A free ride across part of the Strip sounds like an easy win. Sometimes it is. But Las Vegas trams are short, resort-operated people movers, not a citywide transit system. They can save real walking time between a few large properties, especially in summer heat or after a show, yet they also create one of the Strip's most common planning mistakes: assuming a tram stop means you are close to where you need to be.
The practical answer is simple. Use the trams when your hotel, restaurant, show, or next reservation sits directly along one of their routes. Do not build a Strip itinerary around them, and do not confuse them with the paid Las Vegas Monorail on the east side of Las Vegas Boulevard.
The Two Las Vegas Trams That Matter
For most visitors, there are two free tram systems worth knowing about. Both serve clusters of MGM Resorts properties, and neither connects to the other.
Mandalay Bay, Luxor, and Excalibur
The south Strip tram links Mandalay Bay, Luxor, and Excalibur. It is the more useful of the two if you are staying at Mandalay Bay or Delano, attending an event at Allegiant Stadium, seeing a show at Luxor, or visiting the Shark Reef Aquarium.
The route helps because these resorts look adjacent on a map but are enormous on the ground. A walk from a Mandalay Bay guest room to the Strip-facing side of Excalibur can involve long interior corridors, casino floors, escalators, and pedestrian bridges even before you reach your destination. The tram removes a meaningful portion of that distance.
Its limitation is just as important. Excalibur is still at the far southern end of the main resort corridor. From there, you can walk to New York-New York, MGM Grand, and the northbound Strip, but you have not suddenly reached the center of the action. If your evening is at Caesars Palace, The Venetian, or Fontainebleau, a rideshare or taxi may be the better use of time.
Bellagio, Vdara, and Park MGM
The ARIA Express Tram serves the central-south Strip cluster around Bellagio, Vdara, ARIA, The Shops at Crystals area, and Park MGM. In practical terms, it is most valuable for moving between Bellagio and Park MGM without making the full outdoor walk along Las Vegas Boulevard.
This is a strong convenience play for travelers mixing a Bellagio restaurant or fountain stop with a show at Dolby Live at Park MGM, dining at ARIA, or a stay at Vdara. It is also helpful for guests at Vdara, whose location behind ARIA can feel less central than the address suggests.
Still, the stops are within resort complexes, not directly at every attraction. Getting from the Bellagio tram station to a specific restaurant, theater, or hotel tower can take another 10 minutes or more. Treat the tram as a way to cut down a long resort-to-resort transfer, not as door-to-door transportation.
What the Free Ride Actually Saves
The savings are mostly in energy, not money. The trams are free, so there is no fare comparison to make. Their value is avoiding a hot outdoor stretch, reducing steps before a late dinner, or making it easier for a group with children, older travelers, or heels-not-designed-for-the-Strip footwear.
They are particularly useful at these moments:
- You are moving between Mandalay Bay, Luxor, and Excalibur on the same afternoon.
- You have a Bellagio-to-Park MGM plan that includes dining, a show, or both.
- You are returning to your hotel after walking farther than expected.
- Temperatures are high, rain is moving through, or mobility is a concern.
What they do not solve is Strip geography. The Strip is longer than it looks, and entrances are rarely where the map pin makes them appear to be. A tram ride can save 10 to 20 minutes of walking on the right route, but it cannot turn the south Strip into the north Strip.
The Catch: Wait Times and Operating Hours
Free transportation is only a bargain when it is running and arrives quickly. Tram schedules can change by day, season, maintenance needs, and resort operations. Late-night service is especially worth checking if you plan to use a tram after a concert, nightclub, or dinner reservation.
Do not leave a tight show connection to chance. If you need to be at a theater at a specific time, allow for the walk from your room to the station, the platform wait, the ride, and the walk at the other end. In many cases, the tram is still the right choice, but it is not always faster than simply walking if a train has just departed.
The same caution applies when resorts host major conventions, sporting events, or holiday crowds. Platforms and interior routes can get busy. If you are carrying luggage, moving with a large group, or trying to make a flight, use a direct car service rather than relying on a people mover designed for resort guests.
Do Not Confuse Trams With the Las Vegas Monorail
The Las Vegas Monorail is a separate, paid system with stations behind properties on the east side of the Strip. It runs from the MGM Grand area north toward SAHARA Las Vegas, with stops convenient to places such as the Horseshoe, Flamingo area, Las Vegas Convention Center, and Westgate.
For a car-free trip, the monorail can cover more distance than either tram. The trade-off is that its stations are behind the resorts, so it may not help with a destination directly across Las Vegas Boulevard. You also need to buy a ticket and account for the indoor walk from the station to casino floors, restaurants, and show venues.
A useful rule: choose the tram for a short transfer within a connected resort cluster. Choose the monorail when you need to travel several miles along the east side of the Strip. Choose walking when the route is direct and the weather is tolerable. Choose rideshare or a taxi when time matters more than saving a few dollars.
The Tram That Visitors Still Ask About
Older Las Vegas advice often mentions the tram between Treasure Island and The Mirage. That route should not be part of a current plan. The Mirage closed in 2024 and is being transformed into a new resort, so the former connection is no longer a dependable transportation option.
This is a good reminder that Las Vegas transportation information ages quickly. Resort names change, construction reroutes pedestrian paths, and operating hours shift. Check same-day resort signage or guest services rather than trusting a years-old map screenshot.
Best Itineraries for Using the Trams
The south Strip tram works best for a Mandalay Bay or Delano stay. Start with an attraction or pool day at Mandalay Bay, use the tram to Luxor for an afternoon stop, then continue to Excalibur before walking toward New York-New York for dinner or entertainment. It keeps the day geographically tight and avoids repeated walks through the southernmost resort corridor.
The ARIA Express Tram works best when Bellagio, ARIA, Vdara, and Park MGM are already on your schedule. For example, you might see the Bellagio Fountains, eat nearby, take the tram toward Park MGM, and attend a show there. That is efficient because each stop supports the next one.
What to skip is a back-and-forth tram strategy. Riding from Bellagio to Park MGM just to return to Bellagio an hour later adds waiting and station walks without improving the day. Las Vegas rewards one-direction itineraries: move north to south or south to north, grouping stops as you go.
A Better Way to Plan Your Strip Transportation
Before leaving your hotel, identify the exact entrance for each reservation, not just the resort name. A restaurant inside Bellagio, a show at Park MGM, and a nightclub at MGM Grand may look close together but require separate internal walks and street crossings. Add a buffer of 15 minutes between Strip stops, and more when crossing between resort clusters.
The trams are a useful free tool, especially for travelers staying at the properties they serve. Just give them the right job. Use them to reduce a specific long walk, not to replace transportation across Las Vegas. The best Las Vegas day is rarely the one with the most stops - it is the one where your next stop is actually close enough to enjoy.