The Newbie's Guide To Taxi Rides In Las Vegas

If you're planning your first trip to Las Vegas, you probably already have a long list of places that you want to see and things you want to do. In fact, you might even have your hotel accommodations and your flight booked, but have you determined how you're going to navigate the city once you're there? The city is filled with taxicabs, which makes it easy to find transportation. However, there are a few things that every Las Vegas newbie needs to know before they arrive in Sin City.

Getting to Your Hotel

Before you get into the taxi at the airport, make sure you know the fastest route to your hotel. McCarran International Airport has a tunnel that connects the airport to the expressway. People often assume that driving through the tunnel is the fastest way to get to their hotels because the tunnel has less traffic lights and direct highway access; however, this isn't always true.

If you're staying at a downtown hotel, a hotel on the north end of the Strip, or at one of the few hotels on West Flamingo Road, taking the airport tunnel to your hotel is the best option. Unfortunately, the majority of Las Vegas's hotels don't sit in these areas, so you probably need an alternative route. If your hotel is in any other area of Las Vegas, ask your driver to take you to your hotel via Paradise Road or Swenson Avenue. Taking the tunnel can add miles, and dollars, to your trip.

Getting a Cab on the Strip

You can hail a cab practically anywhere in Las Vegas, except on the Las Vegas Strip. It might sound odd because it's the busiest part of the city, but cab drivers are prohibited from picking up passengers along the Strip to keep traffic from getting too congested. However, just because you can't hail a cab on the Strip doesn't mean that you can't find one. Designated taxi stands are located at practically every resort, attraction, and shopping mall on the Strip.

Taking a Cab to the Clubs

Taking a taxi is a great way to navigate the city's club scene, as long as you keep a few things in mind:

• Cab drivers are often compensated for bringing people to specific clubs. So, when you ask the driver to take you to the best club in town, chances are you'll arrive at whatever club pays him to bring in a crowd. That doesn't necessarily mean you'll arrive at a dump, but just in case, you should know which bars and clubs you want to visit before you venture out for the night.
• Club- and casino-hopping are popular in Las Vegas, so chances are there are probably other people heading looking for a cab that's going in the same direction. To save a few bucks, grab one of the minivan cabs and split the fare with the other passengers.
• Make sure you have small sums of money on you when you plan to go club hopping. This way, you have the money needed to pay the fare and tip the driver. While most cab drivers are honest, some drivers will tell you that they don't have change for larger bills to see if you'll let them "keep the change," leaving them a bigger tip.

For the most part, taking a taxi in Las Vegas isn't much different than taking a cab in other parts of the country. As long as you know where you can and can't hail cabs, share cabs with others when you can, and have a general idea of where you're going, taking a cab like Union Taxi in Las Vegas is simple.