Large sections of the Strip and surrounding streets close progressively on each day of race weekend. Soft closures begin at 15:00 and full road closures come into force from 17:00 each day. Roads reopen in the early hours — typically around 02:00. If you're driving in from outside the city, arrive before 15:00 or plan to deal with significant rerouting.
If you're staying on or near the Strip, walking to your zone entrance is the most reliable option across the whole weekend. No queues, no surge pricing, no waiting. The circuit perimeter is accessible from multiple points — check the official circuit map to identify the entry gate nearest to your zone and your hotel.
The circuit covers a large area and some walks are longer than they appear on a map — allow 20–30 minutes on foot from most central Strip hotels to your gate, especially on race night when the footpath gets crowded.
The Las Vegas Monorail runs 24/7 during race week and serves seven stations along the east side of the Strip — from SAHARA Las Vegas in the north to MGM Grand in the south. It covers the full length of the circuit in under 15 minutes with no traffic delays.
The Monorail is good for arriving. Board at a quiet northern station (SAHARA) or southern station (MGM Grand) where crowds are thinner. For the post-race exit, the Monorail is genuinely unreliable — queues at main stations can exceed one hour after the race. Walking to a rideshare pickup zone is faster for most people.
| Station | Useful for |
|---|---|
| SAHARA Las Vegas | North end of circuit; park here if driving north |
| Las Vegas Convention Center | Convention area; Koval Zone access |
| Westgate | East side approach; less crowded |
| Bally's/Paris | Central Strip; near main hospitality |
| Flamingo/Caesars | Central Strip; East Harmon Zone area |
| Harrah's/The LINQ | Mid-Strip access |
| MGM Grand | South end; drive in from south and park here |
Rideshare works well for arriving at the circuit, but designated pickup and drop-off zones shift during race weekend. Set your destination to a designated zone — not the Strip itself. Surge pricing on race night can be extreme.
Official rideshare pickup zones
Walk to the pickup zone rather than requesting a car at the gate — cars cannot reach the immediate circuit perimeter during event hours.
The race finishes well past midnight. The Strip does not immediately reopen to cars — full road reopening takes time and varies nightly. Leaving at the chequered flag puts you into the peak crowd bottleneck.
Stay for the post-race show — it runs for 20–30 minutes after the finish and the crowd thins significantly during it. Then either walk to your hotel (the best option for most Strip guests) or walk to a rideshare pickup zone rather than trying to get a car from a gate.
The Monorail post-race is a 60+ minute wait at main stations. If you use it, walk to a less central station (SAHARA or MGM Grand) to avoid the worst queues.
Not recommended for race day. Limited designated parking exists north of the circuit near SAHARA and south near MGM Grand. Post-race road reopening means you may not be able to move your car until 02:00 or later. If you must drive, park early at a Monorail station and ride the last stretch.
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