'Direct' Eurostar to Lyon, not back

EUROSTAR passengers will be able to travel from London to Lyon direct in four-and-a-half hours from this Friday, and Marseille in just over six hours - but the return journey will take about an hour longer and require a change of train because of UK border checks.

The new link launches on May 1 in a test phase, with up to five services a week in the height of the summer season. It means an advertised journey time of 4 hours 41 minutes to Lyon.

However, Lyon is not equipped for passport control and security checks, meaning passengers travelling from France to UK will have to disembark at Lille-Europe and board another train an hour later.

Trains will leave London at 7.19 most mornings and after Lyon continue to Avignon TGV (instead of the previous summer service to Avignon Centre) before heading on to Marseille.

The train from Lyon to London is at 17.25. Return tickets start at €111.

Eurostar boss Nicolas Petrovic said: "We've been taking passengers to Avignon every summer for 10 years, and some trains became fully booked within a day of tickets going on sale. But Lyon is not as well known as Avignon or Marseille on the other side of the Channel."

He said it could take three to four years for the route to take off, adding: "What we really want is for people to try the service, to change their way of travelling and not systematically head to the airport."

The director of Lyon tourist board told 20 Minutes that Brits only make up 8% of foreign visitors to the city. He said: "Lyon is trying to boost its reputation with the British market - for leisure as well as business tourism."

Connexion will be on one of the first trains to make the new direct journey. Find out more in our June edition. If you too plan on being one of the first passengers, say hello by email - news[at]connexionfrance.com