The Lyon City Card is the official pass from the city’s tourist office, and it is one of the more generous city cards in Europe. It comes in 24, 48, 72 and 96-hour versions, and it combines free entry to 27 museums, including their temporary exhibitions, with unlimited travel on the TCL network of metro, tram, bus, funicular and cable car. Priority access is included at the Musée des Confluences and the Musée des Beaux-Arts. On top of that you get one guided tour with a professional guide, booked through the tourist office and covering subjects such as Vieux Lyon and its traboules, a 30 percent discount on a second tour, an unusual guided tour of the rooftops of Fourvière Basilica, and a leisure cruise with Les Bateaux Lyonnais, free in the winter season and discounted in summer. Partner discounts cover bike hire, shows and shopping. A version with the Rhônexpress airport tram is also sold. This page links to the City Card on Tiqets.
How it works: the card activates the first time you use it, on public transport or at your first attraction, and then runs for consecutive hours, so a 48-hour card bought for a Saturday morning lasts until Monday morning. Validate it at every transport connection and show it, with the mini-guide or app pass, at each ticket desk. Transport validity runs from 5:00 to 00:30. Cards can be collected at the ONLYLYON Tourism Pavilion on Place Bellecour, at the Part-Dieu shopping centre and at the Confluence shopping centre.
Is it worth it: it pays off if you plan two or more museums a day and use public transport, especially in winter, when the river cruise is included from 1 November to 31 March. The guided tour and rooftop visit must be booked in advance and depend on availability, so reserve them as soon as you have the card number. If you mostly want to walk the old town and eat, you may not use it enough.
Making the most of it: use it on your busiest days, start early, and plan the Confluences, the Musée des Beaux-Arts, the Gallo-Roman and Cinema museums around the cruise and your booked tour. Note that public transport does not run on 1 May.
What to expect
The experience
A timed pass covering 27 museums, unlimited public transport, one guided tour, a Fourvière rooftop tour and a river cruise.
Best time
Activate it on your busiest sightseeing day, early in the morning, to get the most hours from it.
How long
24, 48, 72 or 96 consecutive hours from first use.
Tips
Book the guided tour and the Fourvière rooftop tour as soon as you have your card number, because places are limited.
Quick picks
- Best for
- Museum-heavy trips and winter visits, when the river cruise is included.
- Families
- Junior cards for ages 4 to 15 cost less, and the cruise and museums keep children busy.
- Couples
- A 48-hour card covers a weekend of museums, the cruise and the funicular up Fourvière.
- Pair with
- The Musée des Confluences, the Saône cruise and the Fourvière rooftop tour.
- Time needed
- One to four days.
Good questions
What does the Lyon City Card include?+
Free entry to 27 museums, unlimited public transport, one guided tour, a Fourvière rooftop tour and a river cruise. It also gives discounts on bike hire, shows and shopping.
How long is the Lyon City Card valid?+
You can choose 24, 48, 72 or 96 consecutive hours. The clock starts the first time you use it.
Is the river cruise included?+
Yes, from 1 November to 31 March a Les Bateaux Lyonnais leisure cruise is included, and in summer you get a discount. Collect the ticket at the office on the day.
Does the City Card include the airport tram?+
Only the special Rhônexpress version, which adds a return trip between the airport and the city. The standard card covers the city transport network.
Where do I collect the Lyon City Card?+
At the ONLYLYON Tourism Pavilion on Place Bellecour, or at the Part-Dieu and Confluence shopping centres. A digital app pass is also available.
