Lyon: The French City of Trams (And Much More)

[@stephanweinberger]

Fun fact: the Lyon trams are designed to resemble silkworms, owing to the city's history of silk production.

[@edisonz2006]

The Citadis trams used in Songjiang, Shanghai are also designed to resemble Silkworms, since the district also had a history of silk production!

[@WhiskyCanuck]

I was going to make a joke about Dune sand worms, but this makes sense

[@in_the_bilge]

You beat me to mentioning this!

[@RMTransit]

Very interesting, I can see the resemblance. Not sure I like it 😂

[@louisazraels7072]

Silk weaving and tailoring not production of the actual silk

[@NatalieMasseHooper]

I studied civil engineering and urbanism in Lyon INSA in the mid/late 90s. I remember our transport professor telling us about the plans for the tram, and telling us the only way to reduce car traffic was to take space away from cars. It made so much sense. I think Lyon was a great place to study urbanism in the late 90s, because reinstating trams in European cities was a fairly new thing back then.

[@RMTransit]

It certainly was and Lyon has proven itself among the most committed to it

[@julesiss]

And now all our dads are complaining about car traffic because they absolutely want to drive their cars haha

[@tiagodasilva6650]

@@NatalieMasseHooper Si vous avez etudié à Lyon, alors vous devriez pouvoir vous exprimer en français. Cela permettrai à tout le monde de vous comprendre.

[@NatalieMasseHooper]

@@tiagodasilva6650 La video est en anglais, donc j'ai ecrit en anglais. Je suis bilingue, j'ai grandi en France et j'habite en Angleterre depuis 25 ans. J'utilise le francais ou l'anglais selon le contexte. Si la video est en francais, je commente en francais. Si la video est en anglais, je commente en anglais.

[@HParadoxa]

As a Lyonnais wheelchair user, I also want to point out that transport accessibility in Lyon is very good and definitely thought out. Tramways, to me, are always the most reliable way to go around (you don't depend on ramps or elevators) and having such a solid tramway networks is really life changing. Outside of Croix-Paquet (which I would never want to go to in my chair anyway 😭) every metro station is wheelchair accessible (compared to 3% of the stations in Paris) and buses are overwhemingly accessible with constant work on yet to be made accessible bus stops. While not everything is perfect, it's definitely the city in which I've had the least issue with transports so far, and I feel very free to go around in my daily life. The new metro on the B lines, and I think in future project of renovation of the D and A lines are also made to be more accessible than the one we had so far were.

[@josephking14]

One fun fact about Lyon is that if you want to transit from Perrache to Part Dieu train stations (Lyon’s main train stations), you can take TGV which only costs you 1.2€ and takes 8 minutes… whereas through public transport it is more expensive and a 20+ mn ride

[@riri3531]

That's funny because urban legend in Lyon says it's free (you're not leaving the city, so you don't pay anything but maybe that was a thing before). But none of us ever uses it.

[@NoMiS2711]

@@riri3531 nobody gonna check your ticket between these two stations anyway :D

[@Abraccuda]

@@NoMiS2711 Yeah but sometimes you have to go through automatic doors that require to have a ticket and sometimes those doors are opened.

[@emjizone]

But you don't get a TGV every 5 minute. You're lucky if you don't wait 40 minutes for it.

[@helesia9968]

Lyonnais here! I have to mention that when line B just got automatized it was hell it never worked properly, now it's fine though!

[@gonpachi_0303]

@@helesia9968 oui, mais bon, le métro b qui bug 2 fois en une semaine c'est pas trop fifou non plus, après j'avoue que c'est pas mal

[@Coelac1]

@@gonpachi_0303 au moins il est rapide

[@legrandabi5515]

its not fine now, its always broken, and they shut it down after 00h30. Iremember when we could take it at 3 in the morning

[@lucie8775]

Toujours une catastrophe

[@RandomKerbalizedGuy]

I just hope we won't have the same problem on line D, otherwise i'll be in truble :P

[@jypeps]

I have been living in Lyon for my studies and I rely on TCL every single day. Despite having flaws (ponctuality), the transit system is gorgeous and makes up for the city's attractiveness. The new metros on lign B I use everyday are gorgeous.

[@nuabioof83]

Bonne fête des lumières 🎉

[@etorepugatti9196]

@@nuabioof83 Merci, ce soir samedi pour moi

[@paulpeternaanouh3193]

As long as the B line is working

[@eriqmav]

Pareil

[@erickpalacios8904]

"Makes up for the city's attractiveness"? What does that mean? Is the city unattractive?

[@KenMeiSLG]

I guess the algorithm wanted me to gush about my city 10 months after the release of this video, so here we are~ Your video is a nice introduction and presentation of Lyon's transit network, I love being able to recognize where most of the footage has been taken and having a fresh look on it! A few nitpicks, or I guess added information I do not see here, as well as an update! For the nitpicks, I'd say that there's just a few pieces of information missing regarding some lines, especially T1, T2 and "Metro B", but nothing too big: T1 used to start from Perrache and go all the way to the north, as it is today, and it was progressively extended, first south (without crossing the river) in 2005, and then, finally, into Debourg in 2014. As for T2, it first stopped a bit earlier in a commercial zone (Portes des Alpes, around where the T2 crosses the red road on the map for those who are curious), before reaching the neighbouring town of Saint-Priest a few years after launch. Same story for metro line B, even though it might have been a bit useless to point every new extension, there were actually four, going for other points of interests (first the regional railway station of Jean Macé, pronounced Massey, then a stadium, Gerland stadium, before crossing the river to Oullins and eventually reaching the hospital in the south). As for the news now! T9 and T10 are on their way, and the T8 project has been revived! If you like the idea of making a nice ring of public transport, well, T8 would allow some mobility in the eastern part without having to use your car (or buses which, even though they're convenient, sadly struggle in this area because of the beltway and the massive traffic it has). T8 would go from Vaulx-en-Velin la Soie (the current terminus for the metro line A on the east side) all the way down to Venissieux, end of metro line D. The project is not yet greenlit, and some find it strange to connect those two areas since that wouldn't directly connect to Lyon, but imo, it would help people in needing their car less when they want to go to a few places of interest from or to the east of Lyon (namely, parcs like Parilly, commercial zones like Porte des Alpes, or going to the airport from Venissieux without having to take your car or going in and out of Lyon). I am no public transport planner, thankfully, so we'll have to see how things unroll, but I'm pretty excited! And, again, thank you for this lovely video

[@tremisabdoul]

@@KenMeiSLG Sorry to annoy you i also discovered this video because i live in Lyon ! (That's why the algorithm recommended it to me i guess) I saw your comment and found it really cool and well made. So i checked your channel as i do most of the time when i appreciate the comment of someone. You do a huge amount of work for your channel (all the assets and the amount of videos O.O) and based on what i saw in your last video i really appreciated your kindness and feel concerned ! I know that it could seem stupid and a lot of people discredit their work but it really impressed me that's why i did want to say it to you ! Take care of you i hope you the best !!

[@KenMeiSLG]

@@tremisabdoul Well, that is such a kind comment, thank you a lot ^< Thanks for taking the time to read my comment, look at my work and leave me such a kind message, I wish you well as well 🤗

[@Urbaniste]

Lyon! My city! Thank you for covering it here! I can't wait to see the new streetcar lines, especially the T9. Lyon is also developing express bike lanes, called "Les Voies Lyonnaises", which will be about 355 km long by 2030.

[@RMTransit]

I think the REV is still my favorite express bike network name, thanks for watching!

[@p0tat0es_nation64]

But "les voies lyonnaises" is actually a big joke because they only built like 10% of the promised network and in most parts they only rebuilt existing cycling paths. And they planned to build in many locations where people don't use bikes. They should have invested this money into real public transportation. For example the bus line C3 is completely overcrowded all the time and the trolleybus are getting quite old.

[@frankcl1]

@@p0tat0es_nation64 People using bike lanes are not always the same as people using public transport, so if you want to decrease the number of cars you need to develop both. Bike lanes are extremely cheap compared to roads for the same amount of users so if you think the city need more money to build public transport, it would make more sense to save money by spending less on car infrastructure. And you should not make the decision of building bike infrastructure based on current bike usage since the infrastructure is precisely what determines whether or not people use bikes (it's also true for other modes of transportation), so after the infrastructure is built more people will use bikes. Bike lanes also means some people will not have to use public transport at rush hour, meaning less congested lines. Riding a bike is also better for your health than taking public transport or driving a car, and for short distances it's faster, so many people will want to do it anyway.

[@abelaibout-sibille3412]

You can suppose that people don't use bikes in these locations because there are no secure bike lanes. It's like saying people don't use cars in a location where there are no roads :)

[@TheAntoine191]

At this date 11/24 there re already a lot of voies lyonnaise ant they rock. Huge increase of bike usage.

[@jumpywizard7665]

Born and raised in Lyon and I just love my city! Seeing this video pop up got me teared up. Thank you so much for covering Lyon! Fun fact! The trams are nicknamed belugas by locals, because of their forehead 😂. Public transit here really makes having a car pointless. I just wish they’d automate and renovate Metro A quickly, which is sadly scheduled for 2035 (with screen doors, your favorite haha). I also think we need more capacity with more car trains on the main lines but besides that TCL is great. Also can’t wait till all the huge construction works are over (which I’m surprised you didn’t cover). Part-Dieu is being rebuilt from the ground up. And Perrache is gonna be mostly torn down and the highway going around and through it buried. Feels like we can’t walk anywhere for now because of the constructions but can’t wait to see all the results!

[@p0tat0es_nation64]

Les rames du métro A sont en train d'être rénovées normalement. Si je dis pas de bêtise ils ont déjà reçu les premières rames rénovées donc ça va bientôt arriver 👍

[@AS898-h3u]

Thank you for covering Lyon! I’m American and have been living in Lyon for years, so happy you covered this great city. I enjoy taking transit and riding my bike everyday :)

[@matthewconstantine5015]

Lyon is a fantastic city and of the cities in France I've visited, my favorite. When I was there, I wasn't as aware of transit (only aware that everywhere I went in Europe had it, and it was almost always better than anything I experienced in the States). But I remember seeing the trams all over the place, and just loving how they made things feel connected. And when we did need trains, it was super easy to get them and get around on them. It was also the first city I saw where scooters were a super common way to get around. E-scooters started taking off in the States within a few months of my visit to Lyon. I saw folks from all walks of life riding all around business-y area near the train station on their personal scooters. At the time it seemed so weird. The real star of Lyon is the food, though, which I realize is out of the purview of this channel. Folks talk about the food in Paris, which is good, don't get me wrong. But Lyon...that's the place. If it wasn't for my almost pathological inability to speak French, I'd move to Lyon tomorrow for the food alone.

[@michaelrmurphy2734]

I don't speak French, but being in the bilingual country of Canada I do understand some French. Defense de fume and terez ici like that.

[@Sayitlikitiz101]

Paris is the capital of the French state and French culture, that's a given. But Lyon is the capital of French gastronomy. This is such a matter of fact in France that people forget that non-French may not know that. Lyon is the heart and soul of French cuisine, real French cuisine, even Parisians acknowledge that.

[@frenchprint]

​@@Sayitlikitiz101 Lyon is actually the WORLD capital of gastronomy

[@Sayitlikitiz101]

@@frenchprint Un peu d'humilité ne fait de mal à personne . Le nombrilisme rend petit ce qui est grand et génère de la rancoeur seulement . I can think of many places in the world with their own long and glorious culinary traditions. No need to be so ethnocentric. The world is a big place.

[@frenchprint]

@@Sayitlikitiz101 okay cool but the title of world capital is official and has been since 1935.

[@Fan652w]

A wonderful video. And I totally agree with your opening remark that Lyon is an ‘underappreciated transit metropolis’. But, in common with all of the larger French provincial cities, it lacks a heavy rail RER system. However an RER-system around (French-speaking) Geneva opened in December 2019. Most of this system, jointly worked by SNCF and Swiss Federal Railways, is on French territory. The system has been very successful, with ridership exceeding predictions (despite Covid). The success of the system has been noticed by French politicians INCLUDING PRESIDENT MACRON. French provincial cities, led by Strasbourg, are now planning RERs.

[@japanesetrainandtravel6168]

That is exciting to hear. Would be great if cities outside London UK could do the same thing as Geneva

[@Fan652w]

@@japanesetrainandtravel6168 Writing as a resident of Britain, I entirely agree. The Birmingham cross-city line is an RER/S-Bahn type line. From the moment it opened (originally with diesel trains!) it was a huge success. Yet no other British city has been allowed to copy that success!

[@Swiss2025]

you are definately british .... the video is about Lyon , France and you ignore France but mentionned Geneva ... I am Canadian @@japanesetrainandtravel6168

[@michaelrmurphy2734]

No electric service on a new line in Britain? All electric operation on new lines around the world should be the standard.

[@Fan652w]

@@michaelrmurphy2734 The line opened in 1978 with diesel traction, but was electrified in 1993. But I agree with you that 'All electric operation on new lines around the world should be the standard.' Unfortunately Britain has still not got that message. We in Britain are currently rebuilding the railway line from Oxford to Cambridge via Bletchley and Bedford. There are no plans for electrification....

[@victordayet]

I've been living here in Lyon since I was born and seriously, it's incredible to have so much freedom of movement for so cheap. So thanks TCL

[@LET4M4RU]

For cheap ?? Bro, 75€ a month is NOT cheap. It's almost the price of the Navigo pass for half the total length

[@i4nc3l26]

I spent a few years of my life in the US and when I moved back to Lyon I was absolutely astonished by it's transit! From the trolley buses I used every day to the metro, tram and funnicalar lines... I'm excited for the future of TCL and proud to be from such a gorgeous city. (Sttill hoping for new extensions to the metro lines)

[@RMTransit]

I really think the consistent expansion and improvement plays an important role in public perception of the system!

[@DankBoyy00]

I've been to Lyon, it's a lovely city and it's transit is incredibly efficient, no matter where you wanna go you'll have a train, tram or bus

[@SpectreMk2]

Lyon metro line D uses the MAGGALY automatic train control designed by Matra in the late 80s. It is in fact an upgraded version of the VAL automatic train control and relies on moving block signalling (back then it was a world premier for a metro) instead of fixed block signalling.

[@RMTransit]

The French really have an incredible series of automated signalling technologies and trials

[@SpectreMk2]

@@RMTransit Thanks for your reply! I can recommend reading the paper "VAL automated guided transit characteristics and evolutions" by Regis Lardennois (1993) on the topic. "SkyTrain High Technology Rapid Transit in Vancouver" by Tom Parkinson (1989) is also a good read 🙌

[@Labiote]

I live in Lyon since 2022 and what I like the most about living here is the transport infrastructures. It is so well planned and so convenient to use that I sold my car few months after arriving here. I hope that it will continue growing and becoming more efficient so that more and more parts of the city get rid of the cars. It's so cool to have such a big city almost entirely walkable thanks to transportations

[@MrFrigo]

I can't advise all of you enough to visit this city, for so many reasons. You won't be disappointed. Also, it should be noted the West of Lyon has a noticeable tram-train network, run by the SNCF. It is not indicated in the transportation maps as it is not integrated with TCL, but it is nonetheless a network of 3 lines.

[@styfauly2115]

yeah i was surprised he didnt talk about the tram train, i'm a bit sad

[@Fan652w]

@@styfauly2115 But the Lyon tram-trains are cofined to railway lines. It is not like Mulhouse, where the tram-trains share tracks with city trams.

[@RMTransit]

@@styfauly2115I’ll probably cover in a future video!

[@davidka8345]

I was there, 7 years ago. All I remember is, that the airport tramway was expensive and the train connection to Geneva was convenient as usual.

[@paulthomas771]

I love Lyon. It's my second city and is a great hub to get to other destinations around the area, such as Vienne, a lovely little town to the south of the city. It's a very walkable city so most of the time I do just that; it is some parts modern, some parts old and rustic, and very romantic. Its also the gastronomic capital of the world - there's all sorts you can find, from a classic Lyon bouchon, to modern fusion food and the quality is usually very good in most places; Lyon is a city that has just about everything when it comes to cuisine. if I know I'll be travelling a lot I'll usually buy a day pass and move about on the very pleasant metro service. Lyon is a city that has many of the modern amenities with much less of the stress of modern day life - I've often considered this city a more chill version of Paris (some Parisians can be rude!). In addition to the many lovely French bars, that exhibit a lively but pleasant social scene, in the more touristy areas there are some nice English pubs / bars, including an Irish pub - the James Joyce, where you can pick up a nice Guinness; I would not suggest buying a Guinness in regular Lyonnaise bars though - they don't tend to store and prepare them properly and can taste quite bad! I was also pleasantly surprised to see a thriving retro video games culture and a few related shops in the area. Long story short, Lyon is a beautiful blend of old and new and a city I highly recommend to just about anyone. The only bug-bear I have with the city is the Rhone-Express - as mentioned in the video, this is the airport to city centre service and there's nothing really wrong with it, except that its a glorified tram service that they charge high prices for - seriously, 28 euros for a return ticket on a tram service is really not cheap and across Europe there are usually far cheaper airport to city services that even have to travel longer but use faster train services so only take just as much time (Berlin for example). You can save money by using a combination of bus and tram services instead but you have to know the routes and your timing has to be good or you could be waiting a while.

[@cosmonewt5660]

Thank you for your video about our city and its trams, the most efficient and reliable transportation mode in Lyon ! Greetings from France 🇫🇷

[@genadijzhdanov2645]

Few years ago I went to Lyon, but was really on tight budget. I accidently took TGV that goes not to city center, but to Lyon airport, so I had to find a way to get to Lyon itself. Rhone Express was too expensive for me at the time, so I found a local bus that goes to Meyzieu industrial district and then took T5. Really good memories, nice to remember this amazing city and it's transit

[@OnThaMove]

I spent my junior year of college in Lyon from 1992-1993 long before the trams, but it was undoubtedly the best year of my life for sure.

[@mathieuperez44]

Another interesting point to notice is the good interconnection between the metro system and the regional train stations (gare de Vaise, Vénissieux, Oullins, Jean Macé) The next big step for the city transit improvements will be a good regional/suburban railway system (like the RER in Paris). Most of the infrastructure is already there, but the service offered by SNCF operator is catastrophic... Also, there is a "tram-train" covering western parts of the city, with terminus Saint Paul train's station in the old city centre, but also connected to metro D in Gorge de Loup And to finish, also projects are ongoing for an interconnected set of large bike lanes, covering alld of the city centre and further suburbs All in all pretty good, but still big efforts needed on regional trains attractiveness and reliability

[@Michaelgoestofrance]

One thing to mention is the headway between trains on the automated lines (B and D for the moment). This can be as little as a minute at peak times, which makes up for the trains being relatively short. New stock, like that on line B, would be most welcome due to the lack of proper air-conditioning on the older stock. Lyon can get very hot (up to 40°C) in the summer and the metros cab be suffocating. PS Thanks for covering Lyon! As a Brit who has lived here for 20+ years, I have to say I love the place and, as others have said, there is little point in having a car.

[@DoffyMM]

Omg I saw Lyon, my home city, associated with rmtransit and I instantly clicked on the notification. Ty Reece for covering my favorite city

[@toms5996]

I just love your channel. I have to say, though, that while as in Metro-Helsinki/Finland are only 1.5 million people, we have managed to have a Metro system (with stations under the sea like no other), tram network, fast tram network that integrates to the tram network of Helsinki-proper and an electric bus network with 1000-2000+ busses with countles lines. Plus a local train network. Metro-Helsinki is not that big with only 1.5 million so I have to wonder why your videos present difficulties on having the infrastructure and equipment in Canada? We in Finland made deals with fixed prices and maintain everything within our own private companies. Of course we in Finland have good relations with Germany.

[@japanesetrainandtravel6168]

Dear Quebec City, this is what you could have if you get your act together. I think Lyon’s has the most beautiful trams. PERIOD! That said, the rack assisted metro of Line C is so cool and I wonder if the higher elevated section of Quebec City could have benefited from something similar. On a separate note, as far as metros, I love Montreal more, but in terms of a complete system, I prefer Lyon’s with its integration of all transit modes

[@Artv2003]

As someone from Quebec city who's also been to Lyon. I 100% agree with this message.

[@etbadaboum]

What's cool about about Citadis and French cities is that trams are allowed to be changed and cities want to differentiate themselves so all trams in France look different, the most futuristic is in Tours IMO!

[@underground_e]

It sounds VERY great! I hope that more citys around the world will have transit like this.

[@oreiller4184]

Hey !! That's my home !!! So happy to see our TCL covered by non-french people !! I rely on it literally every day. Though I'm a bit surprised, are other cities' public transport systems not like this ? I've been living there since I was 5 and haven't traveled a lot so it just seems like the standard to me...? I'd also like to point out that even though the automation of Line B should have been a good idea, since it happened the line's been having technical problems every week. So, not too thrilled about the other lines planning to be automated too 😅 And also I'm glad I never had to take the Rhonexpress because it's outrageously expensive. For positives though, you only need one type of ticket or card to take any transport ( except Rhonexpress ), unlike in Paris. I also have a soft spot for Line C's northern terminus because it's not underground and unlike Croix-Paquet, there's a few hundred meters of outdoor rails before the station. It was very jarring the first time I took it lol. Line C is my favorite. Thank you so much for the video !!

[@mmhoss]

About time! Really thoroughly loved Lyon. Ties my home of New York as favorite place to live.

[@Tommo_]

I lived here for a couple years in my early teens and the freedom I felt as a kid to travel round the city was just amazing

[@Theo_Dianov]

I'm not French, but I lived in Lyon for a little over one year. I have also visited 35 countries and been to a lot of different cities and I want to say that Lyon has the best transport network that I have ever used. All routes are designed as conveniently as possible. The system handles very well. Failures are very rare. Lyon trams have the cutest masks, especially the old ones. Lyon metro trains are also very stylish, both old and new. By the way, the design of the new Lyon metro trains was developed by the Lyon industrial design studio. Wider metro cars are indeed much more comfortable than narrow ones in Paris and other cities. It's even surprising to me that when they built completely new metro lines in Paris, they didn't use the same standard of train width as in Lyon. By the way, when talking about expanding the transport network, you did not mention the extension of the T6 tram line to the north. This construction is currently underway most actively. After completing the T6 line, they form a ring with the T1 line. They will have the same terminal stations, only one line runs through the east of the city, and the other through the west. w

[@etbadaboum]

The metro lines of the GPE will be wider at 2,80 m compared to 2,40 for the historic lines

[@plusHEY]

I recently visited Lyon and was very impressed that we could use the same ticket for taking both the metro and funicular. Cost 2 euro per person only!

[@julesiss]

Lyon dude here, this amazing to see a video our trams thank you

[@helloworld5539]

I'm glad i've found this video because i've always wanted to learn about the new lines that were being built but never got to it. Great video.👍👌

[@augustin4374]

What Lyon really lack is a RER network an an underground station at Part-Dieu which is really overcrowded (so munch that if the law was applied it should be closed)

[@augustin4374]

@@pierre-etiennecollin8858 pas assez, trop petits, dessertes trop mauvaise, gare de LPD complètement saturée

[@Matteoo69]

I live in Lyon , i love this video!! I take the line b and t2 daily , seeing you making an full videos about us is amazing!

[@mdhazeldine]

I love that you're covering more French and German cities now. Ah....they really know how to DO transit don't they. As a Brit, I can only sit here slightly jealous that they have governments that GET the need and invest in it properly. I'm happy for them but I just wish we had the vision do what we used to do back in the Victorian era and actually build cool stuff that doesn't cost an arm and leg and take decades to do.

[@Fan652w]

As another Brit, I strongly agree.

[@KyrilPG]

If you want more jealousy inducing news : This Saturday Paris opened 2 lines, the first one is a shuttle called line V (the letter, not the Roman numeral), replacing a part of one RER C branch that was disconnected from the line to simplify operations. It will allow better frequencies and simpler operations. The second one is tram line T12 Express, a tram-train line in the deep South suburbs, which repurposed another part of the disconnected branch of RER C and substantially extended it with new tracks to the South, both grade separated and street running. It is Paris 14th tram line and the 10th to open in the last ten years (two this year alone). T12 Express is roughly 20.4 km long and has 16 stations serving 12 municipalities with, initially, a new fleet of 25 trainsets, each carrying about 500 passengers. Tram T12 Express will possibly take over the new line V shuttle in the not so distant future as many are calling for it. In its current form, it is expected to carry about 40k daily riders. We'll see if that is right or grossly underestimated, like with the fairly recent T9 which saw nearly full capacity in the first trimester after opening. Also, a first further extension of the Grand Paris Express has been announced : a 19th metro line was officially proposed by the region's and transit authority's president a week or two ago. And I didn't mention the truckload of tram line extensions in the works, nor the several planned and proposed other metro extensions, nor the RER E West extension set to open in phase from spring 2024 on, nor the half dozen of proper busway BRT / bustram lines, nor Cable C1, the first 5-station urban transit gondola line currently under construction and set to open in 2025. That's an expansion of over 360km of new lines and extensions in about 15 years. It's a transit-a-palooza in Paris, even locals have a hard time following all the projects and simply grasping the scale of it all. Though, the proverbial "cliff" that is the date when low-emission zones will be really enforced, and at a stricter level, is approaching fast. And all this transit christmas list will still probably not be enough to carry everyone in decent travel conditions. Sigh... There's plenty of potential and so much to develop in the UK, I still don't understand how the politicians can be so clueless, though the outrageous cost ballooning issue should be addressed first, or the merry-go-round of horrendous costs and reduced, canceled and abandoned projects will go on forever. Several English cities could use a metro, or a pair of VAL /NeoVAL lines like in Rennes, or a 3 or 4 line network like in Lyon or Toulouse. Sadly it seems the ones in charge prefer peddling crazy conspiracies about 15 minute cities. Everyone deserves good transit.

[@highway2heaven91]

You’re doing a lot better than North America though! But seriously, I wish the Anglosphere wasn’t inspired by American urban development.

[@KrishnaAdettiwar]

@@highway2heaven91sigh, watching this video was just depressing as someone living in Seattle. I love our city and the States, but we are just so BAD at transit. Every station in this video looked so beautiful, every train looked so clean and safe, and the whole system looks so well thought out and integrated with the city. And the streets aren’t overrun by cars. It literally feels like a fever dream for me 😢😂 we should have this, considering Seattle is significantly larger and far wealthier than Lyon, and yet we don’t have anything remotely close to this. Or really any other American city for that matter. The best transit in North America is somehow consistently in Mexico because Canada and the US has made it so darn difficult and expensive to build.

[@highway2heaven91]

@@KrishnaAdettiwar And Seattle actually has one of the better transit systems in the US. It was so “good” that Yet Another Urbanist decided to move there! The one place in Canada or the US that happens to be making great strides in becoming an urbanist paradise is Montreal, which happens to also be the one non-English speaking city!

[@Vitally_Trivial]

Oh hey look, Hess LighTram vehicles! They’re so good. And the trams are absolutely gorgeous too, like you said.

[@Fan652w]

For the benefit of people not familiar with Lyon's transport system, 'Hess Light Tram vehicles' are the modern trolleybuses with batteries allowing them to run away from the wires.

[@warneredits5052]

I live in Lyon, the trams are really good and the network is well organized

[@espadon3567]

So cool to have such a variety of transports

[@Julien0ff]

I'm from Lyon (and French) and I love this video! Thank you for talking about the best city in France!!

[@redsox4918]

Thanks for covering Lyon!! Was great to see how the network has grown since I was there in 2011!

[@arthurandre-poyaud8997]

(I visited both cities, I speak from my personal experience) I know the two cities, Lyon and Montreal, quite well, and in terms of the Lyon transport network, that of Lyon is better because the difference between the two is that in Montreal there is the metro but for the last kilometers there is nothing anymore apart from buses whereas in Lyon there is the metro and the tram which complement each other and the last kilometer is done, either by one or the other

[@MenKaraa]

Just to update on this topic, they also plan to make use of the rivers and put a boat line from the south to the north of the Saône.

[@myselfleo]

The problem with a potential northen expansion of the line B is Charpennes. There, the line B terminus is at the same height as the line A (I believe the current terminus was originally built for maintenance). Expanding the line B would require building new tunnels starting from the previous station, to go under line A. I'm not sure it would be worth it considering that north of Charpennes will already be well deserved by trams T1, T4, T9 & T6.

[@reloup8969]

Considering the amount of people waiting for the tram at Charpennes to go to university it might be useful... Although I hope T6 and 9 will take care of some of that

[@noefillon1749]

I don't think it will happen soon unfortunately. The green are usually against metro projects (more in favor of trams) and it could be very expensive due to this tunnel issue described above. It's not really a project especially considering the tram will be getting even more frequent with T6 and T9 coming from Charpennes to La Doua soon. I'm really happy for the T9 in Vaulx-en-Velin. It was much needed and will end decades of underdeveloped service in Vaulx-en-Velin, sometimes not for the best reasons (politics, cost, it's a poor community...)

[@ribosoman593]

@@noefillon1749 Regardless of political party, digging a new tunnel from Brotteaux to La Doua for a marginal improvement of service during weekdays is not a dilligent use of money.

[@matthiasdarrington3271]

@@ribosoman593 I live in Charpennes and we're never going to have a metro expansion to the north. There's just nobody to serve except the university there. Also the trams they are building will be more than enough. If Lyon wanted another metro line, I'd take one going from Gratte-Ciel to Grange Blanche to Gerland.

[@bin4r1s23]

@@ribosoman593 Exactly, as a reference, the last cost study to expand the D line towards Ecully and La Duchère was around €2 billion, if I remember correctly (only to add two stops and ~1-2km of line). For Charpennes, this wouldn't be reasonable investment as the expected speedup is around 5 minutes "au doigt mouillé" to go to campus (University stop), and would still pose an issue for people going to the farthest parts like IUT / Croix-luizet, who would still need to use the tram. If it's ever built I think the metro line should better try to connect the northern parts of Grand Lyon (Rillieux and such), so this would mean one stop at University and then going straight north. Of course that's just speculation though.

[@soulofamerica]

Rode 4 Lyon Tram lines and 3 Metro lines in June 2023. Loved the frequent service and cool looking trams.

[@ChanaxMC]

I'm happy to see an explaination of my city's transit system, can you next time make a video about the Lyon's TER please, it could be interesting to see an explaination of it because it is the second biggest regional railway after Paris that will become an RER , also talking about trams, the french city of Strasbourg has also I think a great transit system of trams, and it is also the second french city to have a RER service that it would be cool to have also an explaination on it ! Although thank you for this video, it was a pleasure to watch it :D !

[@patrickmcnamara1623]

Great video! I was just in Lyon this week and really enjoyed taking transit there.

[@iquitstudios4135]

My cousins live here, it was amazing to see you observing this city again

[@hazzard5292]

In Lyon right now and am taking some time to try all the weird and wacky transit systems in the city. Very different from what I’m used to.

[@mayeul.m]

it's funny to see places that are literally at your door step on a video in English

[@henrycoughman]

I LOVED this video, I basically knew nothing about Lyon trams before! I think that you should do a video on my home city, Quito's brand-new metro system. It would be interesting to see all the new facts and data, and to spread it across the world! I wish the best!

[@etbadaboum]

The public transport section of your city's Wikipedia page doesn't mention it!

[@vincethegenius]

you can also mention the huge amount of regular bus, deserving almost all the great metropolitan area

[@kenshinleo]

Happy to see a video on the Lyon local transportation system that I like a lot.

[@gugusalpha2411]

I love Lyon's public transports system. The city is the right size to allow for simple and functional, and I like the fact they're always trying to expand it. Although, as a night worker living just above roadworks for the new lines, I've been missing on sleep for a full year 😭

[@meantares]

Great video and for me an eye opener. Love the looks of the tracks and metro trains of Lyon. Very cool.

[@frenchprint]

Lyon is such a beautiful city with a rich history. I am passionate about this city and how it developed throughout the centuries. Greatest city in France (after Paris).

[@bassman19944]

Even before Paris. And especially the food - Lyon is the absolute capital of French gastronomy.

[@JackMcEnery]

So happy to see a video on my city ! 🎉

[@Urban_Scape10]

What a great video!! Thanks for making such a complete video about our Beautiful network !

[@veselinboyadzhiev4724]

You can also make a video about the Utrecht trams. It is a fairly small and new system but has some interesting features which other cities can learn from.

[@JMac7991]

Meanwhile, the city I live in in that same time frame, Glasgow, has talked, proposed, cancelled, reproposed, cancelled, talked some more and got no where. The city has potential to be great with suburban lines that could be a metro, old abandoned rail alignments that would be good for metro or light rail, but the city lacks ambition and when it does get it, it lacks drive to do it.

[@thesenamesaretaken]

Bristol says hi.

[@neeha9449]

aye our subway has been that wee cute loop since the 1800's doesn't it. lot's of proposed this and that yet no serious move was taken at all even after years.

[@ricardogens9834]

I loved using the Glasgow Subway when I was there, but yeah the city is definitely lacking in transit. Maybe a perpendicular loop line could add a lot to the subway? Or perhaps crisscrossing tramlines that would make up for what the subway doesn't cover? I definitely noticed the East and West portions of the city aren't particularly well serviced beyond the ends of the metro loop. There were some commuter rail lines but they were extremely busy whenever I tried to use them. What would be your proposal as a local?

[@JMac7991]

@@ricardogens9834 my thinking is convert the main through commuter lines into a metro service and bolster it with trams to fill the gaps. Add new lines over freight or old rail alignments and a new North South cross city tunnel to connect the southside services better than terminating at Glasgow Central. If you did that, that would give the city a pretty dense metro network on top of a reformed bus system. Upgrading existing lines to metro Will likely be cheaper than starting from scratch. First place to start would be ticketing. Integrate it on all services and either make it zonal or completely flat faire. Say £2.50 for any journey within 90mins of starting. No need to overcomplicate it either. Mobile ticketing is already popular with trains, so employ that system throughout with paper counterpart for those who aren't as technically literate. And enable contact less payments on the barriers. Better yet, do a Germany and get rid of the barriers all together and have inspectors on trains.

[@rebeccawinter472]

I love the Lyon trolley busses - their design looks so much like a train with the way they cover up the wheel wells with those plates. Very bizarre - but it has a great effect.

[@Rubiecat]

Wow, so strange to see my city on transportation channels, it's nice to see our system be appreciated, I'm very happy about the new tram lines announced ^^ Also it's very funny to hear all the name stations pronounced with an english speaker's accent, it's cute.

[@ADN_8551]

You're doing a great job at saying french words without an english accent

[@npdarcy123]

Lyon Part Dieu used to have a summer Eurostar service, that went on to Avignon and Marseille. It was amazing!

[@user-jk2zm7uq5s]

Fun fact: every road sign in France points to either Paris OR Lyon. Usually it's "this way to Paris" and "that way to Lyon". (Yes, that's an exaggeration. There are road signs pointing to "toutes directions" and "autres directions" as well. "Autres directions" is anywhere that's neither Paris nor Lyon btw)

[@nedmerrill]

COME ON Just yesterday I wondered if you have a video on Lyon, and here we are ❤

[@Nicky_TM]

I’ve passed through the city of Lyon atleast 18 times by now, every time I try to get a glimpse of what the city might be like. I remember seeing the trams for the first time. I’ve still never really stayed there for any amount of time though

[@tikilanichols8023]

Nice!!! My wife are currently planning to make a move from New Orleans to Lyon in the near future...such a beautiful city.

[@Altrue]

Fun fact about Lyon's D Metro: For the longest time it featured exceedingly long stations, for no apparent reason. Turns out: There were supposed to be more cars but some slopes were too steep so they had to function with fewer cars for many decades. It's automation (I guess?) means a much, much better frequency than the other metro lines, and so it's definitely the best of Lyon's public transport methods in my opinion.

[@SpectreMk2]

Thanks for covering Lyon! The city has a very good balance between all modes (bike, bus, trolley, tram, metro and trains), but I wish that the metro network had a more "regional" use (like the upcoming GPX in Paris or Ligne C in Toulouse). All the metro lines are quite short and could see a lot more services. That's being said, the MPL16 is one of the world best looking rolling stock in my opinion.

[@reekelm9526]

I was definitely waiting for this episode! Thank you so ;uch for that episode on my home city! I have nothing to correct about it, you really havethe latest infos on our network and that's awesome! Your videos are awesome, keep going like this!

[@Myrtone]

I have a minor correction regarding 1:40 : The Lyon trams are actually more like 95% low floor with steps beside the aisle in places and when compared to these steps in the aisle (which some other Citadis variants have) would be preferable.

[@osasunaitor]

I visited Lyon recently, it's true that it has a very well integrated transport network. I was especially astonished by Perrache station: a mega transit hub right next to the city centre where buses, trams, metro, commuter trains, high speed trains and intercity coaches all meet in the SAME station!! France is well known for its innovative transport solutions and this was a brilliant example.

[@noefillon1749]

Well... Perrache is not that good of a place. There is a litteral highway interchange going all around, wayfinding is horrible, it can be kinda dangerous at night... not the best place to be in Lyon. It's the historical station so the look of the first building is nice, and you are right there are lots of city buses going there (I think there are more in Part Dieu), trams (definitely more in Part-Dieu, 4 lines I think) and the metro (as well as in Part-Dieu). Intercity buses go there because of the proximity to the highway I think and that's a plus though. Part-Dieu is so successful that it's clearly undersized. Hopefully some work is being done or planned (mainly a railway going around the city and works in Part-Dieu station itself) to improve the train situation in Lyon because the railway node is clearly saturated and delays are numerous. Hopefully it gets better in the future.

[@osasunaitor]

@@noefillon1749 yes, I'm talking about the concept of building a huge multimodal hub like that next to the city. But I agree that the place looked run down and it was easy to get lost. A bit of investment would be welcome. I can't say much about Part-Dieu because most of it was under construction works and this way it's hard to judge whether it's a good station or not

[@noefillon1749]

@@osasunaitor The most obvious about Part-Dieu is that it's overcrowded

[@valdir7426]

I learned quite a bit about the future plans. As a kid in the 90s I took both funiculaires alternatively AND the C line to go to school then highschool; as well as almost the full D line; which was premiering at the time (I usually stood at the front to look at the tunnel). In croix-rousse the arrival is extremely slow because the train is switching from rack tracks to standard tracks. It's incredible how the network expanded since then; and I can barely keep up as sometimes I discover there's a new extension and the terminus changed.

[@dlrowolleh5855]

Finally a video about our trams!

[@LeZylox]

2:05 i think you shouldn't discontinue talking about the development, it's such an important and interesting part!

[@Flumps-jz7pk]

Considering you're on trams, can you cover Melbourne's tram network (Yarra Trams)? Considering it is the worlds largest network I think an explainer would be awesome.

[@Tibidibidou]

Lyon was also one of the first french cities to get a bike sharing service, and it is quite good, even though it could still be improved, with the electric ones almost unused as such because you have to rent a battery apart, and not covering all territory once you get a bit far from center There was also an expérimental cargo bike sharing system, but it is still to see if it will be maintained

[@andrescgomezp]

ngl I was about to suggest a video about Lyon I lived there for 2 years and after trying other European cities transport networks, I would say, it's one of the best in the continent!

[@mratp123]

It's the best! I was there last summer, so much fun for a transport enthusiast 😂🎉 I found it quite weird that the metro drives on the left side and that the trolleybuses don't need wire connection and are called buses...

[@barryrobbins7694]

At one point there were plans to run the metro into suburbs on existing train tracks. The train tracks are in the left due to the influence of British train networks.

[@reekelm9526]

Trolleybuises have batteries as well to run without poles, but nost of the time it relies on them

[@michchante7639]

You know that Lyon's metro / subway is reversed ? It's quite unique and it was I believe for connecting the Subway infrastructure to the train, but it never did I think.

[@callistophelesn.n9528]

Thanks a lot for this video ! I'm from Lyon and I've learned quite a lot with it. I just want to add a very important information : 20% of the city is a UNESCO site and, thus, protected as a urban and architectural interest point. This is why some part of the city center seems less connected. Also, the center (between and around the rivers) is very tiny and humid, so public transportation was a challenge. The "Vieux Lyon" station is the deepest because of it. Lastly : many of the metro stations are decorated by artists or with archeological reproductions that were found nearby. Time for me to binge watch the rest of the channel

[@julienpetiot7837]

You can also talk about the city bike service 'Velo'v' witch is perfect to combin with the public transport network. Use a bike, drop it to a station and finish your ride with a bus, a tram or a metro. Lyon way of life

[@leonleon5013]

Coming from Marseille, the third largest city in France which has a horrible public transport policy, it always makes me sad to see how Lyon is improving its public transport so well while my city doesn't do anything as ambitious

[@mathieuperez44]

Same here, same here :(

[@JohnFromAccounting]

Just move north. Marseille has the Corsican mafia, drug trafficking, and is a major destination for illegal migrants. I have no intention of ever going to Marseille.

[@Sushi_355]

The first sentence of the video bugged me. How is Lyon France's second biggest city and not Marseille? It beats Lyon in both "true" population and the population of its metropolis (which also happens to be six times larger in size than Lyon's), and it's only when you consider the urban unit - a concept from the INSEE that has no administrative significance whatsoever, or the functional area - also from the INSEE describing some quite abstract stuff - that Lyon's is a little bit bigger in each case. I understand how those concepts might be more similar to what North Americans know (especially the urban unit which resembles their metro areas), but I've always felt it was a stretch to call Lyon bigger than Marseille.

[@nuabioof83]

​@@Sushi_355 because Marseille's city boundaries are huge compared to lyon, if you want to make a comparison Lyon's should include core-cities lile Bron, Villeurbanne, Oullins which are all accessible via mass transit

[@myr.drr_]

@@Sushi_355Lyon a 2,6 millions d’habitants en aire urbaine alors sur Marseille 1,8 millions et en agglomération c’est aussi Lyon avec 1,7 et Marseille 1,6

[@Trevor-hs5km]

I love the videos that you make and I found this really interesting. But could you PLEASE do a transit explained video for Boston, it has a very interesting network, the green line being especially unique and I think you would find it interesting as the green line is kind of a model tram, with a bit of everything: street running, median running, full light rail, and city center tunnels. I think that you could make some really intersting videos covering Boston and its network.

[@davidka8345]

From an European perspective it would be interesting to learn more about more advanced transit systems in northern America.

[@fernbedek6302]

Lyon’s old metro trains are the cutest ever.

[@balkon7426]

I am genuinely amazed by the maps in all of your videos. They make it’s so much easier to get situated in what you are talking about. I am curious if you’d make them yourself from scratch or use some sort of software?😊

[@etbadaboum]

One thing to makes it ever better would be to include photos of the places and add written names while pronounced (but it takes time for sure)

[@davidka8345]

I missed French pronounciation of the places/names. ;-)

[@ninoblack2112]

Thanks for this video. A couple of days ago I was just deciding what French city to visit for a quick day trip from Paris. (I decided on Orléans and spent yesterday there) I really want to visit Lyon soon but feel like I need to make it a couple days instead of a rushed visit. I knew there was pretty good transit but did not realize that there was so much as I’m an avid transit rider and didn’t want to be limited on the scope of the city that I could see. I’m now inspired to make this visit happen in the next couple of weeks. Again great video and thanks to all the commenters here for broadening my knowledge as well. J’ai hâte de visiter Lyon!

[@filiaaut]

I lived near Orléans most of my life and in Lyon for a few years, and I confirm that there is much more to do in Lyon, and a single day would be a little short. Of course, it is on an entirely different scale, but even when comparing it with other, similarly sized cities, Orléans has the reputation of being a bit boring. I hope you enjoyed your trip well enough nonetheless!

[@ninoblack2112]

⁠@@filiaautlol yes, passing 8-10 hours in Orléans was enough. However it rained much of the day so I didn’t get to check out the parcs and riverfront which were on my list of things to do as a photography enthusiasts. I’m definitely going to take a Lyon trip when I have 2-3 days to stay.

[@filiaaut]

It's a pity you couldn't see the riverfront, I may be biased, but I think the Loire is far prettier than the other big rivers in France, especially in towns (the Seine in Paris or even the Rhône in Lyon are much more boring), and there are also nice spots near the Loiret, but of course, the weather right now is not the most conducing to outdoors activities. At least with all the rain this year, the water level is not as alarmingly low as last year.@@ninoblack2112

[@cnrsoviet1046]

The Channel RMT transit show the transport network of my city Lyon. Thank you.

[@florimond.]

And when comparing Lyon's transit system to Montreal's, you have to remember that Lyon is more than 3 times smaller population wise.

[@FARINAOlivier]

not 3 times but rather 2 times

[@unlapras9365]

The initial plan for the Lyon metro was to have lines A and B interlining and forming one central loop with several branches, similar to what can be seen in Chicago. Unfortunately last minute cuts were made to save money and line B ended up with that weird one-track terminus.

[@prettymiffedbrit]

The trams and metro definitely need more trains with more capacity I.e. carriages!

[@Hiro_Trevelyan]

Yaaay my home town ! Thanks for this nice video ! Now that I think of it, Lyon may have helped me develop an interest in public transit. Lyon's metros are probably the best in France, with large automated trains that cover most of the important destinations in the city. I spent my whole teenage years moving around the city thanks to this robust system. It's not perfect, of course, it currently lacks funding to expand beyond the actual and future demand for transit as we reduce car dependency. We have larger metros thanks to it's designer. He said something along the lines of "widening tunnels later is basically impossible, building a wider tunnel from the start isn't that expensive and the excess capacity will be greatly appreciated, now and in the future" and he was so right. I wish more designers had his insight. I'd say one of its biggest problem is the lack of transit for students. Sure they put some tramway lines but they're sooooo packed it's impossible to just use a tramway line for a campus. Charpennes' weird layout makes it difficult to extend the line to the north, but it should be going to the university instead of stopping right there ! Anyone that went to University in Lyon by transit knows what I'm talking about : we need a metro for students, NOT trams ! Also, the automation of line B was pretty chaotic and the system is still not running at normal service levels. The metro hasn't worked well since they started the automation programs. I still support full automation but they really should investigate what happened. I'm also disappointed by the cancellation of the metro E project. It was supposed to be a new east-west line through Bellecour and Part-Dieu, which has been a HUGE demand from transit users for DECADES. Bellecour and Part-Dieu are the two most important commercial hubs of Lyon, concentrating most of the city life. The lack of direct connection between has been a complaint all these years and when we finally thought it was going to happen, they canceled it, saying "it's going to take too long". DUH. If you don't build it you can't have it. Procrastinating never made stuff happen faster, so if it takes long, it's another reason to do it NOW ! I'm glad there's projects to automate everything and adding screen doors, and I hope line B will be extended to La Doua - Gaston Berger and create a metro-tram hub inside the campus. Anyways, great video on Lyon ! Thank you for showing the cool stuff from my home town :)

[@barryrobbins7694]

While their primary purpose is functional, the Calatrava designed station and trams are quite beautiful. It is appropriate that a beautiful city has a transit system to match.

[@joelgrea6654]

I know both cities. I find it is much faster and easier to travel within Lyon as the network overall density is higher. But I might be biased as I grew up near Lyon when I have only been to Montreal for few weeks. I know my way around Lyon much better.

[@honziq]

Lyon dweller since 2008 here, who spent 5 years on that damn INSA campus 😅 What feels good about Lyon's transit is the forward energy. In the same time-frame, in my native Prague, barely anything was moving forward. I read here from people from cities which had done nothing with having dated, incomplete networks to begin with and I feel kinda lucky to have moved here 😊

[@etbadaboum]

Great video as usual Reece! One thing I don't see mentioned in the video or comments are improvements on the bus network on infrastructure to allow faster journey times, Marco Chitti talked about it on X.

[@obifox6356]

So many transit vehicles and so few automobiles!

[@tiernanstrains]

Please keep doing the histories of the lines, they're important!