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If you're doing the Bus service, it will leave from the Greyhound station, not from Union Station.
Posts: 23 | From: Spokane, WA | Registered: Jun 2007
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Mr. Morris, according to the current System Timetable AmBus 8536 leaves from LAUPT @ 245P.
Aside from the "whales', I'm not aware of the Strip hotels offering shuttle service for UENI. A guess (as it's been a few years since I've "been out"), but I think a taxicab from Downtown to, say, Flamingo/Bellagio/Caesar's/Ballys would be $20. If you want to 'do it on the cheap', there is Citizens Area Transit (CAT) bus service.
Posts: 9975 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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Although I've never taken the Amtrak bus to Las Vegas, I've got lots of experience in Sin City in the last few years. I LOVE going to Vegas, and I drive there quite often (from the San Francisco Bay Area). I was just there two weeks ago, and I'll be there again in about 10 days.
I see the Amtrak busses all the time going to/from Vegas along I-15, and whenever I see one, I try to look inside through the windows to see how many people are actually using the service. About the most I've seen inside any of the Amtrak Las Vegas busses are about 5 people----so you'll have plenty of room to stretch out and have several seats around you unoccupied.
For some weird reason that I have yet to figure out, the Amtrak bus service from Union Station to Las Vegas ONLY goes to the Greyhound bus depot in downtown Las Vegas. But the OTHER Amtrak Las Vegas bus (from Bakersfield) ONLY goes to the Las Vegas McCarran Airport. I don't understand why these busses would drive all that distance, and then only go to one or the other----and not both. The reason I mention this is simple: The bus that you will be on will take you to the Greyhound bus station in downtown Las Vegas, and this is a very seedy, dangerous, and scary part of town----especially if it's at night. At this location, you are also several miles away from The Strip. However, the OTHER bus takes you to the airport. At the airport location, not only is it safe, but you are already at The Strip as the runways for this airport are basically at the front doors of several major hotels (Luxor, Mandalay Bay, MGM Grand, Tropicana, Hooters). So I simply can not understand why Amtrak sends one bus to one location, and another bus to another location----when they BOTH should stop at BOTH locations. Overall, it would only be an extra 10 or 15 minutes for each bus to exit off the freeway, drop people off, then get back on the freeway and go to the other location. The bus that you will be taking to the Greyhound station in downtown Las Vegas will literally go RIGHT BY the airport stop----but it won't stop there. Go figure.
So.......here is a suggestion that might be helpful to you. I'm suggesting this because this is what I would do. I researched this once, and these were my plans (by I always end up driving there, so I never did the Amtrak option). Okay, here we go......
1) If you happen to be the ONLY person on the bus (which is very possible), maybe if you're really nice to the driver and strike up a conversation on your way to Vegas, maybe he or she might be able to make a quick stop somewhere close to The Strip for you? Maybe the driver would be willing to exit at Tropicana Avenue, drop you off at the corner, and then the bus just gets back onto the freeway (without actually turning onto Tropicana Avenue). This would only be 2 minutes extra for the driver. Now of course, I'm sure this is against policy---so the driver might not be willing to do it. But I always say that the worst that can happen is you get an answer of "no". By the way, if the driver is willing to drop you off at Tropicana, you will see taxis everywhere----it's no problem hailing a taxi in Vegas.
2) If you do end up going to the Greyhound depot in downtown Las Vegas and you're looking for the quickest and easiest option, obviously that would be a taxi----taking you directly to wherever you're going. But if you're looking to get somewhere as cheaply as possible, then this is what you do: Take a taxi (to get the heck out of the Greyhound depot location!), and tell the driver to take you to either the Stratosphere or Sahara. This is the northernmost location on The Strip where you can catch a double-decker bus called "The Deuce". This double-decker bus is very easy to find----it's the only double-decker bus that you will see running up and down The Strip. The Deuce bus runs every few minutes, and stops in front of all major hotel/casinos. You buy your ticket on-board. I have never seen people on this bus with luggage, as people who use this bus are usually hopping from one casino to the other up and down The Strip. So there are no luggage racks on this bus, but if you don't have much luggage, it should not be a big deal.
Where are you staying in Las Vegas? I'll be happy to give you some pointers about what to do/not to do. I've got most of that place memorized now---it's one of my favorite destinations. By the way, don't forget to try the Las Vegas Monorail! It runs BEHIND all of the major hotel/casinos starting at the MGM Grand at the south end of The Strip, and runs north to the end of the line at the Sahara. Cost is $7 for a 24 hour unlimited use pass.
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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I forgot to answer one of your questions......
There is NO dedicated shuttle that runs from the Greyhound depot downtown to The Strip.
Also, I can't give you the cost of a taxi because you didn't say where on The Strip you are going. If you're going to the north end of The Strip (Sahara, Stratosphere, Riviera, Hilton), I'll take a guess at about 10 to 12 bucks. If you're going to the south end of the Strip (MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay, Hooters, Tropicana, Luxor, New York New York, Excalibur, Monte Carlo), I'd say about 18 to 20 bucks. Anywhere in-between (Venetian, Bellagio, Caesar's, Harrah's, Flamingo)--somewhere in-between those two costs.
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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Thank you for the prompt replies. So, from Mr. Norman's comment, the Bus DOES depart from Union Station. I wanted to make sure.
smitty195, you inquired where I was going to stay. I will be staying at the Luxor. The purpose of my trip is to attend the CES Show in Las Vegas (first week of January) and to visit a friend afterwards in San Diego. I will start my journey from El Paso, Texas (Sunset Limited) and will conclude my trip there also. The Amtrak bus you have seen on I-15, are they greyhound buses or do they look like the Amtrak buses that go to Bakersfield?
Posts: 11 | From: El Paso, Texas | Registered: Jul 2006
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juanee - Though I have never taken the bus - I have been in Union Station (as recently as 3 weeks ago) and have heard the boarding call for that afternoon bus to Las Vegas. You would board in the same area as the Bakersfield bus. Dee
Posts: 460 | From: North Central CT | Registered: May 2004
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The bus is a normal "Amtrak California" bus, in the AmCal color scheme. They are very nice buses---not like the old, junky, dented pile of junk Greyhound's that I see on I-15 all the time going to Vegas. I think you'll like the AmCal busses---at least, I do. I've taken them many times from Bakersfield to Los Angeles. Many of them have TV's in them, but I've never seen them turned on. But they're comfy, and the seats recline---and they're clean.
If you've never been to Los Angeles Union Station before, you might have trouble locating the bus loading area. In my opinion, NOTHING is clearly marked at Union Station for first-time train travelers. For the seasoned train traveler---it's simple---because we know where to go. But for someone stepping foot inside there for the first time, I think it's confusing. So if this helps at all, when you enter the main front doors of Union Station, just walk straight so that you will be passing all of those old, wooden waiting chairs on your left and right. BEFORE you get to the long tunnel that takes you out towards the train tracks, you will turn left----towards the baggage claim area. Once you are in the baggage claim area, start hunting for a non-descript door that goes outside-----that's your door. It takes you to an area where there are about 10 parking stalls for the various busses. Just ask someone there, and they'll tell you which one goes to Elvis-land. It will be the bus with nobody getting on. Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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Oops....forgot to mention this in the post I just made.....Since you are going to the Luxor, I can tell you what I would do to get from the Las Vegas Greyhound (Amtrak) bus station, but of course the decision is yours. But when I travel, I sometimes find it worth the extra few dollars to get from Point A to Point B the simplest, quickest, and safest way possible. To do this, BY FAR the easiest way for you to get to Luxor from downtown is to take a taxi all the way there. Forget about a bus or transferring to some other mode. If you can afford the extra 10 bucks (as opposed to the other ways to get there), just hop into a taxi! Keep in mind that are going almost as far away down the Strip as you can possibly get when coming from downtown. The Luxor/Mandalay Bay are at the VERY end of the Strip (south end). Your taxi driver will take you back out onto I-15 (the same way you came in on the Amtrak bus) and go down to Tropicana Avenue, then turn south onto The Strip to get to your hotel. I highly recommend taking a taxi the whole way---don't mess with any other mode, because it will take way too long and you probably won't be in the mood for dragging your luggage around and figuring out what to do next after your long bus ride.
Once you're all settled into your hotel and you have spare time after the CES, there is a monorail that goes between the Luxor and Mandalay Bay, as well as Excalibur. Make sure you get on the correct one----one of them only goes back and forth between Luxor/Mandalay Bay, while the other one goes all the way to Excalibur. The advantage to going to Excalibur is that you can cross the street (the over-the-street pedestrian bridge), and enter into MGM Grand. This is where the Las Vegas Monorail station is located. Keep in mind that if you decide to use the Monorail, ALL of the stations along the ENTIRE line are located in out-of-the-way locations in the various hotels. I don't mind the walk, but some people do. If you want convenience (with huge crowds of people), take the Deuce Bus (double-decker bus) on The Strip to get from place to place. If you want to try something neat with no crowds, then take the Monorail. And since an all-day ticket actually means 24 hours, that means a ticket that you purchase at, say, 1PM, is still valid all the way until 1PM the next day.
If you want a GREAT buffet, try Harrah's (Monorail goes there too). The cost is $24.99, and they have everything you can possibly imagine. I especially like the chocolate fountain. The Bellagio buffet, in my opinion, is WAY overpriced---but the food is good. And I hate to say this, but the buffet at the Luxor is not good. Since you're staying there, you can give it a shot and see what you think. But I think they have the worst buffet on the entire Strip.
Here's a bit of trivia that most people are not aware of: Did you know that there is a Four Seasons Resort on The Strip in Las Vegas??? It is not advertised, and you won't see any billboards or coupons for it. You usually find out about it through word-of-mouth. It is located on the top several floors of Mandalay Bay. Pretty cool!
If you like to gamble and enjoy blackjack at low table minimums ($5), you will NOT find any of those tables on The Strip during the CES. During off-peak hours, several hotels have $5 tables....but they know when to increase their table limits, and during the CES is one of those time periods. Soooooo, just hop on the Monorail and take it to the end of the line, which is the Sahara. They have $5 blackjack tables, as well as a neat NASCAR area. Also, downtown (Fremont Street) has Binion's, Golden Nugget, 4 Queens, etc, and they always have $5 tables and single deck available.
Also, make sure you know which convention center you're supposed to go to. There are at least 3 major convention centers, and people often end up at the wrong one!! There is the Las Vegas Convention Center which has it's own Monorail stop, and it is located next to the Las Vegas Hilton. There is also the Sands Convention Center, and that is located behind the Venetian. Then there is the Mandalay Bay Convention Center----so make sure you know which one you're supposed to go to!
Any questions, feel free to ask!
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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There is another Amtrak option to get from El Paso to Las Vegas: Bus to Albuquerque, Southwest Chief to Kingman, Amtrak Thruway bus to Las Vegas Airport. The downside is you end up in Vegas at 3:10am (when the whole town is asleep, right?).
Are you planning to do a same day connection from the Sunset to the Vegas bus? That might be risky. The Chief is daily and on time.
Amtrak shows only one bus El Paso-ABQ 1:40am-6:10am, which would mean a 10 hour wait in ABQ. But on www.greyhound.com they show another bus 10:10am-2:00pm run by AAU (Americanos USA) -I don't know if they also carry livestock. You would have to purchase the ELP-ABQ bus seperately. The bus station in ABQ is actually closer to the train than the Amtrak station is!
You get there faster, but unfortunately it is a shorter train ride, all in the dark. The bus/van? from Kingman picks you right up from the train at 12:50am, and waits for any (rare) late trains. The 12:50-3:10am ride is actually 3.3 hours due to the time zone change.
Posts: 1572 | From: St. Paul, MN | Registered: Dec 2002
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Since you plan to use the Sunset, Mr, Juanee, here is another option to consider. Detrain at Ontario (scheduled 805A; likely 10AM), get to Ontario Airport 4.6miles away, and avail yourself of a "brand of your choice' rental auto from a 24/7 facility (can't count on THAT traveling by train). Let's say you're rolling by 11AM, you can figure being (correct Mr Smitty?) at the Meadows by 2P, or about an hour before the check in time at any Strip hotel.
Unless rescinded since I was "last out" during 2K, the Strip hotels include parking in their rates and have valets (tips accepted).
The reverse routing with Sunset would also work out.
You could also do same using the Mr. Twin Star's Bus/Chief recommendation to San Bernardino, but with the Chief's reliable 6AM arrival, you would be more dependent on the "vagaries' of downtown auto rental facilities' office hours, and upon arrival at Meadows, you could well be "stuck' for a few hours before you could get your hotel room at Luxor.
Of course any hotel is happy to check your bags for you until you can occupy your room - they are also VERY happy to give you a nudge towards their casino (after all, those comparatively low hotel rates have to be cross-subsidized by something - and that ain't the Buffet Table!!!).
Posts: 9975 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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I might as well let out another little secret about checking into Las Vegas hotels........When you get to the check-in counter, the clerk behind the desk will ask for your credit card and your ID. When you hand him/her those two items, if you place a $20 bill IN BETWEEN your credit card and ID, the clerk will know exactly what you're doing. You just hand it to them and say, "Are there any comp upgrades available?". If there are no comp upgrades available, the clerk will politely tell you "no", and hand you back the $20. However, the Luxor has a very high rate of upgrades by using the "tip sandwich" (as it's called). They'll get you whatever they can---sometimes it's just a better view (such as a Strip view as opposed to a parking lot view), and other times it's a full upgrade to a beautiful suite. It just depends on what's available when you get there. During the CES, Vegas rooms are usually at capacity so I'm not sure what will be available. But it NEVER hurts to ask----and for an extra 20 bucks, you usually get a very nice upgrade. Just be casual about it----don't pull out the $20 and hand it to the clerk separately---make sure it's part of the "sandwich", so that it's more low key. I know this sounds funny, but it's a fairly routine thing that happens in Vegas, and the clerks are used to it. And if there's no upgrade available, they'll hand you the $20 back. Give it a shot!
BTW, Luxor parking is free (except a tip to the valet).
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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Yes, I have been to LAX Union Station and Yes, I have been to Bakersfield before (in 2000) so I am familiar with those busses. Thank you for mentioning you heard the call DeeCT.
I think I will get a Taxi at the Vegas Bus Station to take me to the Luxor. I am already paying a bundle for the Luxor as it is (because of the CES Show). The Taxi shouldn't be a problem $ wise.
The last time I was in Vegas was 2000 (I was there twice that year ) and I have been to Vegas about 10 times. Yes, smitty195, I remember they had those Monorail things already (I believe they had 4 or 5 different ones in various locations of the strip.)
I have a map where the CES show is going to be (its online at their website), so I am aware where I have to go.
Smitty195, I will try your suggestions for the buffet. I have eaten at the Luxor Buffet before and it was fine, but well, that was 8 years ago. Maybe it is different now.
TwinStarRocket, yes, I do plan to make a same day connection. I have been keeping tabs on the Sunset lately, and it looks like it was pretty late only once withing the last 4 weeks were I would have missed my bus. That is part of the adventure, right? I believe there is a later bus I can take.
Interesting suggestion about taking the Southwest Chief. Never thought about that option OR what Mr. Norman suggested also about detraining in Ontario. I will keep the Ontario option as a backup Mr. Norman while enroute, thanks for the tip.
Well, AFTER my Vegas trip I will go to San Diego. I am booked Business Class on the Pacific Surfliner. Is there a place for my luggage in the business car or should I check-in my luggage instead? If I do check it in, where does Amtrak put it?
Posts: 11 | From: El Paso, Texas | Registered: Jul 2006
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I have taken the rent a car option from Ontario on two occasions, and it has worked for me. You also save at least an hour's driving time by not going to Los Angeles. There is no station in Ontario, just a shelter that looks like a mini Greek temple. There may or may not be a taxi waiting for passengers. It is about a ten minute ride to Ontario airport's car rental facilities which are off site, so tell the taxi driver you want to go to the car rentals and not to the airport terminal. If you have a cell phone, you may need it, as there is only one pay phone at the "station" and it may or may not work.
This year I am taking the Starlight to L.A. and will be staying at the downtown Marriott where they have a Hertz counter. One way rentals to Las Vegas for a full-size car runs about $75.00, not including the various surcharges.
Since the demise of the Desert Wind, it's a real pain trying to find some sort of decent transportation to Las Vegas, but I would do anything to avoid the bus (I would even go back to flying as an absolutely last resort).
Posts: 524 | From: Toronto Ont. Canada | Registered: Mar 2001
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Yes, I know it's been discussed to death but is there any updated news on the proposed LAX-LVS rail link (didn't they actually start building it about five years ago but it got stopped by enviromentalists complaining on behalf of some sort of Desert Tortoise and then the funding crisis happened?)
Posts: 395 | From: england | Registered: Sep 2002
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quote:Originally posted by mr williams: Yes, I know it's been discussed to death but is there any updated news on the proposed LAX-LVS rail link (didn't they actually start building it about five years ago but it got stopped by enviromentalists complaining on behalf of some sort of Desert Tortoise and then the funding crisis happened?)
At the recent TRAC conference in San Diego, Mr. Richard Phelps (VP of Transportation, Amtrak) talked about Las Vegas passenger rail service. To make a very long story short, the issue with the desert tortoise has been taken care of----it is no longer an issue, and the problem is solved. Also, UP approved of the additional passenger trains along their route quite some time ago. Aside from a few technicalities that still need to be worked out (but are not major), the trains can run to Las Vegas. However, according to Mr. Phelps, but the big issue is that they do NOT have any equipment to run the trains to Las Vegas. This is the main reason why we are not seeing passenger train service to Sin City.
I can't comment on Amtrak's equipment fleet and what is/is not available, and what is/is not stored and available----I have heard many rumors that go in all sorts of different directions. But the above reasons as to why there is no Las Vegas service comes directly from the source at Amtrak......
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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Mr. Norman, I remember making a station stop at Ontario when I was on the Sunset a few years back. I hope they cleaned up the graffiti. The worse station stop is probably Beaumont Texas now.
Anyone care to help me with my luggage question on the pacific surfliner? Is there a place for my luggage in the business car or should I check-in my luggage instead? If I do check it in, where does Amtrak put it?
Posts: 11 | From: El Paso, Texas | Registered: Jul 2006
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According to the latest Amtrak timetable, there are five Pacific Surfliners a day which offer checked baggage service. If you check your luggage, it will be loaded into a separate baggage compartment for the trip and then unloaded and given back to you in San Diego. You do not have access to it during the trip. If you travel on one of the trains which does NOT offer checked baggage service, you may either carry your luggage on or check it and have it travel on the next train offering baggage service, which means that it will be delayed and you will have to come back to the San Diego station to pick it up.
If the train you are on offers checked baggage service I would take advantage of it; however do be advised that while Amtrak is not as bad about misdirecting luggage as the airlines are it can happen. Bring a carry on bag with your travel essentials just in case. If you elect to carry on your luggage there should be ample room for it in your business class car, but do be advised that Amtrak only allows two pieces of carry on luggage.
-------------------- --------Eric H. Bowen
Stop by my website: Streamliner Schedules - Historic timetables of the great trains of the past! Posts: 413 | From: Houston, Texas | Registered: Mar 2006
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