Walking along the resort area of Las Vegas Blvd., known as the Strip, is a fun and convenient way to explore the city and get a feel for Vegas.  Many resorts are located within walking distance of each other, and each has a unique flavor that can even be enjoyed by passing by on foot.  This being stated, the sheer size of the hotels makes hoping around on foot difficult and tiring, especially when glammed up.  Given that valet parking is free at all hotels, it is worth renting a car and leaving it with the valet of each hotel that you visit.  If you do insist on walking, the following information will be of assistance to you:

First-time visitors should be prepared for a couple local quirks when walking along the Strip.  Many vendors along the sidewalks on the Strip attempt to distribute adult material and advertisements to people passing by, but they are not intrusive and can be easily ignored, although their discarded material sometimes ends up littering the sidewalks.  Also, don’t be surprised to see people walking along the street with open containers of alcohol, often served in large and elaborate souvenir cups.  There is no legal prohibition against this sort of drinking in public in Las Vegas. 

A word of caution - cross Las Vegas Blvd. ONLY in designated pedestrian crosswalks.  There are a number of crosswalks as well as overhead pedestrian bridges and using them will make life easier for you and the drivers trying to navigate one of the busiest streets in the country.  Drivers can be aggressive and traffic can be a nightmare (jaywalking also carries a very stiff fine in Vegas).  So be safe and cross the street in the areas designed for pedestrian crossing. 

In addition to walking the Strip, take a bus or cab to the downtown area, home of the famous Fremont Street Experience.  Enjoy walking the several blocks of Fremont Street between shops and casinos that lie under the overhead canopy which becomes an enormous screen for regular audio and video shows at night.

If you're staying on the strip and need to get from one strip hotel to another in a hurry, you can use the monorail.  This runs from the MGM Grand to the Sahara with stops at several strip properties as well as the Hilton and the Convention Center.  Be aware that the monorail was paid for by the casinos, so the stations are at the back of the casino and you are forced to navigate through the gaming area to get to them.

If you are staying at an off Strip hotel/casino, check and see if they have a courtesy shuttle to the Strip.  Many hotels and casinos  also offer complimentary shuttles (though most of the major strip and downtown hotels do not) to the airport for their guests.

Make sure and check out public transportation & free shuttles.

Taxis:  In November, 2007, Las Vegas Taxis started charging an extra 10-cents for the initial cost of hiring a cab, raising the “drop fee” to $3.30. The wait-time charge (the cost per hour for time spent traveling slower than 8-12 mph) also increased to $28 from $22. 

City Buses:
Las Vegas has a public transit system, CAT(Citizens area transit).  The Deuce (a modern double-decker bus) runs the strip from the South Strip Transit Terminal near the Airport at the South end of the Strip to the Downtown Strip Transit Terminal just North of (beyond) Fremont Street, located 2 blocks from Binion's.    The Deuce costs $2.00 per one-way ride; exact change is required.  or, if you prefer you can buy a 24-hour, nonlimited-access pass for $5.00 when you get on the bus (the pass can be used on other local buses as well).  As of December, 2007, the Deuce route has been modified to drop off/pick up at the Belk's Discount Shopping Mall just south of the Airport (same bus stop for travel in both directions) before proceeding to the South Strip Transit Terminal, and a Deuce all-day pass is also good for the CAT and MAX buses.  

Citizens Area Transit has 49 routes throughout the Las Vegas Valley and Henderson.  Besides the Deuce, Route 301 traverses the Strip; if you're not using the $5 all-day Deuce pass, the fare is $2 one-way or $1.25 one way on off-Strip routes.  Strip routes (the Deuce and 301) run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.   Most other routes operate 5 a.m. to 1 a.m. seven days a week, and 14 routes operate 24-hours a day.

If you are 62 or older and a repeat visitor to Vegas, it is possible to obtain a senior discount ID by applying at the Downtown terminal.  There is no charge; you provide a photo ID verifying your age, provide a mailing address, and recieve the senior ID in the mail in about 10 days.  If you plan to be in Vegas for more than 4 days on return visits, this ID will save you money because a monthly senior transit pass is $20 as of March, 2008.

Trolleys:
The Trolley travels from Downtown to the South Strip.  As of August, 2007, the fare was $2.50 per one-way trip, and exact change is required.  The Trolley also offers multi-day passes.  As of March, 2007 the 4-day pass was $20; the 3-day pass was $12; and an all-day pass was $6.50.  As of August, 2007, the all-day pass has been eliminated and replaced by a $4.25 pass which is good from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and a second $4.25 pass which is good from 5 p.m. to midnight.  If you plan to transfer from one Trolley route to another, you should buy one of the $4.25 passes at minimum because each transfer is considered a new ride and you will have to pay again if you don't have a pass.

The Trolley has 3 routes now; as of August, 2007, the East Loop route to Hard Rock Casino area has been eliminated.  The Strip route runs from the Stratosphere to Mandalay Bay; it does NOT stop at every casino, but it does stop at quite a few.  Check the route signs located at one of the stops at Harrah's, Bally's and the Hilton vacation property.

The South Strip route runs from Mandalay Bay (board in parking lot near The Reef) to South Point Casino (what was formerly South Coast Casino), with a stop at Silverton Casino.

The Downtown route runs from the downtown bus terminal to the outdoor premium outlet mall and continues in a loop back to the terminal.

As of August, 2007, the Strip Trolley operates from 8:30 a.m. until midnight at approximately 30 minute intervals (depending on traffic), but 8:30 is the start time from the first stop on the route and the schedule begins later at the stops along the route.  You may not find as many people on the Trolleys as on the CAT, mainly because the trolley stops at almost every major hotel (which makes transportation slower) and it doesn’t help that the seats are wooden.  On the other hand, the Trolley is faster than the Deuce because it takes back roads between casinos; it is not as fast as the more expensive Monorail - which should be your backup plan for getting somewhere in a hurry.  Just also keep in mind that if you plan to use the Trolley both before and after 5 p.m. you will need to buy a pass for each of those periods.

Monorail:
A favorite way to travel because it is up in the air, the monorail is open 7 days a week, operating Mondays through Thursdays from 7 a.m. to 2 a.m. and Fridays through Sundays from 7 a.m. to 3 a.m.  It travels from the Tropicana Avenue Grand to Sahara Avenue, making 7 stops along the way (MGM Grand; Bally’s/Paris; Flamingo/Caesars Palace; Harrah’s/Imperial Palace; Las Vegas Convention Center; Las Vegas Hilton; and the Sahara), and can hold 72 seated riders and 152 standing riders.  You can purchase tickets at each station, either on the platform or in the casino it serves, or on the Monorail’s website.   As of March, 2007,  a one-day (24-hour unlimited) pass is $15.  A three-day (72-hour unlimited) pass is $40.  A two-ride fare is $9. Single-ride fare is $5. Only one person can use these passes at a station entrance;  it will be rejected if a second rider attempts to use the same pass - this is not the case with the "shared ride" 10-ride pass.  A shared 10-ride pass is $35. There is currently an on-going promotion which offers $7 off the 10-ride pass or an all-day pass for $9.  Coupons for these promotions will be found in the small coupon booklets available on the racks just before the turnstiles in the Monorail stations, and there are frequently costumed persons standing at casino entrances passing out flyers which include the coupons; the coupons can also be found in some of the magazines you will find in your hotel room or at the hotel bell desk.  For more ticketing options, call (702) 699-8200..  

There is also a free monorail-type shuttle between Mandalay Bay-Luxor-Excalibar; and another free monorail runs between Monte Carlo and Bellagio, as well as one between Mirage and Treasure Island.  Since the latter two combinations are next to one another, it's rather redundant.   And since there is significant construction going on at the Monte Carlo-Bellagio location as of August, 2007, it is possible that this particular shuttle is not currently in service.  The free tram that connects Mirage to Treasure Island is in service as of June 2008.

Free Shuttles: The following casinos have shuttles:

Barbary Coast (Now Bills Gambling Hall but per some sites, the shuttle is still running (suggest you verify first) to Gold Coast : 

Barbary Coast (Now Bills Gambling Hall but per somesites, the shuttle is still running (suggest you verify first) to The Orleans

California to Sam’s Town 830..945..11..1215 ..130..245..4..515..630.. 745..9..1015..1130

Downtown (Fremont) to Sam’s Town 815..930..1045..12..115..230..345.. 5..615..730..845..10..1115

Fashion Show Mall to Boulder Station : 

Fashion Show Mall (Saks 5th Ave. entrance) to Palace Station

Fashion Show Mall to the Forum Shops : 

Forum Shops to Palms  : 

Gold Coast to Barbary Coast to The Orleans

Hard Rock to Polo Towers, Forum Shops and Fashion Show Mall: leaves on the hour 10am – 7pm You can flag them down….distinctive purple mini-buses

Harrah’s to Rio (valet entrance off hotel loby, near rear bus entrance) every 15 minutes 10am to 1am (thurs-sun-till 4am)

Harrah’s to Sam’s Town 930..11..1230..2..330..5..630..8..930

Mandalay Bay to Green Valley Ranch : Orleans to Gold Coast

Palms to Fashion Show Mall and Forum Shops :  

Palace Stations to Tropicana and the Fashion Mall.

Rio to Harrah’s (entr near carnival world buffet) 

Sam’s Town to Barbary Coast (now Bills Gambling Hall but, per Sams Town site, the shuttle is still running)

Sam’s Town to California/Fremont (by valet) 9..1015..1130..1245..2..315.. 430..545..7..915..930..1045

Sam’s Town to Downtown Las Vegas  

Sam’s Town to Tropicana1040..1220..2.. 340..520..7..840..1020

Sam’s Town to Harrah’s 1030..12..130..3..430..6..730..9..1030

Tropicana to Fashion Show Mall  : 

Tropicana to Sam’s Town 955..1135..115..355..435..615..755..935