rental car

Once you get to Las Vegas there are going to be additional expenses. You will need to pay for food, activities and the additional transportation costs of getting around.  Las Vegas transportation can be hard to understand. After all those hotels aren’t really that far apart are they? Um…. yes, yes they are. A lot of the decision on whether to get a rental car revolves around what you plan on doing or if you will be drinking.  

Las Vegas Transportation

When I first visited Las Vegas I never got a car rental.  I found it too much of a pain getting around with the traffic and the other tourists who had no clue how to get to point A to point B.  Nowadays, I have found it easier to get a car since I have been there so often.  Below are some of the expected costs without a car.  

City Bus

Your first experience with Las Vegas transportation is going to be at the airport. Getting to and from the airport you have the options for a city bus (also known as RTC), taxi or shuttle bus.  I’ve found that the City bus is a pain as they only stop at the airport a couple times an hour.  You then are trying to maneuver your luggage on a city bus to save a couple bucks.  Not worth the headache. 

Shuttle Bus

The shuttle buses cost about $6.00 one way and is my preferred method of travel from the airport if you aren’t getting a car rental.  Keep in mind though you are sharing the bus with others, so I have had a wait of almost 45 minutes to get to my hotel. Taking that long to get dropped off would typically only happen if you were one of the last stops the shuttle bus was making.

The shuttle bus is still a great alternative to the city bus when considering all your Las Vegas transportation options.

Taxi, Lyft, Uber

Taxi cab costs will vary around $10-25 depending on which hotel you are coming from or going to.  You have the possibility of getting long hauled, which has happened before to me where they take a longer way to try getting a bigger fare. 

I do use this on my return trips to the airport as the shuttle buses you have to Taxicab up earlier than you should to get to the airport on the flight home.  I have not started to use Uber or Lyft yet but that will be something I will be looking into on future trips without a rental car.

Tram

The trams are great if you are trying to quickly navigate between hotels. Not every hotel has a Tram (monorail), so you need to know which ones do and don’t. We almost always use the Tram between Mandalay Bay, Luxor and Excalibur. Other trams such as Mirage and Treasure Island we rarely have used.

The Tram that runs between SLS and MGM Grand charges you to ride. For additional information on the Trams check out this article on the Las Vegas Monorails.

Car Rental

My current favorite way to navigate Las Vegas transportation needs is getting a rental car. Right now this options is pretty inexpensive at around $25 a day after fees.  When I take into consideration if I go to an off-strip casino and the cost of having to use a taxi, I make up my cst. 

I use the rental car as an opportunity to stop at Target to load up on water and snacks compared to paying for it on the strip.  When you can get a case of water for the cost of two bottles on the strip it makes a difference.  I aso have found that eating options are cheaper off the strip. 

Another factor on your Las Vegas Transportation needs is taking into consideration if you are looking at going to the Hoover Dam or other tourist spots that are farther out of the way.  And don’t forget about those parking costs which can quickly add up if you aren’t prepared for thm. Check with your hotel to see what they charge.

So you can see we vary our transportation options when we visit Las Vegas, but you should be aware of what your options are and make sure you understand some basic navigation tips when visiting.

Happy Vacationing!