O'ahu Getting there & around

Getting around

Oʻahu is an easy island to get around, whether you travel by public bus, private car, moped or taxi.

Car & motorcycle

Car

Directions on O‘ahu are given using the ­Hawaii-wide terms mauka (toward the mountains) and makai (toward the ocean).

The following car-hire agencies have service desks or shuttle pick-up from the airport baggage claim area.

Alamo (833-4585)

Avis (834-5536)

Budget (537-3600)

Enterprise (836-2213)

Dollar (834-5536)

Hertz (831-3500)

National (826-6890)

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Bus & tram

Bus

Oʻahu’s public bus system, which is called TheBus (www.thebus.org), is extensive and easy to use. The many routes link metropolitan Honolulu with Waikiki, beach parks in Kailua, the surf scene on the North Shore or the snorkeling spot of Hanauma Bay – just to name a few.

Ala Moana Center is Honolulu’s central transfer point. Each bus route can have a few different destinations, and buses generally keep the same number whether inbound or outbound. If you’re in doubt, ask the bus driver. They’re used to disoriented and jet-lagged visitors.

All buses are wheelchair accessible, and all can accommodate two bicycles at no extra charge. Be prepared for the frigid air-conditioning. A bus in Honolulu is probably the coldest place on Oʻahu, regardless of the season.

Fares

The one-way fare for all rides is $2 for adults, $1 for children aged six to 18 and for seniors 65 years and older; children under the age of six ride free. You can use either coins or $1 bills; bus drivers don’t give change. One free transfer per paid ride is available.

Visitor passes ($20) are valid for unlimited rides within a consecutive four-day period and can be purchased at any of the ubiquit­ous ABC stores in Waikiki and Ala Moana Center. Monthly bus passes ($40), valid for unlimited rides in a calendar month, can be purchased at TheBus Pass Office (848-4444; 811 Middle St, Honolulu; 7:30am-4pm Mon-Fri), satellite city halls, Foodland, Star and Times supermarkets.

Schedules & information

Bus schedules vary depending on the route; many operate from about 5:30am to 8pm daily, though some main routes, such as Waikiki, continue until around midnight. Buses run reasonably close to scheduled times, although waiting for the bus that isn’t full anywhere between Ala Moana and Waikiki on a Saturday night can be a particularly memorable experience.

TheBus has a great route information service (848-5555; www.thebus.org; 5:30am-10pm). As long as you know where you are and where you want to go, the staff will tell you not only which bus to catch, but also when the next one will arrive. This same service also has a TDD service for the hearing impaired.

Routes and timetables are available on the website or you can get printed timetables for individual routes free from any satellite city hall, including the one at the Ala Moana Center.

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Bicycle

It’s certainly possible to cycle your way around Oʻahu, but cyclists should consider taking the bus to get beyond the greater Honolulu traffic. Most buses are equipped with bicycle racks, which can carry two bicycles, at no extra charge.

The state’s Highways Division (www.state.hi.us/dot/highways/bike/oahu) publishes a Bike Oʻahu map with biking trails, including clear road-safety categories.

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