Getting Around Las Vegas: Walking the Strip, the Monorail, and When to Use Rideshare

Las Vegas is designed to slow you down. The Strip looks like a straight line on a map, but the distance from Mandalay Bay at the south end to the Stratosphere (Strat) at the north is about 7 km. Hotel complexes are enormous — walking through the Venetian to get to the street behind it can add 20 minutes. Escalators in casinos often only go one direction. This is not accidental.

Understanding how the city actually moves is the difference between a frustrating day of unexpected mileage and a functional one.

Walking: More Than You Think

You can walk the Strip, but it takes longer than expected. Mandalay Bay to Bellagio is about 3 km — 40 minutes without stops, longer in summer heat (June to September can hit 45°C). The elevated pedestrian walkways at major intersections help with crossing, but each hotel complex adds time.

At night, the walk from casino to casino is one of the experiences — the lights, the crowds, the theatre of the exterior displays. During the day in summer, it is less pleasant. Plan walks for evenings when possible.

The Las Vegas Monorail

The monorail runs along the back (east side) of the Strip from Mandalay Bay to the Las Vegas Convention Centre. It does not stop at hotel front entrances — stations are at the rear of hotel properties. This means a 5–10 minute walk through a casino to reach the street after using it.

Tickets: $5 single, $13 for a 24-hour unlimited pass. Useful for getting from the mid-Strip area to the Convention Centre end quickly without walking or using a car. Less useful for general Strip navigation where the walk through the property negates the time saving.

The Deuce Bus

The RTC Deuce bus runs along the entire length of Las Vegas Boulevard (the Strip) and continues to downtown Fremont Street, 24 hours a day. Single ride: $6 (2 hours, with transfers). 24-hour pass: $8. Slow — it stops frequently and the Strip traffic is dense — but it covers the full route including Fremont Street, which the monorail does not.

The Deuce is the economical option for getting from the Strip to Fremont Street ($8 for a 24-hour pass vs. $15+ by rideshare).

Rideshare Between Casinos

For anything more than two stops, Uber or Lyft between casino properties is often the practical choice, especially in daylight or with luggage. Most Strip hotels have designated rideshare pickup and drop-off zones — look for signs rather than hailing outside the main entrance.

The Free Trams

Several hotel groups operate free trams connecting their own properties:

• Mandalay Bay, Luxor, and Excalibur (south Strip)
• Bellagio, Park MGM, and Aria (mid-Strip)
• The Mirage and Treasure Island (north-mid Strip, though this one has been disrupted by property changes — check current operation)

These are free and useful for moving between those specific properties without rideshare.

Our Take

Walk the Strip at night. Rideshare during the day or for longer distances. Use the free trams between connected properties. The Deuce bus for Fremont Street. The monorail for convention centre access. And budget more time than the map suggests for any given journey.