Las Vegas Transportation Options
Probably the most asked question of people visiting Las Vegas for the first time is How do I get to my hotel from the airport. Furthermore your choices on how to get around town once you check into your hotel.
Let’s go over your options.
Taxi: Once you exit the baggage claim area the taxi line is readily available. There will likely be someone there to coordinate so if you have a large party or a lot of luggage they can make sure you get a van.
If you are staying on the strip or very close by, the taxi authority has set rates to and from the airport. Be aware that sometimes there is special event pricing that may cause the rates to be higher.
If that is the case it will be posted at the airport what the surcharge is.
Rideshare (Uber/Lyft): Rideshare is probably the most efficient option when you factor in price and time. Sometimes the lines do get much longer than the taxi line so keep that in mind.
RTC (City Bus): This is your cheapest option (besides walking-no that’s not recommended), but you are sacrificing a lot of time by doing so and still may have some considerable walking
from where the bus drops you to your hotel. Unless you’re dead set on saving 10 bucks. Just take a taxi or Uber instead of this option.
Deuce Bus: RTC also has the Deuce but that runs the length of the strip and has a stop on Fremont Street. 24 hour passes currently cost $8 with rebates for students, veterans and the elderly.
This is an affordable way to visit Fremont Street or get from the North Strip to properties on the South Strip.
Limousines: If you want to splurge a bit and arrive in style, you can choose to hire a limousine. The driver will likely meet you at baggage claim and handle things from there. Prices vary based on
the company but you can figure around the $100 range. I like this option at night time so you get to cruise the strip in style and see the lights. Lots of options available and some websites are more
user friendly than others. At this time I’ve yet to verify that the walk up shared Limo services have returned post Covid. If and when they do, this is an even more affordable option.
Shuttle Service: If you exit from baggage claim and look the least bit confused, expect to be approached by one of the shuttle services. These generally run $15 per person each way, so if there
are two or more of you, it’s cheaper to just take a taxi. Plus consider you have to wait for the shuttle to fill then possibly wait for multiple stops when you get to your hotel. I would only consider
this option if I were solo and wanted to kill time and who wants to do that in Vegas?
Renting A Car: The decision to rent a car is a judgment call based on what your plans are. For first timers I would suggest skipping the car. First you save on parking fees at most of the strip hotels.
Second, there is enough to see on the strip and Fremont to keep you busy for your first trip. Unless you are certain that you want to venture off to the Grand Canyon or visit outlying casinos in the valley.
I’d save those things for later trips. Prices vary so much that it is hard to give much help in this area, so you have to shop around some. We have often found that the companies that are not located
at the Airport Car Rental Center (like Fox) are usually cheaper and the money you save on the 5 minute ride on a second shuttle is worth it. The off center places will have a second shuttle that picks
up in the taxi line in front of the rental center. Once you are off the large shuttle that brings you to the airport, cross back over behind you to the taxi line and wait at the sign for your chosen company.
A quick note on Turo. Many social media sites are full of people pushing their Turo rental. Be cautious with Turo, while yes it can be considerably cheaper than renting from an actual car rental company
there are a few things to consider. Most importantly, several Turo rentals will have a strict limitation on mileage. 600 miles might seem like a lot, but not if you plan on taking a trip to the Grand Canyon.
So always check out the fine print on the Turo along with reviews so you know who is overly strict on cleaning fees and things like that.
Walking: It has become a cliche but it is true. Make sure you wear comfortable shoes. Some of the casinos on the strip are as much as 4 miles apart, so expect to do a lot of walking if you explore any at all.
Girls, save the heels for that special occasion, not for walking the strip.
A nice little tool I use often can be found at Strip Walking Set your starting and end spot plus any stops in between and it will play a walking youtube video of the walk.
Monorail: The monorail can save you a lot of walking if you are moving up and down the strip. 24 hour passes currently run $15, but always check pricing beforehand in case there have been changes since
this was published. It’s not ideal in that sometimes to access it is a long walk in itself but overall it can save you a few steps. The monorail runs along the East side of the strip stretching
from MGM Grand to Sahara.
Free Trams: On the Western side of the strip there are a few free trams. One runs between Mandalay Bay, Luxor, and Excalibur. A second runs between Park MGM, Aria, and Bellagio. A third runs between Treasure Island and
The Mirage, though this one I look to close at any time with the remodeling and temporary closure of The Mirage. These trams are free, just watch the hours of service if you are going to be out late.
Downtown Loop: The Downtown Loop is a free service run by RTC, the city bus system. It has stops from The Strat to the Arts District, the North Outlet Mall, Pawn Plaza and a few places on Fremont Street.
Personally I’ve never used it because the shuttles only go one direction and if I want to go from one end of Fremont to the other I don’t want to have to ride all the way to the Strat and back to get to my starting point.
But the option is there if you want to visit one of the stops.
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