Direct city flights are banned because the train takes under 2h30. Fastest train 1h43 (Paris-Gare de Lyon → Lyon Part-Dieu (some OUIGO from Marne-la-Vallée/Paris Austerlitz; some to Lyon Saint-Exupéry TGV)), 28-29 trains/day. 3.5 g CO₂e per passenger-km by train vs 125 g by plane. Checked 2026-11-01.
The comparison
| Fastest train | 1h43Paris-Gare de Lyon → Lyon Part-Dieu (some OUIGO from Marne-la-Vallée/Paris Austerlitz; some to Lyon Saint-Exupéry TGV) |
|---|---|
| Trains | 28-29 trains/day (SNCF Connect)SNCF TGV INOUI, OUIGO |
| Flight | – |
| Door to door | Direct city flights are banned because the train takes under 2h30 |
| CO₂ | 3.5 g CO₂e per passenger-km by train vs 125 g by planegCO2e per passenger-km incl. use, manufacturing and maintenance. Train = SNCF TGV average (TGV INOUI/OUIGO in France, 2024 values); plane = ADEME Base Empreinte short-haul 500-1000 km without contrails. SNCF's headline France comparison. Same SNCF document gives 161 g total for f |
| Air & rail | Air France 'Train + Air': Lyon Part-Dieu ↔ Paris-CDG airport station on one Air France booking with rebooking guarantee and Flying Blue Miles + XP (for connecting to AF flights at CDG). Lyon was among the most popular Train+Air routes in 2024. |
| Points | Flying Blue Miles can be converted into SNCF Voyageurs vouchers (EUR 25-100) usable on TGV INOUI (since Feb 2025). |
Lyon-Paris Orly scheduled flights are on France's list of routes that may be banned because a train under 2h30 exists (decree 2023-385; list for summer season 2026). CDG-Lyon was preserved for connecting traffic. Lyon-Paris is an EEA TERM 2020 city pair.
Questions
Is the train faster than flying from Paris to Lyon?
Direct city flights are banned because the train takes under 2h30. The fastest train takes 1h43 city centre to city centre.
How often do trains run from Paris to Lyon?
28-29 trains/day (SNCF Connect)
Can I earn or use points on this train?
Flying Blue Miles can be converted into SNCF Voyageurs vouchers (EUR 25-100) usable on TGV INOUI (since Feb 2025).
Can I book the train with an airline?
Air France 'Train + Air': Lyon Part-Dieu ↔ Paris-CDG airport station on one Air France booking with rebooking guarantee and Flying Blue Miles + XP (for connecting to AF flights at CDG). Lyon was among the most popular Train+Air routes in 2024.
Which emits less, train or plane?
3.5 g CO₂e per passenger-km by train vs 125 g by plane.
Sources: sncf-connect.com, sncf-connect.com, ecologie.gouv.fr, wwws.airfrance.us, corporate.airfrance.com, sncf-voyageurs.com, eea.europa.eu
Points or cash, or the train?
Tell Points or Cash where you are going. On short European trips it checks whether the train beats the flight before you spend a point.
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