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How to take a train journey from Paris to Lyon
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Paris to Lyon by train
There is now a choice of five travel options when making the journey from by train from Paris to Lyon:
- The high speed TGV InOui trains which leave from the Gare De Lyon.
- The cheaper, but more basic Ouigo services, which also depart from the Gare De Lyon and take the same high speed route as the InOui services.
- High speed Frecciarossa 1000 trains operated by Trenitalia.
- Much slower TER trains, which leave from a station further from the city centre, which can't be accessed as easily.
So why are they are an option worth considering?
Two reasons:
- if you'll be buying tickets last minute at the station they'll be cheaper; or
- if you will be using Eurail or InterRail passes you can save at least €10.
- Slowest, but cheapest of all, the Ouigo Classique trains.
Routes you can take to go from Paris to Lyon
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?
Route Information
Station Guides
Travel Time (approx)
2hr (approx)
Frequency
Daily
Travel Info
1 - 2 x trains per hour
Is the journey from Paris to Lyon direct?
Yes, there is no need to make a connection when taking this route.
Is the journey scenic?
Not particularly, though 95% on the journey is on a high-speed line.
What other tourist locations are along the route from Paris to Lyon?
None, most of these trains are non-stop to Paris
Though Dijon is off of the direct route taken by these trains.
When is the usual approximate earliest arrival at Lyon-Part Dieu from Paris Gare De Lyon on this journey option?
- Before 08:00 on Monday to Friday
- Before 09:00 on Saturday
- Before 10:00 on Sunday
Source = European Rail Timetable
How easy is it to travel on from the station in Lyon?
Lyon-Part Dieu is served by two metro lines - See the Station Guide above for more info, plus easy access to multiple options for booking somewhere to stay in its neighborhood
When is the usual approximate latest departure from Paris Gare De Lyon to Lyon-Part Dieu on this journey option
- Around 21:00 on Monday to Friday and Sunday
- Around 19:00 on Saturday
Source = European Rail Timetable
How easy is it to get to the station in Paris?
The Gare De Lyon is served by two Metro lines - line 14 is now directly linked to Orly Airport. The station also has rail links from the Gare Du Nord and the La Défense business district.
See the Station Guide above for more info, plus easy access to multiple options for booking somewhere to stay by the Gare De Lyon.
Are tickets cheaper if booked in advance for these Paris to Lyon trains?
Yes, and they can be purchased from a choice of booking agents - see below.
Click on the 'Good to know info' to access a guide to how rail tickets are managed in France, plus step-by-step guides on how to make a booking.
How soon ahead of travel are tickets typically placed on sale for these Paris to Lyon trains?
Up to 6 months in advance, but it varies according to when / if SNCF has a promotion in place; see the Ticket Information.
What are the child ticket terms for these Paris to Lyon 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 Paris to Lyon 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 Paris to Lyon trains?
Yes - See the rail pass guide for France for info on the multiple booking options.
Is catering available on the Paris to Lyon trains on this journey option?
Yes, there is a bar/bistro car.
Purchasers of Business Première tickets will receive an at seat catering service when travelling between Paris and Lyon.
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.
Purchase Tickets
ShowMeTheJourney earns a small commission on SNCF Connect ticket sales. SNCF Connect doesn't charge booking fees and is the online booking service of the national rail operator in France. It also sells tickets for direct high speed trains between France and Belgium, Germany, Barcelona, London, Switzerland and The Netherlands.
SNCF Connect Guide
SNCF is the national rail operator in France and not so long ago it recently simplified both the range of tickets and the term and conditions of using them.
Therefore the cheapest tickets also become more flexible too.
Other improvements included a simple integration of travelling with bicycles and rail pass users being able to book reservations for national journeys, without paying booking fees.
And it also recently launched SNCF Connect as replacement for its Oui.SNCF booking service.
You can set up a low price alert to let you know when the cheapest price is available for a future journey.
Something else to look out for is that simplest way of travelling with tickets is to use the SNCF Connect App, as booked tickets can therefore be stored on your mobile device, which can then be shown to the train conductors as proof of purchase.
SNCF Connect in the App (Apple) store
SNCF also operates RailEurope, which is in effect a dedicated online booking service for making bookings from outside of Europe.
If you reside outside of Europe you may discover that SNCF Connect rejects phone numbers or card numbers, but RailEurope won't do so.
Though RailEurope will add booking fees when making a purchase
ShowMeTheJourney earns a small commission on rail tickets booked with Omio, a booking service which lists the cheapest option for each day of travel first in its search results. It also often enables easy comparison between taking the train and other modes of transport.
Omio Guide
Omio is an online ticket agency which offers tickets for rail journeys in France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy and Spain.
The three key advantages of using Omio are
- it offers prices in multiple currencies
- it usually offers price comparison with other modes of travel including flights and buses
- when visiting Europe, you can book journeys in multiple countries in one transaction.
The disadvantage of booking with Omio is that it often adds a booking fee to the final price; therefore when it does so without offering a price advantage, SMTJ doesn't tend to offer Omio as a booking option.
ShowMeTheJourney earns a small commission on Trainline ticket sales. It can be a particularly good option for: Comparing different train services; Booking international journeys with connections; Travelling between the UK to destinations beyond Amsterdam, Brussels and Paris - and for international travellers who don't reside in western Europe.
Trainline Guide
ShowMeTheJourney earns a small commission on Rail Europe ticket sales. It can be a particularly good option when booking international journeys with connections and for travellers who don't reside in western Europe. Use the easy options on its home page if you will be booking tickets with a railcard: Or purchasing rail pass reservations.
Other Ticket Providers
Save A Train Guide
Travel Information
Note that these trains depart from the Gare De Lyon in Paris.
Final Destination: Lyon-Perrache and/or St. Etienne
Arriving in Lyon
Check the location of your final destination in Lyon.
The TGVs from Paris first call at Lyon Part-Dieu station, before going on to complete their journey at Lyon Perrache station.
Lyon-Perrache is closest to the city centre, but Part Dieu, which is to the east of the city centre, has easier public transport links to other parts of the city.
The TGVs from Paris will arrive at Perrache around 13 mins after they arrive at Part Dieu, so the quickest option to access many parts of the city, can be to make public transport connections from Part Dieu station.
Part Dieu is on line B of the Lyon Metro and Perrache is the terminus of Line A.
The alternative journey option:
These TGVs aren't the only option for a train journey from Paris to Lyon.
There are also less frequent TER trains, which are also much slower because they avoid the high speed line, which the TGVs use.
If you will be buying tickets lass minute at the station*, they will be a cheaper alternative to these TGVs, but this a route on which it pays to plan ahead, as the journey by the TER trains is more than twice as long!
*Those TER trains also depart from a different station in Paris to the TGVs.
This is a direct journey
You will be travelling on one of these trains...
Journey Features
There is little of note to see on the journey, but what gives the journey it's sense of wonder, is that you'll be spending most of the trip travelling at more than 275 km/h on Europe's first ever high speed line.
The train heads on to the high speed line as soon as it reaches the edge of Paris, around 12 mins into the journey, and doesn't come off it until around 5 mins before the train is due into Lyon.
This video was taken from a train travelling in the opposite direction, but it gives an idea of the speed and the typical views of the French countryside which can be experienced during this journey.
Please support ShowMeTheJourney
This second version of ShowMeTheJourney is exciting and new, so we are genuinely thrilled that you are here and reading this, but we also need your help.
We’re striving not to let anything get in the way of providing the most useful service possible, hence a facility has been set up with DonorBox which can be used to support the running costs and make improvements.
Instead of advertising or paywalls, your financial support will make a positive difference to delivering an enhanced service, as there’s a lot of ideas which we want to make happen.
So if you have found the info provided here to be useful, please go here to say thank you.
Tickets
There are three train services between Paris and Lyon:
(1) these TGV Inoui trains, (2) more basic Ouigo services and (3) the alternative slower service by TER train..
If you're booking in advance, the cheapest 'Prems' tickets for these TGV trains will be cheaper than the TER trains, but the Ouigo services will be cheapest of all.
However, if you will be booking last minute (at the station*) then the TER trains are likely to be (much) cheaper.
Booking these TGV InOui trains:
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings usually open: up to 6 months ahead of the travel date
When booking 2nd class tickets only one type of ticket will be available per departure, discounted 'Prems' tickets or 'Seconde' tickets; though the price of Seconde tickets are also typically cheaper when they are first placed on sale.
When booking 1st class tickets there will be a choice of Premiere tickets and Business Premiere tickets.
The two key T&Cs of booking Prems, Seconde, or Premiere tickets are:
- Up until two days prior to departure, these types of tickets can be refunded for no additional charge (big tick), but a €15 fee will be payable for making a refund in the two days prior to departure.
- It's also possible to exchange tickets to an alternative departure on the same journey, but you will have to pay any difference in price between the cost you paid and the cost at the time of the exchange.
Though if you book Business Premiere tickets, the key T&Cs are that tickets can be exchanged and refunded free of charge up to 30 minutes after departure, so if you get to the station just too late to miss the train you were originally booked on to, you won't lose out financially.
Seats will automatically be assigned when booking tickets for this journey, but rail pass users will need to be pay a reservation fee prior to boarding these TGV trains.
The price is dictated by demand per departure, so book ahead and try and be flexible re: your departure and arrival times, as trains leaving earlier or later can be cheaper.
Note that cheaper, but more basic Ouigo trains now operate on this route from Paris Gare De Lyon to Lyon.
Rail Pass Users:
If you will be travelling with a valid Eurail or InterRail pass, you can avoid the reservation fees on these TGV trains, by taking the alternative TER trains.
Route Information
Station Guides
Travel Time (approx)
2hrs
Frequency
Daily
Travel Info
Monday: = 3 x trains
Tuesday to Friday: = 2 x trains per day
Saturday: = 3 x trains
Sunday: = 2 x trains
Is the journey from Paris to Lyon direct?
Yes, there is no need to make a connection when taking this route.
Is the journey scenic?
Not particularly
What other tourist locations are along the route from Paris to Lyon?
None, most of these trains are non-stop to Lyon.
When is the usual approximate earliest arrival at Lyon-Part Dieu from Paris Gare de Lyon on this journey option?
After 14:30 daily
Source = European Rail Timetable
How easy is it to travel on from the station in Lyon?
Lyon-Part Dieu is served by two metro lines - See the Station Guide above for more info, plus easy access to multiple options for booking somewhere to stay in its neighborhood
When is the usual approximate latest departure from Paris Gare de Lyon to Lyon-Part Dieu on this journey option
After 19:15 daily
Source = European Rail Timetable
How easy is it to get to the station in Paris?
The Gare De Lyon is served by two Metro lines - line 14 is now directly linked to Orly Airport. The station also has rail links from the Gare Du Nord and the La Défense business district.
See the Station Guide above for more info, plus easy access to multiple options for booking somewhere to stay by the Gare De Lyon.
Are tickets cheaper if booked in advance for these Paris to Lyon trains?
Yes
How soon ahead of travel are tickets typically placed on sale for the Paris to Lyon train for this journey option?
Typically up to 6 months ahead, but it varies according to when /if SNCF has a promotion in place; see the Ticket Information
What are the child ticket terms for these Paris to Lyon trains?
The adult rate is charged for all travellers aged 12 and over.
A price of €8 is charged for children aged 11 and under.
Does the ticket for these Paris to Lyon trains include assigned seats?
Yes, more info on the seat selection is available on the 'Train Guide' within the Journey Information guide below
Do rail pass users need to book reservations for these Paris to Lyon trains?
Rail passes are not valid on Ouigo services.
Is catering available on the Paris to Lyon train on this journey option?
No
What else is good to know about French rail travel?
Check out the guide to travelling by train in France.
Purchase Tickets
ShowMeTheJourney earns a small commission on SNCF Connect ticket sales. SNCF Connect doesn't charge booking fees and is the online booking service of the national rail operator in France. It also sells tickets for direct high speed trains between France and Belgium, Germany, Barcelona, London, Switzerland and The Netherlands.
SNCF Connect Guide
SNCF is the national rail operator in France and not so long ago it recently simplified both the range of tickets and the term and conditions of using them.
Therefore the cheapest tickets also become more flexible too.
Other improvements included a simple integration of travelling with bicycles and rail pass users being able to book reservations for national journeys, without paying booking fees.
And it also recently launched SNCF Connect as replacement for its Oui.SNCF booking service.
You can set up a low price alert to let you know when the cheapest price is available for a future journey.
Something else to look out for is that simplest way of travelling with tickets is to use the SNCF Connect App, as booked tickets can therefore be stored on your mobile device, which can then be shown to the train conductors as proof of purchase.
SNCF Connect in the App (Apple) store
SNCF also operates RailEurope, which is in effect a dedicated online booking service for making bookings from outside of Europe.
If you reside outside of Europe you may discover that SNCF Connect rejects phone numbers or card numbers, but RailEurope won't do so.
Though RailEurope will add booking fees when making a purchase
ShowMeTheJourney earns a small commission on Trainline ticket sales. It can be a particularly good option for: Comparing different train services; Booking international journeys with connections; Travelling between the UK to destinations beyond Amsterdam, Brussels and Paris - and for international travellers who don't reside in western Europe.
Trainline Guide
Other Ticket Providers
Travel Information
Final Destination: Lyon-Perrache
When making a high speed train journey from central Paris to Lyon, you now have a choice of travelling by standard TGV InOui trains or by these Ougio services.
So you can now opt to save money, but have a much more basic on board experience, and travel on a Ouigo.
Note that there are now Ouigo trains which depart from the Gare De Lyon in Paris, but when looking up this journey on national booking service OuiSNCF look out for the fact you will see other options of trains which arrive at the out-of-city station, Lyon St. Exupery; though express trams link that station to Part-Dieu.
These Ouigo services are typically scheduled to depart from Paris at 06:25 (not Sunday); 12:28 and 18:30
This is a direct journey
You will be travelling on one of these trains...
Journey Features
There is little of note to see on the journey, but what gives the journey it's sense of wonder, is that you'll be spending most of the trip travelling at more than 275 km/h on Europe's first ever high speed line.
The train heads on to the high speed line as soon as it reaches the edge of Paris, around 12 mins into the journey, and doesn't come off it until around 5 mins before the train is due into Lyon.
This video was taken from a train travelling in the opposite direction, but it gives an idea of the speed and the typical views of the French countryside which can be experienced during this journey.
Please support ShowMeTheJourney
This second version of ShowMeTheJourney is exciting and new, so we are genuinely thrilled that you are here and reading this, but we also need your help.
We’re striving not to let anything get in the way of providing the most useful service possible, hence a facility has been set up with DonorBox which can be used to support the running costs and make improvements.
Instead of advertising or paywalls, your financial support will make a positive difference to delivering an enhanced service, as there’s a lot of ideas which we want to make happen.
So if you have found the info provided here to be useful, please go here to say thank you.
Tickets
Online bookings usually open: up to 9 months ahead of the travel date
Tickets for the alternative service of TGV InOui trains are usually made available 4 months ahead, so if you look up this journey more than 4 months ahead on SNCF Connect, you may only see these Ouigo services, but they are not the only option on this route.
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:
Rail passes cannot be used on 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
Route Information
Station Guides
Travel Time (approx)
1hr 57min
Frequency
Daily
Travel Info
5 or 6 x trains per day
Is the journey from Paris to Lyon direct?
Yes, there is no need to make a connection when taking this route.
Is the journey scenic?
Not particularly, though 95% on the journey is on a high-speed line.
What other tourist locations are along the route from Paris to Lyon?
None, most of these trains are non-stop to Lyon.
When is the usual approximate earliest arrival at Lyon-Part Dieu from Paris Gare De Lyon on this journey option?
Before 10:00 daily
Source = European Rail Timetable
How easy is it to travel on from the station in Lyon?
Lyon-Part Dieu is served by two metro lines - See the Station Guide above for more info, plus easy access to multiple options for booking somewhere to stay in its neighborhood
When is the usual approximate latest departure from Paris Gare De Lyon to Lyon-Part Dieu on this journey option
Around 20:00 daily
Source = European Rail Timetable
How easy is it to get to the station in Paris?
The Gare De Lyon is served by two Metro lines - line 14 is now directly linked to Orly Airport. The station also has rail links from the Gare Du Nord and the La Défense business district.
See the Station Guide above for more info, plus easy access to multiple options for booking somewhere to stay by the Gare De Lyon.
Are tickets cheaper if booked in advance for these Paris to Lyon trains?
Yes
How soon ahead of travel are tickets typically placed on sale for these Paris to Lyon trains?
Typically around 4 months in advance.
What are the child ticket terms for these Paris to Lyon trains?
The adult rate is charged for all travellers aged 15 and over.
Children aged 5-14 pay half fare
Does the ticket for these Paris to Lyon 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 Paris to Lyon trains?
Rail passes cannot be used on these trains on this route.
Is catering available on the Paris to Lyon TGV trains on this journey option?
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.
Purchase Tickets
ShowMeTheJourney earns a small commission on Trainline ticket sales. It can be a particularly good option for: Comparing different train services; Booking international journeys with connections; Travelling between the UK to destinations beyond Amsterdam, Brussels and Paris - and for international travellers who don't reside in western Europe.
Trainline Guide
ShowMeTheJourney earns a small commission on rail tickets booked with Omio, a booking service which lists the cheapest option for each day of travel first in its search results. It also often enables easy comparison between taking the train and other modes of transport.
Omio Guide
Omio is an online ticket agency which offers tickets for rail journeys in France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy and Spain.
The three key advantages of using Omio are
- it offers prices in multiple currencies
- it usually offers price comparison with other modes of travel including flights and buses
- when visiting Europe, you can book journeys in multiple countries in one transaction.
The disadvantage of booking with Omio is that it often adds a booking fee to the final price; therefore when it does so without offering a price advantage, SMTJ doesn't tend to offer Omio as a booking option.
Other Ticket Providers
Trenitalia Guide
Trenitlalia is the national rail operator in Italy and in addition to its cheaper types of ticket; it also typically offers other discounts available to non-Italians, which include:
- Group Offers, provides for a discount of up to 50% when 3-5 Adults travel together.
- Family Offer for when groups of 2 - 5 people are travelling together and at least one of the party is a aged 11 and under.
- The Children Free Offer is available for journeys by Frecce trains, when groups of 2 - 5 people are travelling together and at least one of the party is a aged 15 and under.
Those aged 15 and under travel for free, but the Adults will need to purchase full price 'Base' tickets.
Travel Information
Final Destination: Milano Cle or Lyon Perrache
Three Frecciarossa 1000 trains per day in have been added to the Paris to Lyon route.
This is a direct journey
You will be travelling on one of these trains...
Journey Features
There is little of note to see on the journey, but what gives the journey it's sense of wonder, is that you'll be spending most of the trip travelling at more than 275 km/h on Europe's first ever high speed line.
The train heads on to the high speed line as soon as it reaches the edge of Paris, around 12 mins into the journey, and doesn't come off it until around 5 mins before the train is due into Lyon.
This video was taken from a train travelling in the opposite direction, but it gives an idea of the speed and the typical views of the French countryside which can be experienced during this journey.
Please support ShowMeTheJourney
This second version of ShowMeTheJourney is exciting and new, so we are genuinely thrilled that you are here and reading this, but we also need your help.
We’re striving not to let anything get in the way of providing the most useful service possible, hence a facility has been set up with DonorBox which can be used to support the running costs and make improvements.
Instead of advertising or paywalls, your financial support will make a positive difference to delivering an enhanced service, as there’s a lot of ideas which we want to make happen.
So if you have found the info provided here to be useful, please go here to say thank you.
Tickets
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings open: 4 months* ahead of the travel date
Frecciarossa 1000 trains on the domestic routes within Italy convey 4 classes of accommodation, but the Standard Premier service is seemingly not available on this French route.
Also 'Allegro' has been introduced as the branding for the Business Class, SMTJ isn't certain as to the reason for this, other than to make a distinction with the tickets on the domestic routes.
The price and departure times of the Frecce, InOui and Ouigo trains can be directly compared on Trainline.
Route Information
4: Slower TER trains can be a money saving option
Station Guides
Travel Time (approx)
5hr 6min - 5hr 18min
Frequency
Daily
Travel Info
Monday to Friday: = 5 x trains per day
Saturday: = 4 x trains
Sunday: = 5 x trains
Is the journey from Paris to Lyon direct?
Yes, there is no need to make a connection when taking this route.
Is the journey scenic?
Not particularly, though there are some nice views into the distance on the right when facing the direction of travel, to the north of Dijon.
When is the usual approximate earliest arrival in Lyon on this journey option?
Before 10:45 daily (on Monday to Friday this first train of the day departs from Paris Gare De Lyon)
Source = European Rail Timetable
When is the usual approximate latest departure from Paris on this journey option
- Before 17:30 on Monday to Friday and Sunday
- Before 15:45 on Saturday
Source = European Rail Timetable
Are tickets cheaper if booked in advance for these Paris to Lyon trains?
Yes
How soon ahead of travel are tickets typically placed on sale for these Paris to Lyon trains?
Typically up to 4 months, but it varies according to when /if SNCF has a promotion in place; see the Ticket Information
What are the child ticket terms for these Paris to Lyon 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 Paris to Lyon trains include assigned seats?
No, reservations are not available on these trains
Do rail pass users need to book reservations for these Paris to Lyon trains?
No; but a small supplement needs to be paid prior to boarding at a ticket counter
Is catering available on the Paris to Lyon trains on this journey option?
No
What else is good to know about French rail travel?
Check out the guide to travelling by train in France.
Purchase Tickets
ShowMeTheJourney earns a small commission on SNCF Connect ticket sales. SNCF Connect doesn't charge booking fees and is the online booking service of the national rail operator in France. It also sells tickets for direct high speed trains between France and Belgium, Germany, Barcelona, London, Switzerland and The Netherlands.
SNCF Connect Guide
SNCF is the national rail operator in France and not so long ago it recently simplified both the range of tickets and the term and conditions of using them.
Therefore the cheapest tickets also become more flexible too.
Other improvements included a simple integration of travelling with bicycles and rail pass users being able to book reservations for national journeys, without paying booking fees.
And it also recently launched SNCF Connect as replacement for its Oui.SNCF booking service.
You can set up a low price alert to let you know when the cheapest price is available for a future journey.
Something else to look out for is that simplest way of travelling with tickets is to use the SNCF Connect App, as booked tickets can therefore be stored on your mobile device, which can then be shown to the train conductors as proof of purchase.
SNCF Connect in the App (Apple) store
SNCF also operates RailEurope, which is in effect a dedicated online booking service for making bookings from outside of Europe.
If you reside outside of Europe you may discover that SNCF Connect rejects phone numbers or card numbers, but RailEurope won't do so.
Though RailEurope will add booking fees when making a purchase
Travel Information
Final Destination: Lyon
Note that these trains do NOT depart from Paris Gare De Lyon/Paris Lyon.
They depart from Paris Bercy which is a different station, which is connected to the Gare De Lyon by Line 14 of the Paris Metro
These TER trains are much slower alternative to taking a TGV from Paris to Lyon, the journey time is more than twice as long.
So why would you consider spending an additional three hours on a train journey from Paris to Lyon?
Two possible reasons:
(1) Once the discounted tickets for the TGVs have sold out, these TER trains are cheaper.
So they'll be cheaper if you want to buy tickets last minute at the station.
(2) If you will be travelling with an InterRail or Eurail pass, you can save a minimum of €10 by not taking the TGV.
This is a direct journey
You will be travelling on one of these trains...
Journey Features
Tickets
Book early and save: No
Tickets will cost the same price if purchased at the station immediately before departure.
These trains will be only be cheaper than the much faster TGV trains, when the discounted tickets for the TGVs have sold out.
So if you'll be buying tickets at the station on the day of travel, it's likely that you can save around €25 by taking these trains.
Rail pass users can avoid the reservation fees on the TGVs by taking these trains.
Route Information
Station Guides
Travel Time (approx)
5hr 40min (approx)
Frequency
Daily
Travel Info
1 or 2 x trains per day
Is the journey from Paris to Dijon direct?
Yes, there is no need to make a connection when taking this route.
Is the journey scenic?
Not particularly, though there are some nice views into the distance on the right when facing the direction of travel, to the north of Dijon.
When is the usual approximate earliest arrival in Lyon on this journey option?
Before 13:00
Source = European Rail Timetable
When is the usual approximate latest departure from Paris on this journey option
Around 15:55 daily
Source = European Rail Timetable
Are tickets cheaper if booked in advance for these Paris to Dijon trains?
Yes
How soon ahead of travel are tickets typically placed on sale for the Paris to Dijon train for this journey option?
Typically up to 6 weeks ahead; see the Ticket Information
What are the child ticket terms for these Paris to Angers trains?
The adult rate is charged for all travellers aged 12 and over.
A price of €8 is charged for children aged 11 and under.
Does the ticket for these Paris to Dijon trains include assigned seats?
No, but they can be purchased for an additional cost.
Do rail pass users need to book reservations for these Paris to Dijon trains?
Rail passes are not valid on Ouigo services.
Is catering available on the Paris to Dijon train on this journey option?
No
Purchase Tickets
ShowMeTheJourney earns a small commission on SNCF Connect ticket sales. SNCF Connect doesn't charge booking fees and is the online booking service of the national rail operator in France. It also sells tickets for direct high speed trains between France and Belgium, Germany, Barcelona, London, Switzerland and The Netherlands.
SNCF Connect Guide
SNCF is the national rail operator in France and not so long ago it recently simplified both the range of tickets and the term and conditions of using them.
Therefore the cheapest tickets also become more flexible too.
Other improvements included a simple integration of travelling with bicycles and rail pass users being able to book reservations for national journeys, without paying booking fees.
And it also recently launched SNCF Connect as replacement for its Oui.SNCF booking service.
You can set up a low price alert to let you know when the cheapest price is available for a future journey.
Something else to look out for is that simplest way of travelling with tickets is to use the SNCF Connect App, as booked tickets can therefore be stored on your mobile device, which can then be shown to the train conductors as proof of purchase.
SNCF Connect in the App (Apple) store
SNCF also operates RailEurope, which is in effect a dedicated online booking service for making bookings from outside of Europe.
If you reside outside of Europe you may discover that SNCF Connect rejects phone numbers or card numbers, but RailEurope won't do so.
Though RailEurope will add booking fees when making a purchase
Other Ticket Providers
Travel Information
Final Destination: Lyon-Perrache
Note that these trains depart from a different station in Paris, so if your journey will be commencing in the area in the around Austerlitz station factor this into the end-to-end journey time
On certain days there are additional trains, which can depart from Paris Bercy and Paris Gare De Lyon.
This is a direct journey
You will be travelling on one of these trains...
Journey Features
Tickets
Online bookings usually open: up to 6 weeks ahead of the travel date
The journey by these trains are price from €10
if you will be buying tickets on the day of travel, these trains tend to be around half the price of the TER trains.
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 an additional €3 to select a specific seat
- You cannot book or collect tickets for Ouigo trains at stations.
The two key T&Cs 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.
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