Getting around · Las Vegas · United States
Getting around Las Vegas
Public transport, passes, airport connections and when a car makes sense.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Kashyap Hosdurga, CC BY 2.0
Quick answer
The Strip is long and hot to walk, but most visitors manage without a car using the Monorail, free resort trams, the Deuce bus and rideshare. A car is useful for Red Rock Canyon, Hoover Dam and the national parks. Not for the Strip or Downtown, where walking, the Monorail, buses and rideshare work well.
Key facts
- Main way around
- Walking
- Airports
- LAS
- Need a car?
- Sometimes
- Travel pass
- RTC passes
Ways to get around
Walking
Walking between neighbouring resorts is easy using pedestrian bridges, but the Strip is 6.8 km long and distances are deceptive.
In summer, walk through air-conditioned resorts and shopping arcades rather than along the sidewalk, and carry water.
Train
The Las Vegas Monorail runs behind the east side of the Strip from SAHARA to MGM Grand, with stops near the Convention Center, The LINQ and Paris Las Vegas.
Tram
A free tram links Mandalay Bay, Luxor and Excalibur at the South Strip.
Bus
RTC's double-decker Deuce runs along the Strip day and night to Downtown, and the faster SDX express also links the Strip with Downtown.
Buy passes in the rideRTC app before boarding.
Ride-hailing
Rideshares and taxis pick up from designated zones at each resort, usually near the main entrance or the parking garage.
Car
A rental car is useful for Red Rock Canyon, Hoover Dam, Valley of Fire and the national parks; many resorts charge for self-parking and valet.
Tickets and passes
RTC passes
Two-hour, 24-hour and three-day passes for the Deuce, SDX and local buses, sold in the rideRTC app and at ticket machines.
Monorail passes
Single rides and multi-day unlimited passes for the Las Vegas Monorail, useful if you stay on the east side of the Strip.
From the airport
Harry Reid International Airport is only about 5 km south-east of the Strip. Taxis and rideshares reach most Strip resorts in 10–20 minutes from designated pick-up areas at each terminal; RTC buses also serve the airport but are slower with luggage.
Do you need a car?
Not for the Strip or Downtown, where walking, the Monorail, buses and rideshare work well. Rent a car for a day or two for Red Rock Canyon, Hoover Dam, Valley of Fire, Zion or the Grand Canyon.
Reaching the day trips
| Destination | Travel time | How |
|---|---|---|
| Hoover Dam and Lake Mead | About 45 minutes by car | Car or organised tour |
| Valley of Fire State Park | About 1 hour by car | Car |
| Grand Canyon West and the Skywalk | About 2.5 hours by car | Car or organised tour |
| Grand Canyon South Rim | About 4.5 hours each way by car | Car, coach tour or scenic flight |
| Zion National Park | About 2.5–3 hours by car | Car |
| Death Valley National Park | About 2 hours by car | Car |
| Mount Charleston | About 1 hour by car | Car |
Questions travellers ask
+Do you need a car in Las Vegas?
Not for the Strip or Downtown, where walking, the Monorail, buses and rideshare work well. Rent a car for a day or two for Red Rock Canyon, Hoover Dam, Valley of Fire, Zion or the Grand Canyon.
+How do you get from the airport to Las Vegas?
Harry Reid International Airport is only about 5 km south-east of the Strip. Taxis and rideshares reach most Strip resorts in 10–20 minutes from designated pick-up areas at each terminal; RTC buses also serve the airport but are slower with luggage.
+What is the best way to get around Las Vegas?
Walking: Walking between neighbouring resorts is easy using pedestrian bridges, but the Strip is 6.8 km long and distances are deceptive.