Lyon to Milan by train
Two direct Frecciarossa trains a day from Lyon Part-Dieu to Milano Centrale, about 4h40 to 5h20. Other trips change at Chambéry for a TGV.
Two direct Frecciarossa trains a day run from Lyon Part-Dieu to Milano Centrale, taking about 4 hours 40 minutes to 5 hours 20 minutes.
Take the direct Frecciarossa if the times suit you
The only direct trains are Trenitalia France's Paris to Milan Frecciarossa services, which stop at Lyon Part-Dieu on the way. One leaves Lyon in the morning and reaches Milano Centrale in the early afternoon. The other leaves in the late afternoon and gets in late in the evening. You keep one seat all the way across the Alps, with stops at Chambéry, Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne, Modane, Oulx and Torino Porta Susa.
Until 11 December 2026, the morning train leaves Lyon about an hour earlier on weekdays than at weekends. The weekday run is also slower: about 5 hours 20 minutes against about 4 hours 40 minutes on Saturdays and Sundays.
The TGV option means changing at Chambéry
SNCF's TGV INOUI trains to Italy run from Paris without calling at Lyon. To join one, you take a TER regional train from Lyon Part-Dieu to Chambéry and change there, sometimes with a second change at Aix-les-Bains. These journeys take about 5 hours 45 minutes to 6 hours.
They also end at a different station. The TGV terminates at Milano Porta Garibaldi, while the Frecciarossa runs on to Milano Centrale. Book your hotel with the arrival station in mind.
From 13 December 2026
The new European timetable starts on 13 December 2026. Trenitalia France has published its Paris to Milan times only up to 12 December 2026, so check that both direct trains still run on your date before you plan around them.
Via Geneva when the direct trains are full
A slower fallback is a TER from Lyon Part-Dieu to Genève, then a EuroCity via Domodossola to Milano Centrale. Expect about 7 hours 15 minutes with one or two changes. It is mainly useful when the two Frecciarossa departures are sold out or expensive.
Tickets, reservations and passes
Book the direct Frecciarossa with Trenitalia France. Its standard Serenità fare can be exchanged free until departure, paying any difference in price, and refunded until departure with 20% kept back. Fares move with demand. SNCF sells the TER and TGV INOUI combination, with second-class fares from around €63.
With an Interrail Global Pass, both the Frecciarossa and the TGV INOUI are covered, but the reservation is compulsory and paid on top:
| Train | Interrail reservation |
|---|---|
| Frecciarossa, Lyon to Milan | €13 in either class |
| TGV INOUI, France to Italy | €31 second class, €45 first class |
A One Country Pass for France or Italy covers only the domestic part of the trip, so it will not get you all the way to Milan on its own.
Where to book
Train service
- Check times & prices
SNCF operates France's TGV and regional trains. SNCF Connect books domestic and many international journeys, with fares ranging from flexible to non-refundable.
Official website - Check times & prices
Trenitalia runs Italy's Frecce high-speed, Intercity and regional trains; Super Economy fares are cheapest but allow no changes or refunds.
Official website
Find places to stay in Milan
Frequently asked questions
Is there a direct train from Lyon to Milan?
Yes. Trenitalia France runs two direct Frecciarossa trains a day from Lyon Part-Dieu to Milano Centrale, one in the morning and one in the late afternoon. Every other train journey needs at least one change, usually at Chambéry.
How long does the train from Lyon to Milan take?
About 4 hours 40 minutes to 5 hours 20 minutes on the direct Frecciarossa. A TER to Chambéry plus a TGV INOUI takes about 5 hours 45 minutes to 6 hours, and the route via Geneva about 7 hours 15 minutes.
Which Milan station do trains from Lyon arrive at?
The direct Frecciarossa arrives at Milano Centrale. Journeys using the TGV INOUI end at Milano Porta Garibaldi, so pick your hotel with the right station in mind.
Do I need a reservation with an Interrail pass?
Yes, on both trains. The Global Pass covers the Frecciarossa and the TGV INOUI, but the Frecciarossa reservation costs €13 and the TGV reservation between France and Italy costs €31 in second class or €45 in first.
Are trains running through the Alps again after the landslide?
Yes. Direct Frecciarossa trains between Paris, Lyon and Milan returned on 1 April 2025, after a landslide in the Maurienne valley closed the line at the end of August 2023.
More routes
