The Las Vegas Monorail is up and running, giving you a cheap and easy way to get up and down The Strip and into Downtown (via a short bus ride) Las Vegas so you can see the Fremont Street Experience light show and "Old Vegas."
No rip-off cab drivers taking the long way, no getting stuck in traffic while the taxi meter climbs. (No getting stuck in traffic period). No feeling stuck in the vicinity of your hotel when there is so much to do and see in Las Vegas!
First things first: The Las Vegas Monorail website is a great source of basic information. Price, route, operating hours and similar. Do check it out.
However ...
We live here. Because we cover Las Vegas hands on, we use the monorail often. We talk to the riders who use the system. And we have some very important, essential additional tips that you don't want to be without. In fact, we strongly suggest printing this page out. (See Printable link above story).
The Route: The monorail runs along the back of many hotels on the east side of The Strip. If the hotel you need to get to is on the west side of The Strip, consult the official monorail website (linked above), map at any station, or map on the train to see which stop is appropriate.
Best Bet: You will probably use the monorail much more than anticipated. At the very least, buy a 10 ride pass. You can share it between two or more people. Your best bet is a three-day pass. A bargain if you plan to be exploring The Strip even a little bit.
One-day and three-day passes are per person. You can't pass it back to another person for immediate use. It won't work for a short amount of time after each use.
Multi-ride passes (10 ride) can be used by multiple people at the same stop. Just hand it back to the next rider in your party.
One Ride: Every time you get on and off the monorail, this constitutes one ride.
Day passes actually count 24 hours as one day. If you buy a one-day pass at noon, it is good until the next day at noon. Three-day passes are good for 72 hours.
Buying Tickets: You can purchase tickets online at the monorail website, but no need. Ticket machines take cash, credit, or debit card. They are touch screen (touch the screen when you approach to bring up the menu).
There are a number of machines at each actual station, and often a few before you reach it. Don't stand in line at a single machine on your way to the station. Simply go all the way to the station where you'll find a number of machines with little wait.
Hotels not on the route: The monorail heads away from The Strip after the Imperial Palace/Harrah's stop and doesn't rejoin The Strip until at The Sahara.
If you need to get to Wynn Las Vegas, The Venetian, Treasure Island, or Fashion Show Mall, exit at Harrah's.
If you need to get to Stardust, Circus Circus, or The Riviera, you'll need to exit at the Convention Center station. Walk one block north (toward Stratosphere Tower) to Convention Center Drive. Make a left and walk two blocks to The Strip and Stardust, Circus Circus and The Riviera.
Disabilities: The monorail is wheelchair friendly. Seeing eye dogs are allowed. Each station has helpful security. They are even willing to help the abled who are just trying to figure the system out!
Open containers: This (and the city bus) are probably the two places in town you can't bring your open beer along. Beverages in a closed or closable container (including booze) are allowed.
Restrooms: Monorail stops have no restrooms. However, all except the Convention Center stop are attached to casinos with public restrooms.
Outdoors: Stops are covered, but not heated/cooled. Even though the trains run less than 10 minutes apart (usually 4-5 minutes), you will be outside for a few minutes waiting. Trains are heated and cooled.
Downtown: You can still enjoy using the monorail to help you get downtown: You'll need to walk from the Sahara stop through The Sahara out to The The Strip.
Catch the Cat Route 301 (stops across from that World's Largest Gift shop just north of The Sahara) for the rest of the journey. This is much quicker than boarding Route 301 in the lower areas of The Strip and riding it the entire way downtown. Please reference the CAT Route 301 info below to get from the monorail to downtown.
The monorail only goes as far north as The Sahara hotel.
Operation Hours and CAT Route 301: The monorail does not operate 24 hours a day. See official monorail website for hours (link at top of story). However, Cat Ride Route 301 operates from Downtown/Fremont Street Experience to and along the entire Las Vegas Strip 24 hours a day, every day, all year (except New Year's Eve from 6 PM to 2 AM).
If you are on a hot roll, having too much fun where you are at, or just lose track of time, keep the 301 schedule handy to get back to your hotel.
With the downtown/monorail connector bus not running, this is the bus needed to get between the end of the line at The Sahara, and Downtown.
Airport: The Monorail does not yet go to the airport (expected date 2011), nor is their a dedicated connector bus. However, the city bus CAT Ride Route 108 operates between the airport and the Las Vegas Convention Center.
You can take Route 108 from the McCarran Airport to the Convention Center, then board the monorail at the Convention Center stop.
Returning from the the Convention Center monorail stop to the airport, you can catch CAT (bus) Route 108 across the street from the stop along Paradise Road southbound (bus driving away from The Stratosphere Tower). Special notes: There are no transfers or combination tickets available. Bus stops are generally just past the stoplights at major intersections, not before.
Did you find this helpful? Have anything you want to add, or just want to tell the world about your monorail ride? Read or post to our Las Vegas Trip Reports message board area! You are welcoome to post any trip report, not just monorail comments.
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