Getting Around Vegas
 

Getting around in Las Vegas can be accomplished with relative ease once you know which method of transport is best suited to you.

Airport Shuttle

Unless you have booked an all-inclusive package that includes airport shuttles you will need transportation to your hotel.  Several shuttle companies operate from McCarren International Airport to the Las Vegas strip, downtown Las Vegas, Boulder Highway and the outlying hotels. Travel arrangements can be made outside of the baggage claim area for one-way or round trip transport. Round trip fares are slightly less than double the one-way fare. Approximate round trip fares per person are as follows:
Strip hotels--$8.00
Downtown hotels--$10.00
Off strip hotels--$13.50
Reservations are recommended for timely return to airport.

Taxi Services

Taxi fare in Las Vegas is governed by the Nevada Taxicab Authority and as such all fares between 16 companies operating in the Las Vegas valley will be the same. 
Once you enter a taxi the meter will start at  $3.20.  If the taximeter senses that the taxicab is moving less than 8-12 MPH, (as is the case when stuck in traffic) the taximeter will assess a charge of $.25 (twenty-five cents) every 41 seconds, which equals $22/hour.   While traveling at speeds above 8-12 MPH the rate is $2.00 per mile which is broken down into 1/8th of mile segments of $0.25 each. There is also an additional $1.20 fee for all trips that begin at McCarran Airport, this will result in trips to your hotel from the airport costing more than your return trip to the airport.  Once the taximeter senses that the taxicab is moving at a speed greater than 8-12 MPH the fare calculates on the actual distance traveled.

To recap:
First 1/8th of a mile = $3.20
Each additional mile = 0.25
Waiting time = $22.00 per hour
McCarran Airport pickup fee = $1.20

From McCarren Airport the approximate fares are as follows:
South Strip (Luxor, Mandalay, Tropicana)--$9.50-$12.00
Center Strip (Caesars, Mirage, Harrah's)--$12.00-$15.00
Sahara/Stratosphere--$13.00-$17.00
Downtown Area--$17.00-$21.00
*Note-The above rates are per car load (up to 5 passengers) not per person.
Drivers are not allowed to alter from the most direct route without prior approval from the passengers.

Please note that it can sometimes take 30 minutes to an hour to wait in line for a taxi at the airport at peak travel times.  Keep this in mind when planning your tours or events.

Car Rentals     

Cab fares add up quickly, buses are slow and the strip is long if you are walking. a rental car in Las Vegas is recommended if you are going to be doing a lot of travelling around town.   The major car rental companies have booths at McCarren Airport but we suggest that you book your car before you leave home.  Having a car at your disposal will give you more time to enjoy your Las Vegas vacation without transportation worries.  Parking at the hotel is free.

City Buses

The Citizens Area Transit (CAT) is the Las Vegas public transit system.  The 2 routes that most Las Vegas visitors will be concerned with are the #301 and #302 which both run the Strip from the south to Fremont street.  The 301 stops at every stop along the strip while the 302  is the express bus and stops at fewer locations. Fare to use the CAT bus sytem is $2.00 with exact fare required, drivers will not make change for you. For more information about the CAT you may visit their website by going to  http://www.rtcsouthernnevada.com/cat/routes/

Trolleys

The trolley bus travels from The Stratosphere to the South Strip area, it does not travel to Fremont Street. Trolley bus fare is $1.50 exact fare only with hours of operation between 9:30am to 2:00am on a 20 minute schedule. The trolley bus does serve the purpose of transport and is generally less crowded than the CAT buses but be forewarned, has uncomfortable wooden seats (nostalgic I suppose) and stops at every major hotel along the strip making transport very slow.

Las Vegas Monorail

Monorail Information
Map of Strip and Monorail Route

The newest transportation option in Las Vegas is the monorail which runs from the MGM Grand Hotel to Sahara Ave.  The Las Vegas Monorail operates 7 days a week from 7:00am to 2:am daily, each car holds 72 riders seated and 152 riders standing with the approx. time to ride from one end of the 4 mile long Las Vegas strip is being 14 to 16 minutes, depending on the speed of boarding and unboarding passengers.  The monorail tickets can be purchased at vending machines located inside each station and at station hotel properties.

Monorail tickets where needed are included in tour prices for the Conference.  See maps on the web site for locations of stations.  There is a monorail station located at the Imperial Palace Hotel.

Monorail ticket prices are as follows:

Free Trams 

1. Tram that runs from Bellagio to the Monte Carlo hotel runs every 10 minutes 24 hours a day offers indoor boarding platforms. 

2. Excalibur to Mandalay Bay tram operates 24 hours a day with non-stop service on the southbound trip. The same tram on the return (northbound) trip from Mandalay Bay to Excalibur provides a stop at the Luxor for those wishing to visit there.

Walking and Your Safety

The Las Vegas Strip is over 4 miles long from one end to the other, walking the strip will take considerable time. If you decide to try walking here are a few tips:
1. At night stay on the Strip and do not walk alone if you can avoid it. Las Vegas is, generally speaking, a safe city but like any other is not excluded from crime.
2. Wear comfortable, good fitting shoes.
3. Summer months are very hot, during daytime walks take bottled water with you and stop often at the casinos to get a fresh bottle.
4. Obey walk signals at traffic lights, many tourists are hit by cars every week driven by other tourists that are looking at the sights.
5. When walking on the Las Vegas Strip you will be handed pamplets and magazines with pictures or ads for sex that may be objectionable to you. Do not hold out your hand to take them, the people that are giving them away will not bother or harass you in any way if you ignore them.