Shuttle or Cab?

Going to be visiting on June 30-July 5 with me and my father and he is wanting to use a shuttle from the airport and I'm arguing for a cab. We are staying at the Flamingo.

I say the cab is better because I don't have to wait for the people to board the shuttle and possibly have the flamingo as the last stop.

While the cab may cost more, to me its worth it. What would you do or how can I win the argument.

 

Cab with no freeway/tunnel. You can win the argument by you paying.

 

Absolutely!

 

What rebirth and smartone said!

 

Shuttles are evil

 

I told him he could take the shuttle if he wanted too but I'm taking the cab and I'll be checked in and playing craps while he is still on the shuttle.

 

You want to win the argument? Tell your Dad that you're paying....tip included.

 

It took my friend an hour to get to Ballys last year on the shuttle. By the time you've paid for two shuttle tickets it's only about $5 more to take a cab. No contest if there are two of you. Just ensure you say no tunnel please. Just tell him you will pick up the extra and he can't object to that.

 

Shuttles seem to get bad press. They are safe and economical esp. for first time users and solo travelers. I guess if you talk to enough people you can find a friend to tell you anything you want to hear about LV. I have taken shuttles for the fist 15 of my 19 trips, and though I haven't arrived at every different hour of every day to check for consistency, I did start timing from when I gave the driver my bag and when the shuttle left. Most times it was under 10 minutes and the longest for me was about 20. They DO NOT wait until the shuttle is completely full, and when LVL Limo was doing shuttles, they used their fleet of 189 stretch limos for a couple of years til their fleet of purple shuttle buses arrived. Imagine spending 4.50 for a ride with 1 or 2 other parties to your hotel or back to the airport. I was picked up solo mid strip one time and the driver apologized for being late. He was 90 seconds tardy caught up in traffic due to an accident, and I am not kidding you.

It seems funny to me to read people complain about the long waits (which have never been long for me after 6-7 hours on a plane from the east coast) and then see people stand in line for half an hour for a free fresbie or deck of used cards. It's all about values and how we value our time.That being said, in your case, there may or may not be a savings by using a shuttle since the cab price is the same for one or two. Flamingo is not that far and there is one fee as opposed to 2 fares on a shuttle, and a tip either way. Explain that to dad; remember our parents all taught us to be careful with our money. Just specify no tunnell.

Jimbo338

 

Well im a shuttle guy no doubt about it
I dont mind waiting a lil bit
And yeah i do single trip
A taxi is much more expensive

I tried a taxi once and i payd 26 bucks
Shuttle is 7
This time i tipped 2$ even as shuttle went straight as first stop to my hotel ( caesars)

 

it all depends...

Half the time I stay downtown (MSS), the other half on the south strip (NYNY or MC). I take the Bell Trans shuttle downtown and cab to the strip; seems to be the most economical and fastest approach in each case. One interesting note about the shuttle: in almost every case, they use the infamous “tunnel” and then haul-ass up I-15 to the downtown exit. I’ve heard all sorts of gripes about people being tunneled by taxis, so it’s interesting that many shuttle drivers take this route by choice, at least when going downtown. I reckon it’s only a blatant rip-off when the destination is mid-strip or closer.

 

I believe you are right. It saves time and stopped in traffic costs you.

Jimbo338

 

You will pay less than $20 for cab.

Two shuttle tickets at $7 each is $14. Make sure he knows it is NOT like normal shuttles. It will stop at multiple hotels on the way. Maybe a couple. Maybe eight. Never know for sure.

If you and Dad land at same time, he can ride with your for FREE since you are already paying.

 

The tunnel is a blatant rip-off to any Strip or downtown location unless you give the cab driver permission ahead of time to use it.

The fact that shuttle drivers (and limo drivers) use it is just an indication they are playing the odds it's often a bit faster than surface routes. But is not the most direct route to Strip/downtown hotels nor is it (except maybe under extraordinary circumstances) the cheapest route.

 

Do downtown shuttles stop at Strip properties?

 

I think that it may vary from shuttle to shuttle and company to company. Busy times I think they all offer either downtown or Strip options. If it was slow they might get one shuttle going, stop at a strip location and then downtown, or whatever. My first downtown shuttle stopped at Orleans then on I15 and right downtown.

Jimbo338

 

If you're solo, the shuttle makes sense. With two or more, I would take a cab to Flamingo... and a Limo-sedan to Downtown.
Tunneling someone going to Flamingo is a blatant rip-off. I'm not even sure it's faster.
One thing you could try (I have) is to tell the driver when you get in that you're going to Flamingo - and all you have for cab-fare is $20...he'll get that whether he takes the tunnel or not.

 

We have a rental car but if I have one or 2 drinks on the plane I refuse to drive.

So I am just thinking of other options ahead of time.