Unless you are part of the lucky ones camping, a majority of attendees for EDC Las Vegas will use transportation to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Let’s take a look at the options including the pros and cons.
Car transportation
You can certainly drive and park at EDC. There is general parking for free and paid premier parking available. Premier positions you closer to the event entrance.
If you don’t have your own car, then taxis, limousines, and rideshare services are available. This is convenient because of the designated drop off/pick up areas. Uber usually has their own section as they are a sponsor of EDC Las Vegas.
The driving option has the convenience of leaving on your own schedule. The trade-off is that traffic can be terrible going to and even leaving the venue. A normal drive time would be about 45 – 60 minutes. I have heard from festival goers that times range between one and four hours because of traffic congestion or accidents along the way.
Shuttles
EDC offers shuttle service between many Las Vegas hotels on and close to the strip for a fee. The shuttle buses have their own roads to the event so they are not subjected to the traffic problems. Shuttle service comes in two levels; Standard and Premier. Each type of service has a security check point at the shuttle stop as well as bathrooms and a water filling station. This means you arrive and walk directly into EDC.
The lineup queue for the shuttle stations also have a separate fast pass line for general admission plus (GA+) and VIP wristband holders which shortens your wait time. The premier shuttles have the added features of shelters and cooling areas with some merchandise swag included. Standard Shuttles will depart continuously from 6:00pm–11:30pm. Return service from EDC back to your stop will begin at 3:00am and conclude 60 minutes after the music ends at kineticFIELD.
There are some limitations. Shuttles do not run from 11:30pm to 3:00am. Premier shuttles require that you schedule a location with departure and return time. If you miss your scheduled departure times your premier pass will be honored on standard shuttles. For those who stay to the very end of the festival, you may have a bit of a wait catching your shuttle back. In 2019 the shuttles were by far the fastest ground transport method.
Helicopter
For those who have considerable means and would like to travel in a special way, EDC contracts with Maverick helicopters. As someone who flies for a living, this is a very cool way to travel. Traveling by helicopter makes the 45 minute (or longer) drive into a 17 minute flight with an impressive, although brief view of the venue. This option is certainly not cheap with prices starting around $550.00 one-way and $850.00 round-trip per day. Still, nothing says opulent baller like arriving by helicopter.
Since helicopter transport is the preferred method of the DJs, it is quite possible that you could be sharing your ride with somebody you hope to see on stage later in the evening or returning in the morning.
The method you chose should reflect your goals to maximize the experience. When weighing the pros and cons on the transportation method, on the whole, Standard shuttles hold the best balance of speed, convince, and price. Your mileage may vary.
See you all under the Electric Sky!
