Planning Your Trip to Oahu - Honolulu, Waikiki and Oahu - page 359

BY AIRPORT SHUTTLE Shuttle vans operate 24 hours a day, every day of the year, between the
airport and all 350 hotels and condos in Waikiki. The cheapest shuttle service is Airport
WaikikiExpress ( & 800/831-5541; www.robertshawaii.com/airport-shuttle ), with 24-hour
service in air-conditioned vans for just $9 from the airport to Waikiki ($15 round-trip). You
can board with two pieces of luggage and a carry-on at no extra charge; surfboards and bi-
cycles are prohibited for safety reasons. Tips are welcome.
BY BUS TheBus ( & 808/848-4500; www.thebus.org ) is by far the cheapest way to get to
Waikiki—a one-way fare is $2.50 (exact change only)—but you've got to be traveling light
to use it. You can board TheBus with a carry-on or small suitcase as long as it fits under the
seat and doesn't disrupt other passengers. TheBus nos. 19 and 20 (Waikiki Beach and Ho-
tels) run from the airport to downtown Honolulu and Waikiki (travel time: 1 hr.). The first
bus from Waikiki to the airport is at 4:55am on weekdays and 5:10am on weekends; the last
bus departs the airport for Waikiki at 1:22am on weekdays, 1:24am on weekends. Two bus
stops are on the main terminal's upper level; a third is on the second level of the interisland
terminal. See for more information on TheBus.
GETTING AROUND
By Car
To rentacar in Hawaii, you must be at least 21 years of age and have a valid U.S. or interna-
tional driver's license and credit card. The average nondiscounted, unlimited-mileage rate for
a 1-day rental for a midsize car in Honolulu was $44 to $67 in 2011.
At Honolulu International Airport, you'll find most major rental-car agencies, including
Avis ( & 800/321-3712; www.avis.com ) , Budget ( & 800/527-0700; www.budget.com ), Dollar
( & 800/800-4000; www.dollar.com ), Enterprise ( & 800/325-8007; www.enterprise.com ), Hertz
( & 800/654-3011; www.hertz.com ), National ( & 800/227-7368; www.nationalcar.com ) , and
Thrifty ( & 800/367-2277; www.thrifty.com ) . It's almost always cheaper to rent a car at the air-
port than in Waikiki or through your hotel (unless there's one already included in your pack-
age deal); however, it's best to book in advance.
We no longer recommend Alamo, which tends to overbook their cars. Despite confirmed
reservations, many loyal Frommer's readers have been forced to wait 1 to 2 hours at the start
of their vacation (after sitting on an airplane for 5-plus hours) for cars to be returned.
Hawaii is a no-fault state, which means that if you don't have collision-damageinsurance,
you are required to pay for all damages before you leave the state, whether or not the accident
was your fault. Your personal car insurance back home may provide rental-car coverage; read
your policy or call your insurer before you leave home. Bring your insurance identification
card if you decline the optional insurance, which usually costs from $12 to $20 a day. Obtain
the name of your company's local claim representative before you go. Some credit card com-
panies also provide collision-damage insurance to customers; check with yours before you
rent.