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Lyon Part-Dieu station, the modern hub where most TGV and Ouigo trains from Paris arrive.
Photo: Velvet / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)Paris to Lyon by Train
A domestic route within France.
Reviewed by Eurotraintrip on 2026-07-30
- Duration
- 1h 54m – 2h 15m
- Price from
- 16 EUR
- Distance
- 391 km
- Operators
- TGV inOuiOuigo
- Frequency
- Around 25-35 direct trains per day combining TGV inOui and Ouigo
Compare and book Paris–Lyon tickets
Check pricesWhat makes Paris to Lyon different
- This is the original TGV line: the Paris-Lyon service launched on 27 September 1981 on the newly built LGV Sud-Est, France's first dedicated high-speed line, cutting the journey time from about 4 hours to 2h40m using trains capped at 270km/h at the time.
- SNCF Connect lists roughly 30-35 direct trains a day on this pairing, one of the densest high-speed timetables in Europe — a legacy of the line's status as France's busiest high-speed corridor.
- Some low-cost Ouigo fares on this route depart from or arrive at Lyon-Saint-Exupery, the city's airport station about a 30-minute tram ride from central Lyon, rather than the central Lyon-Part-Dieu station most TGV inOui and Ouigo trains use.
Paris station
Departs from Paris Gare de Lyon on the Seine's right bank in the 12th arrondissement, served by Metro lines 1 and 14 and RER A/D; the 1900 station also houses the historic Le Train Bleu restaurant overlooking the main hall.
Lyon station
Most trains arrive at Lyon Part-Dieu, the city's modern main hub in the Part-Dieu business district (not the old town), connected to Metro line B and several tram lines — about a 15-20 minute ride from Vieux Lyon and the Fourviere basilica.
Train vs. other options
Driving the roughly 460km via the A6 'Autoroute du Soleil' takes about 4h30m-5h without stops, and flying covers the distance in around 1h10m in the air but rarely beats the train door-to-door once airport transfers on both ends are added — the TGV's under-2-hour, city-center-to-city-center run is generally the fastest overall option.
Booking tips
- Ouigo fares from about 16 EUR are cheapest booked weeks ahead; last-minute TGV inOui tickets often cost 50 EUR or more for the same journey.
- Check which station your Ouigo ticket uses — most Paris-Lyon Ouigo trains run Gare de Lyon to Lyon Part-Dieu, but some cheaper fares route via Lyon-Saint-Exupery airport station instead.
- TGV inOui includes a free carry-on allowance and more flexible/refundable fare options than Ouigo's stricter low-cost tickets.
Good to know: Unlike Eurostar's international routes, there's no check-in or security screening for this domestic TGV — you can board minutes before departure with just your ticket — but Ouigo's cheapest fares sometimes use Lyon-Saint-Exupery airport station rather than central Lyon-Part-Dieu, so check the station code before booking on price alone.
While you're in Lyon
Lyon seen from Fourviere hill, with the Renaissance old town and the Rhone below.
Photo: Elwood j blues / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)France's self-declared food capital also has a UNESCO-listed Renaissance old town laced with traboules — hidden passageways silk workers once used to move fabric between workshops, many still open to walk through for free.
Full Lyon travel guide →Frequently asked questions
How long does the train from Paris to Lyon take?
The fastest TGV inOui and Ouigo trains take around 1 hour 54 minutes. Slower services or those with stops can take up to about 2 hours 15 minutes.
What's the cheapest way to get from Paris to Lyon by train?
Ouigo, SNCF's low-cost brand, offers the lowest advance fares, from around 16 EUR — but check whether your ticket uses central Lyon Part-Dieu or the further-out Lyon-Saint-Exupery airport station.
Is the Paris-Lyon train a historic line?
Yes — it's the original TGV route, opened in 1981 as France's first high-speed line (LGV Sud-Est), and remains one of the busiest high-speed corridors in Europe.