Transportation in Hawaii

The transportation system of Hawaiʻi uses many ways for people and things to move around. Because the islands are separated by water, many people use cars. But the state is also trying new ideas to help people walk or ride bikes more easily.

One important step came from a special case. The court said the Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) should use cars less. They should add more bus and train services. They should also build safe paths for walking and biking.

In Honolulu, a big new project started in 2023. It’s called the Skyline light rail system. This is a train that runs above the streets. It helps many people get around the city without using a car. Work is happening to make this train even bigger and reach more places.

Transit systems

Rail

Hawaiʻi once had many railroads on its larger islands. They helped move farm goods and people. Most of these railroads had narrow tracks. One famous train, called Lanakila, went from Honolulu to Mānana.

The biggest railroad was the Oahu Railway and Land Company. It helped move troops and goods during World War II. This railroad stopped running in 1947, but some tracks are still there today.

Honolulu wanted to build a new rail system since the 1960s. In the mid-2000s, plans were made for a light metro line. Construction began in 2011 and faced many delays. Finally, the Skyline rail opened in 2023.

Bus

Each major island in Hawaiʻi has a public bus system. TheBus serves Oʻahu, Hele-On serves Hawaiʻi Island and County, Maui Bus serves Maui, and The Kauai Bus serves Kauaʻi County.

Roads and freeways

Hawaii has roads that go around each main island. Only Oʻahu has federal highways and Interstate highways.

Travel can be slow because the roads are narrow and winding, and cities can get crowded.

Hawaii has important bridges and tunnels. The Admiral Clarey Bridge, also called the Ford Island Bridge, is a special floating bridge for ships. There are tunnels on Oʻahu, like the Hospital Rock Tunnels, John H. Wilson Tunnels, Nuʻuanu Pali Tunnels, and Tetsuo Harano Tunnels.

In the past, people used steamships and ferries to travel between islands. Today, there are passenger ferry services in Maui County and cruise ships that travel between the islands.

Pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure

The State of Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) has a plan to help people walk safely. They also have ideas to make streets better for walking.

HDOT makes a plan for biking every few years. The first plan came out in 1977, and they updated it many times since then. You can see a map on their website showing where people can bike.

In 2023, the Hawaii State Legislature passed Safe Routes to School legislation. This aims to make walking safer and improve sidewalks. It encourages people to walk or bike instead of using cars.

Airports

Honolulu International Airport is the main airport in Hawaiʻi. It has flights to North America, Asia, and Oceania. Airlines like Hawaiian Airlines, Mokulele Airlines, and Go! fly between big airports such as Honolulu, Līhuʻe, Kahului, Kona, and Hilo using jet planes. Smaller airports are served by Island Air and Pacific Wings. These airlines also help move goods between the islands.