Lille Travel Guide

Lille, France — Travel Tips

Getting There By Air

There are no direct flights to Lille from the UK, from where the best option by far is the Eurostar. Airlines flying to Lille from other destinations include Air France and AIR ALGERIE.

Aéroport de Lille
Tel: 0891 673 210.
Website: www.lille.aeroport.fr

The airport is located in Lesquin, 10km (6 miles) from Lille.

Airport facilities
Lille Airport facilities include a café, a restaurant, a kiosque, a duty-free shop, Wi-Fi access and a business center. Car hire is available from Avis, National/Citer, Europcar and Hertz.

Transport to the city
A shuttle links the airport with the city center in 20 minutes (tel: (03) 2090 7979) and runs hourly from 0530-2230 during the week, from 0530-1830 on Saturdays and from 1030-2230 on Sundays.

Approximate flight times to Lille
The flight time from London to Lille (with a train connection) is approximately 3 hours 15 minutes. Flight times from other cities in France are: 1 hour 45 minutes from Nice, 1 hour 35 minutes from Marseille and 1 hour 25 minutes from Bordeaux.

Getting There By Road

In Lille, traffic drives on the right and the minimum age for driving is 18 years. Speed limits are 130kph (80mph) on motorways, 110kph (68mph) on dual carriageways, 90kph (56mph) outside built-up areas and 50kph (30mph) in built-up areas. A national driving license, the car's registration document and a red warning triangle must be carried at all times. EU nationals taking their own cars to France are strongly advised to obtain a Green Card, without which insurance cover is limited to the legal minimum.

Emergency breakdown services
AA (tel: 0870 550 0600); Green Flag (tel: 0800 400 638).

Routes to the city
Lille has excellent road links, located as it is at the crossroads of five motorways: the A1 from Paris, the A25 from Dunkirk and Calais, the A23 from Valenciennes, the A27 from Brussels, and the A22 from Ghent, Antwerp and Amsterdam.

Driving times to the city
Driving from the UK, you will have to go by ferry over the Channel or use the Eurotunnel (tel: 08705 353 535 in the UK; www.eurotunnel.com) to Calais, which is a mere 92km (57 miles) from Lille (driving time - 1 hour 10 minutes).

Getting There By Rail

Rail Services
Eurostar (tel: 08432 186 186; www.eurostar.com) runs trains to Lille from London. Information on other train services, including TGV (French high-speed trains), to Lille are available from the national rail service provider, SNCF (tel: 0892 353 535; www.sncf.fr). Both the Lille Europe (for Eurostar) and Lille Flandres stations are located in the city center.

Rail Operators
The easiest way to get to Lille from the UK is with Eurostar, from London St Pancras (journey time - 1 hour 20 minutes). Trains depart regularly throughout the day but early booking is advisable for the best fares.

Getting Around in Lille, France

Public Transport

Transpole (tel: 0820 424 040; www.transpole.fr) operates a good network of buses and trams, as well as two automated, driverless metro lines known as the 'VAL'.

The town center is very walkable, but the metro is useful for longer journeys. Buy a carnet of 10 tickets in advance to save money. Alternatively, a daily travel card, the Pass'Journée, allows you to travel anywhere on the network all day.

There is a shuttle linking the car parks at Champ de Mars, Norexpo et Porte de Valenciennes, via boulevard de la Liberté (stops at rue Nationale, place de la République, rue de Valmy, boulevard Jean-Baptiste Lebas) and boulevard Louis XIV (stop at Lille Grand Palais). Regular daily departures 0700-2000 except Sunday and bank holidays.

Taxis

Taxis are available from the main taxi ranks located at the airport, outside Lille Europe and Lille-Flandres train stations, and at various busy locations in town. Taxis can also be booked in advance from Taxi Union (tel: (03) 2006 0606) and Taxi Gare (tel: (03) 2006 6400).

Car Hire

Car hire is available from Ada (tel: (03) 2092 3792; www.ada.fr), Avis (tel: 0820 611 696; www.avis.fr), Europcar (tel: (03) 2006 0146; www.europcar.fr), Hertz (tel: (03) 2836 2590; www.hertz.fr) and Rent A Car (tel: (03) 2040 2020; www.rentacar.fr).