McCarran International Airport is 1 mile from the Las Vegas Strip; 5757 Wayne Newton Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89119. (702) 261-5211; TDD (702) 261-3111 for the hearing impaired. McCarran is the 10th busiest airport in the U.S. and 15th busiest in the world, with more than 30 million passengers passing through it each year. More than 40 air carriers serve Las Vegas, among them 21 scheduled airlines, two commuter lines and up to 20 charter airlines (depending on the season), including two weekly nonstops from Europe. The facility averages some 800 flights a day.

Passenger traffic has exploded in the recent years, rising 200 percent since 1985. The airport has responded with a $500 million expansion project about to be completed now. The centerpiece of the expansioin will be a new concourse adding 26 new gates for aircraft. Long-term plans call for the airport to have some 135 gates by the year 2010, compared to the 1997 total of only 67 gates.

Shuttle buses, taxis, limousines and busses make pickups at McCarran every half hour. The Citizens Area Transit (CAT) numbers "108" and "109" buses serve the airport; call (702) 228-7433 for further details. Ground transportation services at McCarran are abundant. All major car rental companies have offices at McCarran.

Las Vegas entertains millions of visitors each year, and not surprisingly more than half of them arrive by automibile. More than 4 million people a year drive to Nevada's largest city from the state of California alone. Southern Californians account for most of the automobile traffic. With the 70 mph speed limit in effect on I-15, Los Angeles is only about a 5 to 6 hour drive from Las Vegas; from San Diego it is about an hour farther. The San Fransisco Bay Area is some 11 hours away by car, exclusive of stops. Although the 70 mph speed limit is in effect for almost all of the driving along I-15 in both California and Nevada, weather and road conditions often dictate lower speed. For current highway conditions, call the Nevada Department of Transportation at (702) 486-3116 (recording). Drivers should also be alert to lower posted speed limits in populated areas along I-15, and potential speed traps (click here for speed trap info.).

Greyhound and Trailways offers service to Las Vegas from virtually any town in California and Nevada. Reservations are accepted, and tickets can usually be purchased just prior to departure. In Las Vegas, Greyhound and Trailways uses the downtown bus terminal building at 200 South Main Street (at Carson Avenue); phone (800) 231-2222.

Amtrak disconinued its Desert Wind train route in 1997, which provided service three times per week between Los Angeles and Las Vegas. However, Amtrak is considering plans to resume rail service between the two cities. Tentative plans call for a new train to begin by the end of 1998. The Amtrak station in Las Vegas is located downtown, just behind the Plaza Hotel at 1 North Main Street; phone (702) 386-6896. Total traveling time from Los Angeles to Las Vegas is 7 hours. Pending the resumption of rail service, a Greyhound bus provides daily service between the Amtrak station in Las Vegas and Union Station in downtown Los Angeles. For fare and schedule information, call Amtrak at (800) 872-7245 (USA-RAIL).