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Getting There By Air:

McCarran International Airport (LAS)
Tel: (702) 261 5211.
Flight info: (702) 261 4636.
Website: www.mccarran.com  

Las Vegas McCarran International Airport is located a mere 1.6km (1 mile) from the Strip and 5.6km (3.5 miles) from Downtown, connected only by road. With over 1,000 scheduled flights each day, it is ranked as the fifth busiest airport in the world by traffic movement.

Approximate flight times to Las Vegas: From London is 12 hours; from New York is 6 hours; from Los Angeles is 1 hour 15 minutes; from Toronto is 5 hours and from Sydney is 15 hours.

Airport facilities: These include bureaux de change, ATMs, tourist information, car hire (Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, Alamo/National, Payless, Sav-mor, Thrifty and US Rent-A-Car), free Wi-Fi access, a fitness center, a children’s play area, a medical center, lockers, restaurants, duty-free, shops, bars, a massage center, an aviation museum, slot machines, shoeshine services and a post office. Due to increased security procedures, lockers may be out of service at various times. Travelers should enquire first if they plan to leave luggage at the airport.

Transport to the city: The simplest and most popular way to reach downtown Las Vegas and the Strip from the airport is by taxi - journey time is 30 minutes and 10 minutes respectively. A bus service is operated by Citizens Area Transit (tel: (702) 228 7433 or 1 800 228 3911; website: www.catride.com). Buses 108 and 109 depart from outside the arrival and baggage claim area every 30 and 20 minutes respectively (journey time - approximately 25 minutes). Bus 109 runs 24 hours a day. CAT guides are available on every bus.

A number of shuttle companies run services to and from McCarran Airport with services to the Strip hotels (journey time - 15 to 25 minutes) and to hotels Downtown (journey time - 30 to 45 minutes). Companies include Bell Trans Shuttle Bus (tel: (702) 739 7990; website: www.bell-trans.com), CLS (tel: (702) 740 4050), Grayline/Coach USA/Express Shuttle (tel: (702) 739 5700), Las Vegas Limousine (tel: (702) 736 1419; website: www.lasvegaslimo.com), ODS (tel: (702) 876 2222) and Showtime (tel: (702) 261 6101).

Getting There By Road:

Considering the city was built after the advent of the automobile and that it sits in the middle of a vast and barely populated desert, it is not surprising that transportation by car is the simplest and easiest way to travel both to and around Las Vegas. A vast network of Freeways and Primary Highways covers the state of Nevada. Freeways, designated on maps by a blue shield, are multi-lane thoroughfares that are divided by a median and have a speed limit of up to 121kph (75mph). Primary Highways can be two lanes (one in each direction) or multi-lane and have a speed limit of up to 105kph (65mph). Traffic drives on the right. The minimum driving age in Nevada is 15 3/4 years and proof of insurance is compulsory. Drivers from outside the USA must possess a license from their country of origin, but must follow Nevada’s restrictions. Seat belts must be worn at all times, by the driver and every passenger. Effective since 2005, the maximum legal alcohol to blood ratio for drivers 21 and older changed from 0.10% to 0.08% to be more in keeping with the rest of the US. There is a 0.02% blood alcohol limit for drivers under the age of 21. Random breath tests can be imposed, and penalties for drunk driving are extremely harsh.

The American Automobile Association - AAA (tel: (702) 870 9171 or 1 800 922 8228; website: www.csaa.com) provides emergency roadside service as well as a variety of other automobile-related services.

Emergency breakdown service: AAA (tel: 1 800 222 4357/HELP).

Routes to the city: Las Vegas is bisected by Freeway 15, which connects to Mesquite and Salt Lake City in the north and California (Los Angeles and San Francisco via Interstate 5) in the south. Freeway 515 connects to the Fort Mojave Indian reservation in the south. Freeway 215 encircles most of the city, and is a convenient way to bypass the rush hour congestion.

Driving times to Las Vegas: From Los Angeles - 4 to 5 hours; Salt Lake City - 6 to 7 hours; San Francisco - 8 to 9 hours.

Coach services: Greyhound (tel: (702) 384 9561; website: www.greyhound.com) operates regular intercity services out of Las Vegas, linking the city with major western destinations, such as Salt Lake City, Phoenix, Albuquerque, El Paso and Los Angeles. Greyhound operates out of Las Vegas Greyhound Terminal, 200 South Main Street (tel: 1 800 231 2222). Facilities include vending machines, toilets, lockers and tourist information. Charter coach services can be hired from Coach USA (tel: (702) 644 2233; website: www.coachusa.com).

Getting There By Rail:

There is no Amtrak rail service to Las Vegas. The closest train stations are Needles (CA) and Kingman (AZ). Check for updates on the charter services from those stations to Las Vegas. Greyhound Station, 200 South Main Street (tel: 1 800 231 2222) provides basic facilities, including a waiting area, payphones and a snack bar.

Getting Around:




Public Transport
Although Las Vegas is a bustling metropolis with over one million inhabitants, its public transportation service is mostly limited to buses. These are operated by the Citizens Area Transit - CAT (tel: (702) 228 7433 or 1 800 228 3911; website: www.catride.com). Some bus lines run 24 hours. Transferring between different buses is free of charge and transfer tickets are available from the bus driver. Fares can be purchased upon boarding. Tokens are available from the Downtown Transportation Center, 300 North Casino Center Boulevard (tel: (702) 229 6025), open daily 0600-1845 and the South Strip Transfer Terminal, 6675 Gilespie Street (open daily 0700-1730) or online (website: www.rtcsouthernnevada.com/cat/buy.htm). These allow a 20% discount.

Privately run trolley services are also available and are used more by visitors than locals. The Las Vegas Strip Trolley (tel: (702) 382 1404) runs the length of the Strip every 15 minutes 0930-0130. There is no longer a Downtown Trolley service going to Fremont Street, making the only option for transportation taxi or CAT transit buses.

A 30-day CAT Pass bus pass is available from the Citizens Area Transit, specified vendors, by post or online at the CAT website (see above). 

Monorail
The Las Vegas Monorail (tel: (702) 699 8200; website: www.lvmonorail.com) runs 0700-0200 daily from the Sahara Hotel to the MGM Grand and stops include the Las Vegas Convention Center. Four ticket types are available: one-ride, day-pass, 10-ride or three-day pass. Tickets are available from ticket vending machines at monorail stations.

Depending upon your location along The Strip, you can connect to the LV Monorail by using the ‘private’ (hotel/casino run) monorail running between The Luxor, Excalibur and New York New York and upon disembarking cross the walkway bridge to the MGM Grand, a short distance away. Travel on this private monorail is free.

Taxis
Thousands of taxis service the high volume of tourists in Las Vegas. It is against the law to hail a taxi in Las Vegas, although some drivers will stop if this is done. There are large numbers of taxi stands on the Strip and Downtown at which taxis can be hired. At more remote locations, it is easiest to phone for taxi service from such companies as ABC Union (tel: (702) 736 8444), Ace (tel: (702) 736 8383) and Yellow Checker Star (tel: (702) 873 2000). Vegas locals survive on tips, so don’t forget your driver.

Limousines
Limousines are a popular and suitably glitzy way of seeing Las Vegas. Chauffeur and limousine services are available from Ambassador Limousine (tel: (702) 362 6200 or 1 888 519 5466; website: www.ambassadorlasvegas.com), CLS Las Vegas (tel: (702) 740 4545; website: http://clsnevada.com), Presidential Limousines (tel: (702) 731 5577; website: www.presidentiallimolv.com), and Las Vegas Limousines (tel: (702) 736 1419; website: www.lasvegaslimo.com).

Driving in the City
Traffic is heaviest during rush hour (0800-1000 and 1630-1900), especially on highways and roads connecting the city center with the suburbs. The Strip and Downtown, however, can also become congested any time tourists congregate in hordes - whether it is to see a boxing match at the MGM Grand, one of the many visiting conventions or merely Friday night at the casinos. Locals tend to use the streets behind the Strip to avoid traffic or Freeway 215 to circumnavigate the city. Las Vegas is laid out on a grid pattern, with one or two major streets veering slightly off this plan. Las Vegas Boulevard runs north-south, through Downtown in the north and turning into the Strip in the south. Most other streets running north-south are named according to number (First Street, Second Street, Third Street etc).

There is very little street parking in Las Vegas, although hotels and casinos conveniently offer free or valet parking. Of course, if you happen to lose at the tables while walking to/from your car, it is not exactly free.

Car Hire
Car hire is extremely popular with visitors to Las Vegas, and as a result there are quite a few firms offering car hire service in the city. Drivers must be 21 years or older, and drivers under 25 years of age often have to pay a surcharge. National driving licenses are permissible. However, it is advisable to check with the rental company in case an International Driving Permit is required. Insurance can be purchased from the car hire company.

The major providers include Alamo (tel: (702) 263 8411; website: www.alamo.com), Avis (tel: (702) 531 1500; website: www.avis.com), Budget (tel: (702) 736 1212; website: www.budget.com), Dollar (tel: (702) 739 8408; website: www.dollar.com), Enterprise (tel: (702) 795 8842; website: www.enterprise.com), Hertz (tel: (702) 736 4900; website: www.hertz.com) and National (tel: (702) 261 5391; website: www.nationalcar.com).

Bicycle Hire
Las Vegas’ relatively flat terrain makes cycling an enjoyable means of travel. Of course, visitors need to take the desert heat into consideration before venturing out for a lengthy trip. Las Vegas’ extraordinarily dry climate makes a difference as well - cyclists should be equipped with plenty of water and the appropriate sun cream. The best time for visitors to organize a bicycle tour is in the spring or late autumn (fall). Cyclists should also be aware of sudden rainstorms and flash floods - what looks like a small stream can turn into a river within minutes. Bicycle Nevada (website: www.bicylenevada.com) provides further information on routes and contacts.

Las Vegas Cyclery, 8221 West Charleston Avenue (tel: (702) 596 2953 or 1 800 596 2953; website: www.lasvegascyclery.com), hires out a variety of bicycles for day, half-day and multi-day rates (helmets included). McGie’s Bike Outpost, 16 Cottonwood Street, Blue Diamond (tel: (702) 875 4820; website: www.bikeoutpost.com), hires out mountain bikes. The company’s location in Blue Diamond is strategically placed near mountain biking trails.

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