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SDX/Deuce help!

Discussion in 'Getting There & Getting Around' started by pink_paradise, Apr 21, 2013.

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  1. pink_paradise

    pink_paradise Low-Roller

    Joined:
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    Location:
    Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Trips to Las Vegas:
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    Hey everyone
    Trying to cut transportation costs by looking into the buses instead of cabs for my upcoming trip in July. Have looked at both the SDX and the Deuce websites, but am still a little confused. If I buy a 24hour pass, is this good for both the SDX and the Deuce, or only one of them? How easy is it to buy the pass at the stop before boarding? Does it take forever to reach your destination?
    A few more questions:
    Is the SDX safe from FSE back to the strip at night (10-11pm) for just my mom (50) and I (21), or should we get a cab?
    Does the SDX or the Deuce go from the South outlets? On the SDX website it only shows it going to the South outlets but not coming back from them? Would standing with shopping bags be do-able?

    Sorry for all the questions in one post, I'm hoping some of you experts can help a girl out!
     
  2. robert m.

    robert m. High-Roller

    Joined:
    Jan 31, 2011
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    Location:
    texas
    Trips to Las Vegas:
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    Okay, let me try to answer some of your questions & concerns:

    1. A 24 hour pass purchased at a ticket vending machine (TVM), costs $8. It is good for either the SDX
    or the Deuce. Use cash or credit card at most TVM's.

    2. Please bear in mind that it will be HOT when you are waiting for buses in July. Carry a bottle of
    water, and dress cool.

    3. It is quite easy to figure out how to use the TVM. Unless there is a line (rare), it should be quick.

    4. Evidently, you have already been on the website. www.rtcsnv.com. I print off the maps & schedules
    prior to trips.

    5. You probably know this, but the Deuce is slow & crowded. It has many stops. The SDX is much faster & less crowded, but it only runs from 9 a.m. to about midnight.

    6. Is it safe at night? Yes. I feel very safe on the metro buses that go up & down the strip.
    Have I ever done it at 3 a.m.? Well, no. But from 7 a.m. To midnight, I think that strip
    routes are safe. Once I took the 109 from the airport to downtown. I admit a bit of
    intimidation upon seeing guys in hoodies enter & say things that were outside my
    vocabulary. But, I digress. I really like the SDX.

    7. I reviewed the website & the maps. You are VERY perceptive! The SDX does, indeed, appear to drop
    you off at the south outlet mall. But does it pick you up there to return north? It is a bit
    uncertain. It might be worth a phone call. There is a VMB member named Dewey who has written
    many reports about the Las Vegas buses. I suggest that you check his archives.

    8. I am uncertain what to tell you about standing with shopping bags. You seldom have to stand on
    the SDX. The Deuce does become more crowded.

    Hope this helps a bit.

    By the way, if you are staying downtown or on the north strip, you will indeed save a lot of money by
    using the buses. However, if you are staying at Mandalay, for instance, you might wish to consider a cab.

    Best wishes!
     
  3. BlueSkadoo

    BlueSkadoo VMB Sweetheart

    Joined:
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    I've rode the SDX to the south outlets. It drops you off at the side of the mall, and will pick you up at the same spot. However, on your trip back to the strip, you have to go to a transfer center, walk through a building and catch the actual SDX to go back to the strip. It's not really a big deal, and there were tons of people doing it (everyone on the bus, actually). People were getting on the bus with huge appliances like blenders, comforters and shopping bags galore.

    I've also ridden the Deuce at 3am. I felt safe, even though most of the people are intoxicated. I probably wouldn't do it by myself (I'm female and a bit of a chicken) but if someone else was with me, like my mom, I wouldn't be too paranoid. My friend enjoys riding it from Fremont back to the strip because people are so wasted and he likes the free show. The last time we did it, we were sitting behind a couple of kids from Iowa who got into an "argument" about who was a true homie. By the time we got from MGM to Mirage, they were kissing again.
     
  4. pink_paradise

    pink_paradise Low-Roller

    Joined:
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    Location:
    Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Trips to Las Vegas:
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    thanks for the info! Another question..which feels really silly..but do both the deuce and the SDX stop at all of their respective stops regardless or do you need to ring a buzzer or something to alert the driver? Will it be obvious which stop we are at? Just a little nervous..have never relied on busses while travelling before.

    Also, how do I get to the south strip transfer terminal from the south outlet to get back on the SDX?

    Thanks for your help!
     
  5. pdog89149

    pdog89149 Tourist

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    You board the SDX from the outlet malls (the same route you would ride to get to there). It's just that the route is a one way loop through there so you get on the bus at the same stop you got off, take it to the South Strip Terminal and get on another SDX that is headed northbound. The Terminal is the end of the line for the route and there is usually another one waiting to leave to head back to the Strip so you don't have to just sit on the same bus.

    The buses all stop pretty much at every stop, but if you feel better about making sure you get off at your stop, look for the red stop request buttons on the poles of the buses. It should be pretty obvious to where you are going so you don't go to the wrong stop.
     
  6. Busyman

    Busyman VIP Whale

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    If you get a Deuce pass it's good for all RTC buses.
     
  7. pdog89149

    pdog89149 Tourist

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    Here's a simple way to understand the fares in Las Vegas:

    The Deuce and SDX are part of the RTC Transit system. The passes purchased on the Strip are at a 'premium price" and with that is the flexibility to use those on any other RTC Transit route. It's like buying an annual pass at an amusement park that allows you to use them other venues.
     
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