Public Transportation (Honolulu: best cities, rent, neighborhood)

[dwells1285]

I am thinking about making the move to Honolulu. It checks a lot of boxes that I am looking for. I have been reading the traffic is really bad but the public transportation is really good. If I work in downtown Honolulu how easy is getting around the island without a car. I would love to not have to have a car. Is that possible?

[rya96797]

Yes

[oceanus]

There is a reason why the roads are clogged with cars. Not having a car in Hawaii is just not practical/convenient unless you live/work/play within a few mile radius. But what’s the point of living in Hawaii if you spend all your free time just in one neighborhood, or if you spend hours waiting/riding bus routes to see the island? Most everyone works long hours to afford to live in Hawaii, so any free time they have is extremely valuable.

If you have never lived on Oahu or in Hawaii, I would highly recommend you read some books on moving to Hawaii before you commit to it. Vacationing in Hawaii is not the same as living here. It is not all sunshine and rainbows.

[unlabeled]

I don't keep a car here. It's easy to occasionally rent one for a few days to quickly venture out of Honolulu or stock up on bulky items, and I've had good experiences with the buses and taxis.

[whtviper1]

Public transportation is terrible here. People do it because they have no other choice.

You’ll tire of standing waiting for a bus in the rain since most stops aren’t covered then you’ll tire of standing sweating on the bus with all the other people sweating.

[pj737]

Originally Posted by whtviper1

Public transportation is terrible here. People do it because they have no other choice.

You’ll tire of standing waiting for a bus in the rain since most stops aren’t covered then you’ll tire of standing sweating on the bus with all the other people sweating.

While I don't use public transportation, if I decided to use it because of preference or need, I'd much rather use it in a place like Honolulu than any other city in the country. You complain about the occasional rain and heat. How is this any worse than the searing humidity and heat and deep freezing cold in other areas of the US? Our climate is literally the most temperate in the nation. Obviously you don't like public transportation period. Not your cup of tea but there are countless millions that prefer it over driving. If you don't want to own a car, Honolulu is one of the best cities in the nation to do so.

[hotzcatz]

If you work and live in downtown Honolulu, then it's all good! If you have to take public transportation for very long to get to work, well, then it's not so good.

I had a fairly short commute and a motorcycle, that worked pretty well. Did get rather wet when it rained, but at that age, I didn't care all that much. I also was self employed, so if my boss didn't like me showing up wet, I woulda had to have fired myself.

But, the traffic is terrible so I eventually moved closer to work so I could walk or bicycle if I wanted. IMHO, Hawaii is really well suited for folks who can work from home. Saves tons of traffic issues.

[whtviper1]

Originally Posted by pj737

Not your cup of tea but there are countless millions that prefer it over driving. If you don't want to own a car, Honolulu is one of the best cities in the nation to do so.

Im happy to use public transportation. Best in the nation? Really?

Hmmm, I suppose you haven’t tried Max in Portland, BART in Bay Area, NYC subways, Chicago rail or subways, etc.

Standing room only on a sweaty bus, no thanks. Best in the nation. No.

[Bobdreamz]

Isn't Honolulu building a train system?

[unlabeled]

Originally Posted by Bobdreamz

Isn't Honolulu building a train system?

Yes, it's scheduled for completion in 2025.