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Nevada’s location in the western U.S. and shared border with California make it accessible by many
modes of transportation. Nevada is served by two Interstate highways and their spurs, and several
federal highways. Interstate 15 crosses southern Nevada from the Arizona border and connects Las
Vegas with surrounding areas, and includes spurs I-215 and I-515; I-80 passes east to west from Utah
and continues past Reno into California, and includes the I-580 spur. Federal highways serving the
Silver State include US 6, US 50, US 93, US 95, and US 395. The state also contains several state
highways.
Two major Nevada airports and several smaller airports serve travellers in the state. The
McCarran International Airport ranks among the
top five busiest airports in the country, with over 44.3 million passengers served annually.
Reno/Tahoe International Airport in Reno
serves approximately five million passengers annually. Reno Stead Airport serves as a reliever airport for the Reno/Tahoe International
Airport. Other airports include Bullhead/Laughlin International Airport in Bullhead City, and Carson City Airport, among others.
Public transit options exist for commuters in the Las Vegas, Reno-Sparks, and Carson City
metropolitan areas. The Regional
Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC) offers the greater Las Vegas Valley the
Citizens Area Transit (CAT),
with 51 routes served by 365 vehicles carrying approximately 180,000 passengers each weekday.
Included in the system is the Metropolitan
Area Express (MAX) system, a unique rapid transit hybrid between bus and rail systems which can
carry roughly 120 passengers. Las Vegas also offers the Las Vegas Monorail, which serves over 20,000 passengers daily on its 4-mile
(6.4-kilometer) route along the Las Vegas Strip. The Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) of Washoe County serves citizens in
Reno-Sparks and areas of Washoe County with RTC RIDE, with a fleet of 65 buses on 29 routes. Carson City offers a smaller
public transit system with its JAC (Jump around Carson City) fleet of buses.
Passenger rail travel through Nevada is provided by Amtrak.
Amtrak’s California Zephyr route connects California to Chicago, Illinois, with Nevada stops
in Elko, Winnemucca, Sparks, and Reno. Railways in Nevada are served by Union Pacific Railroad and Burlington
Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railway Company.
While Nevada contains no water ports of its own, the Silver State uses the international San
Francisco Bay Area ports for transporting its goods. The Bay Area ports, particularly in Oakland,
California, are accessible within six hours or less via Interstate 80.
Intercity bus travel providers to Nevada include Greyhound
Lines and Orange Belt Stages.
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