Getting around Reno
Reno sits in the Truckee Meadows, a valley in the High Eastern Sierra foothills, with neighboring Sparks sharing the same downtown valley floor. The practical consequence for visitors is that the metro area is sprawling and car-dependent overall, but a compact, walkable core of Downtown, Midtown, and the Riverwalk District makes a car-free visit realistic if you base yourself there. Outside that core — in areas like South Meadows, Double Diamond, and the North Valleys — you will want wheels.
By car
Driving is the primary way most people get around Reno, and for a visitor it is the most flexible option. Two interstates cross in central Reno — locals call the interchange the "Spaghetti Bowl" — with I-80 running east–west and I-580 (also signed as US 395) running north–south. McCarran Boulevard is a ring road looping the entire valley; it connects residential neighborhoods, shopping centers, and the airport, and makes a useful alternative to the interstates for cross-town trips.
Virginia Street is the primary business artery, running north–south through downtown. Major east–west routes include Moana Lane, Plumb Lane, Mill Street, Second Street, Fourth Street, and Sixth Street, while Keystone Avenue, Lakeside Drive, Wells Avenue, and Kietzke Lane are among the main north–south routes.
- Rush hour runs inbound to the city center in the morning and outbound to the suburbs in the evening; the I-80/I-580 interchange is the main congestion point.
- Winter driving matters here. The valley gets snow storms, and tire chains are required on mountain passes toward California and Tahoe during winter months, even with four-wheel drive, enforced by Caltrans and NDOT. All-season tires are a minimum; winter tires are better.
- Downtown metered parking generally runs about $1–2 per hour, typically Monday through Saturday, 9am–6pm, with Sundays and holidays generally free. Casino garages such as those at the Grand Sierra Resort, Peppermill, and Silver Legacy frequently offer free self-parking, though policies can change during special events.
- Nearly all national car rental agencies serve Reno-Tahoe International Airport, but note that several do not keep fleets on airport property — Enterprise's fleet, for example, is located about a mile away.
Rail
Reno has no metro, tram, or light rail network. Rail service here means Amtrak: the California Zephyr stops once a day in each direction at Reno Station, in the middle of downtown on N Center Street, within walking distance of all the downtown casinos. The station is full service, with an indoor waiting room and checked bag service. The Zephyr is a scenic long-distance route through the Sierra Nevada connecting toward the Bay Area and Salt Lake City — not high-speed commuter service — so plan around its schedule rather than treating it as local transit. Amtrak California also runs shuttle buses between Reno and Sacramento, connecting to the Capitol Corridor and other rail routes.
Buses and public transport
Local public transit is provided by RTC Washoe (the Regional Transportation Commission of Washoe County), which operates several distinct services:
- RTC RIDE — standard fixed-route bus service covering greater Reno and Sparks. It serves central corridors better than the outskirts.
- RTC RAPID — express bus rapid transit routes. The Virginia Line connects the University of Nevada, Reno in the north through Downtown and Midtown to Meadowood Mall in the south.
- FlexRIDE — on-demand, curbside-to-curbside microtransit in zones where fixed routes are inefficient, such as Somersett, the North Valleys, and Spanish Springs. You request it by app or phone, and it connects you within the zone or to transit hubs.
Fares are affordable: a single ride is around $2 and a day pass around $5, with reduced fares for veterans, seniors, and youth. You can pay via the Token Transit app for digital passes, and exact change is no longer required. Fares are subject to change, so verify current pricing with RTC.
For regional trips, the RTC Regional Connector runs commuter buses between downtown Reno and Carson City. Note that local RTC buses do not reach Lake Tahoe — for the lake, use private shuttles instead.
Intercity buses also serve the area. Greyhound and Flixbus travel primarily along Interstate 80 between Sacramento, Reno, and Salt Lake City and beyond, with stops at the RTC Sparks Transit Center and an additional stop at the Reno Amtrak Station. Eastern Sierra Transit runs south along US Highway 395 toward Lone Pine via Carson City and Mammoth Lakes, stopping at the airport and Centennial Plaza Transit Center in Sparks, on limited weekday schedules. Sage Stage runs north on US 395 toward Alturas, California, from the airport and the Amtrak/Greyhound depot, operating only a few days a week on a space-limited basis. Check schedules closely before relying on any of these.
Taxis and ride-hailing
Taxis and ride-hailing services such as Uber and Lyft both operate in Reno. At Reno-Tahoe International Airport, rideshare pickup zones are located outside baggage claim. Taxis are also available at the airport for the trip into downtown.
Walking and cycling
Walkability depends heavily on where you are. Downtown, the Riverwalk District, and Midtown are genuinely walkable, with dense sidewalks, crosswalks, and a grid layout. Elsewhere — South Meadows, Double Diamond, the North Valleys — wide boulevards and cul-de-sacs make walking impractical.
For cyclists, the Truckee River Bike Path is the standout: a largely traffic-separated, flat, and scenic route running from west Reno into Sparks and connecting to several Reno parks. On-street cycling is more of a mixed bag, with inconsistent infrastructure and sporadic bike lanes; take care on fast arterials like South Virginia Street and McCarran Boulevard.
Getting from the airport into the city
Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO) is the major airport for commercial flights serving Reno, Carson City, and Lake Tahoe. It sits just east of I-580, roughly a ten-minute drive from downtown and Midtown. To reach the city:
- RTC bus — Route 12 provides direct bus service between the airport and downtown, with the stop at the north end of the center curb outside Baggage Claim (follow the posted directional signs). Service is limited to weekdays, and the trip takes about 25 minutes to reach the 4th Street station downtown. It costs $2 one way, or $5 for a day pass if you need to transfer.
- Taxi — available at the airport for the trip into town, with a tip customary on top of the fare.
- Ride-hailing — Uber and Lyft pick up in designated zones outside baggage claim.
- Shuttles — local door-to-door and hotel shuttles operate, and some casino properties offer complimentary continuous shuttles (check the property's website). Long-distance shuttles run from the airport to Lake Tahoe, including the North Lake Tahoe Express and South Tahoe Airporter, which serve lake ski resorts and casinos and are especially popular in winter.