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Distance between cities

Barcelona to Lyon distance

Barcelona and Lyon are 531 km (330 mi) apart in a straight line and 640 km (398 mi) apart by road: about 6 hr 45 min of driving without stops, mostly on the A9 and the A7. Below you’ll find the route map, both halfway points, the bearing, the approximate flight time and where every figure comes from.

By the All Map Tools Team

Map from Barcelona to Lyon: the straight line and the driving route
By road
640 km (398 mi)
Driving time
6 hr 45 min
Straight line
531 km (330 mi)
  • Driving route
  • Straight line
  • Straight-line midpoint
  • Halfway by road
Straight line vs driving distance

Lambert azimuthal equal-area projection centered on the midpoint. Route: FOSSGIS OSRM with data © OpenStreetMap contributors, calculated on November 1, 2026; simplified line.

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The figures

Figure Value
Straight line 531 km (330 mi) geodesic on the WGS84 ellipsoid
By road 640 km (398 mi) fastest driving route (OSRM)
Driving time 6 hr 45 min no stops, no traffic
Road detour +21% 1.21 times the straight line
Average speed 95 km/h (59 mph) along the route, without stops
Bearing 23° (northeast) leaving Barcelona toward Lyon
Midpoint 43.5739° N, 3.4644° E in Aspiran (Hérault, France)
Halfway by road Near Poussan (Hérault, France) 320 km from each city by road
Time difference None both share the same time
Approximate flight 1 hr 10 min estimate: 30 min + the straight line at 800 km/h
Population Barcelona: 1,731,649 · Lyon: 520,774 INE population register, January 1, 2025; GeoNames

Barcelona to Lyon by road

The fastest driving route is 640 km (398 mi) long and takes about 6 hr 45 min without stops or traffic. It runs mostly on the A9 (281 km), the A7 (193 km), and the AP-7 (136 km).

Of the 640 km, 160 km are in Spain and 480 km are in France. That’s an average of 95 km/h (59 mph). Spain’s traffic authority (DGT) recommends a break every two hours or 200 km: with 3 stops of 20 minutes, the trip takes about 7 hr 45 min. The time is OSRM’s estimate with OpenStreetMap data: no traffic and speeds somewhat below the limits, so real trips can differ.

Straight-line distance and bearing

In a straight line, the shortest distance over the Earth’s surface, Barcelona and Lyon are 531 km (330 mi) apart. That’s the geodesic on the WGS84 ellipsoid, the distance “as the crow flies”.

The road is 21% longer: for every 100 km in a straight line you drive 121. That’s a normal detour between two cities. Of the 34 Spain–Europe driving pairs in this series, it ranks 28th for detour (the average is 31%).

From Barcelona, Lyon lies to the northeast (bearing 23°), and from Lyon, Barcelona lies to the southwest.

Halfway between Barcelona and Lyon

Halfway along the straight line, 265 km (165 mi) from each city, is the point 43.5739° N, 3.4644° E. It falls in Aspiran (Hérault, France, pop. 1,311). The nearest town of 20,000 people or more is Sète (Hérault, France, pop. 40,736), 26.5 km away.

By road, the halfway point is 320 km (199 mi) from each city, near Poussan (Hérault, France, pop. 4,572), 1.8 km away. The nearest town of 20,000 people or more is Frontignan (Hérault, France, pop. 22,251), 6.5 km away. The two midpoints are 21.0 km apart: if you want to meet halfway, the one on the road is the useful one.

Time zone and flight

Barcelona and Lyon share the same time all year: both are on Central European Time.

A direct flight would take about 1 hr 10 min. That’s an estimate: 30 minutes for takeoff, climb, descent and landing, plus the 531 km straight line at 800 km/h (about 497 mph), a typical airliner cruising speed. Real schedules depend on wind, routing and airports, and not every pair has a direct flight.

The two cities

Barcelona has 1.7 million people (INE population register, January 1, 2025) and Lyon 520,774 people (GeoNames).

Frequently asked questions

How many kilometers is it from Barcelona to Lyon?

531 km (330 mi) in a straight line and 640 km (398 mi) by road on the fastest route (mostly on the A9 and the A7).

How long is the drive from Barcelona to Lyon?

About 6 hr 45 min without stops or traffic, according to OSRM with OpenStreetMap data; with 3 stops of 20 minutes, about 7 hr 45 min.

Where is the halfway point between Barcelona and Lyon?

In a straight line, in Aspiran (Hérault, France). By road, 320 km from each city, near Poussan (Hérault, France).

How long is the flight from Barcelona to Lyon?

About 1 hr 10 min, estimated from the straight-line distance (531 km): 30 minutes for takeoff and landing plus the trip at 800 km/h. Real flight times vary with wind and routing.

Are Barcelona and Lyon in the same time zone?

Yes: both are on Central European Time all year.

Measure it yourself on the map

The same two cities, already set up in the tools: move the points, get the route by bike or on foot and download the map.

Similar pairs

The ones in this series whose cities are closest to these two, in case another one suits you better.

More distances from Barcelona

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Sources