Formerly located at Lyon Perrache, Lyon’s international and mainline bus station is moving to Gerland until 2032. Take a closer look at Gerland bus station in the 7th arrondissement of Lyon in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.
A relocated station, a new entry point to Lyon
Pending a definitive move to Parilly, scheduled for 2032, the long-distance bus station that was still in Perrache until 11 January has moved to Gerland. Since 12 January, Flixbus, Blablacar Bus and other national and international road links have been using the temporary Gerland station.
Pending a definitive move to Parilly, scheduled for 2032, Lyon’s new international coach station has changed address: since 12 January 2026, long-distance coaches (national and international) no longer depart from Perrache but from Gerland, in the 7th arrondissement, a stone’s throw from the Palais des Sports de Gerland. For tourists, this change will above all alter access and connection habits, but it will also be accompanied by a site designed to facilitate arrivals and departures.
The decision to move the international bus station from Perrache to Gerland is part of a wider redevelopment of the transport hub, and will last for several years until a permanent solution can be found. The chosen site is located at 52 avenue Tony-Garnier, in the area around the Palais des Sports de Gerland, an area that is already well connected to the TCL network and accustomed to flows linked to sporting and cultural events.
For visitors, the challenge is simple: to know where to get off and how to get to the tourist areas (Presqu’île, Vieux Lyon, Part-Dieu) or a connection (bus, train, etc.) without wasting time. The good news is that Gerland is an efficient transport hub, and pedestrian access from the metro is said to be fast.
What does Gerland station look like?
The Gerland bus station is a boarding hub organised around dedicated coach platforms. The infrastructure comprises 17 boarding and arrival platforms, complemented by 4 regulation platforms designed to manage waiting coaches, which should limit traffic conflicts and improve the fluidity of operations.
The passenger building takes a modular approach: a two-storey structure, created by moving an old building (a former school), has been installed to house information and waiting areas. For tourist purposes, this is an important point: you’re not just in a car park with coaches, but in a space designed for waiting, getting information and managing unforeseen events (delays, connections, weather, etc.).
Useful services when travelling
When you arrive in a city by coach, your needs are often very specific: find your way quickly, go to the toilet, recharge your phone, wait in a sheltered area and keep your luggage safe. Gerland station has two waiting rooms, ticket offices, an information desk, toilets and vending machines, as well as safe pedestrian routes to public transport.
For long-haul travellers (or those who want to visit Lyon for a few hours between journeys), the luggage lockers are a real advantage: secure lockers for a fee are located outside the building and are accessible 24 hours a day.
Another practical point: the organisation of departures is based on numbered platforms and an information display (screens/panels) showing departures in real time, a detail that can make all the difference when you’re discovering the place for the first time so you don’t miss your connection.
The station has many facilities and services, including the following non-exhaustive list announced by Métropole:
- The station is accessible 24 hours a day,
- 17 boarding/drop-off platforms,
- 4 regulation docks
- passenger building open from 7am to 9pm with :
- 2 waiting rooms,
- sales counters,
- 1 passenger information desk,
- 2 sanitary areas,
- 1 space reserved for drivers,
- several snack, drink and confectionery vending machines,
- safe pedestrian walkways,
- cycle parking and car park access nearby,
- secure, chargeable lockers outside the building.
Map of Gerland international station
And for an overall view of the site, here is the map proposed by the Metropole de Lyon, between avenue Tony Garnier and rue Jean-Pierre Chevrot in the city’s 7th arrondissement:
- Location of the bus station in France :
How to get to the station
Here are some practical tips on how to get to Gerland bus station using Lyon’s TCL public transport network.
The easiest way: metro B
For most visitors, the most direct route is via the metro: line B, Stade de Gerland station, then about 250 metres on foot (advertised as less than 5 minutes). In practical terms, this places the station in a metro + short walk logic, a reassuring format for busy or hurried travellers.
Tram T1: convenient from your point of departure
The station is also accessible via tram T1, stop ENS Lyon, about 600 metres away (less than 10 minutes’ walk). This may be a good option, depending on where you are staying or the connections from other lines, particularly if you are already travelling on the T1 line.
Early morning buses and services
Several TCL* bus routes serve the area (routes 34, 60, 64, all within a 10-minute walk). For very early morning departures, one point is of particular interest to passengers: line PL3 runs between 4am and 6am on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, which can be handy for making a connection before certain services are fully open.
Cycling, walking, car: what are the options?
Gerland is also ideal for arriving by bike: access is announced via Voie Lyonnaise 1, with bike parking and Vélo’v stations in the area. For tourists, this opens up a number of interesting possibilities: cycling to the station from nearby accommodation, or combining a visit with a return trip by Vélo’v to avoid parking and traffic constraints.
By car, the question often comes down to drop-off or parking. Métropole has set up a 15-minute free drop-off facility at the Park Métropole Gerland – Palais des Sports et Stade car park, as well as nearby car parks, which may be suitable for accompanied arrivals (family, carpooling, hotel transfers).
- How toget to Gerland stadium, near the bus station, car + metro :
Practical advice for a stress-free departure
Even if access is generally easy, a new site always involves a certain amount of adaptation, especially if you’ve been to Perrache before. To avoid running to the platform at the last minute, here are a few simple, basic reflexes:
- Arrive early
By aiming for a comfortable headway, you can locate the display, identify the platform and deal with unforeseen circumstances (queuing, luggage, TCL delays). - Locate information in real time
Departure signs and platform numbering are designed to guide you quickly, provided you take 2 minutes to read them. - Anticipate the last few metres on foot
Even if the distances advertised are short, a suitcase, rain or a very early start can make the journey to the station from the metro, bus or tram feel much longer.
Map of the station and neighbourhood
To complete the picture, here is an interactive map of the station with a few information points (metro, car park, tram):
And to find your route, on foot, by car or by bike, choose your tool:
A temporary and strategic station for visiting Lyon
This new station at Gerland is presented as a temporary solution (until at least 2032), with the prospect of a definitive relocation to the Parilly sector in the next stages.
In the meantime, it is becoming an important entry point for tourism in Lyon: the coach remains an economical gateway to the city, and the metro/tram connection means that you can arrive directly at the major visitor areas.
For travellers, there are three key ideas:
- A new address, avenue Tony Garnier
- Easy access via metro line B*.
- basic services (waiting, toilets, information, lockers) designed to make the experience more pleasant than a simple platform open from 7am to 9pm.
With these points of reference in mind, Gerland can even become a practical starting point for exploring Lyon, before getting back on the road, or by train via Lyon Part-Dieu SNCF station or Lyon Perrache SNCF station.
Looking to buy a long-distance bus ticket?
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Where to stay at Gerland station?
Are you looking for a hotel or accommodation near the Gerland bus station in Lyon?
Here’s a handy map and list of hotels and rentals for your overnight stay:
Travel link
- TCL timetables and maps, public transport in Lyon Metropole
- Greater Lyon, the Lyon metropolitan area
- Long-distance bus tickets: Flixbus, Blablacar bus and more
- The international bus station moves near the Palais des Sports de Gerland, Lyon Métropole
- Transport and mobility in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
- Carpooling to Lyon and Gerland