Gare de Lyon-Saint-Exupery Train Station: history, infrastructure, routes and services.

Gare de Lyon-Saint-Exupery is a railway station located in France, near the city of Lyon. It is adjacent to the Lyon Saint-Exupery airport. What are the features of this place? In which directions do trains run? What services are provided?

History

The station started operating on July 3, 1994. Its purpose is to serve TGV trains.

The architect was the Spanish designer Santiago Calatrava. The building can be safely called a masterpiece of modern art. The construction cost 750 million francs. The Gare de Lyon-Saint-Exupery station was built as an additional element for the airport. It serves trains traveling on the way from Gare de Lyon (Paris) to Gare de Marseille-Saint-Charles (Marseille).

The station is located 25 km from the central part of Lyon, in the east.

Until 2000, the place was called Lyon-Satolas. In honor of the centenary of the birth of Antoine Saint-Exupery, it was renamed to the current name of Lyon-Saint-Exupery.

Despite the fact that Lyon airport was the first among those served by a high-speed station, Gare de Lyon-Saint-Exupery is not very popular. Although it is located close to a major airport, tourists prefer other train stations, namely Lyon-Par-Dieu and Lyon-Perrache.

The Gare de Lyon-Saint-Exupery is not connected to the Lyon transport network, so there is low congestion at the station. Even the express tram, launched in 2010, did not make this place more in demand. Other stations located within the city limits are more convenient for tourists. Yes, and cheaper.

The station is mainly used by those passengers who have arrived at the airport and are going to go east in the future. Due to the unpopularity, the payment for access to the station was reduced. The cost has become less than on the central city platforms. As a result, the budget high-speed operator Ouigo has included it in its network.

Infrastructure

The station is represented mainly by a concrete building with steel elements. Its shape is similar to a bird that is about to take off. This is a symbol of a nearby airport. Wings weighing 1.3 tons. the main part of the building is closed. Its size: 100 x 120 m . The interior of the building is made in white, gray and black shades. It looks minimalistic and modern.

In addition to the bird, there are human silhouettes at the station. They can be seen in the columns that hold the canopy located above the rails approaching the Gare de Lyon-Saint-Exupery.

6 railway tracks are laid in abridgment. The central rails were isolated so that the trains could pass smoothly at maximum speed. There are no platforms next to them. The outer tracks have platforms, the length of which is 500 m. A passenger lobby has been built above the rails. Its length is 300 m. There are several moving tracks installed in it, with the help of which visitors can quickly and easily get to the platforms.

The station is connected to Saint-Exupery Airport by a pedestrian bridge. He also equipped with moving tracks.

A vacant plot of land has been allocated in the eastern part of the station. In the future, it is planned to expand the territory due to it.

Train directions

Trains run in several directions:

• Paris – Grenoble;
• Paris – Chambery – Turin – Milan;
• Paris – Chambery – Aix-les-Bains – Annecy;
• Paris – Valence – Montelimar - Avignon;
• Paris – Valence – Montelimar – Avignon – Miramas;
• Marne-la-Velle – Lyon Saint-Exupery – Avignon – Marseille Saint-Charles;
• Marne-la-Velle – Lyon Saint-Exupery – Nim – Montpellier.

Popular routes

The most popular routes among tourists are those that include Paris or Marseille.

How to get to the train station?

There are various ways to get to the Gare de Lyon-Saint-Exupery Train Station:

1. Take the metro to Gare de Lyon station on lines 1 and 14.
2. Get to the Gare de Lyon stop by electric train on lines A and D.
3. Call a taxi.
4. Take a regular or night bus going to the Gare de Lyon stop.

Services

Among the main services is the availability of high-speed transportation from Paris and Marne-la-Vallee.

There is a possibility of baggage transportation. Near the entrances to the cars there are shelves designed for travel bags and suitcases. Seats suspended above the seats are made for hand luggage. There are 2 luggage spaces per person (the maximum size is 85 cm) and 1 place for hand luggage. There are no strict restrictions for the mass of transported items. You can take liquids with you. The main thing is that there should be a tag with personal data on the luggage: Full name, occupied seat on the train, date of travel and destination.

Passengers carrying valuables are advised to go through the baggage check-in procedure. This requirement is valid for oversized suitcases, bicycles, musical accessories, as well as weapons for hunting and sports. Checked baggage is transported in accordance with the tariffs established by the railway. It is necessary to arrange suitcases 1-10 days before the time of travel. The following items are not allowed for carriage under the guise of baggage:

• pets;
• long (more than 2 m) and heavy (more than 30 kg) objects;
• dangerous and explosive substances.

There are automatic luggage storage facilities at the Gare de Lyon-Saint-Exupery train station. Their working hours are 6:15-22:00. Passengers wishing to use the luggage storage make a daily payment. Its size depends on the volume of suitcases and bags.

There is a service for moving a suitcase on wheels and bags around the station and the area next to it. The price is affected by the number of seats occupied by luggage and hand luggage.

In the event that a visitor has lost his luggage, he has the right to use the service to search for it. To do this, you need to submit an application. It specifies the full name, train ticket number, contact phone number, address of the place of residence. It is required to describe the lost items and their movements around the station or train car (depending on where the bags were lost). If things are left at the station, then the attendant will help to return them. Perhaps they have already been brought to the lost and found office. However, it is important to keep in mind that it is open only on weekdays at 9:00-17:00.

The trains passing through the Gare de Lyon-Saint-Exupery station have comfortable conditions for passengers. They depart and arrive on time, do not stay on the way. Registration and control take little time. In the trains, as well as at the station itself, mobile communication and the Internet work well, so travelers have the opportunity to call, send messages and go online.

The service is at a high level. At the train station, the staff will answer all questions, help with luggage. On trains, conductors offer food and drinks. There are sockets, there are a lot of seats in the cabin. The seats are comfortable and clean.

From the Gare de Lyon-Saint-Exupery station, it is convenient to get from the airport to Lyon and other French cities. It is beautiful and comfortable.