Every Way to Get Around Las Vegas Without a Car
Rideshare, bus, monorail, tram, taxi — here’s when each one actually makes sense.
Rideshare (Uber/Lyft)
Best for most situations. Door to door, no schedule. Watch for surge pricing on event nights — it can hit $80+ from the airport.
The Deuce Bus — $8/day
24/7 double-decker down Las Vegas Blvd. Slow in traffic but covers the full Strip for $8 all day. Top deck at night is worth it.
Las Vegas Monorail
Skips Strip traffic entirely. MGM Grand to SAHARA in 15 minutes. $5 single ride, $13 day pass. East side of the Strip only.
Resort Trams
Free tram connects Mandalay Bay, Luxor, and Excalibur. Bellagio–CityCenter–Park MGM tram also free. Locals use these constantly.
Las Vegas is not a walking city — distances are longer than they look, summer heat is punishing, and the Strip is 4.5 miles end to end. But you do not need a car to get around if you’re staying on or near the Boulevard. Here’s every option, honestly ranked.
The Quick Comparison
| Option | Cost | Best For | Avoid When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rideshare | $15–$35 Strip to Strip | Most trips, any time of day | Post-major event — surge hits hard |
| Taxi | Flat rates, no surge | Event nights, airport | Normal nights when rideshare is cheaper |
| Deuce Bus | $8/day unlimited | Budget travel, exploring with no timeline | When you need to be somewhere on time |
| Monorail | $5 single / $13 day | East Strip travel, convention center | When your destination is on the west side |
| Resort Trams | Free | South Strip connections | Going anywhere outside the tram corridor |
| Walking | Free | Short hops between adjacent properties | Summer heat, anything over 2 blocks, the airport |
Rideshare — Uber and Lyft
Rideshare is the default for most Las Vegas visitors and for good reason — it’s door to door, available 24/7, and cheaper than taxis on normal nights. The app tells you the price before you commit. The catch is surge pricing, which hits hard after major events at Allegiant Stadium, the Sphere, and T-Mobile Arena, and during convention week departures.
For airport pickup: Don’t request your ride from baggage claim — walk to the designated rideshare zone first. Terminal 1 is Level 2 of the parking garage. Terminal 3 is the Valet Level. Requesting too early means your driver arrives before you and the cancellation clock starts. See our full airport transportation guide for exact pickup locations.
The Deuce Bus
Las Vegas Boulevard’s 24/7 double-decker bus. $8 for a 24-hour pass covers unlimited rides on the Deuce and the SDX (Downtown Express). The top deck at night is genuinely one of the better ways to experience the Strip if you’re not in a hurry.
The honest downside: it gets stuck in Strip traffic like everyone else. On busy nights, budget 30–45 minutes for trips that look like 10 minutes on a map. Buy passes through the rideRTC app before you board.
See our full Deuce bus guide for everything you need to know.
Las Vegas Monorail
The monorail runs on the east side of the Strip — behind the casinos, elevated above street traffic. Seven stops from MGM Grand to SAHARA Las Vegas, covering the full Strip length in about 15 minutes. Significantly faster than the Deuce during busy periods because it’s completely separate from street traffic.
Key stops: MGM Grand, Bally’s/Paris, Flamingo/Caesars Palace, Harrah’s/The LINQ, Las Vegas Convention Center, Westgate, SAHARA. Fares: $5 single ride, $13 for a 24-hour pass, $23 for 3 days. Check current hours before you go — they vary by day.
Convention center commuters: The monorail stop at LVCC is one of the fastest ways to get between the convention center and mid-Strip hotels without fighting Strip traffic.
Free Resort Trams
The most underused transportation option in Las Vegas. Two free tram systems connect major properties:
Mandalay Bay – Luxor – Excalibur tram: Runs the south end of the Strip connecting these three MGM properties. Free for everyone. Useful if you’re parked at one and going to another, or walking to Allegiant Stadium via the Hacienda Bridge.
Bellagio – CityCenter – Park MGM tram: Free, connects mid-Strip properties. Useful for getting between Bellagio and Park MGM without walking the Strip.
Taxis
Taxis in Las Vegas have NTA-regulated flat rates from the airport and metered fares for other trips. No surge pricing — ever. On event nights when rideshare is surging $60–$100+, a taxi is often the smarter call. Find them outside baggage claim at both airport terminals and at taxi stands at every major Strip hotel.
Walking
Walking works between adjacent properties, in mild weather, and when you have time. It does not work well in summer heat, for distances over two blocks, or from the airport under any circumstances.
The Strip is 4.5 miles end to end — what looks like a short hop between two casinos on a map is often a 20-minute walk once you account for building scale, crowds, and crosswalks. See our Strip walking distances guide and our walking in Las Vegas guide before you commit your feet to something your shoes will regret.
Never walk from the airport. No sidewalk, highway speeds, no shade, rolling suitcase in desert heat. A $20 rideshare or $2 bus ride is not optional — it’s safety.
Where You Stay Changes Everything
A mid-Strip hotel puts most destinations within a monorail stop or a short rideshare. Read our neighborhood guide before you book — location matters more in Las Vegas than almost anywhere else.