Las Vegas taxi rates differ depending on whether or not you are being picked up from Las Vegas' McCarran International Airport. If you are being picked up from the airport, you will be charged an extra $1.20 at the beginning of your ride.

If you aren't being picked up from the airport, you have to pay the automatic $3.30 drop fee, but you don't have to pay the $1.20 airport fee. After the initial $3.30, you are charged $2.20 for each mile driven. The fee for a taxi waiting cab in Las Vegas is $28 an hour.

Also be aware that not all taxis accept credit cards. You should have enough cash on hand whenever you enter a taxi cab in Las Vegas.

Here is a list of Las Vegas taxi services:

A-Cab Co. -- (702) 369-5686
5881 South Cameron
Las Vegas, NV 89118

A-North Las Vegas Cab -- (702) 643-1041
5010 South Valley View Blvd.
Las Vegas, NV 89118

Ace Cab Co. -- (702) 736-8383
5010 S Valley View Blvd.
Las Vegas, NV 89118

Checker Cab Co. -- (702) 873-2227
3950 West Tompkins Ave.
Las Vegas, NV 89103

Desert Cab Co. -- (702) 386-9102
90 West Oakey
Las Vegas, NV 89102

Henderson Taxi -- (702) 384-2322
1910 Industrial Rd.
Las Vegas, NV 89102

Lucky Cab Company -- (702) 732-4400
4195 Diablo Road
Las Vegas, NV 89118

Nellis Cab Co. -- (702) 252-0201
3564 West Naples
Las Vegas, NV 89103

Star Cab Co. -- (702) 873-8012
3950 West Tompkins Ave.
Las Vegas, NV 89103

Union Cab Co. -- (702) 736-8444
5010 South Valley View Blvd.
Las Vegas, NV 89118

Vegas Western Cab Co. -- (702) 736-6121
5010 South Valley View Blvd.
Las Vegas, NV 89118

Virgin Valley Cab Co. -- (702) 737-1378
5010 South Valley View Blvd.
Las Vegas, NV 89118

Western Cab Company -- (702) 736-8000
801 S. Main
Las Vegas, NV 89101

Yellow Cab Co. -- (702) 873-2000
3950 West Tompkins Ave.
Las Vegas, NV 89103

Once you walk off your plane, your first important step is to go to the baggage claim to retrieve your luggage. After that, you can find the Las Vegas airport taxis on the east side of the baggage claim. There will be helpful airport personnel in that area to guide you to the taxi line.

An endless stream of taxis pick up passengers on a continual basis. Once it's your turn, the taxi cab driver will help you put your luggage in the cab and will then ask you where you are headed. If you are headed to a hotel on the Vegas strip, you should expect to pay between $12 and $15.

Outside of taxis, other transportation options exist at the Vegas airport. If you'd like to reach your destination in style, you could opt to get a limousine. If you want a cheaper option than a taxi, there are buses and shuttles that will take you to hotels along the Vegas Strip.

Share a Taxi
If you are headed to a major hotel, you can often find other people headed to the same hotel. By sharing a taxi, you can cut your taxi bill in half. If you can find a third person, you end up paying only one-third of what you would originally have paid!

Avoid High Traffic Times
If you use a taxi in the middle of the day or on other high traffic times, you will end up paying substantially more money than you otherwise would. Instead, try to only ride in taxis during the night or early in the morning to avoid traffic.

Research the Route
Las Vegas taxi companies by law are supposed to follow your directions when you are headed to your destination. If you can research and find a shortcut, you can tell your driver where to go and avoid wasted miles.

• A taxi cab driver in Las Vegas is required by law to show their driver's permit.
• If you ask for a receipt, you are required to be given one.
• If you don't know the exact address, a taxi driver can refuse to take you.
• Entering a taxi without enough funds is an actual crime in Las Vegas.
• In Las Vegas, there are nearly 7,500 taxi drivers.
• There are nearly 3,000 taxis being used in Las Vegas.
• While tips are appreciated, they are not mandatory in Las Vegas.
• Taxis are required by state law to have both air conditioning and heat.
• There are over 15 taxi companies in Las Vegas.
• Taxi drivers are not allowed to smoke if there is a passenger in the cab.
• A taxi driver must follow your directions if you tell him or her a preferred route.
• A seatbelt is required for every passenger within a taxi.
• Each taxi company maintains a lost and found bin.
• Taxi fare is to be paid in United States currency.