Pearl Harbor Tours from HonoluluBus to Pearl Harbor From Waikiki: Every Way to Get There
Taking a bus to Pearl Harbor from Waikiki costs $3 with TheBus, but the right stop matters because the old westbound stop is closed. This guide covers all four ways to get to the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center from Waikiki and Honolulu: TheBus routes 20 and 42, driving and parking, taxis and ride-shares, and Skyline. It also explains what each option cannot do, such as reaching the Battleship Missouri by car. If you would rather let someone handle the transport, a guided tour such as the Pearl Harbor USS Arizona Memorial Tour includes Waikiki hotel pickup. Compare it with Pearl Harbor tours from Honolulu before you decide.
A TheBus city bus at a Honolulu stop. Photo: 123TheBusHonolulu6969, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Quick answer How to get to Pearl Harbor
TheBus route 42 from Kuhio Avenue in Waikiki is the cheapest way to Pearl Harbor, at a cash fare of $3, and the National Park Service puts the drive from Waikiki at about 45 minutes. Routes 20 and 42 both serve the memorial, but the westbound stop #4322 is closed, so riders use stop #477 at Kamehameha Highway/Kalaloa Street. Driving costs $7 per day for parking, paid by credit card.
Key takeaways
- TheBus cash fare is $3 with no transfers. A HOLO card costs $2 and its $3 single fare includes 2.5 hours of transfers, capped at $7.50 per day. Details in the TheBus section.
- Compare all the options side by side in Four Ways to Get There.
- If you want transport and tickets handled together, the Pearl Harbor USS Arizona Memorial Tour includes Waikiki hotel pickup for $51 per person.
- Taking TheBus is half the trip. What to do at the site is in the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center guide.
Four Ways to Get There
Waikiki sits about 11 miles from the Battleship Missouri by the Missouri's own count, and the National Park Service puts the drive from Waikiki to the visitor center at about 45 minutes through Honolulu traffic. The figures below come from TheBus fare pages, the National Park Service directions page and the sites themselves.
The Four Options Compared
Each way to reach the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center from Waikiki has a different price and a different catch. The bus is the cheapest, driving gives you the most control over your day, and a taxi or ride-share drops you at the door without parking worries. The costs here come from TheBus, the National Park Service and the Pearl Harbor Historic Sites plan page.
Note one limit that applies to three of the options: taxis and ride-shares must drop passengers at the visitor center, not at the Missouri or the Aviation Museum, and Skyline does not reach Waikiki at all.
| Way | Cost | Time | Catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| TheBus routes 20 and 42 | $3 cash or $3 HOLO per ride, $7.50 day cap | Not stated | Westbound stop #4322 is closed. Use stop #477 at Kamehameha Highway/Kalaloa Street |
| Car | $7 per day parking, credit card only | About 45 minutes from Waikiki | No cash accepted in the lot. Have your licence plate ready |
| Rideshare or taxi | Not stated | About 45 minutes from Waikiki | Drop-off is at the visitor center only, never on Ford Island |
| Skyline | Not stated for this trip | Not stated | Does not reach Waikiki. Segment 3 to Civic Center is anticipated in 2031 |
Which One to Pick
Pick TheBus if you travel light and travel cheap. Each rider pays $3 cash per ride, and a HOLO card caps the whole day at $7.50 no matter how many rides you take. Pick a car if you want control over your day, but the Pearl Harbor bag policy still blocks solid backpacks at the gate. Pick a ride-share if you value door-to-door simplicity over price, but remember it can only drop and collect you at the visitor center. Skyline is not a realistic option from Waikiki yet.
There is a fifth way that skips all of this: a guided tour. The Pearl Harbor USS Arizona Memorial Tour at $51 per person includes Waikiki hotel pickup, a briefing at the visitor center and the boat ride to the USS Arizona Memorial, in 4 hours. For Pearl Harbor plus the city sights in one day, the Pearl Harbor and Honolulu City Tour at $69 adds Punchbowl and downtown Honolulu. Whichever way you arrive, the free Arizona Memorial reservation on Recreation.gov with its $1 fee is booked separately from your transport.
Taking TheBus from Waikiki
TheBus is the cheapest way to Pearl Harbor and the one most visitors ask about. Two routes serve the memorial and the fare structure is simple once you know cash and HOLO behave differently.
Routes and the Right Stop
Route 42 towards Ewa Beach is the route the Battleship Missouri itself recommends. It boards on Kuhio Avenue in Waikiki, and the Missouri's directions say to get off at the USS Arizona Memorial stop. Route 20 also serves the memorial.
Here is the catch that trips people up: the National Park Service says the westbound Arizona Memorial stop, number 4322, is closed for routes 20 and 42 until further notice. The NPS tells bus riders to board and alight at Kamehameha Highway/Kalaloa Street, stop number 477, instead. From there it is a walk to the visitor center entrance.
If you are unsure on the day, TheBus answers route and rate questions on (808) 848-4500.
Fares: Cash Versus HOLO
Cash and the HOLO card cost the same $3 per ride but work very differently. With cash you get no transfers and no change given, so each separate bus ride is another $3 in exact coins and bills. A HOLO single fare is also $3 but includes 2.5 hours of unlimited transfers, and once you hit the $7.50 day cap the card takes no more fares that day.
The card itself costs $2. Visitor passes are sold at Skyline station machines and at ABC Stores in Waikiki, and HOLO works on both TheBus and Skyline across Oahu.
| What you pay | Amount | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Cash fare | $3 | One ride, no transfers, no change given |
| HOLO single fare | $3 | One ride plus 2.5 hours of unlimited transfers |
| HOLO day cap | $7.50 | No more fares after the cap for the rest of the day |
| HOLO card | $2 | The card itself, one-time |
| 3-day pass | $20 | Three days of rides |
| 7-day pass | $35 | Seven days of rides |
Step by Step
Start early. Arizona Memorial programs run every 15 minutes from 8 am to 12 noon and from 1 pm to 3:30 pm, and the last boat leaves at 3:30 pm, so a late morning bus leaves no margin. Buy a HOLO card at an ABC Store in Waikiki the day before if you can. Walk to Kuhio Avenue and board a route 42 bus signed for Ewa Beach, or a route 20 bus. Ride west until Kamehameha Highway/Kalaloa Street, stop number 477. Do not wait for the old Arizona Memorial stop, number 4322, because it is closed westbound. Get off, cross to the visitor center side, and join the queue with your Arizona ticket reservation on your phone.
The return works in reverse. Tap your HOLO card at the same stop 477 and ride 20 or 42 east back to Waikiki. If your day includes Ford Island, no bus goes there. The free visitor center shuttle to the Missouri and the Aviation Museum leaves every 15 to 20 minutes from 8:00 am, with the last return at 5:00 pm, and you can read more in the Battleship Missouri guide.
Taking the City Bus from Waikiki to Pearl Harbor
The bus ride from Waikiki and the walk to the memorial gate. Third-party video by Very unOfficial Travel Guides. This site did not shoot it and has no relationship with the creator.
Driving and Parking
The visitor center lot sits next to the entrance on Arizona Memorial Place.
The Route from Waikiki
The NPS route from Waikiki is H-1 West to exit 15A, signed Arizona Mem./Stadium. Skip the Hickam AFB and Pearl Harbor Naval Base exits, which do not serve the visitor center. From exit 15A take HI-99, Kamehameha Highway, and turn left onto Arizona Memorial Place at the fourth traffic light. The Battleship Missouri gives the same route. The drive from Waikiki runs about 45 minutes through Honolulu traffic, so leave a margin in the morning.
The Missouri says it is about 11 miles from Waikiki. Parking at the visitor center costs $7 per day. The Ford Island sites are reached by the free shuttle from the visitor center.
How to Pay
The lot takes no cash. You pay by credit card through the QR codes posted in the lot, so have your licence plate number ready when you pay. Free parking on Ford Island itself is only for guests with Navy base access, so plan on the visitor center lot.
Arrive before the first Arizona programs if you want an early boat. Programs run every 15 minutes from 8:00 am, and the last boat leaves at 3:30 pm.
Sources: NPS directions, USS Missouri directions
An articulated TheBus New Flyer on Hotel Street in Chinatown. Photo: Musashi1600, CC BY 3.0 us, via Wikimedia Commons
From the Airport or the Cruise Terminal
Pearl Harbor sits close to Daniel K. Inouye airport, so a stop on the way to or from a flight is realistic. Cruise passengers can also join a tour that picks up at the port.
From the Airport
The drive from the airport to the visitor center takes 10 to 15 minutes, and the Battleship Missouri puts its Ford Island site about 3 miles from the airport. TheBus serves the corridor, and Skyline has an airport station, though no rail stop sits at the memorial gate, so the bus or a ride-share remains the documented way in.
If a flight lands late morning, remember the last Arizona boat departs at 3:30 pm. A same-day visit is easiest with a reservation or a tour seat. See Pearl Harbor tickets for how the free reservations are released.
Tours That Pick Up at the Airport or the Port
Most tours start in Waikiki, but a few will collect you elsewhere. The table lists the ones whose pickup covers the airport or the cruise piers, with the card price each listing gives.
| Tour | Pickup coverage | Price | Duration | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small-Group Arizona Memorial Tour | Hotel, airport or pier pickup | $100 | 4 hours | Tour page |
| Private Pearl Harbor and City Tour | Hotel or port in the Honolulu area | $233 | 4 to 5 hours | Tour page |
| Arizona and Battleship Missouri Tour | Includes Pier 2 Cruise Terminal among 16 pickup points | $156 | 6 hours | Tour page |
Sources: NPS directions, USS Missouri, operator listings
When a Tour Is Simpler
The cheapest tours cost more than the $3 bus fare, but they remove the stop change, the parking and the race for tickets at the 3 pm Recreation.gov release. The bookable options sit side by side on Pearl Harbor tours from Waikiki.
The Cheapest Tours with Hotel Pickup
All five list free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure. The $51 tour runs 4 hours with 6:30, 8:30 and 10:30 AM departures. If you want the battleship and the museums in one day, the Best of Pearl Harbor Full-Day Tour covers four sites in 10 hours for $208, and the Pearl Harbor Heroes Deluxe Tour does the same sites in 9.5 hours for $214 with lunch.
More options sit on the comparison of Pearl Harbor tours from Honolulu.
| Tour | Price | Duration | Operator |
|---|---|---|---|
| Honolulu: Pearl Harbor USS Arizona Memorial Tour | $51 | 4 hours | Pearl Harbor Tour |
| Pearl Harbor and Punchbowl Tour | $58 | 6 hours | Polynesian Adventure |
| Salute to Pearl Harbor Tour | $59 | 5 hours | E Noa Tours |
| Pearl Harbor, USS Arizona Memorial and Honolulu Deluxe Coach Tour | $59.23 | 5 hours | Star of Honolulu |
| Oahu: Pearl Harbor, USS Arizona, and City Tour | $69 | 5 hours | Roberts Hawaii |
Sources: operator listings on the booking platforms
Tips for Getting There
Do
- Do use stop #477 at Kamehameha Highway and Kalaloa Street, because the NPS says the westbound Arizona Memorial stop #4322 is closed to routes 20 and 42 until further notice.
- Do tap a HOLO card rather than paying cash, because a $3 HOLO fare includes 2.5 hours of unlimited transfers while cash buys no transfer.
- Do leave Waikiki early if you want the first Arizona boats, because programs run every 15 minutes from 8:00 am and the last boat departs at 3:30 pm.
- Do carry a credit card and your licence plate number for parking, because the $7 per day lot fee is paid by card only, through QR codes, with no cash option.
- Do bring a government photo ID if you plan to ride the Ford Island Bus Tour, because check-in requires it from the ticket buyer.
Don't
- Don't ask a taxi or Uber to drop you at the Battleship Missouri or the Aviation Museum, because ride-shares and taxis may only drop at the visitor center, from which a free shuttle runs every 15-20 minutes.
- Don't take Skyline from Waikiki, because the rail does not reach Waikiki yet, with the segment toward Civic Center anticipated in 2031.
- Don't pay the bus driver expecting change, because the $3 cash fare gives no change and no transfers.
- Don't plan a Ford Island Bus Tour on a Tuesday or Thursday, because it runs only on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 3:15 pm to 4:45 pm and can be cancelled at short notice for base security.
Getting There Questions
How much is an Uber from Waikiki to Pearl Harbor?
Ride-share and taxi fares vary, so check your app. What is fixed is that taxis and ride-shares must drop passengers at the Pearl Harbor visitor center, not at the Missouri or the Aviation Museum, and the free Ford Island shuttle from the visitor center runs every 15-20 minutes from 8:00 am. Compare ride-share costs with the fixed price of a tour such as the Honolulu: Pearl Harbor USS Arizona Memorial Tour at $51 with pickup included.
Is there a free shuttle to Pearl Harbor?
The free shuttle inside Pearl Harbor runs from the visitor center to the Battleship Missouri and the Aviation Museum on Ford Island every 15-20 minutes from 8:00 am, with the last return at 5:00 pm. There is no documented free shuttle from Waikiki. The $3 TheBus ride is the cheapest way over.
Where does the bus 42 stop near Pearl Harbor?
Ride Route 42 toward Ewa Beach from Kuhio Avenue and get off at Kamehameha Highway/Kalaloa Street, stop #477, which the NPS names as the boarding and alighting stop. The westbound USS Arizona Memorial stop #4322 is closed to routes 20 and 42 until further notice. Bag rules for the site are on the Pearl Harbor bag policy page.
Does Skyline go to Pearl Harbor from Waikiki?
No. Skyline currently runs from East Kapolei to the Kalihi Transit Center and does not reach Waikiki, with the segment toward Civic Center anticipated in 2031. The bus routes 20 and 42, a ride-share, driving, or a booked tour remain the ways in. Tour choices are compared on the Pearl Harbor tours from Honolulu homepage.
How do I get to Pearl Harbor from the airport?
The drive takes 10 to 15 minutes, and the Missouri puts the sites about 3 miles from the airport. A taxi or ride-share drops at the visitor center only. TheBus serves the corridor, and the Small-Group Arizona Memorial Tour at $100 offers airport pickup as one of its options.
Is it cheaper to take the bus or book a tour?
The bus is cheaper. The cash fare is $3 and a HOLO day caps at $7.50, while the cheapest tour with pickup starts at $51. What the tour adds is hotel pickup, a guide and the Arizona boat ride in the listing. Doing it yourself means arranging a free Recreation.gov reservation. Tickets are explained on the Pearl Harbor tickets page.