Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes is France's most geographically dramatic region, combining the ancient volcanic landscapes of the Massif Central with the highest peaks in the Alps. Lyon, its capital, is consistently ranked among the world's great food cities and is the birthplace of cinema. The region spans skiing at Chamonix and the Trois Vallées, lakeside beauty at Annecy, Roman heritage in Lyon, the volcanic chains of the Auvergne, and one of Europe's finest hiking networks.
- Public
- Outstanding city transit in Lyon (metro + tram + bus) and very good in Grenoble (5 tram lines). TER regional trains cover the main intercity corridors. Rural mountains and the Massif Central have limited public transport and demand a car or shuttle.
- Taxi
- Uber and Bolt available in Lyon, Grenoble, Clermont-Ferrand, and Annecy. Local radio taxis serve smaller cities and ski resort drop-offs. Metered fares are regulated; ski-resort transfers are a fixed price per vehicle.
- Rental
- Essential for the Alps ski roads, Ardèche gorges, Vercors, Auvergne volcanic route, and Drôme. All major providers at Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport and main train stations. Book well ahead during February and April ski school holiday peaks.
- Walking
- Lyon's Presqu'île and Vieux-Lyon districts are highly walkable and pedestrian-only in parts. Annecy's old town and lakeside are best explored on foot. Grenoble's city core is flat and easily walkable.
Transport at a glance
Airport transfers
Getting from the airport to your accommodation.
- Taxi
- €55–70, 25–40 minutes from Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport (LYS) to Lyon city centre (~$60–76 USD)
- Taxi Info
- Fixed-price zones from LYS are displayed in the arrivals hall. Taxi rank is directly outside Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 exits. For Grenoble airport (GNB), expect €70–90 to Grenoble city centre (~$76–98 USD). Pre-booking is advisable for early-morning or late-night flights from smaller airports.
- Shuttle
- €15.20, Rhônexpress tram from Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport to Lyon Part-Dieu, 29 minutes (~$16.50 USD)
- Shuttle Info
- Rhônexpress departs from the tram level below Terminal 1 every 15–30 minutes between 05:25 and 00:00. Purchase tickets at machines inside the terminal or at part-dieu.rhonexpress.fr in advance (avoid the €4 on-board surcharge). For ski resort transfers, book Altibus (altibus.com) or Transaltitude (transaltitude.fr) at least 48 hours ahead in peak season.
- Bus
- €2.10, TCL bus C200 from Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport to Meyzieu Z.I. tram station, then Tram T3 to city centre (~$2.30 USD)
- Bus Info
- Bus C200 departs from outside the Terminal 1 arrivals exit and runs throughout the day. Connection to Tram T3 at Meyzieu Z.I. takes the total journey to approximately 50 minutes into central Lyon. A single TCL ticket covers the full journey including the tram. Buy from the ticket machine at the bus stop before boarding.
- Private
- €70–120, pre-booked private transfer from Lyon airport to Lyon city centre or nearby destinations (~$76–131 USD)
- Private Info
- Private transfer companies (Welcome Pickups, Alps Transfers, Blacklane) can be pre-booked online. For ski resort private transfers from Lyon airport, Alpine Fleet and Alps2Alps offer vehicle options from minivan to minibus for groups. Fixed-price booking includes meet-and-greet, luggage assistance, and a named driver.
Local transport
Getting around the city.
Bus
Lyon: TCL network (tcl.fr) — metro + tram + trolleybus + funicular; single ticket €2.10 (~$2.30 USD), 10-ride carnet €19.50 (~$21 USD), 24h pass €6.70 (~$7.30 USD). Grenoble: M réso / TAG network (m-reso.fr) — tram + bus; single ticket €2.00 (~$2.20 USD), 10-ride ticket €17.00 (~$18.50 USD), day pass €6.40 (~$7 USD). Clermont-Ferrand: T2C bus and tram network; single ticket approximately €1.80 (~$2 USD). Annecy: Sibra bus network; single ticket approximately €1.80 (~$2 USD).
Alternatives
Lyon Vélo'v city bike-share: first 30 minutes free, then €1.80/30 min for classic bikes, €3.50/30 min for electric bikes — 400 stations across the city. Grenoble Métrovélo rental: from €8/day at tram stations. Annecy lakeside cycling along Voie Verte: bike rental from €12/day at several lakeside shops. Lime and Bird electric scooters available in Lyon and Grenoble (app-based, typically €1 unlock + €0.25/min). BlaBlaCar Daily ridesharing widely used for commuter routes such as Lyon–Grenoble and Lyon–Clermont-Ferrand.
Taxis & rideshare
What to expect from taxis and apps.
- Regular
- €2.50–3.00 base fare + €1.10–1.30/km in Lyon; night rates (22:00–07:00) approximately 30% higher; waiting time €28–35/hour; luggage surcharge may apply (~$2.75–3.30 base + ~$1.20–1.42/km USD)
- Apps
- Uber, Bolt, G7, Taxis Lyonnais (local radio, Tel: +33 4 72 10 86 86), Taxis Grenoblois (local radio, Tel: +33 4 76 54 42 54)
- App Names
- Uber, Bolt
- Typical Fare
- €8–18 for a typical city-centre ride in Lyon or Grenoble; €20–30 from Lyon Part-Dieu station to Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport (~$9–20 USD within cities)
Intercity travel
Getting between cities and regions.
Bus
FlixBus and BlaBlaCar Bus coaches from €5–25 (Lyon–Paris from €9, Lyon–Grenoble from €5, Lyon–Geneva from €8) — book at flixbus.com or blablacar.fr; TER Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes coaches serve secondary routes from €2–20 (~$2–27 USD)
Shared
BlaBlaCar carpooling widely used; Lyon–Paris from €15–25 (~$16–27 USD), Lyon–Grenoble from €6–10 (~$7–11 USD). BlaBlaCar Daily (covoiturage-quotidien) available for regular commuter routes
Flights
Paris Orly to Clermont-Ferrand from €40 (Air France/Transavia, multiple daily, 1h); Paris CDG to Lyon from €50 (Air France, frequent); domestic Lyon–Paris flights less common as TGV is faster — most useful for international connections via CDG
Private
Car rental from €30/day (~$33 USD) at Lyon airport and major train stations; VTC (private chauffeur) Lyon to Grenoble from €120 (~$131 USD); Lyon airport to Val Thorens resort from €300 for a full van (~$327 USD)
Transportation details
Full breakdown of how to get around.
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes is France's most mountainous region, stretching from the volcanic Massif Central in the west to the high Alps on the Italian and Swiss borders. Lyon — France's second metropolis — is the region's transport spine, hosting the main international airport, a TGV station at Lyon Part-Dieu, and the comprehensive TCL metro/tram/bus network. High-speed TGV trains place Lyon two hours from Paris Gare de Lyon and connect south to Marseille and east toward Turin. The TER Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes regional network (76 lines, 3,187 km of track, 335 stations) links cities from Clermont-Ferrand to Annecy. The Léman Express cross-border commuter rail connects Haute-Savoie towns — Annecy, Annemasse, St-Gervais, Evian — directly to Geneva. A rental car is essential for alpine ski resorts, Ardèche gorges, Drôme lavender country, and Massif Central volcanic plateaus. In ski season, dedicated shuttles (Altibus, Transaltitude) run from Lyon and Grenoble airports directly to the major resorts.
Airports
Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport
Grenoble Alpes Isère Airport
Clermont-Ferrand Auvergne Airport
Chambéry Savoie Mont Blanc Airport
Useful apps
Download before you arrive.
SNCF Connect
Official French rail app for booking TGV INOUI, Ouigo, TER Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, and Intercités tickets; supports mobile tickets, real-time disruptions, and multi-modal journey planning
TCL (Transports en Commun Lyonnais)
Lyon metro, tram, and bus journey planner with real-time arrivals, mobile ticket purchase, and Vélo'v bike-share station map — download at tcl.fr or search 'TCL Lyon' in app stores
M réso (TAG Grenoble)
Grenoble tram and bus network journey planner with real-time tram tracking, timetables, and mobile ticket purchase — download from m-reso.fr or search 'M réso' in app stores
Léman Express
Cross-border rail app for the Geneva–Haute-Savoie commuter network; timetables, disruptions, and Léman Pass information — lemanexpress.com
Rhônexpress
Airport tram app for Lyon-Saint Exupéry to Lyon Part-Dieu bookings; buy tickets online to avoid the €4 on-board surcharge — rhonexpress.fr
Altibus
Essential for booking ski resort shuttles from Lyon-Saint Exupéry and Geneva airports to all major Savoie and Isère resorts — altibus.com
Uber
Available in Lyon, Grenoble, Clermont-Ferrand, Annecy, and Chambéry; useful for airport connections and late-night journeys when public transport has finished
Via Michelin
French road-trip and motorway planner with toll cost calculator — essential for budgeting Alpine road trips and calculating true A-road journey costs including péages
Transport tips
Travel smarter, not harder.
Book TGV tickets on SNCF Connect (sncf-connect.com) or the Ouigo app at least 3–6 weeks ahead to secure Prem's fares from €10 Paris–Lyon — last-minute full-flex tickets cost four to five times more
The TCL Lyon City Card (€30–60, 1–4 days) includes unlimited TCL network travel plus free or discounted entry to Musée des Beaux-Arts, the Basilica of Fourvière, and other attractions — purchase at Lyon Tourist Office at 2 Place Bellecour (69002 Lyon) or at major TCL metro stations
From September 2025 the TCL C200 bus connects Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport to the tram network for just €2.10 — a significant saving over the €15.20 Rhônexpress if you have time and light luggage
A Crit'Air (certificat-air.gouv.fr) sticker is legally required to drive in Lyon's Low Emission Zone (ZFE) on weekdays — buy online for €3.82 (~$4 USD) at least 15 days before arrival, as delivery by post takes time
Winter Alpine road trips: mountain tyre regulations ('Pneus Neige Obligatoires') are enforced on many Savoie and Isère departmental roads from November 1 to March 31 — most major rental agencies offer winter tyres as an add-on; verify before booking
The Léman Express is the fastest and cheapest way to reach Geneva (Switzerland) from Annecy (50 minutes, ~€10) or Annemasse (direct into Geneva centre in 8 minutes) — book at lemanexpress.com or validate a Léman Pass
In ski season, book Altibus (altibus.com) resort shuttles from Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport at least 48 hours in advance; peak February half-term and April Easter weeks sell out quickly — departure times align directly with major flight arrivals
Park at Lyon's P+R (park-and-ride) stations on metro and tram lines — €4–5 all-day parking includes a return transit ticket for all passengers — far cheaper than city-centre parking at €3–5/hour
The Tunnel du Mont Blanc (connecting Chamonix to Courmayeur, Italy) costs approximately €60 one-way per standard car (~$65 USD) — buy tickets at the toll booth or pre-purchase online at atmb.com; vehicles over 2.55 m wide pay higher tariffs