Lyon's Airport: Does It Exist?

Lyon, France, the third-largest city in the country, has two airports: Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport (formerly Lyon Satolas Airport) and Lyon-Bron Business Airport. Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport is the main airport serving Lyon and is located 26 km from the city centre. It is one of the five busiest airports in France, serving over 8 million passengers annually. The airport has flights from major carriers such as Air France, British Airways, and low-cost carriers such as EasyJet, Transavia, and Aer Lingus. Lyon-Bron Business Airport, on the other hand, is the third business airport in France and is connected to 2000 destinations.

Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport

Lyon, the third-largest city in France, has two airports: Lyon-Saint Exupéry International Airport and Lyon-Bron Business Airport. The Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport, formerly known as Lyon Satolas Airport, is an important transport facility for the entire Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. It is located in Colombier-Saugnieu, 11 nautical miles (20 km; 13 mi) southeast of Lyon's city centre. The airport is 30 minutes from the Lyon-Part-Dieu business district by the Rhônexpress tram, which operates 365 days a year. The airport was inaugurated by President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing on 12 April 1975 and opened to passengers a week later. It was designed to replace the old Lyon–Bron Airport, which is now only used for general aviation.

The airport has two terminals: Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. Terminal 2 is a duplicate of the older part of Terminal 1 and is mainly used by Air France. Terminal 3 was a basic facility used by low-cost carriers, which was demolished during Terminal 1's expansion. The expanded Terminal 1 opened in June 2018, doubling the airport's capacity and area. It has a circular shape with check-in area 10 and additional arrivals facilities on the ground level and departure gates B and C on both upper levels. It is also connected to a satellite building containing the D gates, used by low-cost airlines such as easyJet and Transavia France.

The airport offers a Fast-Track pass that gives priority access through security checkpoints. It features modern architecture, including a fan-shaped canopy designed by Santiago Calatrava, and has various cafes, restaurants, duty-free shops, boutiques, seating areas, and a children's play area. Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport is accessible by bus, train, coach, and car. It is served by the LGV Rhône-Alpes high-speed rail line, providing direct trains to Paris and Marseille. Coach services connect the airport with nearby towns, including Grenoble, Saint-Étienne, and Chambéry, as well as ski resorts such as Tignes and Val d'Isere. Bus line 48 also provides service to and from the airport.

Lyon-Bron Airport

As France's third-largest airport for business aviation, Lyon-Bron offers access to more than 2,000 European and transatlantic destinations, including those not served by regular airlines. The airport is dedicated to handling business aviation flights and is well-suited for medical flights and evacuations. During the COVID-19 crisis, the agility of business aviation at Lyon-Bron allowed for the operation of more than 150 medical flights, transporting caregivers and patients to other regions.

The airport facilities are designed to meet the needs of business aviation, offering speed and privacy to its passengers. Lyon-Bron Airport provides efficient and safe alternatives for business trips, with flexible transport options. It is easily accessible by taxi, with 1,400 taxis available in the Lyon area. Additionally, bus line 48 provides service to the airport from Bornicat, operating from 6:30 am to 8:30 pm with a journey time of 30 minutes.

Transport options to and from the airport

Lyon, France, has two airports: Lyon Saint-Exupéry International Airport and Lyon-Bron Business Airport. Here are the transport options to and from Lyon Saint-Exupéry International Airport:

Tram

The Rhônexpress tram connects Lyon Saint-Exupéry Airport to Lyon Part-Dieu train station in the city centre. The journey takes around 30 minutes, with trams running every 15 minutes from 6 am to 9 pm and every 30 minutes from 4.25 am to 6 am and 9 pm to midnight. Tickets cost €16.70/€29.10 for a single trip, with cheaper rates available online or for passengers under 25, and children under 12 travel for free. Tickets can be purchased online, from machines at the airport or tram stops, or from the on-board conductor (for a €4 fee).

Bus

Several bus lines serve Lyon Airport, including bus line 47 towards Meyzieu Zi and bus line 48 from Bornicat or Genas. Bus line 47 connects with the T3 tramway line at Meyzieu Zi, which goes to the Part-Dieu Villette station and the B metro line. Bus line 48 operates from 6.30 am to 8.30 pm every 35 minutes, with a journey time of around 30 minutes.

Train

Lyon Saint-Exupéry Airport has its own train station, Gare de Lyon Saint-Exupéry, which is served by the LGV Rhône-Alpes high-speed rail line. This provides direct trains to Paris and Marseille.

Shuttle

Shuttle services are available to and from the airport, including the Navette Airport shuttle, which charges around €8 for a single trip and €13 for a return (not including the tram ticket). This must be booked online in advance.

Taxi

Taxis are available to and from the airport, with a typical fare between the airport and the city centre ranging from €50 to €100, depending on the time and day, and whether you book in advance.

Car

Lyon Saint-Exupéry Airport is located just off the A432 motorway, which connects to the A43 (E711) motorway to the city centre. The airport offers short and long-term parking, with 14,700 parking spaces and 2,000 member-only spaces. Car-sharing services are also available, with electric and hybrid vehicles offered by providers such as Leo&go and Drivalia.

The airport's architectural design

Lyon, France, has two airports: Lyon Saint-Exupéry International Airport and Lyon-Bron Business Airport. The Lyon Saint-Exupéry Airport, formerly known as Lyon Satolas Airport, is the primary international airport of Lyon, the third-largest city in France. It is an important transport facility for the entire Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. The airport is located in Colombier-Saugnieu, 11 nautical miles (20 km; 13 mi) southeast of Lyon's city centre.

The architectural design of Lyon Saint-Exupéry Airport includes a fan-shaped canopy, designed by architect Santiago Calatrava, which is the airport's most notable architectural feature. The canopy covers the Gare de Lyon Saint-Exupéry station, which is a railway station directly attached to the airport. The station was built to serve TGV trains on the LGV Rhône-Alpes high-speed rail line, providing direct trains to Paris and Marseille. The dramatic form of the 5,600 square meter railway station resembles a bird at the point of flight and is envisioned as a symbolic gateway to the region of Lyon. The structure is a combination of concrete and steel, with a longitudinal, arched concrete walkway bridged at two points by a unifying, symmetrical road pattern. Access to the platforms is provided via concrete bridges, stairs, escalators, and glass elevators. The service concourse is connected to the airport by a raised, 180-meter steel gallery, which leads to a covered extension for pedestrian access to the parking garage, underground service area, and elevators.

The airport consists of two interconnected passenger terminals, Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, with a central building that has a footbridge to the nearby Gare de Lyon Saint-Exupéry station and the Rhônexpress terminus. Terminal 2 is a duplicate of the older part of Terminal 1, containing check-in areas, boarding areas, and arrivals facilities on the upper and lower levels, respectively. Terminal 1 was expanded in 2018, doubling its capacity and area. The expanded Terminal 1 has a circular shape with check-in and arrivals facilities on the ground level and departure gates on the upper levels. It is connected to a small satellite building that houses the 'D' gates for low-cost airlines such as easyJet.

The Lyon-Bron Business Airport, located in Bron, is the third-business airport in France, connected to 2,000 destinations. It offers easy access to and from the motorway, just 15 minutes from Lyon's city centre.

Airlines and destinations

Lyon, France, has two airports: Lyon Saint-Exupéry International Airport and Lyon-Bron Business Airport. Lyon Saint-Exupéry Airport, the fifth-largest airport in France, is the more popular option for travellers, with 11 million passengers carried in 2019 and 8,562,298 passengers served in 2013. The airport is located in Colombier-Saugnieu, 11 nautical miles (20 km; 13 mi) southeast of Lyon's city centre. It is easily accessible by road and public transport, with the Rhônexpress tram connecting the airport to the Lyon-Part-Dieu business district in around 30 minutes.

Lyon Saint-Exupéry Airport offers flights to 126 destinations with 47 or 48 airlines in scheduled passenger traffic. These include both regular and low-cost airlines, such as Aegean Airlines, Aer Lingus, Air Algerie, Air Arabia Maroc, Air Canada, Air Corsica, Air Dolomiti, Air France, Air Malta, Air Serbia, Air Transat, Austrian, British Airways, Brussels Airlines, Chalair, Corsair, Croatia Airlines, easyJet, El Al, Emirates, Eurowings, Fly One, FlyViking, Iberia, Jet2, KLM, LOT, Lufthansa, Norwegian Air, Norwegian Air International, Nouvelair Tunisie, Pegasus, Qatar Airways, Royal Air Maroc, Royal Jordanian, SAS, Sky Express, TAP Portugal, Transavia France, Transcarga, Tunisair, and Turkish Airlines.

The airport has two main terminals, Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, with a satellite building housing the 'D' gates for low-cost airlines. Terminal 2 is a duplicate of the older part of Terminal 1, with check-in areas 20 and 21 and boarding areas Q and P on the upper level. The expanded Terminal 1, which opened in June 2018, features a circular design with check-in area 10 and additional arrivals facilities on the ground level and departure gates B and C on the upper levels.

In addition to the airlines mentioned above, Lyon-Bron Business Airport is connected to 2,000 destinations, including those not served by regular airlines. This airport is located just 15 minutes from Lyon's city centre and is the third business airport in France.

Frequently asked questions