I rode the bus today

Finally – I managed to figure out how the bus system works and how to buy tickets. I found an information centre where they told me there is a special bus – the Deuce – which runs on The Strip. On board, you can buy your ticket. It runs to one of Las Vegas’ bus stations where you can buy a 3-day pass valid in all the busses in the city.

I also found an overview of the Las Vegas bus system. As it turns out, Las Vegas has 41 bus routes to transport you around the city. A whole new world opened up. An opportunity to discover how everyday life is in a city like Las Vegas.

The price of a ticket for the Deuce is twice as much as a single ticket for one of the other busses in Las Vegas. Unless you buy a 3-day pass valid in all busses. The Deuce’s main objective is to transport tourists up and down The Strip. From the ‘old’ casinos downtown in Freemont Street to the new theme casinos uptown.

In Las Vegas they aim to tackle congestion, improve air quality and mobility by encouraging the use of alternative transportation opportunities, hereby creating a more sustainable society. This is why they created Club Ride which is supposed to encourage people to use alternative means of transportation (read: alternatives to the car) commuting at least four times a month. Alternative means of transportation include car pooling, busses, biking, walking and riding a motorcycle. If a member of Club Ride succeeds in going beyond 12 rides a month, he or she will participate in a draw of gift certificates from 150 to 300 DKR.

From a Danish point of view this might seem unambitious. And maybe a little funny. But gazing out over Las Vegas, you can’t help thinking that this might be a good place to start. The only high rise buildings in Las Vegas are the hotels – or almost the only ones. The rest of the city is spread out over such huge areas that the bus system couldn't possibly cover them – despite the 41 routes.

What about the story of everyday life in Las Vegas? Well, that has to wait for another day. I only managed to ride up and down The Strip and buy my 3-day pass. To be continued…