Las Vegas Monorail a lifesaver for Strip workers hampered by F1

Lisa and Kris usually drive to their jobs on the Las Vegas Strip and park in the casino employee garage. But the Formula One Las Vegas Grand Prix setup forced them to find another way to get to work.

For the last few weeks, the two friends have been riding the Las Vegas Monorail to get to their jobs on the Strip. As locals, the $1 one-way ride is a good deal, too.

“Lived here all my life, and I rode the monorail for the first time,” said Lisa, a cocktail server at a center-Strip casino. “I got to tell ya, it’s not the worst way to get around.”

Kris nodded in agreement.

“Last year, it took us over an hour to get here. Every time,” he said. “The last couple of weeks, I’ve only been late once.”

If his commute was anything like Friday night, it is no wonder Kris was late. Wait times at the MGM Grand monorail station approached one hour as people packed the four available cars heading northbound on the Strip.

Going southbound was not nearly as bad. While as many as 50 to 60 people were boarding at any given time from the Sahara station on Friday night, the platform remained free of large crowds.

Cary Jacoby, 26, of Wilmington, N.C., was exploring Las Vegas for the first time with her friend Lola, who lives in the city.

“We’ve been rising up and down the Strip on the monorail all week,” Jacoby said.

“I don’t like driving down here to begin with,” Lola said, “so this just makes sense.”

David Danzis can be contacted at ddanzis@reviewjournal.com or (702) 383-0378. Follow AC2Vegas_Danzis on X.