Lyon saint exupery station/airport

[mrmartin]

What a weird setup this is. Huge TGV station at the airport, but only a rubbish (and expensive, at least for Europe) tram to get there? I was tempted to get the T3 and then the bus to save the 15euro as still had a day ticket but didn't want to risk it, in hindsight would have been very easy as it all looked clearly sign posted.

It seems odd this station is so poorly connected to Lyon itself. I did read that the operator of the airport tram has some sort of exclusive agreement. While I could understand that if it was just the airport here, seems very weird that given the TGV station is also here that they agreed to that? If they extended the T3 proper to the station it would be a good link for those going from the East of Lyon to various destinations, especially given french frequencies are pretty poor around the board, would open more options up for people.

Just wondering if anyone knows how this all came about?

 

[nwales58]

It is non-subsidised, unlike the agglomeration's public transport, and a separate PFI business. See RhônExpress in wonkypedia or elsewhere.

 

[Watershed]

The tram is extortionately priced because it's intended as an airport tax. With the airport and TGV station being next to one another they can't really distinguish between airport passengers (whom they know are a captive market) and railway passengers (who will tend to be put off by the high fare).

In the past I've deliberately chosen a less convenient train from Lyon's main station to avoid the ripoff tram. Sadly France is far from perfect when it comes to public transport.