Rent a car. At 95 miles across at its widest point, the Big Island is almost twice the combined size of every other Hawaiian island, and public transit here doesn’t come close to covering it. At 45 to 55 mph the whole way, that width takes longer to cross than the number suggests.
Even a rental has limits: most agencies won’t let their cars near Maunakea’s summit or Green Sand Beach. Below: when the bus or a taxi works without a car, and which tours reach the places a rental can’t.
Table of contents
- Getting around with a rental car
- Getting around without a rental car:
- Flying between the Hawaiian islands
- The dos and don’ts of Island Hopping
Table of Contents
- Getting around with a rental car
- Getting around without a rental car:
- Flying between the Hawaiian islands
- The dos and don’ts of Island Hopping
Getting around the Big Island with a rental car
A rental car is the difference between seeing three sides of the island and one. Kona to Hilo is roughly 100 miles by road, and there’s no direct bus route between them: many of the island’s best stops along the way have no other way to reach them.
Hilo’s airport (ITO) has rental counters right across from the terminal; Kona’s (KOA) counters sit at a separate baseyard reached by a short shuttle from baggage claim. Both cruise ports also have rental car agencies nearby.
The speed limit sits at 45 or 55 mph almost everywhere on the island, so plan more drive time than the mileage suggests.
Even with a rental car, some places stay out of reach. Most rental car agencies, for example, forbid you from taking their cars to some places such as the summit of Maunakea (for stargazing) or to the Green Sand Beach.
How to get around the Big Island without renting a car
Skipping the rental makes sense if you won’t cover much ground, or if driving on the right side of the road isn’t second nature. From here: the public bus, ride-share and taxi services, or guided tours.
Public Transport (the Hele-On Bus)
The Hele-On bus is the cheapest way to get around the island if you’re willing to trade time for it. Routes reach most of the island, but connections are infrequent and rides run long, since the schedule is built around commuters, not tourists: most departures cluster early morning and late afternoon.
More information and Hele-On bus schedules
Taxi, Uber, and Lyft on the Big Island
Uber and Lyft have both operated on the Big Island since 2017. Download the app before you land: coverage is solid around Kailua-Kona, Hilo, Waimea, and Waikoloa, thinner elsewhere on the island.
Taxis exist, mostly around Kona, but they’re not cheap: worth checking rideshare pricing first.
Lyft on the Big Island (airport rides available)
Lyft covers the whole island and picks up at both KOA and ITO, with a marked pickup zone at each terminal.
Read more information about Lyft on the Big Island on the Lyft website.
Uber on the Big Island (airport rides available)
Uber covers the whole island too, with pickup zones at the same two terminals.
Read more about Uber on the Big Island on the Uber website.
Taxis in Kona
Kona has taxis (Yelp lists several), but don’t count on flagging one down. Book ahead for pickup instead.
For ballpark pricing, the airport’s own estimate list runs from about $20 for nearby hops to around $300 for a ride to Volcano or Hilo. Confirm the fare with your dispatcher before the ride, since the published rates are estimates and subject to change.
Taxis in Hilo
Hilo has only a handful of taxis (Yelp lists several). The county’s old coupon-based Shared Ride Taxi Program ended July 1, 2023. It now runs as a subsidy: the County of Hawaiʻi Mass Transit Agency covers up to $15.80 per trip, about 4 miles, with a participating taxi company, and the rider pays anything above that. Only three taxi companies currently participate, all serving Hilo; Puna, Waimea, and Kailua-Kona have none.
Signing up requires a Shared Ride Program Participation Form and a copy of your ID, and you’ll need to show your Shared Ride Program card to the driver to get the subsidy. See the Hele-On shared ride program page for more information.
Using guided tours to get around
Guided tours work if you’re staying at one property for the whole trip and only need transport for sightseeing days. Costs can grow quickly for larger groups booking multiple tours.
Guided tours range from shared shuttles to private limos. You don’t need to plan a route, and some tours include food.
Using these tours for sightseeing if you don’t have a car is easiest if you are staying in one of the larger hotels or resorts on the Kona coast. Before booking, confirm you can be picked up at your hotel. If this isn’t possible, know how you’ll reach the tour’s starting point instead.
The tradeoff is fixed timing: book ahead, since canceling last minute can cost you the deposit.
Traveling between the Hawaiian Islands
Visiting more than one Hawaiian island on a single trip is common, and Oʻahu, Maui, and Kauaʻi are the usual add-ons to a Big Island stay. Sequencing the islands well can save half a day of travel time and real money on interisland fares, per our guide to planning multiple islands. More on fares in our interisland flights guide, including how to save money on them.
The dos and don’ts of Island Hopping
Hawaiʻi has six major islands, and each one feels distinct enough that hopping between them is tempting on a single trip.
But more islands doesn’t always mean a better trip. Island hopping adds real logistics and time cost, and plenty of visitors are happier picking one island and staying put.
Our island hopping guide covers the case for and against adding islands, plus specific ways to cut interisland fare costs.
Approximate flight times between Hawaiian islands.
Flying to Hawaiʻi
Airfare to Hawaiʻi swings hard by season and how far ahead you book. Our flying to Hawaiʻi guide breaks down both, with our own timing and fare-tracking experience baked in.