LAS "tunnel"
 

Ever had a taxi driver "tunnel" you from McCarren to the strip? What were your thoughts?

No tunnel!
 

Taking the tunnel to the strip is always a scam. It may be faster to get from the airport to any of the strip hotels, north of say, Flamingo Rd (Caesars, Mirage, TI, etc), but it will almost never be cheaper. If there's a lot of traffic, the taxi driver can take Paradise Rd, Koval Ln, or Frank Sinatra Dr.

Tell the cab driver when they pull up where you want to go, and "no tunnel". Last time I was there, I forgot to tell the driver, and sure enough he took me through the tunnel to get to the Monte Carlo. :rolleyes: His tip was adjusted accordingly.

tunnel??

Depends on the time of day. Going from the airport on Paradise and then over ot LV Blvd on any of the east/west streets can be torture after 3:00pm. The tunnel option would be my choice of travel during afternoon rush hour or any Friday/Saturday night.

As for Frank Sinatra, unless you're aiming for the employee parking lots, it's not that useful.

There are 3 routes out of McCarren to the strip, downtown, Green Valley, etc. The 1st is the exit taking you right to Tropicana Blvd. and an easy route right to the strip. The other is the bypass which connects to I15 which is the preferred route if you are a resident of Summerlin or anywhere in the far north part of the valley. The 3rd will take your south through Green Valley to Henderson.

The bypass starts with a tunnel before it connects to the interstate and the taxi drivers love this route because it adds around $4-8 to the cabfare depending on what your destination is. I know this because I drove a Vegas taxi for 3 years. :D

This is the first time I've heard of a passage from the Airport to the Strip via a tunnel. Something to look foward to in my next trip as I always go with the Cab.

Here's a map of LAS. The tunnel is under the runways, to I-215. You can then circle around back to the strip. This is, as noted, the long way 'round.

Why would someone op for the longer route via the tunnel when there is an alternative shorter way to get to the strip? Or maybe they were tricked by the cab driver in trying to convince to the passenger that it is the shortest way?

This is a frequent topic on the FT Las Vegas board. Botton line, if you're headed anywhere on the strip, it is a rip off. Don't let the driver talk you into it. If he/she does it without asking, you're looking at a free trip.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?p=3472299
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=349177
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=283824
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=459161

I'm still glad that I opened this thread here because it is such an important subject that FFs should have knowledge about. The fact that this "longhauling" is against the law needs to be stressed also.

If a cabdriver takes the "tunnel" don't say anything and just demand a free ride at your destination or you will report him to the Nevada Taxicab Authority. Make sure to get his taxi number and his name from his taxi permit which is prominantly displayed on his dashboard. Believe me, the bellman at your destination hotel will help you with this, including the call.

Last time I was in Vegas I saw some sweet young things offering to show me their "tunnel", but I declined. :D

:D

is the best way from mid-strip (say caesar's) to downtown via the freeway? or is that a scam also?

The practice is called long hauling. Highly unethical and illegal. If caught, drives offer a refund of the difference between a long haul trip via the 215 Airport Tunnel Connector and a normal trip. The Taxicab Police (yes, there is such an agency) conducts stings in the Airport Tunnel.

Why does it cost more to go by way of the tunnel? When I was in Las Vegas last time it was clearly faster to go that way, at least to my destination, as it allowed me to bypass the incredibly clogged intersection of Tropicana and Las Vegas Blvd. But I was driving a rental car so I didn't have to think about taxi fares.

Ed

Don't know if cabs go via freeway to downtown is a scam. But distance and time wise they are more or less the same if you go via I-15 north or LV Blvd north.

Because cab fares run "per distance driven" (per 1/8 mile or whatever), the longer distance through the tunnel costs more. It may (or may not) be faster in time, but it is definantly longer - so more cost!

With a rental car, you have unlimited mileage, so time doesn't matter. You will go the fastest route. But with a cab (using distance for the fare), you want theeeee shortest distance for cost. A rental car cost (say) $30, but a cab can cost (say) $15 using a direct route or (say) $20 using the tunnel.

One way to cross the Strip and avoid the congested corners at Tropicana, Flamingo or Sahara is by using Desert Inn. From Paradise (near the Convention Center), DI runs UNDER the Strip!

So you can get from (say) the LV Hilton to the Rio without the traffic on the Strip. The same thing from the airport to (say) the Palms. You don't need to go on the Strip if you don't want to.

I took a taxi from LAS one time -- $18 one way between the airport and the Excalibur. It's one of the closest hotels! :mad:

After that trip, I decided that I would either rent a car or take the bus. One time I took the bus to the Crowne Plaza next to Hard Rock Cafe (a bus to the Strip requires a connection).

It's too bad they didn't build the train all the way to the airport. Then those scam artists known as taxi drivers could take a hike.

For $18, I'd rather spend the extras and go with a limo.

what about time spent sitting in traffic? most cabs have a fee for that too, something that usually works out to 50 cents/minute or so.

Last time I went to LAS, I stayed at the hilton at the top of the strip, past Circus Circus, arriving about 10pm Friday. Cabbie told me that the tunnel/I 15 route would be faster that time of night. Did I get scammed?

The cheapest way from McCarran is the CAT city bus. At the airport, hop on the 109 Maryland Parkway SOUTHBOUND toward the SSTT. Ask the conductor if he is headed there. The marquee does not always change until the coach exits McCarran.

At the SSTT, take the 301 Strip or 302 Strip Express. The 109 runs about every 15 minutes, the 301 every 10 mins during most times. They are both 24-hour services.

There are only 2 stops between McCarran and the SSTT.

$1.25 for a one way, $5.00 for a 24-hour pass. If you board the 301 or 302 initially, it’s $2 for a one-way.

The 301 and the 302 are two of the few public transportation routes in the country that actually make money. (Most subside on grants).

And for those unfamiliar with a city bus, exact change only.

The most efficient way (and best bargain) to most major hotels (Both Downtown and the Strip) is the Bell Trans (and other companies) shuttle bus. It is ~ $6 per pax, one-way.

If there are a handful of people in your party, hire a limo, even if you are staying at multiple properties. $75 for 1 hour (IIRC). Plus tip.

Say, 8 passengers. Ya get prompt service and get to ride in style.

Now, if you’re a valued guest (read: habitual gambler), they’ll provide limo service for you.

I get transportation complements of Station Casinos now. Even for rides to Target, the supermarket, Barnes & Noble, etc.

I’ve been LAS based for 2 years now and am unable to drive for an indefinite period of time due to an injury last year.

UAL MSN –

Were you at the Hilton Grand Vacations at Sahara and LVBS?

If so, I wouldn’t say you got scammed. The cabbie did long haul, though. With your permission, this is legal.

The cabbie took a longer route to McCarran – hence charging you more. However, you benefited by saving time.

There was a big expose in the Las Vegas Review-Journal last year about long-hauling. I’d post a link, but I cant seem to get my user ID on their site to work.

>>>And for those unfamiliar with a city bus, exact change only.

(My quote from a previous post on this thread)

I meant to add: Last year, I was getting on the Strip bus at Slots-A-Fun (between Circus and the HO). Guy in front of me crams a $50 bill into the machine. The conductor provided him with an address to get a refund. Apparently those machines take any denomination bill.

He didn’t hear my snide remark that any machine in LV willingly takes bills.

With permission, taking the tunnel to the MGM is legal also so permission should never be given. The only legitimate destination that the tunnel should be used for is the north-west part of the valley, i.e. Summerlin or if you are staying in the Texas or Santa Fe hotels.

The area the Hilton is in is easily accessible via Paradise road and the time difference is negligible.

If you are headed for the Strip from the airport I believe the taxi driver has to get your permission to travel via the tunnel. I fell for this scan once. Never again. I, too, like the CAT bus. Also, I often stay at the DoubleTree which has a complimentary shuttle 24 hours a day - via the tunnel. For south of the airport the tunnel is the fastest way.

Screw the taxis, I'm walking to my Hotel! Get there with my own legs, no scams! :D

Same here, this "ride" was going to cost $200. Opt for the taxi ride through the tunnel,it only costs an extra $5-$10. :D

The cabbies like to take it without telling you despite the fact that doing so is illegal. It's generally fast but runs up the bill.

You got ripped off. It shouldn't cost anything like that.

He told you the truth that it would be faster. That doesn't mean cheaper.

I took a taxi from LAS to the Mandalay Bay.. cost about that much (18 or so).

I hadn't been to vegas for years. I know as the crow flies they're close but didn't know if there was a fast/easy way to get there. He took the freeway but I don't think any sort of tunnel thing was used.

In all fairness, I didn't have a lot of time (layover) and whatever was faster = better.

I guess it depends what your priorities are, then. In most cases, I would WANT the taxi driver to take the fastest route, even if it wasn't the cheapest. I don't see why that should be illegal. If I was so concerned about saving money, I would take public transportation.

Ed

Ah....That explains it!

Heh i'm sure their "strip" would be much more entertaining.

This is already planned out, but that phase of the LV Monorail is a few years down the road. Given how far behind schedule the first phase of the monorail opened, I wouldn't hold my breath, however.

If he took the freeway he took the tunnel also.

It doesn't save much time. They do it to run up the bill.

The reason it's illegal is that here the taxi driver is required to take you by the most direct route unless you instruct him otherwise.

Yeah, and the fact that it's still losing money. At that, it's expensive enough that for groups of travellers on the strip a taxi is cheaper.

Did you pay for that archive search? They don't let you search for free anymore.

No, I just entered "long hauling" in Google, and it was on the first page result.