Mobile data in Lyon: the airport tram, the hills and the Swiss border
Lyon sits between two rivers and below two hills, Fourvière and the Croix-Rousse, with a transport network that climbs them. It is also about two hours by train from Geneva, close enough for a day trip and on the far side of a border the France pack does not cross.
At a glance
- Does an eSIM work in France?
- Yes. It connects to Orange (5G).
- Price
- From 4,79 € (3 GB, 15 days).
- For a one-week trip
- 5 GB for 30 days: 7,49 €.
- Does an EU phone plan work there?
- Yes: France is in EU roaming, so a plan from an EU country usually works at no extra cost, within your operator's fair-use limit. If your plan is from outside the EU, it charges international roaming.
- When does the plan start?
- When your phone first connects to a network in France. The QR code arrives by email within minutes.
Saint-Exupéry: the Rhônexpress or a TGV
Lyon–Saint-Exupéry airport is east of the city. The Rhônexpress tram links it with Part-Dieu, the main station, in under half an hour; it is a separate service with its own ticket, not part of the TCL network. The airport also has a TGV station, useful if Lyon is not your last stop. Taxis wait outside the terminals.
The eSIM connects to Orange as you land. Buy the Rhônexpress ticket in its app or at the machine, and at Part-Dieu let the map tell you which side of the station you need: it is a large hub with exits on both sides of the tracks.
eSIM for France
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For one to two weeks of maps, messaging and the odd video.
Buy up to 180 days before you fly: the plan only starts when the eSIM connects at your destination.
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Will it work on my phone?
On iPhone: Settings → General → About, and scroll to EID. If there is an EID, your phone takes eSIMs. Every iPhone from the XS (2018) onwards does.
On Android: Settings → About phone → Status, and look for EID. If there is an EID, your phone takes eSIMs. Most Galaxy S20, Pixel 3 and later do.
It also has to be carrier-unlocked. If you bought it outright or your contract is over, it almost certainly is.
Not sure about your model? Ask us before you pay and we will tell you — a person answers within 24 hours.
How it works
- 1Choose and payCard, Apple Pay or Google Pay. No account.
- 2Install it at homeThe QR arrives by email. Scan it on wifi in a minute.
- 3Connect when you landTurn on data roaming for the eSIM and you are online.
Four metro lines, two funiculars, one tap
TCL runs four metro lines, A to D, plus trams, buses and the two funiculars on Fourvière: from Vieux Lyon, one climbs to the basilica and the other to Saint-Just. Across the network you can pay by tapping a contactless bank card, a phone or a watch on the validator, and the TCL app sells tickets as well.
The phone works hardest in Vieux Lyon and on the slopes of the Croix-Rousse, where streets turn into staircases and many traboules, the covered passages between buildings, are closed to visitors. Check the route before you commit to a long climb. On the way back to the airport, remember that the Rhônexpress needs its own ticket.
Geneva: Europe pack yes, France pack no
Trains from Part-Dieu reach Genève-Cornavin in about two hours, some direct and some with a change at Bellegarde. Geneva is in Switzerland: the France pack stops at the border, while the 33-country Europe pack includes Switzerland and keeps the same eSIM working there on Sunrise or Salt.
Switzerland is also outside EU roaming, so a home plan that costs nothing extra in Lyon may charge in Geneva; the Swiss roaming guide explains why. For a week in Lyon with one Swiss day, the Europe pack is the simple choice. Without that day, stay with the France pack.
Pérouges, the Beaujolais, Vienne and Annecy
Most day trips from Lyon stay in France. Pérouges, a medieval hilltop village, is to the north-east; the Beaujolais vineyards begin north of the city; Vienne, with its Roman theatre, is down the Rhône; and Annecy and its lake lie towards the Alps. The France pack covers all of them.
Among the vineyards and on small country roads, save an offline map before you set off. The France pack runs on Orange alone, so where Orange is weak there is no second network for the phone to fall back on.
The right size for Lyon
Three gigabytes for 15 days cover a long weekend of bouchons, Fourvière and the Presqu'île. The France pack also comes in 5, 10 and 20 GB for 30 days: 5 for a week with day trips to Annecy and the Beaujolais, 10 for a trade fair at Eurexpo with a laptop on the hotspot, 20 for a month.
With Geneva in the plan, the Europe pack comes in 3 GB for 15 days or 10 and 20 GB for 30. The eSIM is data only: no French number, and WhatsApp keeps your own. The plan starts at the first connection, and the France page has the rest of the country.
Is the Rhônexpress included in a TCL ticket?
No. It is a separate service with its own ticket. TCL tickets and contactless payment cover the metro, trams, buses and funiculars.
Can I pay for the Lyon metro with my bank card?
Yes. Tap a contactless card, phone or watch on the validator; it works across the TCL network.
Does a France eSIM work in Geneva?
No. Geneva is in Switzerland, outside the France pack. The Europe pack covers both countries.
Which network does the France eSIM use in Lyon?
Orange. It is the only network on the France pack, so save offline maps for rural day trips.
Get your eSIM before you fly: the QR arrives by email in minutes and the plan only starts when you connect at your destination.
See eSIMs for France