Is Lyon worth a day trip?

Yes: 8.3 hours in Lyon, £204 for the whole day, 30 min into town each way. Enough for the main sights and a proper lunch without rushing.

How long do you actually get in Lyon?

About 8.3 hours in Lyon. Landing to take-off is 11.4 hours; the trip into town and back, passport checks and the time at the airport come off that.

How do you get from Lyon airport into town?

Rhônexpress tram 30 min, €28.50 return online (€16.30 one way, €17.40 at the machine). A day ticket on local transport is TCL Pass 24h €6.90 (zones 1&2). Cheaper option: Bus C200 from Vaulx-en-Velin La Soie metro, about 40 min, €2.10 (€2.50 on board). Only 1 bus in 3 on weekdays (1 in 2 at weekends) goes on to the airport.

What does a day in Lyon cost, not counting the flight?

About £44 a person for the day: local transport, lunch, dinner and a drink. Paid attractions are listed separately because most people do one or none, and an average that includes them is a number nobody actually pays.

Is the flight price on this page the one I will pay?

The fare shown is the cheapest recently seen on this route, not a live quote for these exact flights. Check the airline or the booking link for the price you will actually pay.

How early do I need to be back at the airport?

Leave the city by 19:00. That allows 30 min to get back to the airport and 100 min there, including 10 min for passport checks on the way out, before the 21:10 flight home.

Will passport checks eat my day?

We allow 30 min on landing for the EU Entry/Exit System (fingerprints and a photo on your first trip) and 10 min extra on the way out. That is already taken off the 8.3 hours shown. These are estimates; queues run longer on busy days.

Day trip to Lyon.
From London Heathrow, back by 21:50.

France·Sun 8 Nov · 8.3 hours in the city

£204

the whole day

8.3 hours

in the city

21:50

back in London Heathrow

Day Trip Flight Details

Time in the city

8.3 hours

after transfersAfter transfers and airport time

Airport distance

25km

to the centreFrom Lyon centre (LYS)

Daylight

9.9 hours

07:28 to 17:19Sunrise 07:28, sunset 17:19

FlightAirport, immigration and transportIn the city

07:05
Leave London Heathrow
British Airways, direct
10:45
In the city
Lands 09:45, 30min immigration, 30min from the airport
19:00
Leave the city
30min back, 100min at the airport incl. immigration
21:50
Back in London Heathrow
Flies 21:10

Leave London HeathrowBritish Airways, direct07:05
Land in Lyon1h 40min09:45
In the city30min immigration, 30min from the airport10:45
Leave the city30min back, 100min at the airport incl. immigration19:00
Fly home1h 40min21:10
Back in London Heathrow21:50

Last bus or train to the airport: 23:30, at the airport 23:59.

Typical weather for this date

13°C

average high

6°C

average low

4 in 10

years it rained

This date is too far out to forecast. These are Lyon's actual figures for the same date across the last 10 years.

Lyon’s Christmas markets open 22 Nov

Also on in Lyon

Coming up in Lyon: Beaujolais Nouveau weekend, 18 to 22 Nov

Things to do in LyonShow

Guided Sightseeing Cruise on the Saône by Les Bateaux LyonnaisTickets on TiqetsAffiliate link
Lyon: VR Experience "Life Chronicles"Tickets on TiqetsAffiliate link
Lyon City CardTickets on TiqetsAffiliate link
ECLIPSO Lyon: Les Derniers Remparts - Carcassonne 1304 VR ExperienceTickets on TiqetsAffiliate link

All things to do in Lyon · Tiqets, affiliate link

With kids in LyonShow

What a day in Lyon costs

Flights and on-the-ground spend, per person.

£204/ all in, per person

Bus C200 from Vaulx-en-Velin La Soie metro to the city, there and back£4

Local transport£6

Lunch£17

Dinner£17

Beer calculator× 0£0

Entry fees, on top (optional)

Musée des Confluences£10 (€12)

Musée des Beaux-Arts de Lyon£7 (€8)

Lugdunum£3.40 (€4)

Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière, Roman theatres of Fourvière (outdoor theatres only), Parc de la Tête d'Or, Open-air markets (Market days only)Free

On the ground£44

Prices checked 3 Oct 2026

Return flight from£160

Google Flights price. Checked 17 hours ago.

Getting to Heathrowfrom free

All in, per person£204

Book on Google Flights

Compare fares on Aviasales · Affiliate link

Estimated cost. Fares last checked 8 Oct, 15:42. Prices and availability change and are set by the airline or agent when you book.

The main button opens the airline or Google Flights; Compare fares goes to Aviasales, who pay us a small commission.

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Half the price, kept for good, for the first 1,000 members.

£19a year, locked for life

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Getting to the airportShow

Getting to Heathrow

Per person. Not in the total above. Prices checked 25 Sept 2026.

Free

Free drop-offFree
Park & Ride car parks: first 29 minutes free, then a free shuttle bus to the terminal (7-20 min depending on terminal). Source

Train

From London (Heathrow Express, Paddington)£10 each way15-20 min
Advance single; On the day £26. First train 04:34, last train 23:57 Source
From London (Elizabeth line)Price not published
On the day £13.90. First train 05:21, last train 00:12 Source

Coach

National Express from London£10.50 each way
Cheapest advertised single. Source

Taxi

From London£60-£100 one way~18 miles
Estimate, not a quote.

Parking at the airport

Paid drop-offfrom £7
Terminal Drop-Off Charge: £7 per entry, no time allowance (any dwell counts as one visit), ANPR-enforced 24/7/365, no cash accepted. Source
Terminal Parking (was Short Stay)£98
12-24hr tariff. Source
Park & Ride (was Long Stay)£46.80
Same-day rate. Source
Priority Park & Ride (was Business)£47.90
Same-day rate. Source

More parking

Meet & GreetNo same-day price
From £138.60 (per day). Source
Valet ParkingNo same-day price
Source
Pod Parking (T5 only)No same-day price
From £59.60 (from price). Source

Parking nearby

No same-day price published. See multi-day prices

Purple Parking Park & Ride PLUS (T2/T3/T5)£9.24
Multi-day price, not a same-day quote. Shuttle 8-18 min. Source
Maple Parking Express Park & Ride (T2&3/T5)£12.31
Multi-day price, not a same-day quote. Shuttle 4-10 min. Source
MBW Meet & Greet (T3/T5)£15.86
Multi-day price, not a same-day quote. Shuttle 2 min. Source

Costs people forgetShow

Costs people forget

Not in the total above. Worth a minute before you go.

Phone data. EE, Vodafone and Three charge about £2.75 a day to use your allowance in Europe. O2, Tesco Mobile and giffgaff include it free.
Card fees. Many cards add a foreign-exchange fee to every payment abroad. Check yours before you go, or take one that doesn't charge it.

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Day trip to Lyon.
From London Heathrow, back by 21:50.

Day Trip Flight Details

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Related reading

Beaujolais Nouveau Day Trip to Lyon: Christmas Market, First Sunday

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Beaujolais Nouveau Day Trip to Lyon: Christmas Market, First Sunday

Day trip to Lyon.From London Heathrow, back by 21:50.

Day Trip Flight Details

Become a founder

Become a founder

Related reading

Beaujolais Nouveau Day Trip to Lyon: Christmas Market, First Sunday

Related reading

Beaujolais Nouveau Day Trip to Lyon: Christmas Market, First Sunday

Day trip to Lyon.
From London Heathrow, back by 21:50.