Travel

Compared with other cities in the western US, Las Vegas is a relatively recent arrival. It was founded in 1905, and for many years it was merely a small settlement in the middle of the desert. However, several pivotal events would come together in less than twenty years that would help Las Vegas grow into what it is today:

Welcome!

Southern Californians crowd Interstate 15 every weekend going back and forth to Vegas. Expect this drive to be crowded and frustrating, unless you can come and go at off-peak hours. However, many find the 280 mile (450 km) drive along I-15 restful and scenic. Attractions along the I-15 include the California towns of Barstow and Baker ; the Mojave Desert ; and small hotel-casinos in Nevada at Primm (at the California border) and Jean, respectively. Those who traverse the I-15 should remember that they are crossing a desert, and should carry (and drink) ample amounts of water, especially on hot summer days where temperatures can reach 110°F (43°C).

From east of Las Vegas, travelers typically drive on I-40 through Arizona. and then head north toward Vegas on US-93 in Kingman. before finally picking up I-15. This route will take you along the Lake Mead National Recreation Area and directly through Boulder City. near the Hoover Dam. Traffic there can be extremely congested and slow-going; usually the slowest part of an otherwise sparsely populated desert area.

From the North I-15 meets the Arizona border at the more relaxed town of Mesquite, NV and shortly goes into Utah. The junction of I-70 and I-15 is where most people driving from the east will take. Those from further north may meet I-15 from I-80 in Salt Lake City .

Those traveling from the north drive on US-95 from Reno and Tonopah. This is a two lane highway until it reaches the community of Mercury, where US-95 is a four lane highway. The route is sparsely populated and travelers should ensure that their fuel tank is full.

• Greyhound , 200 S Main St. Operates buses between Salt Lake City (Utah ), Kingman (Arizona ), Los Angeles (California ), and Phoenix (Arizona ) and Las Vegas.
• Megabus , 6675 Gilespie St (RTC South Strip Transfer Terminal near Sunset Road, south of McCarran International Airport ). Offers service from Los Angeles and Riverside. The bus stop offers RTC local bus service to the Strip and Downtown Las Vegas.
• BoltBus. Offers service from Los Angeles and Barstow. Stops at the LINQ High Roller on the Strip and the Plaza Hotel and Casino in Downtown at Fremont and Main.
• LuxBus. Operates four daily trips to and from Los Angeles. Anaheim. and San Diego. Stops at the Harrah's Hotel and Casino on the Strip and the California Hotel and Casino in Downtown.
• Starline Tours. Operates service from Los Angeles and Anaheim. Stops at the Harrah's Hotel and Casino on the Strip and the California Hotel and Casino in Downtown.
• TUFESA Bus Lines. Offers bus service to various points in Mexico.

McCarran International Airport (IATA. LAS ) is served by most major domestic and many international air carriers. Terminal 1 serves most domestic flights, including those of dominant carrier Southwest Airlines as well as budget airlines Spirit Airlines and Allegiant Air. all of which have large operations at the airport. Terminal 3 serves all international flights, with service to Canada, Mexico, the UK, Germany, and South Korea among other places, as well as some domestic flights. (Terminal 2 was closed in 2015 and is slated to be demolished in the near future.) The airport is one of the few in the world to have slot machines in it, meaning you can lose your entire vacation budget within minutes of stepping off the plane.

Henderson Executive Airport (IATA. HSH ) is the corporate choice for aviation in Las Vegas. Located just minutes from the world famous Vegas strip, Henderson Airport is the ideal alternative to McCarran International Airport. Air taxi and air charter companies such as The Early Air Way and Jetset Charter fly a variety of private charter aircraft and jets, from charter luxury Gulfstream's down to economical piston twins for small groups and individuals.

Hotels owned by MGM Grand (MGM Grand, and New York New York) and Harrah's Entertainment (Rio, Harrah's, Bally's, Paris, Caesars Palace, and Flamingo) allow you to check in at the hotel and transfer luggage between the hotel and the airport.

For departing flights:

• Allow plenty of time for security screening, especially on those days when major conventions end. Or schedule your flight at another day/time if you can.

• Curbside check-in counters can save time, but will cost you $4 per bag + tip, and if flying an "open" ticket, you won't be allocated a seat number until boarding time. and likely to be an undesirable seat.

To travel between the airport and your Strip hotel:

• Taxis cost $10–$20 from the airport to a Strip location. The taxi line is well organized and the city taxi dispatcher will direct you to a numbered space along the curb. You need not tip the taxi dispatcher. There is some debate on whether the taxi driver should or should not be taking any Strip-destination passengers through the tunnel when exiting the airport. Most taxi drivers prefer to take the tunnel because (surprise, surprise) it produces a higher bill. The general consensus seems to be that taking the tunnel is 5–10 minutes shorter. but will cost you $5–$10 more; and not taking the tunnel is 5–10 minutes longer. but will cost $5–$10 less. Some people prefer to save the money as the time savings isn't that huge. You have the right to tell the driver if you do not want to take the tunnel. And do not let them tell you they need to take the tunnel to avoid the "big accident" if that is not your preference. If you feel you have been taken advantage of by the taxi driver, take down the driver's license number and call the Nevada Taxi Cab Authority.

• CAT Bus #108 costs $2 each way and departs every 20–30 minutes from Ground Level Zero (take the escalator down from the baggage claim and walk towards the parking garage; the covered bus stop is on the right). The bus travels along Paradise Road to the Convention Center and the LV Hilton, taking about 20–25 minutes. At the intersection of Paradise Road and the Strip (Las Vegas Boulevard), you can switch to the Deuce shuttle bus, traveling north to downtown or south to other hotel casinos.

• Westcliff Airport Express (WAX) bus runs from terminal 1 and 3 to Tropicana and Las Vegas Blvd, the MGM Grand Casino, Excalibur, New York-New York, the Bonneville Transit Center and downtown Fourth street and Carlson.

• Centennial Express runs from terminal 3 to the University of Las Vegas, Wynn resort, Palazzo before serving Bonneville Transit Center and downtown Fourth street and Carlson like the WAX bus.

• Shuttle Buses will take you to any hotel on the Strip or downtown for $6.

• Limousines cost

  Direct Amtrak service to Las Vegas was discontinued in 1997 due to budget problems. However, there are several bus services which connect with various Amtrak trains:

  • The Southwest Chief route, running from Chicago to Los Angeles. stops in Kingman. Arizona, from which passengers may transfer to a bus that travels to McCarran International Airport via Laughlin. Be forewarned that the westbound train is scheduled to arrive in Kingman at approximately 12AM local time, and the bus arrives at the airport around 3AM. If you prefer to arrive/depart at a more reasonable hour and don't mind a bit of backtracking, you can also take the train all the way to the end of the route in Los Angeles and connect with a Greyhound bus instead--this will take longer, but arrives in Vegas in the late afternoon.
  • The San Joaquin route travels from Emeryville. California to Bakersfield. from which an Amtrak Thruway bus travels to Las Vegas once each day.
  
  
  
  
  

  • Las Vegas Travel Guide and Travel Information
  • Las Vegas, Nevada Travel Guide and Top Things to Do - VirtualTourist
  • Las Vegas – Travel guide at Wikivoyage
  • Las Vegas Travel Guide and Travel Information
  • Las Vegas, Nevada Travel Guide and Top Things to Do - VirtualTourist
  • Las Vegas – Travel guide at Wikivoyage
  • Las Vegas Travel || Jaunted
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  • las vegas travel
  • Las Vegas Travel Tips