City Center, Las Vegas: The Aria Express

The Aria Express returning to the Bellagio station.

Inside of one of the Aria Express cars.

The portion of rail running from the Bellagio's Spa Tower on a rail that runs
between the Cosmopolitan and Vdara and stopping at Crystals between the
Harmon and Aria before it moves onward to the Monte Carlo.
(above photos: TheHopeful Traveler)

With the opening of City Center also came the newest monorail system, the Aria Express, on the Las Vegas Strip making a total of four such systems that transports visitors between hotels. The Aria Express travels between the Monte Carlo and Bellagio with one stop in between at the Crystals.

After touring City Center and then walking through the Vdara, I happened onto a path that leads to the Bellagio. I had no intention of visiting the Bellagio today. So I hopped on the Aria Express at the Bellagio's Spa Tower and took a ride for one stop to return to Crystals where I could take a shorter walk back to the Cosmopolitan where I am staying.

The Aria Express operates daily from 8am-4pm. The tram arrives about every 15 minutes and the ride duration is two to six minutes depending on your final stop. The tram travels at a top speed of 23 mph and is able to transport more than 5,000 people per hour.

The longest system is the Las Vegas Monorail which serves hotels on the east side of the Las Vegas Boulevard which from the MGM Grand runs north to Bally's Paris, Flamingo/Caesars Palace, Harrah's/Imperial Palace, Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas Hilton and Sahara.

On the west side of the strip are Mirage-Treasure Island Tram and the Mandalay Bay-Luxor-Excalibur Trams.

A whole editorial could be written about the inefficiency of these systems. But when the Las Vegas heat is hovering at 100 degrees and when walking may be a chore and driving or catching a cab too expensive, these systems are useful. Those planning on using any of these systems should note that the trams on the east side of the strip are free. The Las Vegas Monorail costs $5 per ride, $14 for an unlimited one-day pass or $30 for an unlimited three-day pass. All prices are per person.

Click HERE to learn more about each tram/monorail system and to view a larger version of the map below.