Transport > New Zealand & Pacific Islands > Hawaii > Bus and coach travel
Bus & coach travel in Hawaii
There are bus services in the major Hawaiian islands ranging from the excellent bus network in Oahu and limited services on Hawaii (the big island), Kauai and Maui. In general you can go anywhere in Oahu although it is best to rent a car in the other islands.
Oahu's extensive bus service is called TheBus. There are around 80 routes covering the major urban areas of Pearl Harbor, Honolulu and Waikiki although the rest of the island is surprisingly well served as well. You may need to transfer between different buses which may require going to a major interchange, usually downtown Honolulu or the Ala Moana shopping mall. Useful bus routes are 8, 19, 20 and 58 which run between the Ala Moana mall and Waikiki and the 52 and 55 circle-island services.
TheBus fares are US$2 per ride and include one free transfer. You can also buy a Oahu Discovery Passport for US$20 from ABC Stores, which gives you four days of unlimited travel.
Bus services on Hawaii (the big island) aren't as good as those on Oahu, although they're still OK for getting around, just don't count on the bus for sightseeing or day-trips. Buses are an OK way of getting between Kona and Hilo although many of the buses operate very infrequently - sometimes only one bus a day.
The two main bus routes on Kauai would be a good way to get around if you could take your backpack on them; unfortunately large bags can't be taken on the bus. If you've just got a daypack, then you may consider this as a cheap way to get around the island. Bus fares on Kauai are only US$1 (exact change only) . The bus connects the main towns on the island, but it doesn't stop at the airport.
Maui's bus system consists of an expensive shuttle bus connecting some of the upmarket hotels with shopping centres. It is unlikely that you'll ever use this.
