Business travel guide Lyon

Travelling to Lyon on a business trip? Whether you’re heading to the city for a client meeting, conference or to meet colleagues, a little planning can make your business trip much easier.

Located in southeast France, Lyon combines an important business and events scene with excellent food, historic neighbourhoods and plenty to explore once the working day is over. The city’s infrastructure supported by the Lyon Convention Bureau is great for conventions, seminars and trade shows. The Lyon Tourist Office also provides dedicated services for companies and event organizers.

From getting there and moving around to choosing where to stay and making the most of your free time, this business travel guide to Lyon covers the essentials, so that you can focus on what really matters (like meeting your business goals or creating connections).

How to get to Lyon for a business trip

By plane

For international and longer-distance trips, Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport is Lyon’s main air gateway.

Once you land, there are several ways to continue your journey. From the airport you can take the Rhônexpress, TCL bus services, coaches, taxis and car rental among its transport options. Rhônexpress connects the airport with Lyon city center in less than 30 minutes.

For a business traveler with a packed schedule, knowing how you’re getting from the airport to your hotel or meeting before you arrive can save unnecessary stress.

By train

The TGV can be a practical alternative to flying, especially on the Paris-Lyon route, a popular combination with the TGV network. It’s a good idea to book ahead because fares can become more expensive closer to departure. When booking with time, you can also ensure you have the right set up with a table to work from and power sockets that make working during the journey easier.

For companies trying to manage rail alongside flights, hotels and expenses, keeping these elements within the same travel program can also make trips easier to track.

Getting around Lyon on a business trip

Once you’re in the city, you don’t necessarily need a rental car.

Lyon’s public transport network includes metro, tram, funicular and bus services, making public transport an option for travelling between meetings, your hotel and different areas of the city. Taxis can also be useful when travelling with luggage, heading directly to a meeting or moving between locations on a particularly tight schedule.

Where to stay in Lyon for business

Choosing a hotel for a work trip isn’t only about finding the nicest room. Location can have a big impact on how smoothly the trip goes.

Before booking, consider:

• Distance to your meetings: Staying close to your primary office, client or event can reduce unnecessary travel.
• Public transport: Check how easily you can reach the places on your itinerary.
• Workspace: Reliable Wi-Fi and somewhere comfortable to work can make a big difference.
• Breakfast and dining: Convenient options are helpful when your schedule starts early or finishes late.
• Company travel policy: Check whether the hotel and rate fall within your organization’s policy before booking.

If you’re attending a conference or exhibition, it may make more sense to stay near the venue or along a convenient direct transport route rather than automatically choosing the historic center.

What to do in Lyon when you’re not working

A business trip doesn’t have to be only meetings and hotel rooms.

If you have a free evening or manage to extend your stay, Lyon has plenty of options for adding a little leisure time to the trip. There are several cultural attractions, guided tours, river cruises, food tours, cycling experiences and trips into the surrounding region among its visitor activities.

Depending on how much time you have, you could:

• Explore the historic streets of Vieux Lyon
• Head up towards Fourvière
• Take a walk around the city between meetings
• Make time for Lyon’s food scene
• Visit one of the city’s museums or cultural attractions
• Add a guided tour or river cruise if you have a free afternoon

For a short work trip, even leaving an hour or two free can give you a much better feel for the city than going straight from meeting room to airport.

Tips for a smoother business trip to Lyon

A successful trip often comes down to what happens before you leave.

Book early when possible. Rail and air availability can change, while booking ahead gives you more choice. Check your company’s travel policy. Know your permitted rates, booking channels and approval requirements before committing to a reservation. Keep your itinerary together. Flights, trains, hotels and meeting details are much easier to manage when they aren’t scattered across different emails and apps. Plan local transport in advance. Check the journey from the airport or station to your hotel, and from your hotel to your first meeting. Leave room for disruption. Avoid building an itinerary that relies on every connection going exactly to plan. Keep track of expenses as you go. Recording expenses during the trip can help avoid a pile of receipts and admin when you arrive home.

Manage your Lyon business trip with GetGoing

From booking the train or flight to keeping track of what you spend once you arrive, business travel involves a lot of moving parts.

GetGoing brings travel booking and expense management together in one place, with access to flights, hotels, cars and rail alongside policy automation, traveler safety, expense management, payments and reporting.

For rail trips in particular, your existing GetGoing guidance recommends managing bookings and receipts together so travelers can keep the different parts of their work trip in one place.

That means less time dealing with travel admin and more time focusing on why you’re in Lyon in the first place.