Lyon

Lyon is reachable in under four hours from Brussels or six hours from Amsterdam via TGV. France's culinary capital is located on the main high-speed spine between the Rhône and Saône rivers. Main departure and boarding stations for the TGV INOUI include:

• Brussels-South (Midi) (3h 41m, direct)
• Antwerp Central (4h 24m, 1 transfer)
• Rotterdam Central (4h 59m, 1 transfer)
• Amsterdam Central (5h 47m, 1 transfer)

SNCF TGV tickets start from €49.00 when booked 3 to 4 months ahead. Last-minute seats frequently rise to €160.00, saving roughly 69% (€111). Coach alternatives include Flixbus or multi-leg budget connections.

The train arrives at Gare de Lyon-Part-Dieu. The TCL Metro & Tram takes you straight to Place Bellecour and Vieux Lyon in minutes, or pedal along the riverbanks with Vélo'v Lyon.

Driving to Lyon takes approximately 10h 02m (~859 km). Expect around €109 in fuel (assuming 6.5 L/100 km, or ~€65 for EV charging (19 kWh/100 km)), around €40 in tolls (French A6 Autoroute du Soleil péage), and parking (€28 per day in the city center (or ~€6 per day at a peripheral P+R)). For a weekend trip (round-trip fuel, any tolls, and 48 hours of central parking), total driving costs amount to ~€354 (~€266 for an electric car). The city center requires the Crit'Air environmental sticker in Lyon Métropole (categories 0 to 2 allowed). Charging points are mapped on this link.