Information and Travel Guide for Lyon Saint Exupery Airport
Lyon Saint Exupery Airport, France (LYS)

The Lyon-Saint Exupery International Airport is located just 15 miles from the city of Lyon. Since it is easily accessible by high-speed trains directly from Paris and Marseille, it is an ideal airport for travellers coming to or departing from France. Since the Lyon Airport caters mostly to a younger crowd, they offer arcades and other "young entertainment" items that most airports in the world do not.

History

Originally the airport was named the Lyon Satolas Airport - named after a famous French pilot and author by the name of Antoine de Saint-Exupery. The airport was initially inaugurated in April of 1975 and opened to passenger travel just one week later. It was originally created to replace the older Lyon-Bron Airport, which was unable to extend due to its proximity to urban areas. By 1994, the high-speed rail line that runs throughout France was able to connect to the airport and make it one of the most convenient travel hubs in the country. By 2011, Lyon Airport took on over 8 million passengers and today it is considered the fourth busiest airport in France.

Services and Amenities

  • Financial Services - ATMs, currency exchange and a post office are available

  • Luggage - Luggage check, lost luggage and dry cleaning

  • Business - A designated business center offers meeting areas, secretarial services and lunch areas where business executives can work and eat at the same time

  • Retail Services - There is a wide variety of shops located inside the airport, including a few duty-free shops

  • Food Services - A number of bars, cafes and restaurants are available throughout the airport offering traditional French cuisine as well as world cuisine

  • Wi-Fi - The airport offers Wi-Fi zones, but these are charged per hour and have varying pricing plans based on speed

  • Other - The airport also offers disabled access services to those who need it and multiple arcades are located throughout the airport as well

Parking

Currently Lyon Airport offers long and short-term parking. These are located further away from the departure and arrival terminals, but there is a free shuttle that goes to the lots every 10 minutes from the terminal area.

There are several travel options outside and to the airport. The most convenient is the TGV train that runs from the airport and directly into town at regularly scheduled intervals. The local busses are available and travel to and from the airport, but these can be crowded with tourists during peak travel times. Taxis are available but can be relatively expensive, especially after 7pm.

Surrounding Area

There are multiple hotels located in the city of Lyon. The most expensive will be located in the downtown area, while more affordable options are located a few blocks away. Hotels located next to the airport are perfect for short-term travellers or those who are in Lyon on business since they offer a variety of business and conference services.

Contact Information:

Address: Lyon Saint Exupéry Airport, BP 113, 69125 Lyon, France
Number of Terminals: 2
Telephone: +33 (0)4 2600 7007 or +33 (0)4 7222 7221
Fax: (0)4 7222 7471
E-mail: None
Website: www.lyon.aeroport.fr
Time Zone: GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October)
 Location: The airport is located 24km (15 miles) from Lyon
IATA Airport code: LYS