TRAVEL TIPS
Getting Around
Bus Travel. Public bus transportation is available via Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC). Tourist-friendly double-decker buses (dubbed "The Deuce") run up and down the Strip approximately every 15 minutes 24/7—a 24-hour pass is $8; a three-day pass is $20. The fare includes access to the "Strip and Downtown Express" (STX) and all RTC routes, which serve most of the Las Vegas Valley. Stops are near most resort properties, and are marked with signs or shelters. Visitors also can connect to and from McCarran International Airport via a 10-minute ride to the RTC’s South Strip Transfer Terminal on Route 109. Buses from there connect to the Deuce, Strip and Downtown Express, and more. For detailed information about how to get around town using public transit, check out the RTC’s special websitewww.ridethestrip.com .
Car Travel. If you're exploring the Strip or Downtown, it's best just to park your car (it's free at most casinos) and walk. If you think you'll be operating beyond the Strip during your stay, get a rental car.
Monorail Travel. The Las Vegas Monorail costs $5 per ride (or $12 for a one-day pass) and runs from the MGM Grand to Harrah's before making a jog out to the Convention Center and terminating at the Sahara Avenue Station near the SLS Las Vegas. It's no sightseeing tour; the train runs along the back sides of the resorts. But it's a fast way to travel the Strip, especially on weekends when even the Strip's backstreets are full of traffic. The trains run 7 am–midnight Monday; 7 am–2 am Tuesday–Thursday; and 7 am–3 am weekends. Discounts are available when you purchase tickets online, www.lvmonorail.com.
Other monorails include Mandalay Bay to Excalibur (stopping at Luxor only when it heads south), one that runs from Monte Carlo through CityCenter to Bellagio, and a third that runs between the Mirage and TI. Three routes are free; barring maintenance (which is oddly common at night), trains usually run 24 hours a day.
Ride Sharing. Ride-sharing services such as Uber and Lyft serve the Las Vegas market, but are not allowed to pick up passengers anywhere on the Strip. Drop-offs are not regulated in any way.
Taxi Travel. Cabs cost $3.30 initial fare plus $2.60 per mile. They are convenient and worthwhile, especially if you're splitting a fare (no more than five people allowed in a cab). Note: Cab rides originating at McCarran International Airport include a $1.80 surcharge.
