Public transportation
The Monorail Schwebebahn (Internet: www.lvmonorail.com) currently connects eight large hotels and an event center between 7 a.m. and 2 a.m., Fri-Sun until 3 a.m. on a 6.4 km route. In the future, the suspension railway will also run in the center of Las Vegas and offer a connection to McCarran Airport.
City buses are managed by the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC) ( www.rtcsnv.com/transit) and are sometimes used around the clock. You can change free of charge, but you have to get a transfer ticket ( transfer ticket) from the bus driver .
Bus trips can be paid for by the driver with (only) suitable change or with so-called tokens (special bus coins). These are available at the Downtown Transportation Center, 300 North Casino Center (Tel: (702) 228 74 33 or toll-free (01 800) 228 39 11), which is open daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. and are 20% cheaper than regular tickets.
Privately operated trolley buses are also available and are used more by visitors than locals. The Las Vegas Strip Trolley (Tel: (702) 382 14 04. Internet: www.lasvegas-how-to.com/trolley.php) moves up and down the entire strip every 30 minutes. The Downtown Trolley (Tel: (702) 229 60 24) goes to the downtown casinos. Payment is made when boarding the trolley buses.
Taxis
Due to the large number of tourists, thousands of taxis operate in Las Vegas. In Las Vegas, taxis are not allowed to be waved on the street (although some taxis stop afterwards), but are available at the numerous taxi stands on the Strip and in downtown.
For more remote areas, it is advisable to order a taxi, including from the taxi companies ABC Union / Ace (Tel: (702) 736 83 83) and Yellow / Checker / Star Cab (Tel: (702) 873 22 27).
In addition to the basic fee, there is a price per mile, waiting minutes are also chargeable. A surcharge is required for airport pickup. A tip of 5-10% is common.
Driving in the city
Traffic is greatest during peak hours (8:00 am-10:00am and 4:30 pm-7:00pm), especially on the highways and roads from the city center to the suburbs.
On the strip and in downtown, however, traffic jams can occur very quickly at any time if there are a lot of tourists, e.g. For example, to watch a boxing match at the MGM Grand or to spend the Friday evening in the casinos.
The streets run in a checkerboard pattern, from which only one or two large streets deviate. Most of the streets from north to south are numbered (First Street, Third Street, etc.). In order to avoid the heavy traffic on the strip, the residents mainly use the parallel streets.
It’s very rare to park on the street in Las Vegas, but most hotels and casinos offer free parking.
Car rental
Since many Las Vegas visitors rent cars, the range of rental car companies in the city is correspondingly large. Drivers must be at least 21 years old, but some companies require a surcharge from people under the age of 25. The national driver’s license is permissible, but you should check with the rental car company whether an international driver’s license is required. Insurance can be taken out from the rental car companies.
Of the well-known rental car companies include
Alamo (Tel: (800) 732 32 32 ( U.S.) ). Internet: www.alamo.com),
Assured (Tel: (702) 597 97 10),
Avis (Tel: (800) 452 14 94 (in the USA). Internet: www.avis.com),
Budget (Tel: (702) 731 67 76. Internet: www.budget.com),
Dollar (Tel: (702) 732 41 80. Internet: www.dollar.com),
Enterprise (Tel: (702) 457 00 66. Internet: www .enterprise.com),
Hertz (Tel: (702) 220 97 00. Internet: www.hertz.com) and
National (Tel: (702) 261 53 91. Internet: www.nationalcar.com) .
Rental fees can vary from season to season.
Bicycle rental
Since Las Vegas and the surrounding area are quite flat, cycling is great fun there. However, visitors must take into account the heat and unusually dry climate of the desert before embarking on a longer tour, and stock up on plenty of water and sunscreen with a high sun protection factor.
Spring and late autumn are best for a bike tour. However, sudden downpours and floods can occur, transforming a small stream into a raging river in just a few minutes.
The Bicycle Nevada Advisory Board (Internet: http://www.bicyclenevada.com) is available with more information about routes and contact points.
At Escape Adventures, 8221 West Charleston (Tel: (702) 596 29 53; Internet: www.escapeadventures.com) you can rent a wide variety of bicycles, for half, one or more days.
Bike Outpost, 16 Cottonwood Street (Tel: (702) 875 48 20) rents mountain bikes and is particularly conveniently located next to mountain bike trails in Blue Diamond.