No Car in Vegas
 

Im flying out to Vegas tomorrow and am staying at Vizcaya Condominiums (South Rainbow Boulevard, about 2 miles from the Strip) and wont have access to a car, whats the best way for me to get to and from the casinos? I plan on staying there for about 6 months and buying/leasing a car is not an option.

I have no problem taking buses or riding a bike, what would you recommend? I will have a couple thousand on me when going to and from the casino (I will not have a box at the casino, lets just say its not an option) so security is definitely a concern, what is my best and safest option?

Re: No Car in Vegas
 

Check with the condo if they have a shuttle, free or not.

If not, then barring buses, which will be slow and not frequent, I'd go with cabs. 2 miles doesn't sound so bad, depending on what part of the strip you want to go to.

Re: No Car in Vegas
 

[ QUOTE ]
Check with the condo if they have a shuttle, free or not.

If not, then barring buses, which will be slow and not frequent, I'd go with cabs. 2 miles doesn't sound so bad, depending on what part of the strip you want to go to.

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I wouldnt mind working around a bus schedule, is it safe to be taking one around 11-12pm at night?

Re: No Car in Vegas
 

Agree with punk, check for a shuttle. Barring that go with a cab. Bus is still too public and if security/safety is a concern, I would think a cab would be best.

Re: No Car in Vegas *DELETED*
 

Post deleted by *TT*

Re: No Car in Vegas
 

Good advice, just want to add that the bus is a good option.
Rainbow is a major street/ bus route and if your close enough to walk to Tropicana, Flamingo, etc. then you dont have to transfer.

Thats not a bad area but Id be cautious at night. Since its hard to get cabs away from the strip, I'd bus it to the strip and cab it back( of course I'd get a car) but you can buy a $30 monthly pass and get a bus schedule, and you would be fine.

Re: No Car in Vegas
 

OP, what's the story? Why is a car impossible for you? Are you banned from driving? I don't mean to pry, but if you give us some more details of your reasoning maybe we can be more helpful.

Re: No Car in Vegas
 

Renting a care is a $20-25 a day expense. If you going to vegas with multiple four figures and staying off the strip, unless you have drivers licence issues, stick a crowbar in your bankroll and rent a car. Vegas in VERY auto-centric. If you're on or near the Strip (as far as, say, the Hard Rock or Rio), you can get by with cabs/shuttles. But any further than that, get a car.

Re: No Car in Vegas
 

A Cab is a rational option. I am guessing that that is around $6 - 7.50, tip included, with little traffic, being to/from an off-strip condo.

Incidentally, it really needs to occurr to you that 2 miles is obviously "walking distance", even for me, and I am as old as dirt and arthritic ! Wear a baseball cap. I sit shuffling my chips 5 - 10 hrs. a day when playing. Walking is a necessity for my health, like keeping hydrated and eating well. A Cab is obviously the way to go. i am guessing that that is around $5 - 7 tip included, with little traffic, being to/from an off-strip condo.

Re: No Car in Vegas
 

[ QUOTE ]
Renting a care is a $20-25 a day expense. If you going to vegas with multiple four figures and staying off the strip, unless you have drivers licence issues, stick a crowbar in your bankroll and rent a car. Vegas in VERY auto-centric. If you're on or near the Strip (as far as, say, the Hard Rock or Rio), you can get by with cabs/shuttles. But any further than that, get a car.

[/ QUOTE ]
Dont you need to be 25 to rent a car? Im 21.

Re: No Car in Vegas
 

[ QUOTE ]
A Cab is a rational option. I am guessing that that is around $6 - 7.50, tip included, with little traffic, being to/from an off-strip condo.

Incidentally, it really needs to occurr to you that 2 miles is obviously "walking distance", even for me, and I am as old as dirt and arthritic ! Wear a baseball cap. I sit shuffling my chips 5 - 10 hrs. a day when playing. Walking is a necessity for my health, like keeping hydrated and eating well. A Cab is obviously the way to go. i am guessing that that is around $5 - 7 tip included, with little traffic, being to/from an off-strip condo.

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I wasnt aware that cabs were this cheap, that sounds great. Maybe some combination of walking during the day and cabbing at night would work well. How safe would you feel walking at around 3 in the afternoon, then say 11 at night? I would only be going to poker casinos most likely Caesars and Bellagio (no idea where they are).

Re: No Car in Vegas
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Renting a care is a $20-25 a day expense. If you going to vegas with multiple four figures and staying off the strip, unless you have drivers licence issues, stick a crowbar in your bankroll and rent a car. Vegas in VERY auto-centric. If you're on or near the Strip (as far as, say, the Hard Rock or Rio), you can get by with cabs/shuttles. But any further than that, get a car.

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Dont you need to be 25 to rent a car? Im 21.

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IIRC there's a couple outfits that will rent to under-25. A decade ago I rented from Dollar when I was 21 and they just charged me an extra $20 a day. It'll probably be more now.

Why can't you get a casino box?

Re: No Car in Vegas
 

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I wasnt aware that cabs were this cheap, that sounds great.

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They're not. That $20-$25/day is a completely bogus number.

Re: No Car in Vegas
 

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Hire a big black guy to walk with you and carry the money. People are notoriouslyy afraid of large african males.

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Enjoy your time off, this type of talk is not tolerated in B&M.

http://www.myspacecomedy.com/images/...an-hamster.jpg

Re: No Car in Vegas
 

[ QUOTE ]
A Cab is a rational option. I am guessing that that is around $6 - 7.50, tip included, with little traffic, being to/from an off-strip condo.

Incidentally, it really needs to occurr to you that 2 miles is obviously "walking distance", even for me, and I am as old as dirt and arthritic ! Wear a baseball cap. I sit shuffling my chips 5 - 10 hrs. a day when playing. Walking is a necessity for my health, like keeping hydrated and eating well. A Cab is obviously the way to go. i am guessing that that is around $5 - 7 tip included, with little traffic, being to/from an off-strip condo.

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Are you serious? LV is in a desert. Walking long distances is not a good idea.

Re: No Car in Vegas
 

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A Cab is obviously the way to go. i am guessing that that is around $5 - 7 tip included

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The only thing correct about that quote is the I am guessing part.
Taxi rates are $3.30 drop(what meter starts at) 20 cents for every 1/11 of a mile and $28 per hour waiting time(when cab is stopped at a light or travelling less than 5 mph)
So a 2 mile cab ride with 4 minutes of waiting time(Im being very, very conservitive here,just try getting into Bellagio or Caesars when traffics bad) would be $9.50 and a min. 1.50 tip makes it $11.

Also as far as carrying cash, its alot easier carring $1000 chips than hundos if your playing at the same places all the time.

Re: No Car in Vegas
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Renting a care is a $20-25 a day expense. If you going to vegas with multiple four figures and staying off the strip, unless you have drivers licence issues, stick a crowbar in your bankroll and rent a car. Vegas in VERY auto-centric. If you're on or near the Strip (as far as, say, the Hard Rock or Rio), you can get by with cabs/shuttles. But any further than that, get a car.

[/ QUOTE ]
Dont you need to be 25 to rent a car? Im 21.

[/ QUOTE ]

Most major car rental companies (including Hertz, Avis, etc.) will rent to people 21-24 for a surcharge, typically $25/day. Regardless, renting a car for six months isn't the most economical choice for anyone. If you can't afford to buy a cheap car on Craigslist and insure it, you can't afford to move to Vegas and play poker for six months.

Re: No Car in Vegas
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Renting a care is a $20-25 a day expense. If you going to vegas with multiple four figures and staying off the strip, unless you have drivers licence issues, stick a crowbar in your bankroll and rent a car. Vegas in VERY auto-centric. If you're on or near the Strip (as far as, say, the Hard Rock or Rio), you can get by with cabs/shuttles. But any further than that, get a car.

[/ QUOTE ]
Dont you need to be 25 to rent a car? Im 21.

[/ QUOTE ]

Most major car rental companies (including Hertz, Avis, etc.) will rent to people 21-24 for a surcharge, typically $25/day. Regardless, renting a car for six months isn't the most economical choice for anyone. If you can't afford to buy a cheap car on Craigslist and insure it, you can't afford to move to Vegas and play poker for six months.

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Well its a bit embarrassing which is why I avoided it, I never learned how to drive and never plan on it, Im hiring a driver in 6 months but for now I have to get by.

Re: No Car in Vegas
 

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I never learned how to drive and never plan on it

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Why? Driving is fun.

Re: No Car in Vegas
 

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[ QUOTE ]
A Cab is a rational option. I am guessing that that is around $6 - 7.50, tip included, with little traffic, being to/from an off-strip condo.

Incidentally, it really needs to occurr to you that 2 miles is obviously "walking distance", even for me, and I am as old as dirt and arthritic ! Wear a baseball cap. I sit shuffling my chips 5 - 10 hrs. a day when playing. Walking is a necessity for my health, like keeping hydrated and eating well. A Cab is obviously the way to go. i am guessing that that is around $5 - 7 tip included, with little traffic, being to/from an off-strip condo.

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Are you serious? LV is in a desert. Walking long distances is not a good idea.

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Check the weather, its been absolutely lovely here the past few weeks, breezy and in the 80s.

Re: No Car in Vegas
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Renting a care is a $20-25 a day expense. If you going to vegas with multiple four figures and staying off the strip, unless you have drivers licence issues, stick a crowbar in your bankroll and rent a car. Vegas in VERY auto-centric. If you're on or near the Strip (as far as, say, the Hard Rock or Rio), you can get by with cabs/shuttles. But any further than that, get a car.

[/ QUOTE ]
Dont you need to be 25 to rent a car? Im 21.

[/ QUOTE ]

Most major car rental companies (including Hertz, Avis, etc.) will rent to people 21-24 for a surcharge, typically $25/day. Regardless, renting a car for six months isn't the most economical choice for anyone. If you can't afford to buy a cheap car on Craigslist and insure it, you can't afford to move to Vegas and play poker for six months.

[/ QUOTE ]
Well its a bit embarrassing which is why I avoided it, I never learned how to drive and never plan on it, Im hiring a driver in 6 months but for now I have to get by.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm guessing you're from a great big city back east. You may find that out west, you largely have to take care of your own mobility by yourself. e.g. if you want something and it's not right next to you, you're going to have to do some travelling to get it. That goes for everything from food to toilet paper to socks. After a couple weeks you may find that learning to drive and buying a cheap beater car is the path of least resistance.

Re: No Car in Vegas
 

The most annoying part about getting cabs in Vegas (or anywhere, for that matter) is the wait. If you're calling for a pickup from home it takes anywhere between 5 minutes and 55 minutes for them to show up in my experience. And I'm told they often take more than 55 minutes if you call at really peak times or from incompletely classy neighborhoods. On the return trip, if you pick a busy weekend evening, or want to leave just as a big show is ending, the cab line will be an hour long. So cabs are ok for a now-and-then sorta trip. Not so good for daily use...I'd go nuts waiting for cabs daily.

Bus 201 looks to run about every 15 minutes during the day and 30 minutes at night (Google suggests the condo is at Rainbow/Tropicana-- http://www.rtcsouthernnevada.com/cat/routes/201/ ). You'll be among normal working stiffs, few of whom are going to try to slit your throat and take your roll while you're on the bus. At the same time, sitting alone at a bus stop for 20 minutes at 2am might not be a keen idea in that neighborhood (or any neighborhood served by the bus, for that matter). But if you normally leave during busy hours and return late, you will only have to loiter at night at the Strip stop which should be fairly busy so your window of vulnerability will be short.

After you settle into a routine, let us know what you end up doing. "How do I get around Vegas without a car" is something of an FAQ.

Still... neither of these options sounds good to me AT ALL.

Re: No Car in Vegas
 

There is no way in hell I would walk from Rainbow to the strip or vice versa at night safety wise. And I'm not overly wussy about such things. Plus that is a really long walk - that has to be more than 2 miles, isn't it?

A bike is more doable - but the rate of Car vs. Bike accidents here is astronomically high. Your cumulative risk of serious injury biking both ways has got to be approaching 100% over 6 months- trust me, my line of work sees this stuff like practically every day.

I would feel way way way more safer bussing it than either walking or biking. The buses are not that bad even at night.

edit: and no way a cab is less than $11 even from Rainbow/Trop to MGM, which is the closest big room to you in a straight line sense.

Re: No Car in Vegas
 

Am I the only one that thinks op has no business whatsoever living on his own, let alone playing poker for a living?

Sheesh, I wonder if a line will be set on the number of days op survives as a poker player.

Re: No Car in Vegas
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Renting a care is a $20-25 a day expense. If you going to vegas with multiple four figures and staying off the strip, unless you have drivers licence issues, stick a crowbar in your bankroll and rent a car. Vegas in VERY auto-centric. If you're on or near the Strip (as far as, say, the Hard Rock or Rio), you can get by with cabs/shuttles. But any further than that, get a car.

[/ QUOTE ]
Dont you need to be 25 to rent a car? Im 21.

[/ QUOTE ]

Most major car rental companies (including Hertz, Avis, etc.) will rent to people 21-24 for a surcharge, typically $25/day. Regardless, renting a car for six months isn't the most economical choice for anyone. If you can't afford to buy a cheap car on Craigslist and insure it, you can't afford to move to Vegas and play poker for six months.

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Well its a bit embarrassing which is why I avoided it, I never learned how to drive and never plan on it, Im hiring a driver in 6 months but for now I have to get by.

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lol, dream on dreamer. Is this going to happen after you complete your 6-month goal of hitting the lottery and beating the big game?

Re: No Car in Vegas
 

What we know about OP:

* he's spending 6 months in Vegas
* he doesn't have a driver's license

All of a sudden he sucks at poker and at life? I don't get the hate.

Re: No Car in Vegas
 

When you calculate your cab fare, or try to determine if you can hoof it, you'd better take into consideration the fact that, according to Google Maps, it is 3.9 miles from the corner of Rainbow & Tropicana to the corner The Strip & Tropicana. Add another mile to get to Flamingo (Bellagio or Caesars) and you're looking at just about 5 miles.

Best bet would be to hook up with a girl (or a guy, depending on your preferences) who would lend you her/his car and/or chauffeur you around town.

Re: No Car in Vegas
 

[ QUOTE ]
What we know about OP:

* he's spending 6 months in Vegas
* he doesn't have a driver's license

All of a sudden he sucks at poker and at life? I don't get the hate.

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nor do i. guy could be from nyc.

my suggestion is learn how to drive. buy a beater for $500. get minimal insurance.

Re: No Car in Vegas
 

When I lived in Las Vegas back in the 90's I had to rely on the bus system for a few months when my car got totalled and I didn't have the cash to get another one. Actually, as long as you're not pressed for time, it's not that bad if you don't have to stand out in the mid-summer heat waiting for a bus. But we're coming up to the best weather of the year in Vegas, so that shouldn't be a problem.

The routes and schedules have been expanded significantly since I lived there. For $30 a month you can go just about anywhere in the valley. Check it out at http://www.rtcsouthernnevada.com/cat/ -- Good luck in your poker career.

Re: No Car in Vegas
 

Ive been pro for a year its not really an issue, having arrived I agree with the sentiment that I will probably need a car.

Re: No Car in Vegas
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
What we know about OP:

* he's spending 6 months in Vegas
* he doesn't have a driver's license

All of a sudden he sucks at poker and at life? I don't get the hate.

[/ QUOTE ]

nor do i. guy could be from nyc.

my suggestion is learn how to drive. buy a beater for $500. get minimal insurance.

[/ QUOTE ]

Considering some people, even young people, have medical conditions that preclude driving, I was a bit stunned at a few poster's responses.

OP has sinced indicated that is not his situation, so agree with the suggestions to learn to drive, and get a cheap, used car. The time you will waste trying to use public transit on an ongoing basis will drive you nuts.

Re: No Car in Vegas
 

Last time I was in Vegas around 5 years ago you could buy a one month pass for the CAT buses for a reasonable price. When I did use a bus, I was carrying a large amount of cash and felt safe. Actually, I was the one to be feared. Caught the worse bronchial type flu of my life out there and probably infected dozens.

http://www.rtcsouthernnevada.com/cat/