Strip to Downtown Cab Instructions

At the airport you would instruct the cabbie "no tunnel" or "take Paradise". What instructions would you give them going from the strip to downtown and vice versa? Also, is the freeway ever the most direct route? Seems like it would be for some strip properties.

 

I'm not a big fan of I-15, so I almost always take Paradise to either 4th St or Main St. They kind of come together at The STRAT and you can choose.

 

I just tell them "via Paradise" and they get the message.

Jimbo338

 

If you are departing from a hotel on the west side and can access Industrial Rd easily, take that up to Wyoming, turn right, then left onto Main St and straight up to Plaza/Golden Gate.

Not a lot of traffic so usually a lot faster than I-15 or Strip.

I say "take Industrial and Main".

 

Downtown and step on it.

 

If you don't give the cabbie any instructions or just say "fastest route" they will almost certainly take the tunnel.

If you just say "no tunnel" they will likely go down Paradise to Tropicana and then down Tropicana to the freeway.

For these options you are best to just take the tunnel: the cost will only be about $2-3 more and could save as much as 15-20 minutes.

I would go with the freeway, which is how the cabbie will likely go if you don't specify a route: its generally a lot faster. Going down Las Vegas Blvd or via a bunch of back streets is going to likely hit a few lights along the way that will just add up in "wait time" and will end up costing the same or more.

Not for The Strip: the hotels on The Strip are all north of the airport (except Mandalay Bay) and to go through the tunnel the cab has to go south. The tunnel is overall faster to the hotels on The Strip, but will usually add $4-5 to your fare.

 

My recommendation would be the same as Nevada1278's which is via Industrial.

Auggie, I do not understand why you would want to back track to the airport to take the tunnel if you desire to go from the strip to downtown.

 

Yes, you are correct. I changed the response as I was still answering in terms of from the airport to Downtown...

 

Thanks for the replies everyone. So Industrial and Main if on the west side of the strip and Paradise and Main/4th if on the east side.

Any advice for those properties west of the I-15 (Orleans, Rio, Palms, etc.)?

 

Well the I-15 would be best then.

If you are really frugal and have lots of time.... you could take a cab to NYNY and then catch the WAX bus for $2 downtown.

 

The last taxi ride I took from the Strip (area) to downtown was last spring, going from LVH (conference at the LVCC) to the D downtown. "The D, take Paradise to LVB." (Pronounced "ell vee bee") is what I said. He responded something like "Oh, I see you know the way" and I responded that I certainly do.

I think that if you give the impression that you know the area, you'll never get long-hauled and you'll never get that bull-doodoo about traffic/construction/accident.

Over the years I have picked up some slang terms that I'll use when appropriate when telling the driver where to go. "Trop" for Tropicana, "DI" for Desert Inn, etc. Those will give the impression that you are familiar with the routes.

 

So from the southern end of the strip would Frank Sinatra to Industrial be right?

 

"Industrial Rd to Main St"

A great alternative route, however a couple of cabbies we had didn't like being instructed to go this way as "Industrial is a special road" and "tourists shouldn't know about it".