Although the most affordable way to get your hotel is using public buses, few hotels are accessible

Las Vegas boasts choice hotel franchise a variety of transport services – everything from taxis, choice hotel franchise airport shuttles, limousines, the Las Vegas Monorail, buses and open-top sightseeing tours to rental motorcycles, bikes and scooters. How do you plan to get around town during your visit? Here are the basics choice hotel franchise on almost every way possible to travel within Sin City.
Located in the center of town, McCarran International Airport is comprised of two separate buildings: Terminal 1 (serving domestic flights) and Terminal 3 (serving both domestic and international flights). A free shuttle service choice hotel franchise is available between these two terminals.
McCarran International Airport is situated only two miles from the Strip and about 15 miles from downtown. There are five options for getting to and from your hotel: taxis, airport shuttles, limousines, rental cars and buses.
If you want to get to your hotel quickly after a long flight, choice hotel franchise then it’s easiest to hop into a cab. At Terminal 1, the line for taxis is located on the east side of baggage choice hotel franchise claim, outside choice hotel franchise door exits 1 4. At Terminal 3, you’ll find taxis located outside on Level Zero.
There is no negotiating of fares in Las Vegas. When you set foot in a cab, the taximeter starts with an initial charge of $3.30. A $2 surcharge is also added by taxis originating at McCarran International Airport. After the initial “drop,” as it’s called, the taximeter assesses $2.60 per mile. If your cab is moving at less than 12 miles per hour, a waiting charge of 25 cents is incurred for every 30 seconds that passes. This is why you’ll see increases on the taximeter even when you’re sitting still.
Based on a sampling of hotels from different areas, here are some estimates of the average fares you can expect: Aria ($16.70), Bellagio ($18.45), Caesars Palace ($17.70), Circus Circus ($25.70), The Cosmopolitan ($18.65), Flamingo ($16.45), Golden Nugget ($26.40), Mandalay Bay ($16.75), MGM Grand ($13.20), The Mirage ($19.45), Paris Las Vegas ($17.50), The Quad ($18.18), Riviera ($22.40), Stratosphere ($20.60), The Venetian choice hotel franchise ($22.25) and Wynn Las Vegas ($18.50).
There are a few things you should know about taxi travel in Las Vegas. Some cab companies don’t accept credit cards, so notify the driver how you intend to pay before you get in. The maximum number of passengers choice hotel franchise allowed in a taxi is five. This includes infants and children. Also, beware of a practice called “long hauling.” A taxi driver is always required to take the most direct route to your hotel, unless otherwise requested by the customer. Use of the I-215 Airport Tunnel is never the shortest route to Strip-area choice hotel franchise hotels and can add up to $10 to your fare. If a taxi driver takes you that way without your permission, it’s illegal.
choice hotel franchise Airport shuttles, which consist of vans and mini buses, offer door-to-door service to most of the major hotels on the Strip and in downtown. This will not be a direct trip because these vehicles make multiple stops and typically carry between six and 20 passengers at a time. The cost for airport shuttles is economical. It ranges from $7.50 to $13 (one way) and $14 to $38 (round trip), depending on which hotel you’re staying choice hotel franchise at and what service (standard or VIP) you select. Airport shuttles are available from Terminal 1 at the west end of baggage claim, just outside door exits 7 13 and from Terminal 3 on Level Zero at the west end of the building.
Want to start off your Vegas vacation with a touch of luxury? Try the airport’s walk-up limousine service. A fleet of sedans, stretch limousines and SUVs are ready and waiting to sweep you off your feet. They can usually accommodate between four and 10 passengers. The cost is not as high as you might imagine. The hourly fee for a sedan starts as low as $40 an hour.
In Terminal 1, limousines are available on the west side of baggage claim, outside door exits 7 13.  In Terminal 3, limousines can be found outside on Level Zero – domestic travelers should head to the west end of the building while international travelers will find them at east end.
McCarran International Airport’s Rent-A-Car Center is a huge facility choice hotel franchise at Gillespie Street and Warm Springs Road, just south of the airport and near Las Vegas Boulevard. It’s open 24 hours. Free shuttles run continuously, transporting rental car patrons to and from the airport. In Terminal choice hotel franchise 1, this shuttle is located outside doors 10 and 11 at baggage claim. In Terminal 3, you’ll find shuttles on Level Zero outside doors 51 54 at the west end and doors 55 58 at the east end. Rent-A-Car Center choice hotel franchise houses numerous rental car companies including Advantage, Alamo, choice hotel franchise Avis, Budget, Dollar , E-Z, Enterprise, Firefly, Fox , Hertz, National, Payless, Thrifty and Zipcar.
Although the most affordable way to get your hotel is using public buses, few hotels are accessible by direct routes from McCarran International Airport, so it tends not to be an appealing option for tired travelers. If you do want to navigate choice hotel franchise the routes, there are bus stops at Terminal 1 and Terminal 3, both on Level Zero. Routes 108 and 109 as well as the Westcliff Airport Express and the Centennial Express all serve the airport. Operated by the Regional Transportation Commission choice hotel franchise of Southern Nevada, you can get specific route information, choice hotel franchise schedules and fares in advance by visiting their website at rtcsnv.com .
Las Vegas isn’t a very pedestrian-friendly choice hotel franchise city. Although you can explore downtown easily on foot, distances between hotels on the Strip are often much farther choice hotel franchise than they seem. And walking for even a short stretch in summer, when temperatures regularly top 100 degrees Fahrenheit, can be truly uncomfortable. So if you’re looking for ways to navigate these areas, here are five of your best bets.
Cabs are speedy – as long as traffic is good – because they don’t have to make multiple choice hotel franchise stops, and no time is ever wasted with parking. Knowledgeable drivers also reduce your risk of getting lost. Just don’t try hailing a cab in Las Vegas. It won’t work. The only two ways to hire a taxi are to call for a pickup or to go to a taxi stand. choice hotel franchise You’ll find taxi stands at all of the major resorts in Las Vegas and at many popular attractions, like shopping malls. For more information about how fares are calculated or for a list of cab companies, see the section on taxis above.
Many visitors, especially those from California and Arizona, drive their own cars to Las Vegas. If you’ve flown in and didn’t get a rental car at the airport (see the section choice hotel franchise on rental cars above), there are numerous branches located around town. Some resorts even have rental car desks in their lobbies.
Parking is abundant in Las Vegas. Most hotels on the Strip offer free self-parking garages as well as free valet service – although a $2 to $5 tip is expected when your vehicle is returned to you. In downtown, choice hotel franchise it’s becoming more common to pay to park in the garages and on the street. Some resorts, choice hotel franchise like Binion’s, do still offer free parking, but require you get a validation stamp.
For quick and easy transport to a majority of the Strip’s attractions, take the Las Vegas Monorail . It’s comprised of seven stations spread between Tropicana choice hotel franchise Avenue (at MGM Grand) and Sahara Avenue (at SLS Las Vegas , when it opens on Aug. 25, 2014). The other five stations are positioned at Bally’s, Flamingo, The Quad, the Las Vegas Convention Center and the LVH – Las Vegas Hotel. All of them are situated east of Las Vegas Boulevard. The Las Vegas Monorail begins operating at 7 a.m. daily and runs until midnight on Mondays, 2 a.m. on Tuesdays Thursdays, and 3 a.m. on Fridays Sundays. Trains arrive every four to nine minutes. Several types of tickets are available, including a single choice hotel franchise ride ticket for $5, an unlimited 24-hour pass for $12 and an unlimited seven-day pass for $56. Children ages 5 and under are allowed to ride for free. Tickets are sold at TVMs (ticketing vending machines) and Las Vegas Monorail customer service booths. Cash, debit cards and all major credit cards are accepted.
The Deuce, a glittering gold double-decker bus system reminiscent of the iconic red ones in London, has been cruising the Strip since 2005. It runs 24 hours a day and stops at most of the resorts between Mandalay Bay and downtown.
The RTC introduced the Strip Downtown Express (aka the SDX) in 2007. These sleek articulated vehicles are designed to look and feel like trains. The SDX uses bus-only and high-occupancy vehicle lanes as well as bypasses much of the Strip in order to provide a faster “express” service. It operates from 9 a.m. midnight daily.
Service on The Deuce and SDX is reliable, but you also should choice hotel franchise be aware that it’s very popular. This means you may not get a seat on the first bus that pulls up to your stop – but don’t worry, there’ll be another one pulling up soon after. Buses run approximately every 15 minutes.
Enjoy the best of both worlds – a sightseeing tour and a trustworthy mode of transportation – with Big Bus Tours . Offering hop on, hop off service on London-style double-decker buses with open tops, this company will take you to all of Vegas’ most famous landmarks. Its route consists of about 20 different stops, with tours lasting up to 3.5 hours. During the daytime, a guide is on board to offer up bits of history and share funny stories. Whenever you see a place you want to explore, simply get off. Another bus will be along to pick you up in approximately 30 minutes. Big Bus Tours is most appealing to Sin City newbies, but even a veteran Vegas visitor is sure to be enchanted riding around on the Panoramic Night Tour with the lights of the city twinkling overhead. Prices for tours start at $29 for adults and $19 for children ages 12 and under.
Have an adventure in Vegas on the seat of a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. Whether you rocket along the Strip or voyage through nearby natural choice hotel franchise desert wonders, you’ll see spectacular scenery while feeling the air on your face. At Las Vegas Harley-Davidson, located at 2605 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. 100, four-hour rentals are available for as l