The new segment of the Skyline rail opens Thursday and with it a stop at the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport.
Travelers flying out of Honolulu should take note — the state Department of Transportation this week announced modifications to the airport's ground transportation operations in coordination with the Oct. 16 launch of the new rail section.
Here's what you should know:
— Catching an Uber, Lyft or other rideshare? Beginning Oct. 16, the DOT says that all three rideshare pickup locations at the airport will relocate from the second floor to the first.
At Terminal 1, you'll find the rideshare pickup area curbside, mauka of baggage claim 6, a Tuesday announcement from the DOT notes. At Terminal 2, two pickup areas will move to the ground-level median across from baggage claims 19/20 and 31.
— Also on Oct. 16, city bus stops along HNL's second level roadway will be replaced with a temporary bus stop on the ground level across from the lei stands, according to the DOT. A new, permanent bus stop on the ground level in front of the Skyline station is under construction.
Read more about changes to city bus routes to coincide with the new leg of the rail here.
— And for those taking pre-arranged ground transportation services such as passenger shuttles, tours and courtesy car services, the Terminal 1 pick-up and drop-off spots will move from the mauka end of the terminal to the makai end on the ground level.
The pre-arranged transportation services location across from the lei stands will close temporarily to accommodate the temporary city bus stop, the DOT notes. Meanwhile, three other existing locations for pre-arranged ground transport services — on the median across from baggage claim 16, on the east end outside of baggage claim 31 and at the consolidated rental car facility — will remain the same.
Skyline's Lelepaua airport station is located on the mauka side of Terminal 2 and connects the fourth floor of the Terminal 2 parking garage and the fourth floor by way of a pedestrian walkway on the makai side of the station, the DOT says.
Riders can also enter or exit the station from the ground level on Ala Onaona and Ala ʻAuana Streets.
You can find wayfinding maps and information about the new Skyline service and ground transportation modifications on the HNL website and HNL Airport app.
Passenger service for the new Skyline segment begins at 4 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 16.
The new 5.2-mile 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).
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).
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Stephanie Salmons can be reached at stephanie@alohastatedaily.com.
