A rising number of University of Hawaiʻi students and employees are using the new Skyline rail system and TheBus to escape Oʻahu’s congested roadways. UH riders are taking advantage of exclusive, discounted fares on Honolulu’s integrated public transit system to commute to and from UH West Oʻahu, Leeward Community College and UH Mānoa.
Leeward CC student Betty C. Hill, who lives in ʻEwa, uses the rail line three times a week in combination with a brief bus ride.
“The quickness of getting from Waipahu to Leeward in like five minutes and the reliability of the rail coming every ten minutes has also made me get to campus earlier, perfect for my 9 a.m. class,” said Hill.
The first phase of Skyline currently takes passengers across nine rail stations between East Kapolei and Hālawa near Aloha Stadium. All Skyline stations, excluding Honouliuli, Hoʻopili, and Hālaulani, have bus stops and connectivity, providing commuters with convenient options.
- Related UH News story: UH campuses prepare for Skyline launch, June 2023
Skyline has been a game changer for Tom Hirsbrunner, a Title IX coordinator at Leeward CC, who hops on at the Keoneʻae station near UH West Oʻahu four to five times a week.
“It is much less stressful riding the rail,” said Hirsbrunner. “Plus, it saves gas, money and vehicle maintenance on my car. Another benefit is the opportunity to exercise by walking to and from the rail station to my final destination.”
Since June 2023, Skyline has transported more than 614,800 riders along its initial 10.75-mile route. UH’s West Oʻahu campus and Leeward CC are conveniently served by two Skyline stations, Keoneʻae and Hālaulani, with Hālaulani registering a daily average of around 200 passengers on weekdays and Keoneʻae exceeding 400 daily riders. While Hālaulani exclusively caters to Leeward CC, Keoneʻae’s diverse ridership includes residents from nearby areas utilizing the 304-stall park-and-ride.
Transit options to-and-from UH campuses
UH West Oʻahu
- Keoneʻae UH West Oʻahu Skyline Station
- TheBus Routes 40, 46, 416, 461, 95, 99, C
- Park-and-ride lot
- UH West Oʻahu parking lot
- Multimodal path (bike, walk, micromobility)
Leeward Community College
- Hālaulani Leeward CC Skyline Station
- Parking lot
Honolulu Community College
- TheBus Route 9, 40, 42, 43, C, 51, 52
UH Mānoa
- TheBus Route A, 4, 6, 13, 18
- Parking lot
- Bicycle lanes
- Biki
Kapiʻolani Community College
- TheBus Route 2, 3, 9, 23, 24, 2L
- Biki
Windward Community College
- TheBus Route 61
Discounted fare for students
Skyline fares follow the same structure as TheBus and require riders to have an active HOLO card loaded with funds to board. The cards can be used on the rail and bus. Each first tap will come with transfers, free within the next 2.5 hours.
The university’s U-Pass program offers UH students a pass to ride Skyline or TheBus at a reduced rate. Students with a valid UH identification card can purchase a U-Pass each semester. Depending upon the specific UH campus, the U-Pass fee is already covered by the student activity fee and available at no additional cost.
U-Pass options by campus
More Skyline stations planned
Come 2025, the next phase of Skyline will transport passengers from Makalapa near Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam to Kahauiki which stops at the Kalihi Transit Center on Middle Street. The third segment is scheduled to open in 2031 stretching from Mokauea in Kalihi to Kaʻākaukukui Civic Center station in Kakaʻako.
