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Cross-border route · Europe
TGV Lyria Paris–Zurique
By train from Paris to Zurique in about four hours, without transfers: from the Gare de Lyon to the centre of the largest city in Suíça, passing through Alsácia and Basileia.
France
Switzerland
2 cities 2 countries
In the photo: Main concourse of Zürich HB station, Zurique
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
The route
What is TGV Lyria Paris–Zurique
The TGV Lyria, the high-speed train of SNCF and the Swiss railways (SBB CFF FFS), links Paris to Zurique in about 4 hours, without transfers. The train departs from Gare de Lyon in Paris, follows the Reno-Rhône high-speed line, stops in Dijon or Belfort-Montbéliard depending on the timetable, and in Mulhouse enters Suíça via Basileia and arrives at Zürich HB, Zurique's central station in the city centre.
It is the simplest way to combine França and Suíça in one trip. Suíça is in the Schengen area but not in the União Europeia: there is no routine passport control, however the currency changes to the franco suíço and there may be customs inspections on the train.
There are usually six direct trains per day, roughly every two hours. You can make the journey in a morning and use Zurique as a base to visit Lucerna, Berna and the Alpes, which are one to two hours away by train. The TGV Lyria also connects Paris to Genebra and Lausanne, an alternative for those who prefer to start in the Suíça francesa.
The map
2 cities in 2 countries
Outlines: Natural Earth, public domain. Adapted by Cidade Turismo.
The journey
City by city
Distances and times are approximate: check before you set out.
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1 · France
Paris
The route begins at the Gare de Lyon, in the 12th arrondissement, connected to the metro and the RER. Paris requires at least three days: the Louvre, the Torre Eiffel, Notre-Dame, Montmartre and the Sena.
→ Zurique cerca de 4h TGV Lyria direto, da Gare de Lyon a Zürich HB, com paradas em Dijon ou Belfort-Montbéliard (conforme o horário), Mulhouse e Basileia. Até Basileia são cerca de 3 horas.
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2 · Switzerland
Zurique
The end of the line is Zürich HB, in the centre, a few steps from the Bahnhofstrasse and the old town on the banks of the Limmat river and the lake. Before that, the train stops in Mulhouse — about 20 minutes by regional train from Colmar, in Alsácia — and in Basileia, a suíça city on the Rhine with an old centre and art museums. From Zurique, Lucerna is about 45 minutes by train, and Berna about 1 hour.
How to travel
The way and the tickets
By train, with a ticket bought in advance. TGV Lyria has reserved seating and no check-in: just arrive at the station, find the train on the departures board and board before departure. In Suíça, the trains of the ferrovias suíças take you from Zurique to Lucerna, Berna and the Alpes.
Best time to go
When to go: month by month
From May to September: long days, lakes and mountains with good weather for outings. December has Christmas markets in both cities. From January to March it's cold, with snow in the mountains of Suíça — ski season.
The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.
Planning
Planning the trip
How many days
The train covers the entire journey in about 4 hours. To see Paris and Zurique with one or two excursions into Suíça, allow 7 to 10 days; with 5 days, stay in Paris and Zurique.
Who it is for
For those who want to see França and Suíça without flying, for couples and families, and for people traveling to Suíça for the mountains and lakes who want to start in Paris.
Your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about TGV Lyria Paris–Zurique
Quanto tempo leva o trem de Paris a Zurique?
Cerca de 4 horas no TGV Lyria direto, da Gare de Lyon a Zürich HB. Até Basileia, a primeira parada na Suíça, são cerca de 3 horas.
Quantos trens diretos há por dia?
Costumam ser seis por dia em cada sentido, mais ou menos de duas em duas horas, da manhã ao começo da noite. Confira os horários da sua data no site do TGV Lyria.
Qual é a moeda na Suíça?
O franco suíço (CHF). Cartões de crédito e débito por aproximação costumam ser aceitos em quase todo lugar, inclusive nas máquinas de passagem. Alguns lugares aceitam euro, com troco em francos.
O TGV Lyria tem check-in?
Não. Basta chegar à estação, achar o trem no painel de partidas e embarcar. As portas fecham alguns minutos antes da saída, e a Gare de Lyon é grande, então chegue com folga.
Vale usar o passe Eurail ou o Swiss Travel Pass?
O passe Eurail vale no TGV Lyria, mas a reserva de assento é obrigatória e paga à parte. O Swiss Travel Pass vale só nos trens dentro da Suíça, não no trecho francês. Para um trecho só, compare com a passagem comprada com antecedência.