Day trip from Basel to Lyon
Lyon lies 289 km (180 mi) south-west of Basel, in the same time zone. What the numbers say about getting there.
At 289 km (180 mi) apart, Lyon is a realistic day trip from Basel: about 4 h 42 min each way by road.
| Basel | Lyon | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | Switzerland | France |
| Population | 177,595 | 520,774 |
| Elevation | 279 m (915 ft) | 173 m (568 ft) |
| Time now | UTC+2 (Europe/Zurich) | UTC+2 (Europe/Paris) |
| Postal codes | 4000–4091 | 69000–69998 CEDEX 07 |
What changes when you arrive in Lyon
Crossing from Switzerland into France: money changes from the Franc to the Euro (EUR); sockets are Euro, Type E; the dialling code becomes +33; the emergency number is http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q1061257 / http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q25648842.
What to see in Lyon
| Sight | Visitors a year | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Musée des Confluences | 767,509 | 2016 |
| Museum of Fine Arts of Lyon | 356,369 | 2017 |
| Lugdunum Musée et Théâtres | 169,238 | 2024 |
| Contemporary Arts Museum of Lyon | 100,722 | 2019 |
| Gadagne (museums) | 74,579 | 2019 |
| Textile Arts Museum | 68,511 | 2019 |
| Centre d'Histoire de la Résistance et de la Déportation | 64,730 | 2019 |
| Musée de l'Imprimerie et de la Communication Graphique | 26,199 | 2019 |
| Maison des Canuts | 24,787 | 2009 |
| Lyon Municipal Archives | 16,498 | 2022 |
The busiest is Musée des Confluences at 767,509 visitors in 2016. Figures are the latest each site has published, so they are not all for the same year.
UNESCO World Heritage in the city: Vieux Lyon.
Where to book tours and tickets in Lyon
We take no bookings for these providers and hold no reservation with them. The provider you choose handles payment, confirmation, changes and refunds. How that works.
Staying in Lyon
Our booking partner lists 454 places to stay in Lyon. Of the 173 with a star rating, the largest group is 3-star (73), and 9 are five-star. Across 236 properties with at least 50 reviews, the average guest score is 8.3 out of 10. Guests have left 324,399 reviews in total.
Book a hotel in Lyon
Live rooms and prices from our booking partner, booked and paid for here. Free cancellation is marked where it applies.
Common questions
How far is Lyon from Basel?
289 km (180 mi) in a straight line, south-west of Basel; by road roughly 353 km (219 mi).
How long does it take to get from Basel to Lyon by road?
About 4 h 42 min, estimated from distance and typical speeds. Timetables and traffic decide the real figure.
Is there a time difference between Basel and Lyon?
No, both are on the same offset at the moment.
What currency do I need in Lyon?
The Euro (EUR).
Where can I stay in Lyon?
Our booking partner lists 454 places to stay in Lyon, bookable on this site.
Where these facts come from
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, elevation, time zone, postal codes
- Wikidata (CC0): area, sister cities, visitor numbers, heritage listings, stations and ports
- OurAirports (public domain): airports, runways
- Natural Earth (public domain): map outlines
Data compiled 13 September 2026. Hotel figures are from our booking partner’s catalogue on that date. Journey times on this page are estimates from distance, not timetables; check the operator before you rely on one.