Skyline, Honolulu's long-awaited rail system, will finally open to the general public at 2 p.m. today. City transit officials say to not show up before then and line up. The congestion could cause traffic jams at stations, and they are not moving the start time up.
"We want to ask everyone. The 2 p.m. time is firm. Please do not arrive early," Jon Nouchi, deputy director of Honolulu’s Department of Transportation Services, said. "But at that time, all nine stations will be available to board and we'll be operating regular service, which means Skyline trains will depart all stations every 10 minutes."
Free rides
Rides today are free and no Holo card will be needed. The trains will run until 7 p.m.
Starting Saturday and through July 4, rides will still be free, but you will need a Holo card. Transit officials said to buy them early at their retail partners and to not wait to buy them at the transit stations. While they will be available there through vending machines, there will likely be long lines.
Skyline runs from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekends and holidays, and 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Getting to the rail stations
Nine stations from Aloha Stadium to East Kapolei will be open. Park and rides are available at three stations: Keoneʻae-University of Hawaiʻi West Oʻahu, Honouliuli-Hoʻopili and Hālawa-Aloha Stadium.
Transit officials expect people will want to take the full roundtrip experience from the easternmost open rail station — Hālawa-Aloha Stadium — all the way to the end and back. In anticipation, Aloha Stadium has opened up its parking lot for rail riders. Those parking there will have to pay the stadium rate.
But don't just park in any open space. "Please respect our Skyline station neighbors and the communities and private properties, and do not park and ride using anybody's private parking," Nouchi said.
You can also go full mass transit and take TheBus to a rail station. New routes and new schedules will start running on Saturday.
Restrooms
The lack of bathroom facilities has been a concern, but Roger Morton, the director of the city's Department of Transportation Services, confirmed that all stations will have an accessible bathroom with infant changing tables. However, it will not be open access, meaning you will have to ask a station attendant for entry.
"We hope that the restrooms are available when they're needed," Morton said. "We hope that people will use them with good common sense. There's not a lot of restrooms, but they are available. And you know, if you gotta go, you gotta go."
Food, drinks and music
Just as on city buses, food and drinks are not allowed on Skyline trains, nor at stations. Amplified music and buskers are also not allowed, but that could change.
"One of the things that DTS strives to do is turn these stations into more than just stations, but to have them as resources for the community," Nouchi said. "And we will be looking at future activities at stations, which may involve music and other cultural activities, food."
Large crowds expected
"We know when there's something new — and especially if there's something new and free and something just kind of awesome to experience — Hawaiʻi people, they come out," Nouchi said. "So we anticipate having a large crush of crowds. And we want everybody to just exercise that spirit of aloha and patience."
Morton says with each train expected to carry between 300 to 350 people, and stop every 10 minutes, he estimates some 30,000 to 50,000 people could ride Skyline during the free five-day period. But he says people have told him he may be underestimating.
"My advice to people would be, you know, it's nice to be the very first one, but we have five days," Morton said. "So my guess is that the least crowded times would probably be in the afternoons on those four days after we do the grand opening."
More information
Still unsure if you want to brave the crowds? DTS officials say the best places for real-time information will be posted on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
More information can be found on their official website, honolulu.gov/skyline.
