Las Vegas 4 Newbies | Everything you need to know about visiting Sin City for the first time

Chapter 4: Getting around the city

4.1: Getting from here to there
4.2: Walking: The casino crawl
4.3: Cabs are an option
4.4: Buses ...and the strip trolley
4.5: Monorails and trams
4.6: Rental cars can be a burden

Free Shuttle from Harrahs to Rio Suites Hotel

4.1 Getting from here to there

Las Vegas strip bus

Driving in Las Vegas

Frankly, if you flew into Las Vegas, we do not recommend that you rent a car unless you want to tour outside the city. You will be spending most of your time on the strip and Las Vegas mass transportation is very good. A double-decker bus nicknamed "The Deuce" runs up and down the Strip every few minutes 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

While all the hotels offer free parking, driving in Las Vegas is slow and the traffic gridlock and pedestrians can be a real problem ...especially if you are new to the area.

If you must drive, don't drive on the strip, that is, avoid Las Vegas Boulevard! Use Paradise Road to the east and Industrial Road to the west. They run parallel to the strip. And always use the free valet parking whenever you can.

Check out this webpage is you are driving from Los Angeles to Las Vegas.

Transportation from Airport to Hotel.

There are several shuttle services that run on a 24 hour basis from McCarran Airport to strip and downtown hotels. You need not purchase shuttle tickets in advance. Cost is around $6.00 one way (about $12.00 round trip) to strip hotels; $8.00 to downtown (about $16 round trip.) Suggest you buy a round trip if you must return to the airport. Prices include airport tax & fuel surcharge. All shuttle companies operate 7 days.

The shuttles can be found just outside the baggage claim area. Be sure to ask the driver for a telephone number and when to call for a pick-up to return to the airport. Allow two or three hours between pick-up and when your plane leaves!

The main shuttle services are:

Ambassador / Ritz - 4 a.m. - Midnight - To strip hotels: $7.00 one way, $13.00 round trip - To downtown hotels: $8.50 one way; $16.00 round trip - Off-Strip hotels - subject to hourly rate - (702) 362-6200 - Location: Terminal 1 - Outside Baggage Claim Door #11

Bell Trans - Open 24 hours - To strip hotels: $6.50, Roundtrip: $12 - To downtown hotels: $8.00, Roundtrip: $15.00, Off-Strip hotels: $8.00, Roundtrip: $15.00 - Walk-up limousine: $57.00 per hour - Walk-up sedan - $46.00 per hour - (702) 385-5466, (800) 274-7433 - Location: Terminal 1 - Outside Baggage Claim Door #8

CLS Transportation - Open 24 hours - To strip hotels: $6.00, Round trip: $12,00 - To downtown hotels - $8.00, Round trip: $16.00 - (702) 740-4050 - Location: Terminal 1 - Outside Baggage Claim Door #13

Executive Las Vegas - Open 24 hours - To strip hotels: $6.00, Roundtrip: $12.00 - To downtown hotels: $8.00, Roundtrip: $16.00 - Off-Strip hotels: $7.00, Roundtrip: $124.00 - (702) 646-4661 - Location: Terminal 1 - Outside Baggage Claim Door #8

Gray Line/Coach USA - Open 24 hours - To strip hotels: $7,00, Roundtrip: $13.00 - Downtown hotels: $8.50, Roundtrip: $17.00 - Off Strip: $9.00 to $12.00 - (702) 739-5700, (800) 559-9522 - Also can be booked online. - Location: Terminal 1 - Outside Baggage Claim Door #10

Showtime Shuttle - Open 24 hours - Strip hotels: $6.50, Roundtrip: $12.00 - Downtown: $8.50, Roundtrip: $16.00 - (702) 895-9976 - Location: Terminal 1 - Outside Baggage Claim Door #12

Shuttles between hotels

There are many free shuttles between hotels. More than are listed here. Ask the desk clerk when you check in if your hotel has any. The major ones are:

Bill’s Gambling Hall to Gold Coast to The Orleans shuttle - Runs about every 30 minutes from 9 a.m. to 1 a.m. The last shuttle leaves Bill's Gambling Hall at 12:30 a.m.. (Shuttle stops at a loading zone on the south side of the Bill’s Gambling Hall near Bally’s and across from Caesars Palace. The Gold Coast is next to the Rio and The Orleans is on Tropicana, a couple of miles west of New York-New York.)

Rio Hotel has a free shuttle service to Bally's/Paris and Harrah's Las Vegas. Pick up locations: Rio (Carnival World Buffet entrance); Bally's/Paris (Limousine entrance); and Harrah's Las Vegas (Shuttle/Bus/Trolley drop off.) Shuttle runs 7 days approximatelyh every 30 minutes: 10 a.m. - 1 a.m., No luggage allowed.

Sam's Town (on the Boulder Highway) shuttle service:

Harrahs to Sam’s Town at 9:30 a.m., 10:50 a.m., 12:10 p.m., 1:30 p.m., 3:40 p.m., 5:00 p.m., 6:30 p.m., 8:00 p.m. (Return trips: 10:10 a.m. to 7:20 p.m.)
California Downtown to Sam’s Town (leaves from outside "California" hotel lobby entrance by valet parking) at 8:30 a.m., 9:45 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 12:15 p.m., 1:30 p.m., 2:45 p.m., 4:00 p.m., 5:15 p.m., 6:30 p.m., 7:45 p.m and 9:00 p.m. (Return trips: 9:00 a.m. to 8:15 p.m.)
Fremont Downtown to Sam’s Town at 8:15 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 10:45 a.m., 12:00 p.m., :15 p.m., 2:30 p.m., 3:45 p.m., 5:00 p.m., 6:15 p.m., 7:30 p.m. and 8:45 p.m. (Return trips: 9:00 a.m. to 8:15 p.m.)

All times are approximate and subject to change.

Hard Rock Hotel runs hourly free shuttle service from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily to and from the Fashion Show Mall on the strip. The shuttle makes only the one stop. It leaves the Hard Rock on the hour; returning from the Fashion Show Mall at 30 minutes past the hour.

Palace Station Hotel runs a strip shuttle service to the Fashion Show Mall (Saks 5th Ave. Entrance.) It operates from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Departs Palace Station at 10:00 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 3:00 p.m., 4:30 p.m., 6:00 p.m., 8:00 p.m., 9:30 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. And returns from the Fashion Show Mall to the Palace Station at 10:15 a.m., 11:45 a.m., 1:45 p.m., 3:15 p.m., 4:45 p.m., 6:15 p.m., 8:15 p.m., 9:45 pm and 11:15 p.m.

Palms Hotel shuttle runs twice daily to the Fashion Show Mall, then to Caesar’s Forum shops and back to the Palms. Departs the Palms (west entrance near sports book) at 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Departs Fashion Show Mall (Saks 5th Ave entrance) at 10:15 a.m. and 5:15 p.m. Departs Caesars Forum Shops (downstairs valet entrance) at 10:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.

Transportation around the strip

Trolleys: The Vegas.com Arrow trolley bus has three separate routes including one to Downtown Las Vegas. Riders can get off at a number of stops along both sides of the Las Vegas Strip. You can purchase the passes at most hotel tour desks. Arrow one-way rides cost $2.50, $10 for an all-day pass. The trolley bus is generally less crowded than the city "Deuce" buses.

City Buses: Las Vegas public transit, the Regional Transportation Commission (RTC Transit) operates double decker buses (called the "Deuce") along Las Vegas Boulevard from the South Strip to Fremont Street downtown . The Strip Deuce stops at every stop along the strip while the Express Deuce makes fewer stops. Fares for double-decker Deuce bus on the Strip; 2-Hr Pass: $5.00; 24-Hr. Pass: $7.00; 3-Day Pass: $20.00. Exact fare required, drivers can not make change. Buses run every 15 to 20 minutes.

Free Trams:

Bellagio - CityCenter - Monte Carlo hotel tram runs every few minutes 20 hours a day (8 a.m. to 4 a.m). City Center stop is at Crystal’s Shopping, Dining and Nightlife Center, close to the Aria hotel. Two (4 car) trains run in opposite directions. Each holds over 100 passengers. (Uses cable car technology and two independent rope-hauled parallel tracks.) Free to ride.

Excalibur - Luxor - Mandalay Bay hotel tram operates Monday to Thursday 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. (Runs 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 a.m. Friday to Sunday.) Express non-stop service on the southbound trip. On the return (northbound) trip, the tram stops at the Luxor. Free to ride.

Treasure Island - Mirage tram runs approximately every 10 minutes - 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. Sunday to Thursday. (Runs 9:00 a.m. to 3 a.m. Friday & Saturday. Free to ride..