When the second segment of Skyline opens to the public on Thursday, commuters should also take note of changes to TheBus route that coincide with new leg of the rail system.
The 5.2 miles stretch of new guideway runs from Aloha Stadium to the Middle Street Transit Center and has four new stations: Makalapa (Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam), Lelepaua (Daniel K. Inouye International Airport), Āhua (Lagoon Drive) and Kahauiki (Middle Street Transit Center).
Passenger service for the new segment begins at 4 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 16. Riders must use a loaded HOLO card with fare or valid pass in order to board. A single ride for an adult is $3. Find more about fares here.
The first segment of the rail opened in June 2023 and spans just under 11 miles from East Kapolei to Aloha Stadium. This section includes the rail's first nine stations: Kaualakaʻi (East Kapolei), Keoneʻae (University of Hawai‘i-West Oʻahu), Honouliuli (Hoʻopili), Hōʻaeʻae (West Loch), Pouhala (Waipahu Transit Center), Hālaulani (Leeward Community College), Waiawa (Pearl Highlands), Kalauao (Pearlridge), and Hālawa (Aloha Stadium).
But new and modified bus routes, which also take effect Oct. 16, aim to "improve connectivity between Skyline, TheBus and key destinations across O‘ahu," a recent announcement from the City and County of Honolulu's Department of Transportation Services noted.
Here's what you should know:
New routes
— The new A Line provides frequent, limited-stop service between the Āhua station on Lagoon Drive and the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. It replaces the discontinued Route A CityExpress! that ran between Pearlridge and the university.
According to DTS, the segment between Pearlridge and Center Drive will be discontinued but will still be served by routes 40, 42 and 51, as well as Skyline.
The route travels Lagoon Drive, Nimitz Highway, Vineyard Boulevard, Liliha Street, King and Beretania streets, Kapiʻolani Boulevard and University Avenue.
The A Line runs from 4:15 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. daily, every 10 minutes during peak hours, 15 minutes during off-peak hour and 20 minutes on weekends.
— The new U Line offers "expedited weekday service" between the Āhua station and UH Mānoa via the freeway.
This route travels Lagoon Drive, Nimitz Highway, H-1 freeway, University Avenue, Dole Street, St. Louis Drive, Wai‘alae Avenue and Kapiʻolani Boulevard, running every 60 minutes from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays, with two additional eastbound trips in the morning and two westbound trips in the afternoon during peak hours.
— The new W Line offers frequent, limited-stop service between Daniel K. Inouye International Airport and Waikīkī. It replaces the discontinued Route 20 between Waikīkī and Aloha Stadium.
The new route travels Ala Onaona Street, Aolele Street, Lagoon Drive, Nimitz Highway, Ala Moana Boulevard, Kalākaua Avenue, Kūhiō Avenue, Ohua Avenue and Kapahulu Avenue.
DTS says that Skyline replaces the former Route 20 segment between the Aloha Stadium station and the airport station, but the Iwilei Road segment remains served by Route 7. Meanwhile, Downtown segments continue to be served by existing routes along King, Beretania and Hotel streets.
The W Line runs from 4:15 a.m. to 2 a.m. the next day, running every 10 minutes during peak times, 15 minutes in off-peak times and 30 minutes after 7 p.m.
— The new Route 331 connects the Makalapa (Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam) station and Hickam Air Force Base and other military facilities. It replaces the discontinued Route 303 (Hickam-Airport-Kalihi Transit Center). Military ID is required.
The route runs every 65 minutes from 5:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. on weekdays and every 35 minutes from 6:15 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekends.
The former Route 303 segment between the Kalihi Transit Center, the airport and Hickam will now be served by Skyline, DTS notes.
Modified routes
— PH8 now offers "direct, faster service" between the Makalapa station and the Naval Shipyard, DTS says, noting that discontinued service areas are now covered by Routes PH1, PH2, PH3, PH4, PH6 and PH7, while the discontinued Hickam AFB segments are replaced by the new Route 331.
The route runs from 5:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., every 10 minutes during peak hours and every 65 minutes off-peak.
— Route 40, Honolulu-Mākaha, and Route 42, ‘Ewa Beach-Waikīkī, have been modified to serve the Āhua station, adding new service along Ualena Street and Ohohia Street and discontinuing stops on Nimitz Highway between Ohohia Street and Lagoon Drive. Hours and frequency remain the same.
— Route 42, Waipahu-Waiawa, has been extended to serve the Waiawa Pearl Highlands Skyline station. Hours and frequency are the same.
— Route 51, Honolulu-Wahiawā, also will serve the Āhua station on Lagoon Drive via Ualena Street and Ohohia Street, discontinue stops on Nimitz Highway between Ohohia Street and Lagoon Drive, and extend to serve the Waiawa Skyline station. Hours and frequency are unchanged.
— Route 46, Kapolei Commons to UH West O‘ahu, remains unchanged but hours have been extended from 3:45 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. and will now run every 15 minutes.
You can find TheBus routes and timetables here. The Skyline schedule can be found here.
To celebrate the new rail expansion, Skyline, TheBus and TheHandi-Van will be free to ride from 4 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 18, and Sunday, Oct. 19. Riders, though, will still have to tap their HOLO cards at station gates or when boarding TheBus, DTS says, but no fare will be deducted.
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Stephanie Salmons can be reached at stephanie@alohastatedaily.com.
