The Hidden Connections Between Vegas Casinos

Las Vegas Strip casinos are connected by a network of free trams, enclosed walkways, and pedestrian bridges that most visitors never find. Two free tram systems serve the west side of the Strip (Aria Express and Mandalay Bay Tram), indoor corridors link clusters of properties like Excalibur–Luxor–Mandalay Bay and the CityCenter group, and elevated bridges cross major intersections. The paid Las Vegas Monorail covers the east side, and the Vegas Loop tunnel system is expanding underground.

The Strip is 4.2 miles long, but the distances between casinos feel even longer than that. The buildings are massive, the exits are hard to find, and the desert makes everything shimmer just close enough to look walkable. Most first-time visitors figure this out the hard way — halfway through a 25-minute walk they thought would take five.

Some of these connections save five minutes. Others cut out a half-mile of sidewalk entirely. None of them are obvious from the street. This guide covers every major connection on the Strip: what's free, what's paid, and which routes actually save time versus which ones just sound convenient.

Free Trams on the Strip

Two free tram systems run on the west side of the Strip. They're operated by MGM Resorts, cost nothing to ride, and require no tickets or hotel keys. The catch: stations are tucked inside or behind the casinos, so you won't see them from the sidewalk. Our free trams guide covers stations, hours, and quirks in detail.

Aria Express

Three stations: Park MGM → Crystals/Aria → Bellagio/Vdara. Runs daily from 8 AM to 2 AM with trams arriving every 6–8 minutes. End-to-end ride takes about 6 minutes.

The Bellagio station drops you near the Spa Tower, not the main entrance. Budget an extra 5–7 minutes to reach the casino floor, conservatory, or fountains. The Park MGM station sits between Park MGM and Aria — follow signs near the parking garage.

Mandalay Bay Tram

Three stations: Mandalay Bay ↔ Luxor ↔ Excalibur. Hours are more limited than the Aria Express: Monday–Friday 11 AM–10:30 PM, weekends 11 AM–12:30 AM.

One quirk to know: the tram runs on two separate tracks. One serves all three stops. The other runs express between Mandalay Bay and Excalibur, skipping Luxor entirely. If you need Luxor from Excalibur, the indoor walkway (with moving sidewalks) is faster than riding to Mandalay Bay and doubling back.

Treasure Island–Mirage Tram (Currently Closed)

The free tram between Treasure Island and The Mirage shut down in mid-2024. The Mirage is being rebuilt as Hard Rock Las Vegas — a $4–5 billion project with a signature Guitar Hotel tower. The target opening is late 2027. Until then, use the pedestrian bridge across Las Vegas Boulevard to move between TI and the Venetian/Palazzo area.

Indoor Walkways and Bridges

Several groups of casinos are connected by enclosed walkways and climate-controlled bridges. These are the routes that locals use to avoid the sidewalk — especially in summer.

South Strip Corridor: Excalibur → Luxor → Mandalay Bay

The longest continuous indoor path on the Strip. From Excalibur's north end, enclosed moving walkways lead to Luxor. From Luxor, the Mandalay Place shopping corridor continues to Mandalay Bay. Total distance is about 0.8 miles, all indoors. Mandalay Place is accessible around the clock (individual shops keep their own hours). For the step-by-step route, see our Mandalay Bay to Luxor walking guide.

CityCenter Cluster

The most densely connected group of properties on the Strip:

• Aria ↔ Vdara: Indoor walkway on the second floor, about 3 minutes.
• Vdara ↔ Bellagio: Enclosed bridge that drops you near the Bellagio Spa Tower.
• Bellagio ↔ Cosmopolitan: A newer T-junction pedestrian bridge connects the two properties.
• Park MGM ↔ Aria: Indoor walkway near the parking garage, 3–5 minutes.

Between the walkways and the Aria Express tram, you can move through this entire cluster without stepping outside. During a 110°F afternoon, that matters.

Central Strip Connections

• Bellagio → Caesars Palace: Outdoor pedestrian bridge over West Flamingo Road. Covered but not air-conditioned. About 10–15 minutes door-to-door.
• Horseshoe ↔ Paris: Fully indoor connection with a cobblestone-style walkway. You can move between the two without realizing you've changed properties.
• Flamingo ↔ The LINQ: Connected via The LINQ Promenade, an open-air shopping and dining corridor that leads to the High Roller observation wheel.
• Venetian ↔ Palazzo: Same complex — a single continuous building. The Venetian also connects to the Sphere entertainment venue via a pedestrian bridge.
• Palazzo → Wynn: Outdoor pedestrian bridge crosses Sands Avenue. About 5 minutes.

Tropicana Intersection

The intersection of Las Vegas Boulevard and Tropicana Avenue is one of the busiest pedestrian crossings in the country. Four elevated bridges handle roughly 130,000 people per day across the intersection (per the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority). The bridges underwent a $30.2 million LVCVA-funded renovation (completed 2024) with wider decks, shade canopies, and improved accessibility.

• MGM Grand ↔ New York-New York: The renovated pedestrian bridge over Tropicana Ave. From NYNY, you can continue indoors through Park MGM to reach Aria.
• Cosmopolitan → Planet Hollywood: Connected through the Miracle Mile Shops corridor.

Las Vegas Monorail

The Las Vegas Monorail is a 3.9-mile elevated rail system running along the east side of the Strip. Seven stations span from MGM Grand at the south end to SAHARA at the north.

Single rides cost $5.50 online or $6 at the station. Day passes and multi-ride passes bring the per-trip cost down if you'll use it more than twice.

The big gotcha: The monorail does not serve the west side of the Strip at all. Bellagio, Aria, Cosmopolitan, Park MGM, Mandalay Bay — none of them have monorail access. Stations are also set back behind the east-side properties, so you'll walk 5–10 minutes through a casino to reach the platform. Factor that into your travel time.

Vegas Loop

The Vegas Loop is an underground Tesla tunnel network built by The Boring Company. As of early 2026, 9 stations are operational, connecting the Las Vegas Convention Center (5 stations), Resorts World, Westgate, Encore, and Fontainebleau.

Fares run $4.25 between resort stations. Airport rides cost $12 (currently available from Resorts World and Westgate). Within the Convention Center, rides are free for badge holders.

The Loop is most useful if you're staying at Resorts World, Encore, or the Fontainebleau and need to reach the Convention Center or airport without a rideshare. For mid-Strip casinos like Bellagio or Caesars, you'll still rely on walking, trams, or the monorail.

The full approved plan (per Clark County and City of Las Vegas approvals) calls for 68 miles of tunnel and 104 stations spanning the Las Vegas valley — including direct connections to Allegiant Stadium, the airport, and downtown Fremont Street. New stations are opening throughout 2026 and 2027.

Strip Transportation at a Glance

Why Distances Fool Everyone

If you've looked at the Strip on Google Maps and thought “I can walk that,” you're not wrong — but you're probably underestimating the time by a factor of two.

Building scale distortion. Strip casinos are enormous. The MGM Grand's gaming floor alone covers 171,500 square feet (per MGM Resorts). Walking from one end of the Venetian to the other takes 10 minutes at a brisk pace. Before you can walk between two casinos, you have to walk out of the first one — and that alone can take 5–10 minutes.

“Next door” means 15–20 minutes. Properties that share a property line — like MGM Grand and New York-New York — still require a pedestrian bridge, escalators, and a walk through both casino floors. Two buildings that look adjacent from the street can easily take 15–20 minutes door-to-door.

“Across the street” requires a bridge detour. Crossing Las Vegas Boulevard at street level is often impossible. The elevated pedestrian bridges add distance (and stairs or escalators) to every crossing. A destination directly across the street might take 10 minutes to reach on foot.

Casino floors add time you don't plan for. Interior layouts are designed to keep you moving through gaming areas, not toward exits. Signage points you toward the casino floor, not toward the door. Even when you know where you're going, the path through a large property adds 5–10 minutes per casino you traverse.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are the trams on the Las Vegas Strip free?

Two tram systems on the Strip are completely free. The Aria Express connects Park MGM, Crystals/Aria, and Bellagio (8 AM – 2 AM daily). The Mandalay Bay Tram connects Mandalay Bay, Luxor, and Excalibur (limited daytime hours). No tickets or hotel keys required. The Las Vegas Monorail is a separate paid system ($5.50–$6 per ride).

Can you walk between casinos indoors?

Yes. Several groups of casinos are connected by enclosed walkways. The longest continuous indoor corridor runs from Excalibur through Luxor to Mandalay Bay (~0.8 miles). The CityCenter cluster connects Aria, Vdara, Bellagio, Park MGM, and Cosmopolitan via enclosed bridges. Horseshoe and Paris share an indoor walkway. The Venetian and Palazzo are a single connected complex.

How long does it take to walk the entire Strip?

Walking the full 4.2-mile Strip from Mandalay Bay to the STRAT takes about 90 minutes at a steady pace without stops. In practice it takes longer — pedestrian bridges, casino detours, crowds, and crosswalk waits all add up. Most visitors walk between two or three neighboring casinos rather than end-to-end, and those shorter trips typically take 10–20 minutes.

Does the monorail connect to the west side of the Strip?

No. The Las Vegas Monorail runs exclusively on the east side of the Strip, behind properties like MGM Grand, Flamingo, Harrah's, and the Convention Center. West-side casinos — Bellagio, Aria, Cosmopolitan, Mandalay Bay — are not served by the monorail. The free trams (Aria Express and Mandalay Bay Tram) cover the west side instead.

What is the Vegas Loop?

The Vegas Loop is an underground Tesla tunnel network built by The Boring Company. As of early 2026, 9 stations are operational, connecting the Convention Center, Resorts World, Westgate, Encore, and Fontainebleau. Rides between resorts cost $4.25; airport rides cost $12. The full approved plan calls for 68 miles of tunnel and 104 stations across the Las Vegas valley.