Bus
RTC buses operate from 5am to 2am daily, with popular Strip and downtown routes running 24/7 every 15 to 20 minutes. Double-decker Deuce buses to/from downtown stop every block or two along the Strip. Quicker SDX express buses stop outside some Strip casino hotels and at the Fashion Show, the city’s convention center and a few off-Strip shopping malls. Have exact change or bills ready when boarding or buy a pass before boarding from ticket vending machines at bus stops.
Many off-Strip casino hotels offer limited shuttle buses to/from the Strip, usually reserved for hotel guests (sometimes free, but a surcharge may apply).
Car & Motorcycle
The only document that international short-term visitors legally need to rent or drive a car or motorcycle is a license from their home country. You may be required to show an international driving permit (IDP) if your license isn’t written in English.
Driving on the Strip can be stressful. Locals are known for driving carelessly and crashes on interstate approaches are commonplace, as are drunk drivers. Keep your wits about you.
Monorail
The Las Vegas Monorail links some Strip casino resorts, zipping between MGM Grand, Bally’s/Paris, Flamingo/Caesars, Harrah’s/LINQ, Las Vegas Convention Center, Westgate and SLS/W. Although service is frequent (every four to 12 minutes), stations are only on the east side of the Strip, set back from Las Vegas Blvd at the rear of the casinos served. On the plus side, air-conditioned trains are stroller- and wheelchair-friendly, and it takes just 13 minutes to travel the entire route.
Shuttle
Many off-Strip casino hotels offer limited free shuttle buses to and from the Strip, although some are reserved for hotel guests. Conveniently, free public shuttles connect the Rio with a couple of its sister casino-hotel properties on the Strip – Harrah’s and Bally’s/Paris Las Vegas – usually every 30 minutes from 10am until 1am daily.
Taxi & Limousine
It’s illegal to hail a cab on the street. Instead taxi stands are found at almost every casino hotel and shopping mall. By law, the maximum number of passengers is five. All companies must have at least one wheelchair-accessible van, but you’ll usually have to call ahead and then wait.
Vegas is surprisingly compact, so taxis can be reasonable on a per-trip basis. A lift from one end of the Strip to the other, or from mid-Strip to downtown, costs at least $20, depending on traffic. Tip the driver 10% to 15%, rounded up to the nearest dollar. Not all taxis accept credit cards (cash only) so ask when getting in.
Tram
Free air-conditioned trams that anyone can ride shuttle between some Strip casino hotels. One connects the Bellagio, CityCenter and Park MGM. Another links Treasure Island and the Mirage. A third zips between Excalibur, Luxor and Mandalay Bay. Trams run all day and into the evening, usually stopping from late-night until the early morning hours.
