Lyon 2025 Part 3

Getting around Lyon *should* be super easy - there are metros, trams, buses, and funiculars going all over, at just about any time. Our apartment is just a few minutes walk to a major hub, so we had planned on using the system extensively. Our apartment is in a pedestrian zone - we put our car in long-term parking at the end of the metro line that goes right to our corner, and bought 7-day passes for unlimited rides (all types of public transportation take the same ticket, ~23€).

Unfortunately, several things conspired against us! First, we have mobility issues, and so we checked on elevators and escalators - every metro station has them except one, which we could easily avoid. But! Almost every station we needed had broken equipment - we couldn't count on getting up or down without stairs. So, the metro is mostly a bust. Second, the bus routes for our neighborhood are severely disrupted - all our options on Saturday were completely cancelled, and our best options on other days had moved their routes over a block - that's fine once you know what's what, but meant a lot of extra walking to find out. (Not to mention all that waiting at the wrong place!) Third, our backup was to use Uber - but with all the road work going on, we usually waited 15 minutes for our ride, and then they had to drive waaay out of the way! It also meant we were paying for a trip (12€) that we had already covered by having a bus pass. Fourth, all of this extra walking and standing exacerbated our mobility; we ended up staying in the apartment for days, missing sightseeing.

Well, we had tickets for a light show, which we were determined to not miss! Looking at Uber, a reserved evening ride - one direction - would be ~30€. That was just maddening... Then, inspiration struck! I walked up the street to the pharmacy, and arranged to rent a wheelchair! Perfect! Later that evening, we had a smooth ride - the elevator we needed wasn't working, but the escalator was (stand up, fold up the chair, get to the top, and reverse); coming back, everything worked!

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Our next spin took us through a metro transfer - we got to the transfer point ok, but then (after a discussion with a metro agent) we walked the chair down a flight of stairs, then an escalator. The alternative suggestion? Get back on the first metro, take it to the terminus, then switch directions, then get off where we were (but on the other quay), then take the elevator to transfer. Well, it was inventive at least...

Coming back, we knew to get the elevator to the surface, cross the square, then get the elevator down. The problem then? We watched an elevator full of people successfully go down, then... It got stuck! Broken before our very eyes! Ugh. On to the bus.

We were getting better at navigating, and at watching out for bumps - some we could get over, some not.

Choices...

You wouldn't believe how much un-asked-for, but very much appreciated, help we got from practically everyone, everywhere! Someone invariably grabbed the other end of the wheelchair to help us over a bump, onto the subway, or up/down the stairs! 💞💞

On top of that, the bus driver extended the wheelchair ramp automatically when he saw us - we were all set to walk everything on, but no! One less thing to worry about!

One fun thing - when we switched to the bus, we saw these signs - these stops were not going to be served for a lot of the weekend. At first, this was just more frustration. But a second thought was - hmmm... What's going on; is it interesting?

Spoiler Alert! It was!

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Helpful links:

Very helpful pharmacy (34€ to rent a wheelchair, without a prescription) - https://www.pharmacie-croix-paquet.fr/materiel-medical-orthopedie-contention/#mat

Lyon transportation company - https://www.tcl.fr/

Metro exits - information, maps - https://www.sortiesdumetro.fr/lyon/hotel-de-ville.php#google_vignette

Helpful hint: To find the location of metro elevators, use the "exits" link above. If you want to know which elevator to take from the street to the metro quay in direction you need, use street-view to look at the sign. Note that the direction is always expressed by the name of the terminus.