Origin
Waipio, HI
Evening in Waipio on Friday
Local time
7:09 PM
HST
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Waipio, HI to Honolulu, HI
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
26m
Distance
15.4 mi
25 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 24m
★
6 AM
0h 27m
8 AM
0h 31m
10 AM
0h 28m
12 PM
0h 28m
3 PM
0h 29m
5 PM
0h 31m
8 PM
0h 25m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Waipio, HI
Dom Sch-veg-man
Honolulu, HI
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This short 15.4-mile drive from Waipio to Honolulu takes approximately 26 minutes, making it an easy day trip. You'll primarily be on HI 78, Veteran's Memorial Freeway, and Queen Liliʻuokalani Freeway, with 56% of the journey on highways. The estimated fuel cost is around $3, reflecting the minimal distance. Given its brevity, there's no need to split this trip over multiple days. The mixed driving profile means you'll encounter both faster highway sections and potentially slower local road segments as you approach your destination. This route is ideal for a quick transfer or a short excursion within the state of Hawaii.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 26m. Total distance: 15.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
26m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (56%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
Expect a mixed driving experience on this route. While 56% of the journey utilizes highways like HI 78 and the Veteran's Memorial Freeway, you'll also navigate other main roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 5.1 miles on HI 78, offering a brief period of consistent speed. As you progress, the character of the drive will likely shift from more open highway to potentially more built-up areas as you approach Honolulu. This isn't a purely monotonous highway experience, but rather a blend that requires attention as you transition between road types.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 24 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
HI 78 is the longest continuous segment at about 5.1 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.9 miles in near Ka Uka Boulevard.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 18 decision points packed into just 15.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 26m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.9 miles (Ka Uka Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 18 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0.9 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
Ka Uka Boulevard
Turn right onto Ka Uka Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
8
5 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Take the exit toward Waimalu, Pearlridge
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 10
Toward Waimalu, Pearlridge
9
5.3 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Waimalu, Pearlridge
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward Waimalu, Pearlridge
6
7.3 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
HI 78
Take the ramp onto HI 78 toward I H201 East, I H1 East: Honolulu
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I H201 East, I H1 East: Honolulu
7
13.4 mi into trip
|
~21m in
Take the exit toward HI 98 East: Vineyard Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 20B
Toward HI 98 East: Vineyard Boulevard
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Waipio, HI and Honolulu, HI, road signs point toward I H2 South: Honolulu, Waimalu, Pearlridge, I H201 East and I H1 East: Honolulu.
I H2 South: Honolulu
1 mi in
|
~2m
Waimalu
5 mi in
|
~8m
Pearlridge
5 mi in
|
~8m
I H201 East
7.3 mi in
|
~12m
|
via HI 78
I H1 East: Honolulu
7.3 mi in
|
~12m
|
via HI 78
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| HI 78 | 5.1 mi | 7m |
| Veteran's Memorial Freeway | 2.2 mi | 2m |
| Queen Liliʻuokalani Freeway | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Kamehameha Highway | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| I H1 | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| North Vineyard Boulevard | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Moaniani Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| South King Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
HI 78
— 5.1 mi, about 7m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Waipio, HI and Honolulu, HI.
1
Start on Nanilihilihi Street
0.2 mi
·
59 sec
·
Nanilihilihi Street
2
Turn left onto Waipio Uka Street
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
Waipio Uka Street
3
Turn right onto Moaniani Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Moaniani Street
4
Turn right onto Ka Uka Boulevard
377 ft
·
7 sec
·
Ka Uka Boulevard
Use the right lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
Toward I H2 South: Honolulu
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Merge onto I H2
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Veteran's Memorial Freeway
7
Merge onto I H1
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Queen Liliʻuokalani Freeway
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
25 sec
Exit 10
Toward Waimalu, Pearlridge
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Toward Waimalu, Pearlridge
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
10
Turn straight onto Moanalua Road
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
Moanalua Road
11
Turn right onto Kaahumanu Street
0.3 mi
·
28 sec
·
Kaahumanu Street
12
Turn left onto HI 99
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Kamehameha Highway
Use the left / straight lanes.
13
Take the ramp onto HI 78
5.1 mi
·
7 min
·
HI 78
Toward I H201 East, I H1 East: Honolulu
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Merge onto I H1
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
I H1
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
Exit 20B
Toward HI 98 East: Vineyard Boulevard
Use the slight right lane.
16
Continue on HI 98
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
Olomea Street
17
Continue on HI 98
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
North Vineyard Boulevard
18
Turn right onto Pali Highway
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
·
Pali Highway
19
Continue on HI 61
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
·
Bishop Street
20
Turn left onto South King Street
0.3 mi
·
59 sec
·
South King Street
21
Turn left onto Likelike Street
308 ft
·
27 sec
·
Likelike Street
22
Turn left
298 ft
·
22 sec
23
Turn right
131 ft
·
9 sec
24
Arrive at destination
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.34 one way
$6.68 round trip
$5.51/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.79 | $3.51 | $7.02 |
| premium | $5.98 | $3.63 | $7.25 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.40 | $6.80 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.6 | 0 | $1.62 | $0.74 |
| Efficient EV | 3.9 | 0 | $1.35 | $0.62 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.2 | 0 | $2.16 | $0.99 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Honolulu, HI
Evening in Honolulu on Friday
Local time
7:09 PM
HST
Current temp
80°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
13 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
26m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Waipio, HI to Honolulu, HI covers 15.4 miles and takes about 26m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are HI 78, Veteran's Memorial Freeway, Queen Liliʻuokalani Freeway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 7.7 miles from Waipio, HI. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.34 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This is a short but busy drive. With 18 decision points packed into just 15.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 26m.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.9 miles (Ka Uka Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Waipio, HI and Honolulu, HI, road signs point toward I H2 South: Honolulu, Waimalu, Pearlridge, I H201 East and I H1 East: Honolulu.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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