Getting around

(CURRENTLY THESE LINKS ARE OUT OF DATE- will update when we verify the services available) See these Links for info on the Deuce & Ace Gold Line; and routes.

On my trip in April 2010, I rode on the new Ace Gold Line! This express bus takes you along the strip and to various destinations off the strip including the Convention Centre, Fremont Street and the Premium Outlet Mall which is the end of the line.  You cannot buy a ticket on this bus, tickets must be purchased at Ticket Vending Machines (TMV) as shown on the map. This bus is an express bus and only stops at a few key spots as it travels in special high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes. For us, if we stay at the Flamingo and want to head to Fremont, we would buy our tix at the RTC in front of the Paris.  (Take the Deuce if you want to get off and on up and down the strip.) This is an honor system and if you are caught without a ticket you could be fined $250.  Yikes! It pays to be honest. The fares are the same as for the Deuce (see next para.) See the map for a stop near your hotel.  They are far and few between, i.e. Paris then the next one is at the Wynn which is quite a distance if you don't like to walk... I guess you will on the Deuce if this is you!

The double-decker Deuce buses run up & down the Strip & during peak hours you shouldn’t have to wait more than 10 minutes for one to arrive but this will all depend on the crowds. You can ride it all the way up north to Fremont Street or go way down south on the Strip. It’s $3 for a single ride or $7 for the 24-hr pass. The $7 pass is an excellent deal & the 3-day pass for $15 is even better. The 3-day passes are not available from the onboard dispenser but can be picked up at the transit terminals or various machines located around town such as the one at the stop in front of the Miracle Mile Shoppes. Everyone queues up (usually!) at the Deuce-stops in an orderly fashion (the stops for the Deuce are designated by a blue sign - other stops are just for the regular city buses). There’s a machine next to the driver - just stick your money in (exact change only) & out pops your pass. You have to swipe your multi-use pass in the reader on the same machine when you hop on the bus again. If you’re riding the bus for a fair distance, head straight to the upper level & grab a seat for some excellent views. If possible, get the seats at the very front & keep your camera handy. Some buses have those annoying ads on the side-windows that hamper your view though. The front windows are unobstructed (of course, we are talking about the windows on the upper deck - not the driver's windshield!  LOL).

NOTE: A trip on the Deuce can be SLOW especially as you near the middle of the Strip - lots of people boarding or disembarking (it eats up a lot of time & the buses fall behind schedule) - so if time is of the essence (remember: Vegas time is valuable!), then grab a cab & tell the driver to skip the scenic routes. The Deuce seemed especially busy on our last Vegas trip. Many tourists have embraced the charms of public transit in order to save some money.

One can also ride the Monorail that runs along the backside of the hotels for a different perspective. You can still be a fair distance from your actual destination once you get off at your stop because the hotels/resorts are so HUGE. The ticket prices for the Monorail are very reasonable.

For getting to & from the airport, the taxi to the Strip (with tip) should be around $25. You can also take the shuttle bus but for 2 people plus tip for the driver, the price is almost the same but the trip is longer. Be prepared for a long line-up in the taxi queue – it can snake around on the sidewalk for a long ways but it does move fairly steadily & can provide some good people-watching opportunities. When you depart Vegas & if there is a major event happening in town, be aware that waits at hotels for taxis can be very long. You may need to plan ahead & allow for extra time to take a shuttle bus instead. NOTE: Cab drivers only take cash - no debit or credit cards!!!!