PHOTOS: Las Vegas Transportation
Las Vegas Transportation
Las Vegas Transportation is anchored by McCarran International Airport (LAS) is America’s 7th busiest passenger airport. Within its two oversized terminals, you will notice plant of art, WiFi, and the distinction of having over 1200 slot machines. Though LAS has plenty of lounges, dining options are somewhat limited for an airport of this scale, since the powers that be prefer that you dine on The Strip or Downtown.
Surprisingly, LAS airport includes an Aviation Museum that chronicles when aviation first arrived in Las Vegas. The shops at LAS will eagerly tempt you with luxurious gift items before you leave town. LAS AIRPORT TERMINAL MAP.
Car Rentals: Alamo, Avis, Budget, Rent-A-Vette, Hertz, and Thrifty. Tip: From the airport, I-15 Freeway is a good option when headed north of Caesar’s Palace or Downtown. Otherwise, take Paradise Road.
Taxis are plentiful, but there are long lines to board when big trade shows like Comdex, NAB, and Consumer Electronics conventions are in town. Taxis cost $20 per person to the Strip and $30 downtown. Uber & Lyft cost slightly less.
TIP: If going on the east side of The Strip, ask the driver to take Paradise Road. If going on the west side of the Strip when it’s not commuting hour, ask the driver to take I-15 Freeway north, then exit at the first Sinatra Drive exit. If going downtown, take I-15 Freeway north during non-commute hours, otherwise take Paradise Road, northbound.
Shuttles to the Strip cost $15. Limousines to The Strip cost $30-35. If you are headed Downtown, add $10.
There is no passenger train service to Las Vegas. But, the good news is that Brightline West plans a Las Vegas-Southern California High-Speed Rail service in the not-too-distant future. See this important article about Brightline West High Speed Rail.
Las Vegas Monorail provides relief to many visitors stuck driving or walking Las Vegas Strip during hot or cold weather. The 4-mile monorail runs up to 50 mph to these 7 stations on the east side of the Las Vegas Strip:
• Sahara Hotel Station
• Las Vegas Hilton Station
• Las Vegas Convention Center Station
• Harrahs-Imperial Palace Station
• Flamingo Station
• Ballys-Paris Las Vegas Station
• MGM Grand Station
If you plan to visit a lot of resorts on the east side of the Las Vegas Strip, it’s best to purchase a 1-day pass or a 3-day pass. Otherwise, it costs $5 per ride. Service is every 3-5 minutes from daily, 8a–2a. Now if only the casino-resort owners would fund monorail extension south from MGM Grand Resort to LAS Airport, instead of bowing to pressure from taxi and limo operators.
Casino-Resort owners on the west side of the Las Vegas Strip don’t want their patrons exhausted either, so they built 3 disconnected but, nonetheless Free trams that run every 3-7 minutes:
• Mandalay Bay-Luxor-Excalibur (7a-2a)
• Bellagio-CityCenter-Monte Carlo (7a-10:30p)
• Mirage-Treasure Island (8a-4a)
Downtown Transportation Center is located at 300 North Casino Center and hosts extensive Bus Rapid Transit service. You can catch a bus next to a casino resort on Fremont Street that travels frequently to the shopper’s bonanza called Las Vegas Premium Outlets.
The Deuce is a series of double-decker air-conditioned buses that run from the Strip to downtown Las Vegas. The seats are stiff, but the upper deck views are great. If your feet can’t take walking or you’ve had a few drinks, it’s a good option for 1-2 people. For 3 in a group, the taxi or Uber is a better value, but you miss the upper-deck views.
Board The Deuce at large resorts on the Strip. The cost is $5 for 2 hours or $7 all day.
PHONE: 800-228-3911
Las Vegas Black Heritage Tours
Provides professionally guided custom tours to small and large groups. Tours include Harrison Guest House, The Christiansen Mansion, the Moulin Rouge site of the first integrated hotel/casino resort in America, Westside School, Walker African American Museum, West Las Vegas Arts Center, and soul food meal which is optional. Another Option is a behind-the-scenes Tour of Michael Jackson’s Thriller Villa.
EMAIL: w5cclv@gmail.com
PHONE: 702-490-2699
WEBSITE: HarrisonHouseLV/
Open Top Sightseeing features Hop-On/Hop-Off buses that traverse the strip, but take a more expansive tour of Las Vegas resorts, lounges, dining, shopping, shows, thrill rides, family entertainment venues, wedding chapels, and more. The price is $40 per person per day.
PHONE: Toll-Free 877-332-8689
Maverick Helicopters: Experience a breathtaking flight over Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon
PHONE: Toll-Free 888-261-4414
Las Vegas Freeway Network is oriented to The Strip, Downtown and a few east-west residential areas, is severely challenged by population growth. Fortunately, County Route 215 is being upgraded to I-215 Freeway status to encircle the metro area. This is important to travelers because it allows more residents to get across town without funneling all north-south traffic to I-15 Freeway next to The Strip and Downtown. Allow extra time on the freeways during commute hours.
For driver orientation, The Strip is a landscaped boulevard whose northern part begins at Sahara Blvd and southern part ends at Russell Road, just below Mandalay Bay Resort.
