Lyon to Leverkusen train

Located at the confluence of the Rhône and the Saône rivers in the central-west of France, Lyon is France's third-largest city, after Paris and Marseille. Lyon has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its 2,000 years of history and its central role in the Renaissance. Vieux Lyon is the city's historic area, full of old buildings and a vibrant French atmosphere. Wander through the traboules, a unique architectural feature of the city; these secret passageways wind through Lyon's buildings and courtyards. Several guided tours will describe the many uses of these covered paths throughout Lyon's history: from shortcuts to the river for 4th-century residents to meeting places for 19th-century silk workers and the World War II French resistance.

Lyon is also famously hailed as the birthplace of cinema. To immerse yourself in film history, visit the Musée Cinéma et Miniature to explore old movie props, costumes, and even complete film sets from several iconic films. To experience a traditional French market, stop in Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse. This indoor gourmet market offers only the finest local produce, the perfect place to sample the local cuisine.

Getting to Lyon is simple, and the lion's share of options are via ground travel. Eurolines bus services offer transport from many European cities into the Perrache train station, and many train services, including the TGV, also operate from the same station. Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport is only 25 km east of the city, providing both European and intercontinental flights.

Leverkusen is a small city in the west of Germany. This comparatively young city owes much of its growth to the chemical and pharmaceutical industry.

Although Leverkusen may not be on your radar, what puts this city on the map is the BayArena. Around 30,000 football fans gather at the arena to watch Bayer Leverkusen play, and daily tours are available for those who arrive when it's not a match day.

Another popular attraction in the city is the impressive Japanese Gardens. You'll quickly forget which continent you're in while you stroll through these serene gardens with koi ponds, small wooden bridges, Japanese maple trees, and lanterns. The tea pavilion in the center makes for great photos, especially when the surrounding trees blossom.

If you're in town to shop, visit the vast Rathaus-Galerie mall to indulge in shopping the German and international brands and dining at one of the many cafes and restaurants.

Leverkusen is located close to two international airports, Cologne-Bonn and Dusseldorf. High-speed trains run to these cities, and slower regional trains offer connections to Leverkusen. Other destinations throughout Europe are accessible via rail or intercity bus, so continuing from Leverkusen to Brussels or Amsterdam is a piece of cake.