Taxi or Rental Car in Las Vegas?

We will be traveling to Vegas shortly and staying off the strip (Golden Nugget). Flying in. We would like to see the strip. Am I better off renting a car or just getting a taxi? Will be there for 4 days.Taxi or Rental Car in Las Vegas?
rental is better more flexibiliyt and also free parking.

taxis is not cheap out here any mopre.
Ive been to vegas a few times and have done both. It depends on how much walking you want to do. It is very flat out there, and distances can be decieving. It takes a long time to walk down the "new" strip. But if its not to hot, its a great time. We walked and stopped in various casinos on the way (we walked from the MGM grand to the Hilton). There is also a tram system in place now in vegas that you can use to travel up and down the strip.The "old" vegas is slightly smaller and easier to walk around.



Unless you plan to travel to the Hoover damn or other "off strip" areas, i would suggest just using a taxi and the other public transportation availible. It makes sight seeing much more fun, and driving in that area is not alot of fun.





from the airport, we actually found other people going to the same area and split the cost of a limo, which ended up being about the same as a taxi (when split among the two parties), and it was a great exerience to pull up to the MGM grand ina limo.Taxi or Rental Car in Las Vegas?
I used to be a cab driver in Las Vegas and know it is easier to take a cab than have a rental car.



#1 Taxi's are plentiful. $2.20 drop and $2.00 per mile. From the airport add an additional $2.20 tax (only FROM the airport). There is waiting time factored in as well, it just went up to $23 per hour. Traffic will increase the cost.

In Las Vegas the cab drivers are full of information. They will tell you the best restaurants, night clubs, casinos, tourist spots, etc.....ALL cab drivers are required to SPEAK, READ and WRITE English. If they fain no or little English GET OUT and take the next one.

Keep in mind that ALL taxi drivers in Las Vegas live on their tips because they can not own their own cab/medallion. All drivers get a percentage of the meter/fare usually equals about 40% which pays the income taxes, trip fee's and fuel cost. Tip according to the service you get, nice, clean, informative, safe, etc.....If you feel you didn't get good service DO NOT tip the driver BUT tell him/her why you did not tip them. If you don't tip and just get out without saying anything they will just think you are a CHEAP ****** and wouldn't have tipped them anyway. If they are driving faster than you like ask them to slow down or stop being so erratic.



#2 IF you get an honest driver it is relatively cheap.

You should always be familiar with the city you are going to in advance of your trip. Yes there are a lot of thieving cab drivers in LV. I was not one of those.

What I suggest is giving the driver $15 to the south end or center of strip, $20 to north end and $25 to downtown right when you get in at the airport and tell him/her this is all he/she will get for the fare. The tip will be better the nicer he/she is.

The companies to avoid FROM/TO the airport are Desert(orange/white) Nellis(blue/white) these are notoriously the biggest thief's (long haulers/tunnel rats, the owners require them to be, not always the drivers fault). Paradise Road is the best route out of the airport NO MATTER WHAT unless you are going to Green Valley/Henderson

If you have a problem with a driver there is always the Taxi Authority (aka T.A.) you can find their number on any drivers permit which MUST be visible from any seat in the taxi. I also suggest you pay attention to the cab company (car number), drivers name and permit number. In case you leave anything or have a complaint.

Keep a map with you at all times and KNOW where you are going.

Let the driver AVOID driving on the strip at all cost especially at night. What would be an $8 ride from MGM to Bally's going down the alley will be $20 at night on the strip because of all of the RENTAL cars not knowing where they are going.

The highway/freeway should be avoided during the day (rush hour 6:30am to 7pm). I-15 is a good route between the south end of the strip and downtown, IF the driver exits and enters on Charleston Ave (exit 42?). Never let the driver go all the way around to the 93/95 and take the downtown exit UNLESS you are going to the Horseshoe casino. It is NEVER OK for the driver to enter the Highway from the 93/95 from downtown.

The drivers will often use parallel roads to the strip such as Frank Sinatra, Paradise, Koval or Industrial/Dean Martin Dr let them do this, unless you like sitting in traffic and paying more to not move!!!! (remember waiting time, $23 per hour)

Keep in mind if time is of the essence and the cost is of no consequence than let the driver figure it out for you, they know which way to go when there is an accident/traffic just don't let them tell you there is an accident and believe them so they can take a longer route.



#3 Convenience, Parking the rental is almost always free but always a long walk. A taxi is right outside the front door. The traffic is INSANE. Most likely you will want to drink and you don't want to get a DUI in Nevada. Rental cars will get into more accidents on the strip because you will want to sight see and don't know where you are going (wrong lane, looking at the girls/boys, looking at the colorful lights).

There is always the Valet parking service which is free to use but some hotels have limited space and will turn you away or you will have to wait for as long as an hour to get your car. A tip is expected as well.

A rental will cost a minimum of $30 per day and will sit parked most of the time. Taxi's will cost about the same in the long run but, you will be helping the economy by using taxi's.

The rental car companies are required to charge a tax of $5+ per day when picked up at the airport. If you do get a rental get it at the hotel you are staying at. All of the hotels have rental car counters. If the company you prefer to rent from is not at your hotel go next door.



#4 The bus system is plentiful and cheap but VERY crowed and as someone else stated SMELLY. Sometimes you have to wait for 4-5 buses to go by before you can get on one that has room.

The monorail is about as worthless as you know what on a boar. It also has long walks and drops you off at the back of the Few hotels it serves. If you want to go from the Sahara to the MGM than take the monorail. Other wise take a cab and get door to door service.



#5 IF you want to do some sight seeing. Take a tour bus trip. A helicopter is also a great way to see the area. A bus tour will be cheaper, but a helicopter is an AWESOME way to see things. If the mass tours are not for you than rent a car for the day when going to the Hoover/Boulder dam, Red Rock Canyon, Grand Canyon, Valley of Fire or Death Valley all are worth seeing.

To see the Strip take a cab from the Nugget and get dropped off at the Mandalay Bay and walk north from there, south of Mandalay there is nothing...... Or you could start at the Wynn and walk south from there...... North of the Wynn is still older and not much worth seeing. The Stratosphere is the exception, it is at the far north end of the strip and has incredible views from 1200 feet up. Either way walking is the best way to see the strip. When you get tired and want to get back to your hotel jump into a cab sit back and relax.

I can guarantee you you will not be able to see everything you want to in 4 days. On the other hand 4 days is the perfect amount of time to visit Las Vegas. That way when you go back you will still have a few things you will want to see and a plethora of new things as well.

If strip clubs are your thing take a taxi. Yes the driver gets a kickback to drop off at a club anywhere from $10-$30 per person (not all clubs do this) If you are waiting for a taxi and the doorman asks you where you are going then tell them it is none of their business or lie and tell them you are going back to your hotel. The reason is they will try to SELL you a limo. The doormen rip the limo drivers off by charging the drivers X number of $$$ per person and the driver gets little to no money. The doormen are some of the biggest thieves in Las Vegas. They try to talk you into a limo so they get the kickback from the limo driver. If a doorman asks you where you are going...tell them IT IS NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS....or lie and tell them a restaurant or back to your hotel. They are not supposed to ask anyway (safety reasons)
If you stay downtown, you cabs or public transpo - like the Deuce bus - to get around. The Nugget charges for parking too - and I don't know how much they validate for guests, and chances are, aside from getting from downtown to the Strip, you're better off walking - since traffic STINKS on the Strip. A cab ride will be about $10 or so one way. A rental car can easily run you $20 a day, gas is $3 a gallon, and parking is like $10 a day at the Nugget. (Free at the Strip hotels.)
The traffic can be a nightmare on the strip. The bus route is good as well as the availability of taxis. On the strip, Trolleys, the monorail, the bus system, and walking are much more convenient than having to go to a car when you want to travel.
If you are planning on drinking any at all DON'T drive.

A taxi from the AP to GN will cost about $25. A shuttle will take 1-1 1/2 hours but only cost $8. If you have 3-4 people in you group take a taxi.

Once in LV the Duece (city bus) can take an hour during peak times to get to the strip. $5 for unlimited 24 hour pass.

We use a taxi getting from one end of the strip to the other. The duece for longer trips. There are free shuttles offered by the some casinos.



http://www.vegasfreebie.com/free-transpo鈥?/a>



The Las Vegas Review Journal newspaper as a great message board. Lots of good info.



http://eforum.reviewjournal.com/lv/forum鈥?/a>
I have done both. Since you're staying downtown, I suggest getting a rental car. If you were staying on the strip I would suggest otherwise. By the time you pay for a cab to your hotel and back to the airport, you probably can rent a small car for slightly more. Plus my experience is that cab drivers rip you off by taking you the long way or purposely sit in traffic so the meter keeps ticking. Parking is free and you have the flexibility to visit other places such as Hoover Damn, Lake Meade, Red Rock, etc. Once you drive to a casino on the strip and park, you can walk all over. If you get tired, take a bus or free shuttle back to the casino where you parked. Just remember where you park and your tag number. The garages are huge and most rental cars look alike out there.
If drinking inebriation isn't an issue, then I would definitely recommend renting a car. Taxi drivers in this town are worse cheaters than anyone at a table. With no airport shuttles here, they have a monopoly on things and take advantage of it.



If you have to take a taxi, one VERY important piece of advice. When getting in the taxi at the airport, tell the driver NOT TO USE THE TUNNEL.



To get some extra bucks from unsuspecting tourists, cabbies like to use a tunnel that leads out of the south side of McCarron to take folks to the Strip and Downtown. However, this tunnel actually leads to Henderson and becomes a long way to get to the destination.
We spent 4 days in Vegas. We walked and used the bus up and down The Strip. Daily passes are very cheap.
I am sure parking sucks and Cabs can be expensive. Ride the Deuce bus! Its has alot of stops but its $5 all day or $2 one way. Make sure you have exact change.It goes from Downtown vegas all the way to the Luxor. There are 50+ buses running up and back all day.
I would use the Double Decker bus system. You can catch it like every 10 minutes right at the corner of Freemont and The Strip and they have like 20 buses that just make a constant loop 24 hours a day up and down The Strip. You will still need to get from the airport to the Golden Nugget, so just take a taxi.
Things to think about. Driving in Vegas is like driving the NASCAR circuit. Even the best drivers will experience some nerve jarring moments. Yet it is quicker to rent a car than to wait for a cab at the airport. All car rental pick ups are off site so you will be bused to the facility. They run constantly so waiting is a minimum. Traffic on the strip is like a bumper car ride so be patient. Parking is free at most casinos. Good idea to mark your car somehow. Write down the location of your parking spot and your car. Best bet if you are going to travel off the strip for any reason. Get all the insurance they offer though. Will be worth it if something happens.



Taxis are good for short runs. Can get expensive but good in a pinch. From downtown to the strip can cost from 10 to 20 bucks depending on location on the strip and the traffic. You can get stuck for awhile and watch the meter go up. They will drop you off at the best spot at each casino. You can not flag a cab in Vegas. Cabs have to use designated pickup and dropoff locations at each facility. NO FLAGGING.



The bus system is very crowded. You will have to stand the entire trip and in traffic you could be standing for quite awhile. A bargain but personal space is non-existant. Deodorant use should be a law and limit the use of parfume. You will jump off the bus when the doors open and you squeeze your way out.



Forget the monorail. Travels along the back of the casinos ( if it is working ) and you have to walk the entire length of that casino to get to the strip. Good for them. Forces you to walk through and not around their slots. Not a real bargain either.



Trolleys are a good bargain. If you use them get an all day pass ($5 each). You can get off and on and travel the strip the entire day. They run every few minutes so if one comes that is packed, just wait for the next .. it will be empty. They run from the Stratosphere to the Luxor. They only have limited stops so you will have to walk to where ever from the stop. The brochure will tell you the stops and the driver will announce the casinos served at each stop. The Trolleys have been given bad locations for stations at most casinos. They are located to make you travel through the casino that allows the station. A deal but can be a hastle.



Good and bad with each. Just think which will serve your needs the best. No exact answer. You decide when you review the facts.
There are lots of other ways to get around besides taking a taxi or renting a car.

http://www.lasvegas-how-to.com/get-aroun鈥?/a>



You should consider taking a bus (Deuce), the trolley, monorail or the free shuttles operated by the casinos. All these options will be much cheaper than renting a car or taking a taxi.