in Madrid.  The classic Hotel Mediodia is across the road from Atocha with good reviews, or try the NH Hotel Madrid Atocha or Only YOU Hotel Atocha, also across the road from the station.

• Day 2, travel from Madrid Atocha to Lisbon Santa Apolonia as shown on the Lisbon to Madrid page.

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Lyon to Cologne, Frankfurt, Berlin & Germany

Option 1, Lyon to Germany by daily direct TGV to Baden-Baden, Mannheim & Frankfurt.  The fastest & easiest option

• Step 1, every day a direct double-deck TGV Duplex leaves Lyon Part Dieu at 10:04 direct to Baden-Baden, Karlsruhe, Mannheim and Frankfurt, arriving Frankfurt am Main Hbf around 15:59.

• Step 2, change in Mannheim for Cologne, Düsseldorf, Berlin, Hamburg, Munich and most other German destinations.  You can reach almost anywhere in Germany the same day you leave Marseille.

• Fares from Lyon to Germany start at €39.99 in 2nd class or €69.99 in 1st class.

  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

• Buy tickets from Lyon to anywhere in Germany at the German Railways website int.bahn.de or at www.raileurope.com.

  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.  Tip: It's worth trying both sites as they calculate fares in slightly different ways.

Option 2, Lyon to Germany via Paris.  Wider choice of departures, but means changing stations in Paris

• Step 1, take a TGV from Lyon Part Dieu to Paris Gare de Lyon, they leave every hour or so, taking around 2 hours.

  The TGVs have a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seat & free WiFi.  Most are double-deck TGV Duplex.

  Fares start at €20 in 2nd class or €40 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or www.sncf-connect.com (French Railways own site, no booking fee).  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.

  Change trains and stations in Paris by metro or taxi.  Allow at least 60 minutes between trains for this.

• Step 2, travel from Paris to Cologne, Frankfurt, Munich, Berlin or anywhere in Germany as shown in the Trains from Paris page.

  Paris to Cologne by Eurostar (formerly Thalys) takes 3h20 with fares from €35 in 2nd class or €79 in 1st class.

  Paris to Frankfurt by ICE train takes 3h50 with fares from €39.99 in 2nd class or €69.99 in 1st class.

  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Buy Eurostar tickets from Paris to Cologne at www.raileurope.com, booking opens up to 4 months ahead.

  Buy all other tickets from Paris to Germany at the German Railways website int.bahn.de, booking opens up to 6 months ahead.

  You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.

The direct Lyon to Frankfurt TGV Duplex, seen at Frankfurt am Main Hbf.

The cafe-bar on the upper deck in car 4, serving tea, coffee, soft drinks, wine, beer, snacks & microwaved hot dishes.		2nd class seats, this is upper deck seating.  There's a mix or tables for 4 and unidirectional seating.  360º photo.

1st class seats on the upper deck, a club duo on the left, a club quatre on the right. 360º photo.		The Lyon-Frankfurt TGV, seen at Frankfurt am Main Hbf.  You enter on the lower deck, with 9 stairs up to top deck.

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Lyon to all other countries

Option 1, via Mannheim.  Suitable for travel to Scandinavia, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Russia

• Step 1, take the direct 10:04 TGV Duplex from Lyon to Mannheim & a connecting train to Hamburg Hbf or Berlin Hbf, arriving in the evening.

  Fares start at €39.99 in 2nd class or €69.99 in 1st class.

  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Buy tickets from Lyon to Hamburg or Berlin at the German Railways website int.bahn.de or at www.raileurope.com.

  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.

• Stay overnight in Hamburg or Berlin.  Suggested hotels in Hamburg.  Suggested hotels in Berlin.

• Step 2, take an onward train

  Take a train from Berlin Hbf to Prague, Bratislava, Warsaw, Moscow.  You'll find more detail for this part of the journey on the Trains from Berlin page.  Book this at int.bahn.de.

  Take a train from Hamburg Hbf to Copenhagen for onward trains to Sweden & Norway, you'll find more detail for this part of the journey on the Trains from Hamburg page.  Book this at int.bahn.de.

Option 2, via Paris.  Also suitable for travel to Scandinavia, Poland, Russia, but usually a more expensive routing

• Step 1, take a TGV from Lyon Part Dieu to Paris Gare de Lyon, they leave every hour or so, taking around 2 hours.

  The TGVs have a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seat & free WiFi.  Most are double-deck TGV Duplex.

  Fares start at €20 in 2nd class or €40 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or www.sncf-connect.com (French Railways own site, no fee).  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.

  Change trains and stations in Paris by metro or taxi.  Allow at least 60 minutes between trains for this, but for mission-critical connections I'd allow at least 2 hours.

• Step 2, travel from Paris to Scandinavia, Austria, Slovakia, Czech republic, Poland, Russia, Ukraine and all points east as shown on the International trains from Paris page.

Option 3, via Geneva.  Suitable for travel to Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic & beyond

• Step 1, travel from Lyon to Geneva by TER regional train for €33.40.  Book this at www.thetrainline.com or www.raileurope.com.

• Step 2, travel from Geneva to Zurich HB by Swiss train.  Book this at www.thetrainline.com or the Swiss Railways website www.sbb.ch, although if you aren't planning any stopover in Zurich it's cheaper to book from Geneva to Austria as one through ticket (i.e. book steps 2 & 3 together) using www.thetrainline.com or www.oebb.at.

• Step 3, travel from Zurich to  Vienna by nightjet sleeper train or stay overnight in Switzerland and travel from Zurich to Innsbruck, Salzburg & Vienna by daytime railjet train next day (a very scenic ride through the Arlberg Pass).  Book this at www.thetrainline.com or www.oebb.at.  You'll find more details on the Zurich to Austria journey on the Trains from Switzerland page.

• Step 4, travel from Vienna to Bratislava, Prague, Budapest in just a few hours as shown on the Trains from Vienna page.  You can also catch direct trains from Vienna to Warsaw, Bucharest, Lviv, Kyiv, Belgrade.

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