Hawaii Train Travel: What You Need to Know About Rail Journeys in the Islands

When people think of Hawaii train travel, a romantic, scenic way to explore the islands by rail. Also known as Hawaii rail system, it evokes images of lush valleys, coastal cliffs, and vintage locomotives. But here’s the truth: Hawaii doesn’t have a passenger train system anymore. Not one that connects cities, towns, or tourist spots. The last regular passenger service ended in 1947. What’s left isn’t transportation—it’s nostalgia, history, and a few very special rides.

Most of what you’ll find today under the name "Hawaii train" is either a tourist attraction or a relic. The Oahu train, a historic sugar plantation railway. Also known as Oahu Railway and Land Company, it once stretched over 200 miles and carried workers, crops, and passengers. Today, only fragments remain. The Kauai Plantation Railway, a short, scenic ride on a former sugarcane line. Also known as Kauai train tour, it offers a 50-minute journey through fields and forests with commentary on the island’s agricultural past. It’s charming, but don’t expect to use it to get from Poipu to Lihue. And on Maui? There’s no train at all—not even a tourist one.

So why does Hawaii train travel keep coming up in searches? Because people remember the old photos, the postcards, the idea of a slow, scenic ride through tropical landscapes. And that idea is still powerful. The Hawaii rail system, a once-extensive network that shaped the islands’ economy and movement. Also known as Hawaii railroad history, it was vital before cars and highways, connecting plantations to ports. Today, those tracks are overgrown, turned into bike paths, or buried under parking lots. But if you want to feel what it was like, you can still hop on the Kauai ride, visit the Hawaiian Railway Society on Oahu’s west side, or tour the old depot in Laie. These aren’t transit options—they’re time machines.

Don’t plan your Hawaii trip around trains. Plan it around beaches, hikes, waterfalls, and local food. But if you’ve got an hour to spare and a soft spot for steam engines and rusty rails, track down one of the few remaining rides. You’ll get more than a train ride—you’ll get a quiet, forgotten chapter of Hawaii’s story. And that’s worth more than a ticket.