Getting around Villeurbanne
Villeurbanne sits immediately northeast of Lyon and forms part of the heart of the Lyon metropolitan area, so visitors here are really moving around one continuous urban network rather than a separate town. The good news is that you rarely need a car: the Lyon area public transit system, known as TCL (Transports en Commun Lyonnais), serves Villeurbanne well, and the city is also covered by the region's bike-share and car-share schemes.
Metro, tram and the TCL network
The backbone of public transport in Villeurbanne is the TCL network, which combines metro, tram, funicular and bus services across the Lyon area. The east branch of metro line A runs through the heart of Villeurbanne, and tramway lines T1 and T4 connect the La Doua campus to Lyon's business and commercial district of La Part-Dieu and the Presqu'île downtown. Because these lines tie directly into the wider Lyon network, you can move between Villeurbanne and central Lyon without changing systems or buying a separate ticket.
- Metro: line A's eastern branch serves the centre of Villeurbanne.
- Tram: lines T1 and T4 link the La Doua campus with La Part-Dieu and the Presqu'île.
- Funiculars: these serve the hillside districts of Lyon rather than Villeurbanne, but they are part of the same TCL network and the same ticketing.
Tickets and passes
Tickets are simple and interchangeable across modes, which makes the network easy to use even on a short visit. A single ticket costs €2 and is valid on bus, metro and tram for one hour with unlimited transfers. If you are boarding a new bus or tram, you must validate the ticket each time. A book of ten one-hour tickets (a carnet) costs €19.50, working out at €1.95 per ticket.
Buy your tickets from the machines at all metro and tram stations and at major bus stops. These machines accept credit and debit cards and offer several languages, including English. Bus drivers also sell single tickets, but at a higher price (€2.30) and more slowly, so it is worth buying before you board where you can.
Other options worth knowing about:
- 2-hour ticket: €3.60.
- Evening ticket: €3.60, valid from 7pm until the end of service.
- 1-day ticket: €6.70, valid for the service day rather than a rolling 24 hours.
- Funicular ticket: €3.50, valid for a round trip on the same day on the Fourvière and Saint-Just funiculars.
- Lyon City Card: public transport is free with this card.
For planning, the TCL mobile app (iPhone and Android) offers an interactive map and a journey planner. Paper maps are available at TCL agencies at Part-Dieu train station and Place Bellecour, and TCL representatives are posted in the main tourist areas if you need help in person.
Buses and other public transport
Beyond rail, the TCL network includes a large bus system that fills in the streets the metro and trams do not reach. Buses use the same tickets and passes as the rest of the network, so you can switch between bus, metro and tram on a single one-hour ticket. Remember to validate your ticket each time you board a new bus or tram.
On the river side of the wider Lyon area, there is also a vaporetto river shuttle on the Saône, with stops including Confluence, Bellecour, Saint-Paul and Vaise. It runs daily in the afternoon and early evening, with departures roughly every hour and twenty minutes. A single ticket is €5, children aged 5 to 12 pay €3, and under-fives travel free; an annual unlimited pass is also available. A separate water taxi service operates from the Confluence marina, with stops toward Île Barbe on the Saône and on to Cité Internationale, priced from around €25 per person per hour. These are pleasant extras rather than everyday commuter options.
Taxis and ride-hailing
The source material for this guide does not describe taxi ranks or ride-hailing apps in Villeurbanne specifically. What it does make clear is that driving and parking in the Lyon area are difficult and costly, which is a good reason to treat taxis and ride-hailing as occasional conveniences rather than your main way of getting around. If you do use a car, note that most short- and medium-stay street parking is free on Sundays, public holidays and throughout August.
Car-sharing
If you want a car only now and then, several car-sharing schemes operate in Villeurbanne and the surrounding area:
- Zity: phone-based, fully electric car-sharing available in Lyon and Villeurbanne. Cars can be driven outside the service area, and there is a "Stand by" mode.
- Leo&Go: app-based car-sharing with no keys or badges and all-inclusive pricing covering parking, insurance and fuel or energy. Available in Lyon, Villeurbanne, Écully, Caluire, Bron and at Saint-Exupéry airport.
- Citiz: subscription car-sharing in Lyon, bookable by the hour or longer, with insurance included and a free-floating "Yea! cars" option under the same subscription.
Walking and cycling
Villeurbanne is a compact, densely built city whose older villages have survived as neighbourhoods such as Charpennes, Cusset, Croix-Luizet and Maisons-Neuves, which makes walking between central districts practical. For longer hops, the Lyon area is well set up for cycling: the Vélo'v bike-rental scheme has a large network of stations and an extensive web of cycle paths. A single ride costs €1.80 (with a €180 deposit) and the first 30 minutes are free; a day pass is €4, and a 3-day rental costs €5 when combined with a 3-day Lyon City Card. Hybrid and e-assisted bikes are available with a portable battery subscription for a small monthly supplement.
Getting in from the airport
Lyon's main airport is Saint-Exupéry. The reference material for this guide does not detail the direct rail or shuttle link between the airport and Villeurbanne, so the most reliable guidance is to plan your airport-to-city leg through the TCL network and the airport's own connections, and to check the TCL app or a TCL agency on arrival for the current options. One practical point in your favour: the Leo&Go car-sharing service is available at Saint-Exupéry airport as well as in Villeurbanne, so a shared car is one way to make the trip if you prefer to drive yourself.
Practical tips
- Buy a carnet of ten tickets if you will be riding several times; it is cheaper per journey than single tickets.
- Validate your ticket every time you board a new bus or tram, even within the one-hour window.
- Use ticket machines rather than bus drivers to avoid the higher on-board price.
- Download the TCL app for maps and journey planning, or pick up a paper map at the Part-Dieu or Place Bellecour agencies.
- Consider the Lyon City Card if you want free public transport alongside other sightseeing.
- Leave the car behind where you can: parking is difficult and costly, and the metro, tram and bus network already links Villeurbanne with central Lyon.