How to take a thrilling high speed rail journey from Lyon to Lille

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Lyon to Lille by train

Routes you can take to go from Lyon to Lille

When travelling between most cities by train there is only one logical option, though on other journeys there is a choice between different trains or alternative routes. If different options are available you can use the info to decide which is best for you.

Choose one of the following options:

Looking for connections?

Journey guides for travel to Lyon Journey guides for travel from Lille

Route Information

Option 1: to Lille-Europe station

Station Guides

These large departure boards can be found inside both main entrances

Lyon Part-Dieu Rail Station Guide

Passengers head down the escalators to take a TGV train - Eurostar passengers take a different route

Lille Europe Rail Station Guide

Travel Time (approx)

3hr - (approx)

Frequency

Daily

Travel Info

Mon to Sat: 6 x trains per day
Sunday: 5 x trains

Is the journey from Lyon to Lille direct?
Yes, there is no need to make a connection when taking this route.

Is the journey scenic?
No, though for more than 95% of the journey is on a high speed line

What other tourist locations are along the route from Lyon to Lille?
Marne La Vallée for Disneyland Paris

When is the usual approximate earliest arrival at Bruxelles-Midi / Brussel-Zuid from Lyon-Part-Dieu?

Before 09:00 on Monday to Saturday
Before 11:30 on Sunday
Source = European Rail Timetable

How easy is it to travel on from the station in Lille?
The centre of Lille is easily walkable from Lille-Europe station and it is also served by the Lille metro.
See the Station Guide above for more info, plus easy access to multiple options for booking somewhere to stay in their neighborhoods.

When is the approximate latest departure from Lyon-Part-Dieu?

Around 19:00 on Monday to Saturday
Around 20:30 on Monday to Saturday
Source = European Rail Timetable

How easy is it to get to the station in Lyon?
Lyon has a Metro and Part-Dieu station is on its line B, Part Dieu is also the main hub of the city's tram network.
See the Station Guide above for more info, plus easy access to multiple options for booking somewhere to stay by Lyon-Part Dieu.

Are tickets cheaper if booked in advance for these Lyon to Lille trains?
Yes, and they can be purchased from a choice of booking agents - see below.

How soon ahead of travel are tickets typically placed on sale for these Lyon to Lille trains?
Up to 6 months in advance

What are the child ticket terms for these Lyon to Lille trains?
The adult rate is charged for all travellers aged 12 and over.
Children aged 4-11 pay half fare

Does the ticket for these Lyon to Lille trains include assigned seats?
Yes - See the Train Guide in the Journey Information for insights on how to board the train.

Do rail pass users need to book reservations for these Lyon to Lille trains?
Yes; see the rail pass reservation guide for the options on how to book.

Is catering available on the Lyon to Lille trains?
Yes, there is a bar/bistro car.
See the Train Guide in the Journey Information.

What else is good to know about French rail travel?
Check out the guide to travelling by train in France.

Tickets

Book early and save: Yes

Online bookings usually open: up to 6 months ahead of the travel date - but bookings can open sooner when SNCF is running a promotion

The train service between Lyon and Lille is split between these TGV-InOui services and Ouigo services.
Both services can be compared and booked SNCF Connect

Booking these TGV InOui services:

Seat reservations are complimentary on these TGV InOui services; you can choose a type of seat, and in what part of the train you want to travel by; including opting for the lower or upper decks.

Booking the alternative Ouigo services:

What is particularly worth being aware of when booking tickets for journeys by Ouigo train services, is that:

Premiere/1st class tickets are not available.
Reservations are included when booking, as they are on the TGV InOui trains, but you can opt to pay additional fess, or book a more expensive type of ticket to select a specific seat (more info is available on the Ouigo 'Train Guide').
The more expensive type of tickets also include an additional luggage allowance, click the Ouigo 'Train Guide' to access more info on the luggage allowances on Ouigo trains; they're more restrictive than on a TGV InOui train.
You cannot book or collect tickets for Ouigo trains at stations.
The two key T&Cs of booking either of the two types of ticket available for journeys by Ouigo trains are:

The tickets are not refundable.
Exchanges to alternative departures are possible until 1 hour before the beginning of the boarding procedure, but they incur a fee of €10 per passenger, with any price difference between the old and new ticket(s) also added to this fee.

Though these factors, and more, are why you can make big savings by opting to travel by these Ouigo trains and not on the standard TGV InOui trains.

Eurail and InterRail Pass users:

In theory, if you will be travelling with a valid Eurail or InterRail pass, you can book reservations for these direct TGV-InOui trains on Oui-SNCF - as explained here.

However, whenever we have tried to book rail pass reservations for these InOui services to Lille, we have instead been given the option to travel via Paris; though if that occurs, you will only have to pay one fee.

Rail passes cannot be used on the Ouigo trains, but if you will be travelling with a 2nd class pass, our guide to using rail passes in France, explains why taking a Ouigo train can be worth considering.

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How to take a thrilling high speed rail journey from Lyon to Lille

Share this journey with a friend...

Lyon to Lille by train