Reasonable and Easy to Navigate A bus pass for those with a medicare card is only two dollars and a dollar for a one way fare. I love how it easy to navigate and the drivers are helpful compared to those at home and most of the announcements are automated. read more

You have to hand it to Honolulu bus drivers, and their "The Bus" transit system in general. They get A TON of tourists, who don't have a clue where they are going, and TheBus does get everyone around, local or tourist. TheBus is a bargain, generally clean and tidy, the drivers for the most part patient and pleasant. I was told a few times that I was waiting on the wrong side of the street, for the wrong bus, looking in the wrong direction. Sigh....Told all of this patiently, and courteously told to cross the street instead and which bus would take me where I wanted to go. The last trip to Oahu I took the #43 from Ala Moana Blvd out to Aloha Stadium which was a 1-hour ride. The driver was very patient, calling out stops like Pearl Harbour Memorial, and pointing out to passengers where to cross the street. He told me exactly where to walk, cross the highway, and wait for the return ride back to Honolulu at a particular stop ~ also alternative buses that would also take me back to Honolulu. It was, of course, stinking hot, so the air-con in the buses was a much welcome relief. No sitting, sweating and sticking to the benches here. For I believe $2.50, The Bus will take you anywhere you want to go, around the whole island of Oahu even, without the hassle of a rental car. Try it, it's not too bad at all and for the price, you can't beat it. read more

I took the bus from the cruise ship terminal from Honolulu to Waikiki beach and back. The bus drivers were helpful and they were not bothered when I asked questions while they were driving. The bus tickets are the thin flimsy old school newspaper material that the bus driver had to rip from their ticket holder that were used in buses in Vancouver until the late 90's, which is great for nostalgia, but they're also soft so you won't cut cuts from the paper. The bus also has an automated voice system so you know the bus' location while it's travelling on the roads. $2.50 for adults. Seniors will need a proper U.S. Medicare card to get $1.00 senior rate. read more

I love The Bus! The drivers are friendly, the buses are clean and the rides are cheap. And each paid ride comes with one free transfer. One bus driver was kind enough to let me board even after some of the coins I was depositing spilled on the floor and I wasn't able to come up with the exact fare. Either that or she just wanted me to sit down so she could get moving again. The buses are very busy in the mornings filling up mainly with people going to work and kids going to school. But everyone is courteous and makes room for new passengers. read more

NOT always on time. Time schedules are loosely approximate. This is the cheapest way to get around. For $2.50 each way, you can go from Waikiki to Hanauma bay, or from Waikiki to Ala Moana or your favorite dessert shop. I learned that the "Transfer ticket" is a great way to save $2.50-5.00 depending on your bus driver, and the time of day. Use this ticket to go from place to place or even make a round trip within an allotted time period. Bus drivers are super helpful in telling you where you need to get off if you ask them or tell them where you need to go. read more

Cheap and reliable. I really wasn't a huge fan of Honolulu, but TheBus is definitely a way to get around, if you don't mind walking a little bit too. Very few tourists, since they mostly stay in Waikiki. If I visited again though, I'd probably rent, even though it'd end up costing more, but it'd be a lot quicker and more flexible about where it goes. My main caveat is to be careful on evening outings, since it can get dark very quickly at this latitude. read more

I would give the drivers of The Bus 5 stars!! Because they themselves are awesome! Friendly and community oriented!! But as a bus system they fall to a 1 star. There is a lack of structure, accountability, and customer service. Buses consistently leave stops early or arrive 10-12/15 minutes before the time scheduled. As a taxpayer and someone who uses the bus daily it can be frustrating. But the company's customer service agents, instead of understanding, rather focus on blaming the rider for not being there even earlier than 10minutes or not calling the hotline or for using the app provided by the city or for trusting the scheduled times also provided by the city. I have never written a bad review and honestly I hate yelp but this has been so erratically consistent since moving to Hawaii that honestly I'm simply very frustrated. And when I have reached out to the The Bus's customer service agents, there seems to be a lack of wanting to try to work with the customer and more of a judgment for using the bus. From someone who has been taking public transport for the majority of her life in cities from Seattle to New York, timing and frequency are key. All I ask is for the buses to attempt to be at their stops within a few minutes of the scheduled time. To understand that when you only provide a bus every 30mins to please attempt to respect the people who are trying to use this service because of financial or other reasons. There is a trickle effect because the following bus is then late and crowded as it is picking up the people who missed the previous bus. Hawai'i is amazing and beautiful yet traffic is awful. Yet, if there was a structured and reliable bus system then more people may use it as a form of commuting taking drivers off the road, limiting the amount of traffic deaths, and reducing our carbon footprint so we can malama ka aina. The effects would ripple through the quality of life in Hawaii! If Hawai'i prides itself on being a community then malama kou ohana e aina read more

I am a frequent rider of TheBus and most of the times I have no problem or issues. Most of the Bus drivers are friendly, although there are a few that have no sense of customer service. Buses are in good condition and almost always pretty clean. The price is rather cheap, $2.50 with two transfers included. But remember to ask for a transfer because some bus drivers won't hand them out unless you ask. If you ride it a lot, it's $60/month. If you want, you can also take the bus around the island and even go to beaches far away from the Waikiki area. There is an app that you can use to find bus stops and track buses. It does what it needs to do, but could definitely use an update. For the crazy amount of people driving on Oahu, TheBus is reliable and gets me to where I want to go in a timely manner. read more

5 Stars These guys are off the hook!!! from the lady that answered the phone at 808-848-5555 and helped me figure out how to get where I needed to w/ the bus.........to the bus driver that made sure I didn't miss my stop. I havfen't been on a bus or used public transportation in more than 10 years......and thought it was going to be a headache, but they made it very easy. read more

Friendly public transportation. The app definitely needs some work to make it more user friendly to those new to the area. Bus driver gave us great advice on how to get where we needed to be, what bus to catch on the way back, etc $2.50 to ride, includes two transfers. be sure to ask for your transfer ticket, although they do tend to assume you need one when you are paying with cash. every bus we used was clean and well maintained read more

Bus drivers are really nice. I don't know how many times I've been running for the bus and they've seen me and stopped. The mobile phone app DaBus is excellent too. You can look for the number of the bus stop you are standing at, search on it in the app, and find out when the next bus is coming. Most of the busses have GPS, so you can track exactly where the bus is. You can also search for nearly bus stops and save your favorite bus stops. I wish you could unsave a bus stop from the favorites list. The busses are generally clean, and generally on time. Rider are generally polite. read more

After a childhood of being subjected to The Bus, I can justifiably say this transit system sucks. The only way I could see The Bus getting rated the nation's best transit system at one point is if it was based on a three block radius in Waikiki, where buses actually do run frequently--for tourists. I can't even count how many times: -it's taken me two and a half hours to get somewhere that's a forty-five minute drive away -waited at the bus stop for over an hour -took an unexpected detour and got dropped off in Kalihi with no explanation or directions on where to go -I've been stranded because the bus stops at outrageously early times (6pm in Waialua) The latest bus stops around 10pm. Connecting buses blow, and if you do have to connect, add another at least forty-five minutes of waiting. Expect to be late for work, or give yourself at least three hours advance to be sure you make it. At least it's air conditioned. read more

The biggest problem with The Bus is the unreliability and the lack of coordination. I attempted to use it to commute from Waikiki to Downtown. The first taste of bad service was attempting to bus a bus pass at 7 Eleven. They were out of them, and since I didn't want to go all the way to Kalahi I had to made sure I had dollars and quarters. Second problem is the lack of reliability I often had to wait 10-15 for the bus after the scheduled time and sometimes there would be two buses with the same destination right behind each other. Also during rush hour getting a seat is likely not going to happen. Finally the speed of taking the bus versus walking is not a different as you would think. According to Google it takes 38 minutes on the bus (and walking to and from the stops) and one hour and seven minutes walking. Plus by walking I save $5 per day and get a little exercise. For people without time sensitivity, I think the bus works better and of course for places not within walking distance like North Shore the bus is much cheaper (but much longer) than private transportation. read more

I personally hate using The Bus, but was forced to ride it to get to certain places when I had no car. For one, you better bring a beach chair for the wait, especially when there is no seating at the bus stop. You should also bring an umbrella in case it rains and you're at a stop with no cover.. When you get on the bus, you better practically run to a seat or grab to the bar fast because they do NOT wait for anything, the drivers will whip you down without even getting up from their chair.. If you are just 5 seconds (even if they DO see you running) late for the bus, you are just better not running because some will wait to you get close enough and then they shut the door and leave you. The Bus plainly sucks..You are better off riding a bike or walking...Or make friends who have cars. The women bus drivers are usually okay and helpful. Male ones... well... you get the picture.. Couple more things. Courtesy: For the courtesy of others, please, for gods sake, at least take a shower or learn the power of deodorant before riding the bus..If not, least try to keep your arms down and not on the top bar while your standing above someone.. We'd like to breathe also without passing out.. Please allow the elderly, pregnant, ones with babies and the handicapped have the seats. read more

TheBus can get you to just about anywhere on the island of Oahu and for so very little, approximately $2.50 one way. If you pay Cash, Be sure to have EXACT change and ask for a "Transfer". It will be a paperlike voucher and good for about 2 hours to transfer onto another bus or to go back where you started from. If you're there for a few days and will be totally dependent upon the Bus, then purchase the visitor pass good for 4 days and approximately $25.00 which provides Unlimited usage for regular and Express! service during a four (4) consecutive day period. Their website is very informational and navigational. read more

"DaBus" App makes traveling on TheBus fool proof. I never have to wait or guess when my bus will come. They have it down like an exact science!!! Too bad smart phones didn't exist 15 years ago... One star reduction because every now and then there are some passengers that have pungent body odor. read more

I took the bus to and from the mall from Waikiki. Easy. Convenient. Safe. A-OK. read more

Don't take The Bus Route A. I went to Farrington high school today at 345pm. I caught bus 826 the A route bus and got on downtown on N.Beretania In front of Honolulu Park Place near Nuuanu Avenue. It's been many years since I rode the bus since this time I had to pick up my car from the mechanics shop in Kalihi, I needed a bus ride. I forgot the bus fare and how much it cost. I asked the driver is it still $2.75 sir? He never answered me after I asked twice. He was outright rude. I replied"thank you". As I got up to get off the bus, the bus was in traffic. I could not tell if this driver was planning on stopping at the next stop about 25 yards to the right since the A route makes limited stops. This bus does not stop at every bus stop. I asked him If he was planning on stopping at the next stop up ahead, he replied, sure looks a stop to me doesn't it? Is that a bus stop up ahead? I told him, certainly looks like one to me sir, but are you stopping at that one? Him: no reply. He was just about to open the door when I told him that I was once a HandyVan Driver which is owned and operated by the same company as a TheBus and I still know many of the corporate decision makers there, boy did his attitude change fast!, From being sarcastic, not giving a rip about answering his passengers questions to finally mr nice guy! I will Never ride bus 826 Route A, goes through Beretania up past Farmington HS at that hour again. Glad my car is ready to be picked up tomorrow from the shop. read more

This morning at 608, I KNOW the bus driver for the 42 saw me running to the bus stop from the light after Makamae street & I was already more than halfway from the bus stop I WAS WEARING A BRIGHT PINK BACKPACK FOR GOD SAKES. I KNOW YOU SAW that I was running to the lady that was also waiting for the same bus LET ALONE I'M ONLY 4 FEET 11 INCHED MEANING SHORT LEGS!!! PLUS I KNOW YOU WAS STEPPING ON THE GAS!!! Speed limit is 25 mph!!! Wasn't more than 3 feet away & when the bus got to the bus stop, the lady boarded the bus AND saw that I was coming to her to also board the bus BUT as soon as she got on & I was close to her 1.5 feet away, the bus fucken just goes!!! What a fucken prick!!! Passengers on that bus even saw me running & could read their lips saying that was fucked up! Trust & believe I WILL leave a NASTY complaint once I get to the supervisor. Don't give 2 fucks! The 51 straight after this damn bus. Luckily this bus driver ACTUALLY waits for passengers who look like they're trying to catch the bus. Fuckers like the 42 this morning DOESNT! UNFUCKEN REAL!!! read more

I have ridden this bus five times and it has run me over once. On the way to the airport, a belligerent passenger caused a disturbance and I was thrown off the bus. I had to pedal my bike on the freeway to the airport and take a later flight. That bus driver was a jerk. I took the bus to the North Shore and back and it went well. It was a two hour ride each way though. I also took the bus back from Sandy Beach to Kakaako and I met an interesting Canadian lady. However, when Bus 13 hit me at the corner of King and Punchbowl, it made me really upset. They denied responsibility too. They won't even fix my bike and I had all sorts of open wounds. The ambulance came and the Bus gave me the videos on CD of me getting run over and they still said it wasn't their fault. If you ride this bus or see it coming, good luck. You might want to run the other way. read more

Excellent means of transportation and nearly all the bus drivers were ultra friendly and helpful. I wish I had more time to explore, would have loved to have taken the 52 or 55 to circle around the island. Generally $2.50 for an adult each way; remember to ask for a bus transfer... however please keep in mind that for $25 you can get an unlimited 4 day pass; very economical if you stay there 4 days. read more

Siting in brand new bus model. They should call it Guantanamo express, it's freezing in there, the AC apparently only has only two settings , full power and off. And at night the new interior lighting alternates every few minutes between half off and flood light level brightness when at a bus stop. It virtually burns the retina of its passengers. Who designed this? Obviously someone without any knowledge of ergonomics. Bus in question, line 19, bus #713. read more

I'm weird about about having to pay ridiculous amounts for hotel parking, so this means that I get around by transit and cabs on many holidays. TheBus is a pretty good system! There's a 4-day $25 pass for tourists that you can buy in the ABC Stores in Waikiki and it's really convenient. The bus drivers here are friendlier than in most cities and helpful regarding the routes... I just wish someone had told us about the B and E express buses earlier! Would have saved a lot of time if we walked to a stop for one of those instead when heading out of town! We used it to go to Koko Head, Makapu'u Point, Waikele Premium Outlets, and to the Dole Plantation. I've used it to go to the PCC before too. Handy to get around within Honolulu too. read more

Hawaii is where it's at in terms of public transportation! It is $2.50 to go anywhere, wanna go around the entire island? You can do it for $2.50! You are given a transfer for return fare which can be used once and I think expires after about 2.5 hours. There is a lot of buses going every different direction some not as frequently then others but it's cheap so it's usually worth the wait. Buses were all clean and air conditioned and the drivers ranged from only as polite as they need to be to super friendly. I also met a previous employee of TheBus and they treat their employees very well which is good to hear. read more

We only took The Bus to Diamond Head, because we were afraid of the lengthy route times. No trouble at all! A perfectly viable option if timing is not of the essence. For those of you not painfully aware, buses stop a lot so it takes a WHILE to get somewhere. read more

Third time in a week that a bus has been really early/late and will skip over me even when I'm at the right stop. This is getting absurd. Is it a race thing lmao read more

The bus is $2.50 but they have an all day ticket/pass that can be used and transferred from one bus to another. The driver was rude and confrontational but thankfully when I reported it to management they took care of it immediately with a follow up letter. I appreciated their prompt response and the manner in which the situation was handled! read more

The transit system of Oahu Island, called the "BUS"...hhhmmmm...first let's thouroughly examined the drivers of this transit lines. We've ridden the #2, #5, #8, #20, #42 and #45 and with that bus experience I would consider myself a qualified individual to analyze and rate these antagonastic human beings.. Yes, I do believed the transit system is very cheap (in Honolulu, $2.50 per person for a round trip); however, 95% of these drivers are probably wearing their underwear a tiny bit too small because they were rude, abusive and confrontational with the non-locals. Either they were "deaf" or/and "mute" for they were reluctant to assist lost passengers; some of them have forgotten that their job is the forefront of customer service for the island of Oahu. Out-of-Towners brings revenue to their island as well as the neighboring islands...which makes the entire state of Hawaii very prosperous. We did find a very courteous woman driver for Bus #42; I forgot to get her name but she was a petite Filipino/Hawaiian/Chinese woman; she would go out of her way to make sure we would transfer to the right bus line; my family owe her a deep gratitude for her prompt customer service. read more

I have a love/hate relationship with TheBus. I have had very bad experiences here but also some good ones. My last one was great. Easy ride from Waikiki to Ala Moana. Only $2.50 a person plus transfer tickets to use before two hours...easy. Cheap. My favorite things. Nuff said! read more

I usually take the bus for transportation and I AM UPSET THAT HE DIDNT STOP AND MY STOP BY THE DILLINGHAM 7-11 AND KEPT ON GOING LIKE WHAT THE FUCK AND MY BOYFRIEND AND I GOT IN THE 40 bus 864 at 12:20pm and didn't stop until we reach costco and I looked at the place where it has stop requested and it was red and I'm disappointed never in my life that happens when I'm on the bus read more

Don't take the bus very often but yesterday I took the bus from Waikiki to Kaimuki. Very convienent that you can get one transfer. I was lucky that I had a seat on both of my buses I took. The only thing I didn't like was that the a/c was so cold at the very back seats. www.thebus.org is very helpful for bus numbers and times, also shows you where to get off and transfer to next bus. read more

This is my first experience riding the bus during the night around 10PM. Got stuck at Waipahu Transit Center due to the driver "waiting for the next driver to drive the bus for his shift". 20 long minutes, until the driver realized that the next bus driver was a few feet toward. He drives the bus for a second or two and than says "Ok. Have a good night guys. " the driver should have definitely been more professional, and he said it in a very sarcastic way. Your drivers during the night shift definitely have to be more precise and time-coordinated so it's customers (us passengers) get to our destination on time. By wasting those 20 minutes, I could have missed the last bus going into my neighborhood and walked 20 minutes on a long deserted road with my baby. Us passengers relay on The Bus to be precise and follow a certain schedule or timetable. When one person is off, then the whole schedule is off. The person did not know that the driver was waiting a few feet away, seriously? Don't work the night shift if you can't focus! And don't say "Good Night" in a sarcastic way for your mistake. I will never ride the bus during the night again, such a horrible experience. read more

YES, in my notes I have been writing 'took Da Bus to lunch'.... Sounds like it has unofficially been re-named by many of us! $2.50, flat rate, takes you ALL over the island!?!?! Frickin cool. Transfer- can be used once officially. Sometimes the driver doesnt even want to take it from your hands, you just toss it into a plastic baggie. Sometimes the driver gave me a handwave and let me use it again. Clean, hassle free, courteous drivers (for the most part)- ie, unlike SF Muni, drivers didn't try to accelerate while I was still standing with a toddler. Time-wise, the buses ran ok.. google maps didnt 100% agree on when the next bus was to arrive, but never waited longer than 10 minutes at any stop. More than I can say for MUNI... When in Waikiki... Hotel parking runs $18-36/day if not more... So... I would rent a car for the days you are going to the North Shore and other outings, but for most of the time, just take Da Bus!! Less stressful and honestly? Faster to any local waikiki destinations! Those parking structures can take 10 minutes to even get out of if you are stuck at the very top level... read more

Rude bus drivers especially in the Wakikki area, they are always mean and yelling at tourists.

Routes 19 and 20 need some serious work on them!! I've been passed by more times than I can count and even told a bus was full so I had to wait for the next one. It had less people and I was still passed up. THIS NEEDS TO CHANGE BEFORE OTHER ACTION IS TAKEN BY RIDERS!!! read more

The bus operators are excellent and patient with uncivilized busholes. They're safe and contentious, especially in this constantly horrid traffic. Taking off 1 star for the unreliability of HEA. Paper schedules and the main website are the most reliable. read more

This is a review for the pilot program that hawaii would like to try and implement. It is called the holo card. The website is not that great and it is unclear where you can get a card. When you find information it gives you locations. If you go to that location they do not sell the cards and to reload at that site does not work. Please put some effort in this program if you really want it to work. If not then dont waste tax payers money. read more

Hats off to the Bus Drivers ! Safe & Friendly. Come on, its a good ride for $ 2.50 ! Be thankful. We love riding the bus. It has taken us all over the island , for many years. And great service. read more

Does your DRIVERS generally drive 65-70 mph on the freeway and to drive past the yellow line close to the center divider wall such as to kick up debris and gravel to cars behind them? I find it very unsafe! You management need to instruct your drivers on safety! I give a negative star if it was available! read more

Public transportation is sometimes one of the best ways to see a new place and TheBus is no exception. If you've got the time and patience you can even ride around the entire island of O'ahu for only $2.50. I didn't opt for that but I did use TheBus to get just about everywhere I went during my visit. All of the drivers I encountered were helpful and friendly and made sure to announce any nearby popular attractions during stops. If you want to know when the next bus is arriving at a particular location all you have to do is go to http://hea.thebus.org and put in the number of the stop and you'll instantly get a list of numbers and times of arrival. If you select a specific bus number then you'll get the times it stops there for the rest of the day. How awesome is that? Definitely do some research and plan your route because if you go someplace far afield and don't take an express you might end up spending a lot more time getting to your destination than you'd originally planned. On the upside, if you do take a local then you get to learn how to pronounce a lot of the street names from the soothing automated bus announcer. Fares are currently $2.50 with transfers good for 3 hours. You can pick up a four-day pass for $25 (cash only) at ABC stores. read more