Let’s face it: Hawai‘i is not a cheap place to visit.
A variety of factors cause Hawai‘i to be one of the more expensive vacation destinations in the world: there’s expensive airfare, hotel costs, food, excursions, plus shopping if there’s extra room in the budget.
Luckily, a visit to Honolulu comes with options, so there’s one big expense that you may be able to avoid. Utilizing a combination of public transportation, rideshares/taxis, alternative transportation, and your own two feet you may be able to avoid renting a car during the majority of your trip.
While rental cars certainly offer freedom and convenience to your trip, they can also add a significant expense – we’re talking upwards of $1,000 – in addition to rental costs, plus the taxes and fees you’ll likely need to pay for parking at your hotel. That additional parking cost can range from $30 up to $85 per day, with many hotels having both self and valet parking (don’t forget to budget in tips if you’re using valet). There are also parking fees at various places that you might visit while using your rental car. Those extra expenses may be worth it if exploring locales like the North Shore or Central O’ahu are an important part of your vacation, but if the majority of your itinerary centers around Honolulu, these other transportation options might be a better bet.
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With a little extra patience and some additional planning, you may be able to leave the driving in Honolulu to someone else.
The Bus Service
Though Honolulu is as large as some of the other top destination cities in the States (including New Orleans and Orlando), with a population of around 340,000, public transportation options are limited. Skyline, O’ahu’s light rail system, was launched in the summer of 2023, but this public transportation system was created to service residents, so it doesn’t offer routes that connect to Honolulu. Instead, there is a high-quality bus service.
While riding the bus may not be the most exciting thing for some people, travelers to Honolulu rave about the quality of TheBus, as well as the opportunities it offers to “talk story” and get to know some of the Island residents. Just remember, not everyone wants to chitchat during their commute. Letting someone else drive also means that it’s easier to sightsee and truly take in the surroundings of Honolulu.
The biggest perk to riding TheBus is, of course, the cost. TheBus uses a transit card system, the HOLO Card. The initial card costs $2, and the standard fare is $3 (including 2.5 hours of unlimited transfers) with a daily spending cap of $7.50 – once that daily limit is reached, riders are no longer charged that day. Discounted passes are available for youth (ages 6-17 years old), senior citizens (65+), and those with disabilities. Children 5 and under ride free with a paying adult, but they technically need to sit on the lap of the adult and not take up an additional seat. HOLO cards can be purchased at select retail and transit locations and reloaded online (you’ll need to create an account).
TheBus travels from Waikīkī to some of O’ahu’s biggest attractions including Kualoa Ranch, Polynesian Cultural Center, ‘Iolani Palace, Bishop Museum, Dole Plantation, and more. Of course, it takes longer to get places, but planning ahead can save you time and money, and you might get to see some places and things that you may have missed while trying to navigate a car through the bustling streets of Honolulu.
The Waikīkī Trolley
The Waikīkī Trolley offers a hop on/hop off option to help visitors explore many popular attractions including Diamond Head, Koko Marina, Sea Life Park, and Honolulu Museum of Art. The open-air trolley is an affordable option to visit locales in Waikīkī and eastern parts of O‘ahu, plus it’s a super cute way to travel.
Prices range from $5.50 to $31.50 (with prices for adults and children aged 3-11), with options for multi-line and multi-day passes, and lines run from morning to early/mid-afternoon. The Green Line whisks visitors off to Diamond Head for hiking adventures, the Red Line focuses on Heroes & Legends, the Pink Line is for shoppers, dropping off at the Ala Moana Shopping Center, and the Blue Line is a specialty Coastal & Local Grinds tour. Using the trolley also offers another way to save money – they have a variety of food and retail partners along each of the lines that offer discounts to pass holders.
Alternative Transportation Options
As with most major U.S. cities, there are other transportation options that don’t quite fit into the public transportation box but can certainly make your experience faster, easier, and less expensive.
Hui Car Share: A really easy option if you need a car anywhere from an hour to an entire day is this car share program that lets you check out a car from pickup locations across Waikīkī Beach (15 locations), Ala Moana (6 locations), downtown Honolulu (6 locations), and Kaka’ako (3 locations). Options include sedans, SUVs, and pickup trucks, with hourly rates starting at $12.60 and daily rates starting at $131.78. Sign up ahead of time and make a reservation in their app once your travel plans are finalized.
For trips to nearby locales, Honolulu’s Go Biki bike share program offers flexibility and no worries about finding parking. There are 130 Go Biki bike stations across Honolulu, providing alternative transportation for both visitors and residents. Sign up ahead of time online or at one of the bike stations. Before biking on the Island, be sure to check out the O’ahu Bike Guide for tips and tricks to stay safe.
Ride Shares: The usual suspects can be found in Honolulu – Lyft, Uber, and taxi services.
Getting to and From Honolulu Airport
If you do opt to skip a rental car, you’ll still need to get from the airport to your accommodations. From Daniel K. Inouye Airport options include taxis, rideshares, and shuttles (including Roberts Hawaii and the Speedi Shuttle). Public transportation options from the Honolulu airport to Waikīkī are limited. TheBus (Route 20) is an option, but only if you don’t have large luggage. All bags must be stowed under the bus seat or on the passenger’s lap, making a large backpack or weekender bag OK, but big rollers are not allowed.
Regardless of which transportation options you choose, be sure to plan ahead—creating accounts, downloading apps, and setting up payment options before your vacation will help ensure that things run smoothly and quickly when it comes time to say “aloha” to Honolulu.
