Oahu Transportation: Getting Around Guide Oahu, Hawaii
Getting Around Oahu Hawaii
Alamy While Oahu’s public transportation is limited to island-wide bus service, the routes and frequency of buses make it a reliable option, especially in urban Honolulu. Car rentals are favored for the areas near the coasts and for those imagining the wind in their hair as they explore beaches with the top down and boogie boards in the trunk. Oahu Travel Guide
Car rentals
Your transportation decisions will depend on where you’re staying and what you want from your time on the island. If you’re based in urban Honolulu, Waikiki or at the Ko Olina resorts, hotel parking costs $16 to $43 a day, though a few hotels do offer it for free. With so much right near your hotel, you might not even get your car out of the garage every day. Many visitors opt to rent a car by the day if they plan to venture beyond Honolulu, and then return it before they have to face the hotel’s sky-high parking fees. Most hotels can arrange a rental car for you, and many providers have satellite offices in Waikiki. Elsewhere around the island parking is typically inexpensive or free. For those staying farther afield — Windward Oahu, the Leeward Coast or the North Shore — a rental car will make life much easier and more convenient. Remember to reserve the car before you leave home, and you can pick it up at the airport upon arrival. Rates can vary wildly based on season and car availability. The same car that rents for $30 a day right after the December holidays might go for $130 between Christmas and New Year’s. Wheelchair-accessible rental vans are available from , and .
Buses
, Oahu’s public bus system, offers routes across the island with many convenient options to get to the most popular destinations and beaches. Most routes are wheelchair accessible. Drivers are friendly and helpful, getting you safely aboard and into the wheelchair-only space. The adult fare is $2.75 each way, with a one-day pass for $5.50. Oahu Transit Services operates a daily paratransit service, . It uses wheelchair-accessible vehicles to provide curb-to-curb service to individuals with disabilities for $2. Ways to save: For those 65 and older, the bus fare drops to $1 each way, or a one-day pass for $2. Taxis Ride sharing
and both offer service, more reliably in urban Honolulu but increasingly available in less-traveled areas. Taxis are prevalent throughout Waikiki, but are harder to get in other spots around the island (particularly farther-flung areas like the North Shore and Kailua). For both car services and taxis, inquire about getting a return ride when arranging your trip. Bike sharing rentals
offers 100 bike stops throughout urban Honolulu, with flexible rates to accommodate those who depend on the bikes to those who just need to get from here to there. Biki bikes have become especially popular with locals getting to work, the beach and elsewhere in Honolulu. The docking stations are in all the right places, making it easy to hop on and hop off without worrying about where to stash the bike. Bike lanes are available on major thoroughfares, but car traffic still owns the road, so bike with care and caution. In areas like Kailua, exploring the beaches, shops and neighborhoods on two wheels is a fun way to get to know the area, and is particularly popular with Japanese visitors. With the arrival of bike services, rental bikes are harder to find. Some hotels offer them (and a few, like hotel, make bikes available for free), and occasional vendors dot the Waikiki landscape. The best bike rental options are in Kailua, where (also in Honolulu) offers a range of traditional bikes, while can hook you up with a handy two-wheeler that does much of the work for you. Accessibility
Accessibility is mixed on Oahu. While the streets and sidewalks typically are wheelchair accessible with curb cuts and ramps, breaks and cracks in aging sidewalks can sometimes create trip hazards or make wheelchair navigation more difficult. All of the hotels, museums and public buildings are ADA compliant, with accessibility options that include ramps, elevators and, in some cases, motorized carts. Vacation rental homes may not offer the same options, however, so book with care and ask specific questions about grade, door width, shower and tub access, and related issues of concern. The North Shore, Leeward Oahu and Windward Oahu are more rural, and access to the beaches varies greatly from spot to spot. All-terrain wheelchairs (with balloon-like wheels that can navigate sand) and scooters are available at some properties and can be rented through services like , and others in Honolulu. (Make arrangements before you travel to be sure you get what you want.) The State of Hawaii Department of Transportation provides an for passengers with disabilities. AARP Travel Center Call: 1.800.675.4318 Search Flights Enter a valid location Enter a valid location Enter a valid date Enter a valid date Child under 2 must either sit in laps or in seats: search Enter a valid location Enter a valid location Enter a valid date Child under 2 must either sit in laps or in seats: search Enter a valid location Enter a valid location Enter a valid date Child under 2 must either sit in laps or in seats: Flight 2 Enter a valid location Enter a valid location Enter a valid date Flight 3 Enter a valid location Enter a valid location Enter a valid date Flight 4 Enter a valid location Enter a valid location Enter a valid date Flight 5 Enter a valid location Enter a valid location Enter a valid date Add Another Flight search Search Hotels Enter a valid location Enter a valid date Enter a valid date Room 1 Room 2 Room 3 Room 4 Room 5 Room 6 Room 7 Room 8 search Search Packages Enter a valid location Enter a valid location Enter a valid date Enter a valid date You didn't specify child's age Child under 2 must either sit in laps or in seats: Room 1 There are children in rooms without an adult You didn't specify child's age You didn't specify child's age Room 2 There are children in rooms without an adult You didn't specify child's age You didn't specify child's age Room 3 There are children in rooms without an adult You didn't specify child's age You didn't specify child's age Room 4 There are children in rooms without an adult You didn't specify child's age You didn't specify child's age Room 5 There are children in rooms without an adult You didn't specify child's age You didn't specify child's age You have more than 6 people total Please select a trip duration less than 28 days search Search Cars Enter a valid location Enter a valid location Enter a valid date Enter a valid date search Search Cruises Select a valid location Select a month search Search Things to Do Enter a valid location Enter a valid date Enter a valid date search × Let's Go Reset Featured AARP Member Benefits See more Car Rentals offers > See more Travel offers > See more Hotels & Resorts offers > See more Gas & Auto Services offers > Cancel You are leaving AARP.org and going to the website of our trusted provider. The provider’s terms, conditions and policies apply. Please return to AARP.org to learn more about other benefits. Your email address is now confirmed. You'll start receiving the latest news, benefits, events, and programs related to AARP's mission to empower people to choose how they live as they age. You can also by updating your account at anytime. You will be asked to register or log in. Cancel Offer Details Disclosures
Close In the next 24 hours, you will receive an email to confirm your subscription to receive emails related to AARP volunteering. Once you confirm that subscription, you will regularly receive communications related to AARP volunteering. In the meantime, please feel free to search for ways to make a difference in your community at Javascript must be enabled to use this site. Please enable Javascript in your browser and try again.