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Averill park, New York, United States
This is a blog that hopes to help with the confusion of bus riding in Vegas. Comments are encouraged. Spam is not encouraged. Comments that include websites will not be published. Allow time for moderation of all comments.



Thursday, September 4, 2014

Residential Passes explained

If you purchase a $5 -  24 hour ticket on a residential bus like the WAX or CX bus, it is a "residential" ticket. Technically, it is not good on the SDX or Deuce unless you have local ID. However, it is perfectly fine for all other buses.
Whether any tourists are ever asked for local ID is open to debate on most tourist discussion boards.  This trip a lawyer type told me they could not do anything because it was illegal and a bus employee told me that no bus driver would ask for a local ID and that the Senior photo ID would be plenty even on the SDX to satisfy checkers.

If you pay $2, that is just good for one ride on the residential bus you boarded. It will cost you $2 on the next ride on that bus or on another residential bus.
If you pay $3, you can board any residential bus within 2 hours of the time you buy the pass. So, for example, folks going one way from the airport to the Orleans sometimes opt for the $3 pass because the WAX ride is just a few minutes, and the 202 can easily be boarded within the 2 hour period.

Seniors with ID pay half price for all residential rides and passes (photo ID available at the BTC for those over 60.  Medicare card also good for proof)  There is no senior discount for strip bus passes if you buy them from a Deuce operator or from a machine.  It makes a huge difference.  A 15 day reduced fare price is just $17.  Just a 3 day pass on strip buses bought on the strip is $20.


Here is a chart showing fares for Residential routes. 15/30 day passes cannot be purchased from most machines or from the drivers. BTC is a good spot. Walgreen's downtown is another. There are other vendors located around Vegas, but not convenient to tourists (on purpose)

Here is the chart from the RTC site:

Residential Route Passes:

These passes include access to all RTC Residential Routes. Single Ride, 2-Hour and 24-Hour Passes can be purchased on-board vehicles. 15-Day and 30-Day Passes can be purchased in person at the Bonneville Transit Center, South Strip Transfer Terminal (SSTT), RTC Administration Building, and vendor locations throughout town. 30-Day Passes can also be purchased online.

Single $2
Reduced Fare
$1

2-Hour $3
Reduced Fare
$1.50

24-Hour $5
Reduced Fare
$2.50

15-Day $34
Reduced Fare
$17

30-Day $65
Reduced Fare
$32.50