Las Vegas Transportation Guide 2026: Monorail, Bus, Taxi, Loop

Las Vegas looks compact on a map, but the Strip is about four miles long, the resorts are huge, and getting from your room to the street can take ten minutes on its own. Most visitors combine walking with one or two other ways of getting around. This guide covers each option with fares and hours taken from the operators' own websites and the Nevada Taxicab Authority in September 2026.

Options at a Glance

Walking the Strip

Walking is the best way to see the Strip, and between neighbouring resorts it is often as fast as anything else. Distances are deceptive, though: resorts are set back from the road, and you often have to cross a casino floor or a pedestrian bridge to reach the next one. Walking the full length of the Strip takes well over an hour.

• Use the pedestrian bridges at the major intersections (Tropicana, Flamingo and others) rather than crossing Las Vegas Boulevard at street level.
• Mind the heat. From June to September, midday walks are hard work and can be dangerous. Walk in the morning or after dark, carry water, and use indoor routes and transit in the afternoon.
• Resort connections: some neighbouring resorts are linked indoors or by free resort trams, which save a lot of walking at the south and center Strip. Ask your hotel which connections and trams are running.
• Wear comfortable shoes. Even a Strip-only trip involves a lot of walking inside resorts.

Las Vegas Monorail

The Monorail runs behind the resorts on the east side of the Strip, between MGM Grand and SAHARA, with trains every 4 to 8 minutes. It is fast and air-conditioned, but it does not stop at west-side resorts such as Bellagio, Caesars Palace's main entrance or the Venetian's front door, and each station is at the back of its resort, so allow time to walk through.

Stations (south to north)

1. MGM Grand
2. Horseshoe/Paris (formerly Bally's)
3. Flamingo & Caesars Palace
4. Harrah's & The LINQ
5. Boingo Station at the Las Vegas Convention Center
6. Westgate
7. SAHARA Las Vegas

Hours

• Monday: 7 a.m. to midnight
• Tuesday to Thursday: 7 a.m. to 2 a.m.
• Friday to Sunday: 7 a.m. to 3 a.m.

Fares

Buy online at the Monorail's ticket site or at a station customer service booth. Day passes cannot be shared, so each rider needs a ticket. Nevada residents get a discount by showing a valid Nevada ID at a customer service booth. A 24-hour pass pays off once you take three rides.

Best for: convention visitors (the LVCC station), guests at east-side resorts, and anyone going up and down the east side several times a day.

RTC Buses: The Deuce and SDX

The Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC) runs the city's buses. Two routes matter most to visitors:

• The Deuce, the double-decker that runs along Las Vegas Boulevard between the Strip and downtown, stopping frequently.
• The SDX (Strip & Downtown Express), a limited-stop service that is quicker over longer distances.

Buses are the cheapest way to travel the length of the Strip or get downtown, but they are slow in heavy Strip traffic and can be crowded. Fares and schedules change, so check the RTC website before you travel.

Taxis

Taxis wait at every resort's taxi stand, so there is no app and no surge pricing. Trips around town are metered at rates set by the Nevada Taxicab Authority:

• Flag drop $5.50, which works out to $8.21 for the first mile and $2.96 for each additional mile.
• Waiting time: $32.40 per hour.
• A fuel surcharge (currently $0.19 per mile on metered trips), a $3.00 credit or debit card fee, and a 3% excise tax on all rates and fees.

From the airport, trips to the Strip use flat zone fares ($22.25, $26.25 or $30.25 depending on the zone); see our airport transportation guide. The Authority also approves special surcharges for big events such as EDC, F1 and New Year's Eve.

Avoid long-hauling: a driver taking an unnecessarily long route, often via the freeway, to raise the fare. Follow the route on your phone, ask for the most direct way, and note the cab number. You can report problems to the Taxicab Authority at (702) 668-4000.

Uber and Lyft

Rideshare is the most convenient door-to-door option and the easiest way to reach off-Strip restaurants and neighbourhoods. Two things to know:

• Pickups are in designated areas, usually in or near a resort's parking garage, not at the front door. Follow the resort's "Rideshare" signs and allow 5 to 15 minutes to walk there in a big resort.
• Prices move with demand. After shows and clubs let out, during big conventions and on holiday weekends, fares can be several times the normal price. Compare both apps, walk to a quieter neighbouring resort, or take a taxi, whose meter doesn't surge.

Vegas Loop

The Boring Company's Vegas Loop carries passengers in cars through tunnels under the city. It lists 14 stations, including five at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Resorts World, Encore, Westgate, Fontainebleau, SAHARA, Turnberry Towers and both airport terminals, with trips of 2 to 8 minutes. Listed fares include $14 from the airport to the Convention Center and $5 from the Convention Center to the Strip. More stations are planned, so check the Vegas Loop site for the current map and hours.

Rental Cars

For a Strip-only trip you don't need a car: most Strip resorts charge for parking, and traffic on Las Vegas Boulevard is slow in the evenings. A car is worth it if you:

• plan day trips to Red Rock Canyon, Valley of Fire or Hoover Dam, none of which has practical public transport;
• are staying off-Strip or in a suburb such as Henderson or Summerlin;
• are travelling as a group and would otherwise take many rideshares.

One compromise: use taxis and rideshares on the Strip and rent a car only for the day you drive out of town. Airport rentals are at the Rent-A-Car Center, reached by free shuttle from both terminals. Before booking, check your hotel's parking charges in our parking guide, and compare car rental rates.

Getting Out of Town

• Red Rock Canyon: west of the city. The 13-mile Scenic Drive needs a timed-entry reservation from October 1 to May 31 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.; entry is $20 per car. See our Red Rock Canyon guide.
• Hoover Dam: about 30 miles southeast via I-11/US-93; $10 parking. See our Hoover Dam guide.
• Valley of Fire: northeast of the city; many trails close from May 15 to September 30. See our Valley of Fire guide.
• Grand Canyon: a very long day by car; tours by coach, plane and helicopter are an alternative. See our Grand Canyon tours guide.

Best Option by Situation

Money-Saving Tips

• Stay central. A center-Strip hotel puts more of the Strip within walking distance.
• Group your sightseeing by area: south Strip one day, center and north another, downtown one evening.
• Buy a Monorail pass only if you will take three or more rides that day.
• Avoid rideshare at peak times; a taxi's meter or the bus doesn't surge.
• Rent a car only for the days you leave the city, and budget for resort parking if you keep it longer.
• For airport trips, see our airport transportation guide: a taxi's flat zone fare is often the best value for a small group.

First visit? Our first-timer's guide covers the rest of your planning.