€2 TCL ticket instead of a €16+ Rhônexpress seat
TCL Bus 47 is the budget play out of Lyon Saint-Exupéry, linking the airport to Meyzieu ZI so you can ride Tram T3 into Part-Dieu on a standard TCL fare of about €2–3 instead of paying Rhônexpress prices. The full airport–Part-Dieu run via 47 + T3 usually lands in the 45–60 minute range if your connection at Meyzieu is decent.
The 47 stop sits outside terminals 1 and 2 in the regular bus bays, signed as Meyzieu ZI, but posts on r/Lyon say signage in English is light so first-timers often walk straight to the Rhônexpress platforms. In daytime, expect a bus roughly every 20–30 minutes; evenings and Sundays stretch out, so check the TCL app before you leave baggage claim.
Service runs on the normal TCL ticketing system: one validated ticket or pass covers bus 47 plus Tram T3 within the 60‑minute validity window, so a single trip stays around €2–3 instead of the ~€16 Rhônexpress supplement. Regulars recommend validating your ticket as soon as you board the 47 and again on T3 to avoid fines during spot checks that often happen between Meyzieu ZI and Part‑Dieu.
How to ride TCL Bus 47 step by step
- 1. In terminals 1 or 2, follow signs for "Bus" and exit to the main bus station area beside the Rhônexpress platforms.
- 2. Look for the stop marked 47 Meyzieu ZI; if in doubt, check the small line map posted on the pole with "47" in red.
- 3. Buy a TCL ticket from the tram/bus ticket machines near the stops (about €2–3), or use a day pass or contactless if TCL has it active during your trip date.
- 4. When the 47 arrives, board through any door and validate your ticket in the orange machine; Reddit users say inspectors occasionally ride this line around staff shift changes.
- 5. Ride to Meyzieu ZI, the signed terminus for the line; the trip usually takes around 20–25 minutes from the airport depending on traffic.
- 6. At Meyzieu ZI, walk a few meters to Tram T3 platforms and board a city-bound tram toward Lyon Part‑Dieu; trams typically run every 7–15 minutes in the daytime.
- 7. Validate again on T3 if your ticket is still within its 60‑minute window, then ride about 25–30 minutes to Part‑Dieu or your preferred stop on the T3 corridor.
What regulars do and watch out for
Locals on r/Lyon call this "the way to dodge the Rhônexpress tax" and use it when they "have time and don’t mind a bit of a detour", especially on late evening arrivals when a €2 ride beats a late‑night taxi. They also mention checking the TCL app: if the next 47 is 25+ minutes away, some workers walk to nearby staff-shuttle stops shared with the 47 to catch an earlier bus.
Watch out for two pain points: evening and Sunday headways thin out to around 30 minutes or worse, and the 47 can get crowded at shift-change times as airport staff pile on. Build an extra 15 minutes into your plan, and screenshot the 47 and T3 timetables before you lose airport Wi‑Fi.
One last tip: if your layover at LYS is tight or your flight lands after about 22:30, price out Rhônexpress or a rideshare as backup; TCL Bus 47 works best when you have time to spare and want to keep that extra €10–15 in your pocket.