Monday, December 09, 2013

An overview of the 15 day pass advantages

The fifteen day pass is all access for tourists as well as locals. The 24 residential passes are good for the SDX and Deuce for locals only with local ID.

Since the long term passes are primarily intended to serve the local community, and the RTC wants to get all the tourist dollars they can manage, they keep the passes out of the on strip Walgreen stores. They are not in the machines along the strip.
Most of us buy them at the BTC or at the downtown Walgreen's. Other locations are listed here.

http://www.rtcsnv.com/transit/fare-i...s-around-town/

Some take the 109 to Maryland and Flamingo and get them there. I have not done that. I think Albertson's is the place. It is good to call these vendors and ask if they sell the passes before you show up to buy one. Once in a while they run out and vendors change.

Some take the 109 from the airport to the South Street Transfer Terminal where we can buy a pass from a machine and get senior rate with the RTC ID. If you are staying on the South end of the strip, this is a good plan as long as you don't have large luggage and come at busy times when exiting the SDX is like swimming upstream against those pushing to get in.

Folks over 60 can get a half priced 15 day all access pass. Photo ID's are issued by the BTC during daytime hours and take just a few minutes. They are good for five years.
I think folks over 65 can show a Medicare card for proof of age. I have not done that. I always get the ID. To buy a pass from a machine like those at SSTT, and get senior rate, you need the RTC ID. There are no people working at the SSTT anymore. The BTC is staffed. I like buying the pass from a person better than trying to figure out the machines.
Staying downtown is advantageous with these passes because so many routes run from there. With the unlimited pass we can ride the strip buses, or use the WAX to avoid strip traffic and get dropped at Tropicana, or use the CX to avoid strip traffic and be dropped at Spring Mt, or go to the university, or go out Boulder Highway to any casino along that road, or plan a trip to Sunset Station or Fiesta Henderson, or head out to Texas Station and Fiesta Rancho, or ride to Suncoast. It just takes a bit of time to plan and figure out the routes and the schedules.

Here is a good place to start planning
http://www.rtcsnv.com/transit/routes-maps-schedules/

Then linking up the RTC routes with the free shuttles offered in Vegas can eliminate much of the walking or traffic. Riding the SDX is generally faster and less crowded than riding the Deuce and these free shuttles can get you from an SDX stop to other locations.

Here is a good place to check those free shuttle routes and schedules and rules:
http://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/refer...ree%20Shuttles