Let’s be real: when you finally make it to Las Vegas, you want to hit the ground running. Some people take that literally and make the ambitious choice to hoof it from the airport to their Strip hotel or commit to walking from Luxor up to Resorts World. In either case, that is a pretty horrible idea because the distance is both deceptive and exhausting.
Before you arrive in Sin City, make sure you know your transportation options and plan ahead so you can focus on the things that matter- including getting to your slot of choice quickly and efficiently. To help you with your plans, we’ve rounded up some of the most popular options below.
Taxi Service
Taxi service is tried and true. While sometimes more expensive, taxis have stood the test of time by being dependable and convenient. If you are exploring on The Strip, there is a decent chance you can still find a taxi line outside any of the major casinos. I appreciate that these taxi lines are often located right out front of the main entrance, making pick up a breeze. This is especially true when compared to where the ride share lanes are often hidden.
Ride Share
I have a love hate relationship with rideshare services in Las Vegas. Since moving away from The Valley, I have had to start using ride share more regularly, and at least once per trip I have been matched with a driver that should not be behind the wheel. More on that below.
Desperate to learn how to ride with more safe drivers, I have discovered Uber Comfort. Though the more fancy options like Uber Comfort cost more, I do believe it is worth it. Uber Comfort drivers are more experienced. When you select this option, the company pairs you with their top rated pros, all with hundreds if not thousands of highly rated rides. For what it’s worth, I also really enjoy that I can let the Uber driver know ahead of time that I don’t mind chatting and like the car as cold as possible.
Story time: What originally drove me to experimenting with Uber Comfort was a rather unfortunate experience this past summer. I knew we were off to a bad start when the driver couldn’t locate the obvious pick up point but I got in the car anyway. While the conversation was pleasant, it became glaringly obvious our driver did not know the city nor the basic rules of the road.
Instead of staying in the middle lane of the highway, the driver camped out in the far right exit lane and kept getting off and on the highway. Because of the stop lights at every exit, plus a few u-turns, this more than doubled our travel time. Out of necessity, I started telling the driver how to navigate the roads and once we got to a 3-way stop sign I had to encourage them how to safely move through the traffic as the cars around us were (rightfully) honking away. By the grace of some higher entity we made it to our destination and promptly filled out a safety report.
Buses
Vegas is a major city with a pretty substantial public transportation system. While I have never taken the city bus in Vegas, I used to take public transportation when I lived in New York and I remember just how annoying it was when the schedule kept running behind. With that being said, The Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC) tries to make utilizing the bus as easy as possible for both residents and visitors. They offer a ride planner on their website in addition to real time tracking so you know just how long until it shows up.
In addition to the traditional city buses, The Deuce is a popular tourist-centric option that runs from Fremont Street all the way down The Strip. The Deuce is a 24/7 operation that claims to run about every 10 to 20 minutes depending on the time of day. There are tons of stops on this line including everything from the Welcome to LV Sign, T-Mobile Arena, Gold & Silver Pawn Shop (yes, the one from Pawn Stars), both sets of Premium Outlets (I recommend the north location), and even the Discovery Children’s Museum. Plan your adventure and see the expansive list of pick up and drop off locations here.
Monorail
If you are staying on The Strip or visiting the area for an entire day, look into The Las Vegas Monorail! The 3.9 mile monorail runs from MGM Grand all the way up to The Sahara Las Vegas with stops at popular locations along the way. You can choose to purchase a single ride, one day ticket, or get the most bang for your buck with a multi-day pass. Like with the city bus, the Las Vegas Monorail has a very helpful website, allowing you to plan and take advantage of a discount when you purchase your ticket type online.
Free Trams
Intrigued by the monorail but don’t want to commit to a ticket? You can take advantage of a similar free tram experience thanks to the three hotel lines that dot The Strip. Save yourself some steps by jumping aboard at the Aria Express Tram, Excalibur-Luxor-Mandalay Bay Tram, or when it reopens the Treasure Island Tram.
The Aria Express Tram connects riders to the Bellagio, Vdara, Park MGM, and The Shops at Crystals. As the name suggests, the Excalibur-Luxor-Mandalay Bay Tram connects these hotels for easy travel. The Treasure Island Tram used to provide service to Mirage, when that property closed to begin its transformation into the Hard Rock Las Vegas, operations ceased. If everything goes according to plan, this tram will reopen sometime in 2027.
Private Car
Whether you are a bonafide VIP with the comps to show it or are looking to treat yourself with stress free transportation, nothing beats a private car. For this, there are countless companies around the city that offer private transfers anywhere you want to go. Set your budget, do your research, and pick a company that works with what you have in mind. Private cars are a great option for larger parties and can be pretty cost effective if everyone chips in.
For me, I recently experienced my first private car experience as an adult thanks to my status at Plaza Hotel & Casino. I was traveling solo to Rudies Weekend 2025 and to my surprise, the car service sent a full sprinter van to collect me. For someone that watches a lot of Bravo, it felt like I was living out my own Real Housewives adventure… without the screaming or drink throwing.
Rental Cars
If you’re planning a lot of adventures around The Valley and beyond, getting a rental car might be the move for you! While rental cars are one of the most expensive options on the list, there is no denying the level of freedom they provide. Getting a car of your own means you can stick to your schedule, take your time to soak in the sights, and truly go wherever the road takes you without having to summon an Uber at every turn.
While rental cars allow you to move around more freely, you should take into account where exactly you are wanting to go. If you are planning a Strip casino adventure, this probably isn’t the move. That is because most large casinos in tourist areas do not offer free parking, sometimes even to hotel guests. The same can be said for The Arts District and Fremont Street. Of course, if you are dead-set on getting your own wheels, you can research parking beforehand and make a log of which spots offer validation for play or offer up free parking for certain tier groups.
The Vegas Loop
If you have a Tesla, and even if you don’t, you might be familiar with “The Vegas Loop.” This is the name for the series of underground tunnels that The Boring Company has recently created to move passengers efficiently from various points on The Strip, and beyond, to other popular locations. As of now, open location points include Resorts World, Encore, Westgate Resort, and various Las Vegas Convention Center spots. You can view the map and look over ticketing options here.
Zoox
Continuing on with the more novel transportation experiences, Zoox has made it to Las Vegas! Zoox is a fully autonomous vehicle service that very recently started offering rides around The Strip and the immediate surrounding area. If you are open to a new experience without an actual human driver, Zoox is currently offering free rides in the city. Eventually these rides will begin to cost money but until then, you can use the Zoox app to book a ride and try it out for yourself.
