Shuttling Between the Airport and Las Vegas Hotels

Chapter 4: Getting around the city

4.1: Getting from here to there
4.2: Walking: The casino crawl
4.3: Cabs are an option
4.4: Buses ...and the strip trolley
4.5: Monorails and trams
4.6: Rental cars can be a burden

Free Shuttle from Harrahs to Rio Suites Hotel

4.1 Getting from here to there

Las Vegas strip bus

Driving in Las Vegas

Frankly, if you flew into Las Vegas, we do not recommend that you rent a car unless you want to tour outside the city. You will be spending most of your time on the strip and Las Vegas mass transportation is very good. The Las Vegas CAT (Citizens Area Transit) bus goes up and down the strip every few minutes. (Runs 24 hours, 7 days a week. Fare: $2.00 one way.) You must have exact amount, drivers do not make change.

While all the hotels offer free parking, driving in Las Vegas is slow and the traffic gridlock and pedestrians can be a real problem ...especially if you are new to the area.

If you must drive, don't drive on the strip, that is, avoid Las Vegas Boulevard! Use Paradise Road to the east and Industrial Road to the west. They run parallel to the strip. And always use the free valet parking whenever you can.

Check out this webpage is you are driving from Los Angeles to Las Vegas.

Transportation from Airport to Hotel.

There are several shuttle services that run on a 24 hour basis from McCarran Airport to strip and downtown hotels. You need not purchase shuttle tickets in advance. Cost is around $4.00 to $5.00 one way (about $9 round trip) to strip hotels, $6.00 to $7.00 to downtown (about $12 round trip.) Suggest you buy a round trip if you must return to the airport.

The shuttles can be found just outside the baggage claim area. (You can also purchase shuttle tickets at the remote hotel check in located near baggage carousel 1-8.) Be sure to ask the driver for a telephone number and when to call for a pick-up to return to the airport. The main shuttle services are:

Gray Line Airport Shuttle

C. L. S. - Tel: (702) 740-4545	ODS - Tel (702) 876-2222
Gray Line/CoachUSA - Tel: (702) 739-5700	Showtime - Tel: (702) 261-6101
Las Vegas Limousine - Tel: (702) 736-1419

Shuttles between hotels

There are many free shuttles between hotels. The major ones are:

Barbary Coast to Gold Coast to The Orleans - Runs about every 20-30 minutes from 9:30 a.m. to midnight. (Shuttle stops at a loading zone on the south side of the Barbary Coast near Bally’s and across from Caesars Palace. The Gold Coast is near the Rio and The Orleans is on Tropicana, a couple of miles west of Ne York-New York.)

Harrah's to the Rio - Runs every 15 minutes (Mon.-Wed.) from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m.; (Thur.-Sun.) 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 a.m. - Pickup at Harrah's is located at the back bus departure area near the valet entrance. The Rio pick up point is located at the entrance close to Carnival World Buffet.

Sam's Town

Harrah's to Sam's Town - Runs about hourly from 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Return trips on the hour from 10:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.

Bourbon Street to Sam's Town - Runs about every hour from 9:30 a.m. to 9:15 p.m. Return trips about every hour from 10:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.

Downtown Las Vegas (California/Fremont) to Sam’s Town - Runs every 45 minutes from 8:15 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Return trips every 45 minutes from 9:00 a.m. to 10:45 p.m.

Stardust to Sam's Town - Runs about hourly from 9:50 a.m. to 9:50 p.m. with return trips about hourly from 10:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.

San Remo/Tropicana to Sam's Town - Runs about hourly from 9:55 a.m. to 9:40 p.m. with return trips about hourly from 10:40 to 10:20 p.m.

Hard Rock to the Stardust and all points in between - These purple shuttles can be flagged down whenever you see them. They run about hourly between the Hard Rock, the Polo Towers and the Stardust Hotel. They will also stop at the Fashion Show Mall and the Caesars Palace Forum Shops.

Fashion Show Mall to Boulder Station - Shuttle runs at 9:55 a.m. and 3:20, 7:20 and 9:05 p.m.

Fashion Show Mall (Saks 5th Ave. Entrance) to Palace Station - Shuttle runs every half hour from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 a.m.

Tropicana to Fashion Show Mall - Shuttle runs every half hour from 8:45 a.m. to 12:45 a.m.

Fashion Show Mall, Las Vegas

Palms Hotel Shuttle Service to the Fashion Show Mall and Forum Shops: A shuttle departs the Palms for the Fashion Show mall at 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 2 p.m., 3:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. The shuttle leaves the Fashion Show for the Forum Shops at 10:15 a.m., 11:45 a.m., 2:15 p.m., 3:45 p.m. and 5:15 p.m. The shuttle returns to the Palms from the Forum Shops at 10:30 a.m., 12 p.m., 2:30 p.m., 4 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.