Your Complete Guide to Getting Around Maui, Hawaii

Welcome to paradise! Now… where do you go from here?

We’re so glad you’re visiting our beautiful island. Maui offers plenty of transportation rental options, and we’re here to help offer insights that will help to get around efficiently and easily. Whether you want to rent a car, rely on ride shares and cars for hire, use shuttles between the airport and your resort, or find golf cart rentals in Maui, there are plenty of options at a great price for you!

That includes delivery options you might not have considered: Island EV Rentals’ zero-emission, street-legal golf carts or EV and Hybrid cars, Jeeps & SUVs.

Let’s look at how you can plan to explore Maui.

Is this your first time to Maui, or are you a seasoned traveler or second-home owner? Are you traveling island-wide or are you staying regional in West or South Maui?

It’s important to know your transportation options. When you’re thinking about your trip and how you’ll explore the island, you might consider any of these:

• Cars, Jeeps & SUV’s
• Uber, Lyft, and other rideshare services
• Taxis
• Electric Golf cart
• Public buses and shuttles
• Tour companies

After dealing with the rental desk at the airport, there’s no denying that having your own rental car is likely the most convenient & easy way to get around Maui. No waiting for an Uber or taxi to show up means having the liberty to go where and when you want…and do it faster.

But is speeding through your trip really what you had in mind? If you are visiting for a week or even two for that matter, are you really giving the island and your visit the sincerity and presence it deserves if you are speeding your way around the island experience?

The truth is you can’t do it all in one trip. The island is just too badass to think you can. Stay regional and soak up all that West Maui’s Lahaina, Kaanapali, and & Kapalua have to offer. If you’re staying in Kihei, find out all of the golf clubs, courses, and beaches in Wailea/Makena and every restaurant, bar, or brewery in between. And on the Northshore of Paia or Haiku, beaches, shops, and vegetarian and active lifestyle aspects are too many to mention here. But if your time is limited, we recommend choosing one and living, playing, and staying.

There are other options that better match that island vibe you had in mind when you planned this trip, getting you from point A to point B while serving up a helping of salt air, ocean views, and in some cases, island characters and experiences as you go.

Good question! And YES! You can get around without a car. You will enjoy it! You might take an Uber or a taxi from the airport to your hotel or vacation rental. There are public buses and shuttles available too. Those Ubers will be an option for the rest of your stay. But if you don’t want to wait on an Uber every time you step out the door, the best solution might be an Island EV Rentals golf cart.

While there are some awesome walkable locations in West Maui, South Maui, and Paia, if you want to cover a little more ground our zero-emission electric golf cart rentals are a great option. All of our vehicles are street legal for roads up to 35 miles per hour, so while you can’t go end-to-end on Maui in them, they’re great for exploring coastal areas. Check out our tips on where you can go for more details.

Not all golf carts are street legal in Maui, but every golf cart we rent from Island EV Rentals is! Our golf carts are all registered as Low Speed Vehicles. This means you can take them on roads with speed limits up to 35 miles per hour. It’s part of what makes our golf carts a great option for exploring the towns around your hotel or vacation rental.

Because our golf carts are street legal, you’ll of course need to have a valid driver’s license in order to rent and operate them. Check out our FAQ for more information on how to rent our golf carts and where you can take them.

Maui’s public buses are the absolute cheapest way to get around – aside from walking! Bus fares are $2 a ride or $4 for a day pass. All routes run seven days a week, covering Central, South, West, Haiku, Kula and Upcountry Maui.

You can find more details, including up-to-date maps and rider information, from the County of Maui’s site here.

The amount of time it takes to get around Maui depends on your mode of transportation. If you have your own car you can drive the entire coast and perimeter in 10 to 12 hours! Traffic here can get pretty congested and impact your trip, particularly during morning and evening rush hour in the most populated areas. Recommendation, take your time and enjoy the amazing ride. Stay or camp in Hana for a day versus checkpoint and checkpoint of sightseeing stops. We recommend removing the phrase, “let’s hurry, we gotta get through all of them before dark” from your vocabulary.

If you book on a cruise or tour bus to take in the sights instead of driving yourself, definitely plan on setting aside the day. And honestly, possibly the very best way – let the professionals handle it!

Yes! There is Uber as well as Lyft and other car sharing services, like Turo. Uber and similar ride shares are a great way to get around Maui without having to worry about parking. Plus, you’ll get to take in the views as your driver whisks you away.

Uber is a great option to complete your plan for getting around Maui. Maybe some days you want to stay close to your resort or rental and wouldn’t need a rental car for your whole trip. Or perhaps you hate the idea of navigating traffic and unfamiliar roads.

When our customers ask about getting to spots they can’t quite reach in our golf cart rentals Uber is one of our top suggestions. Our golf carts can handle a lot – they’re street legal for roads with speed limits up to 35 miles per hour and have a range of 35 to 40 miles on one charge. Our customers love the versatility, open air drive, and easy parking. When you need to go a little further or faster, Maui’s friendly Uber drivers can handle the rest.

It’s pretty easy to get an Uber on Maui, particularly if you’re staying in the most popular areas around the resorts. Of course, you should always build in extra time – at peak demand it can take a bit longer to connect to a driver.

Depending on where you’re going, it could be harder to get an Uber back to your hotel. Uber and ride shares are less available in the less populated areas, and you should consider whether you’ll have cell service or WiFi to make the request on the app.

We also recommend keeping an eye on surge pricing. That extra demand can drive prices way up, as much as double or almost triple your normal trip price. For the convenience on your shorter trips, consider our golf cart rentals – there’s no surge pricing here!

There are several taxi companies on Maui, so to call a taxi on Maui generally means selecting a company first. Upon arrival at the airport you’ll find taxis waiting at baggage claim, happy to whisk you away to your hotel. Keep in mind the rates are set by the County of Maui, so no matter which taxi service you use you’ll pay a base charge and $3 per mile – a rate that can rack up quickly!

Island EV Rentals works with all the top taxi and shuttle providers on Maui, and we’re happy to arrange transportation to and from the airport for our customers. Simply select the airport pickup location or resort shuttle option at check out and we’ll set you up with one of our trusted partners.

Resorts and hotels are also able to call a taxi for you – a great option for a night out during your stay.

There is an airport shuttle from Kahului Airport to the main resort areas. When you’re arriving on our island you can arrange a reservation in advance to save time or some hassle or just head to the service counter in the baggage claim area for more information. Make sure to reserve your return trip ahead of time to confirm availability for your departing flight.

Prices can vary depending on your destination, location, but generally the airport shuttle will be a cost effective way to get to your hotel.

There are also hotels with private airport shuttle services for their guests. This is a great perk if you’re interested in staying at some of the larger resorts. And of course either type of shuttle is a great option for our golf cart rental customers who won’t need a rental car.

Better yet, let Island EV Rentals coordinate an airport shuttle for you as part of your golf cart rental. When renting with us, we’re happy to arrange all the details for you. Simply select the airport resort shuttle option at check out and we’ll take it from there! We work with all of Maui’s top rated and preferred shuttle and taxi providers.

If renting a car is more your speed, you’ll have plenty of options to choose from for your trip. Island EV Rentals’ latest offerings include electric and hybrid vehicles, including an island classic, the Jeep Wrangler featuring 1-touch sky roof and canvas open air models only.

True to our company mission, all of our cars are either full plug-in with a 250-300 mile range or hybrid with an average 40 to 50 miles per gallon. Check out our compact SUV, the orange Kira Niro Surf EV, the full sized SUV option in black, a Jeep Grand Cherokee 4XE, or the stylish silver Jeep Wrangler Sahara 4XE. All of our vehicles are late models, highly maintained and cleaned throughout. There’s truly a vehicle for everyone in our fleet.

Be sure to compare rates and even dates, as prices can vary widely across companies based on demand and availability. You might pay a premium for the flexibility of having your own vehicle, but for the vacation plan that demands seeing it ALL and on your own schedule, renting a car can be worth it. We’re happy to help you with pricing and select the option that best fits your trip and budget – just give us a call. Ask about vehicle delivery!

Renting a car for just a day or two is a great way to see the sights. Many hotels have relationships with local rental offices and can help arrange your rental for just part of your trip. If you’re coming for a while and want to relax on the beach, have fun by the pool but you also want to venture out once or twice to go past the range of our golf carts and out of the areas you expect to find Uber, renting a car for the day is a great solution.

Turo, the service that lets car owners rent their cars directly, is another great option to check, particularly if you’re looking to rent a unique or specialty brand of car.

The best way to get around the island really depends on your needs and plans. Consider whether you want to explore the island from end to end every day, or maybe you’re looking to relax on the beach steps from where you’re sleeping. A combination of rental cars, shuttle buses, Ubers, and our golf cart rentals can set you up for the exact fun experience and adventure you’re dreaming of.

You can find information and book reservations directly online or by calling us at 808-466-7071.