Hawaiian Railway Society

This was our third ride of the Hawaiian Railway Society train. The second time we took my parents from the mainland, and they just loved it. This last time was a haunted train ride for Halloween!We booked well in advance for the event which took place the weekend before Halloween. We booked a 7p ride on Friday. The tickets were only $5 each, which I thought was great!We arrived early to look around the train yard. They had cool, spooky decorations and vendors selling snacks and food.We boarded the train and took off! The ride was about 20-30 minutes and they had a narrator telling spooky tales over the loud speaker. They also had about 4-5 scenes along the way of "scary" things happening that we passed by, like a fake sacrifice, lol. They even had an actor bang on the side of the train to scare everyone.My toddler was a little bit afraid, but when we told him it wasn't real, he just laughed. It was a great family activity for Halloween.Afterwards, we walked around, bought snacks, played giant Connect Four, and hung out on the picnic benches before calling it a night.I love this local, historic place and hope to come back for years to come.

I've always wanted to take my son here but due to it being so far and the times it would depart, we never got a chance to until we were invited to a birthday party here. The train left at 11 but before then we all gathered by a little picnic spot they had to grab our lunches before riding the train. The ride was about 90 mins long. On our way back, my son fell asleep because it was nap time but the ride was very relaxing. It luckily wasn't too bumpy as I was 6 months pregnant. Luckily the women heard my friend asking me about the pregnancy so she recommended that I sit in a car with more people so it wouldn't be as bumpy. The kids enjoyed their time on the train. This place is perfect to celebrate a birthday for a kid who loves trains. There is also a little shop and a museum you could check out.

We didn't ride the train, but my 5 yo loved the train room. There were many intricate layouts and he could have really stayed for hours. One cool part is that they allow kids to control some of the trains, too. This room looks recently renovated, too. Amazing displays including both vintage and new trains. I would try and come after the departure of the first train because it can get crowded. We came at 2pm and my son, who is used to quiet train rooms, was annoyed by how many people were here The gift shop also carries Tori Richards train shirt made especially for the HRS. They are made in Hawaii!

It was our first time on the Hawaiian Railway Society, and my toddler had a great time! We chose the 12 noon ride on a Saturday as it was most convenient for her nap schedule. The ride starts in Ewa Beach and there is a small ticket office/gift store (with restrooms inside), toy train museum, picnic area, and snack bar to explore while you wait. It is recommended that you arrive 30 minutes prior to departure to purchase tickets if you did not make advance reservations. Boarding is 10 minutes prior to scheduled departure time. The toy train museum was small but really amazing with multiple friendly volunteers available to answer questions. There are a few interactive areas where kids can flip levers to make certain trains start and stop. The train ride itself was enjoyable (albeit slightly bumpy), and our particular ride was very empty with only 1-2 families per train car. We brought a whole picnic lunch to enjoy while we rode as you are allowed to bring any food/drink on board other than alcohol. Would highly recommend sitting on the shady side of the train car the entire time. The views on both sides were similar and not worth the heat to switch sides, in my opinion. Along the way, there was narration about the sights we passed and some fun stories too. The route went from the station in Ewa all the way to Kahe point (Electric Beach) then to Ko'olina for a 25 min ice cream break at Black Sheep Cream Co. before returning to the station. The total trip was about 2 hours. Ticket prices are $18 for adults, $13 for children (2-12), and $13 for seniors (over 62). Ice cream cost is not included. Overall fun outing for the entire family!

What a fun hidden thing to do while you're near Kapolei/Ko'Olina in Oahu! If you like historical trains that take you along the beach and different parts of that area, you should go for a ride! As you're arriving to the location where you can buy the tickets to ride the train you'll see they have a store front with items ranging from candy, souvenirs, and a snack bar outside. Also if you want a sure thing in your time slot, you can always make a reservation and pay when you arrive to ensure you have a ticket! There's also a restroom inside the shop if you need to use it before the ride. Train times do change during the seasons, but this is what they are currently: Wednesday 1 pmSaturday 12 Noon and 3 pmSunday 1 pm and 3 pmTicket prices: $18 Adults$13 Children (2-12)$13 Seniors (Over 62)We ended up doing the AM slot time to get it done early so we can enjoy the rest of the day.This place is basically being run by volunteers, so great! They will explain the history about the train and how it started as it moves along the track. It does a pit stop over my Aulani Disney resort for 30 mins to grab some essentials like ice cream or grab snacks from the ABC store. Or if you have a kid who wanted off and are already staying at Aulani, can end the train trip there haha luckily my husband just stuck through the ride back there to get our rental car back.Overall, I'd definitely recommend this for anyone who's looking for something different to do for a few hours!

The Hawaiian Railway Society is a great place to get out relax on a train ride and see some coastline and ride through the Ko Olina golf course, etc etc. It is an actual old narrow guage railway used to support the various farms in the area in the late 1800's and early 1900s. They stop in the Ko Olina at the Black Sheep icecream shop halfway which is nice but if you prefer a cold beer do to the monkeypod and buy one! No alcohol is allowed on the train. And keep in mind that all of the funds are used to support this piece of history. The folks are very friendly and its a fun, relaxing ride. Highly recommend it versus others.

We went on the Halloween train ride and my nephew is in a wheelchair and they took very good care of him making sure we were at the head of the line so we could use the wheelchair lift to get him on first along with the family. We were last to get off at the end of the ride and we were fine with that and again they took so good care of my nephew. We're looking forward to going our next future train ride. Mahalo

Hawaiian Railway Society Many times within the past 5 years, I would see the train stop around Ka Makana Alii, Kapolei Costco, or in Koolina. I'd wonder, where is the train station and what does it cost?Now that my daughter is now almost 5 years old, I figured it would be a good time to find out and take her on this cute little outing. It's quite easy, just Google "Train Oahu" and the third one is Hawaiian Railway Society.Their website reads that reservations are highly recommended, but I didn't want to have to make reservations in advance because I wanted to consider weather. Since it is open air and partially covered, there's chance of getting wet in the rain or sunburnt on a hot cloudless day. I took note of their schedule and on a perfect, partly cloudy day, with cool trades blowing, we drove out to Ewa 2 hours before departure and took a chance. Walked right up and was told there were tickets, purchased, and told to come back 30 mins before departure. Upon return, stood at the gate until boarding time and had first dibs on the car.The train travels at around 15 mph and it is a narrated ride. You hear about the history of the railway and other features along the way to Kahe Point. Once at Kahe Point, the train can't turn around, so they have everyone walk close-wise around the car, so that everyone can change sides. The train then proceeds backwards to Koolina. We went on a departure that included a 20 min stop in Koolina. It's enough time to get ice cream, coffee, or a snack, before proceeding back to Ewa.It was a fun outing for out little one and quite enjoyable for us as well. Learning some history while enjoying the sights are always welcome, especially when I'm not driving and doing the talking. Will definitely consider doing the trip again to entertain friends and family, or just to support their cause.

As someone who works in the heritage railroad industry in California I can tell you, The Hawaiian Railway Society is a heritage railroad unlike any other in the world! Seeing dolphins breach from the train was an unforgettable experience! As a railroader just being able to see the old whitcomb diesel actually in service was cool too. The ONLY Critique I have is that the PA system onboard the train was adjusted a bit too loud, especially if you're seated right under the speakers

This review is late in coming but our experience riding the holiday train was so amazing that I wanted to make sure to let others know how great it was. The Holiday Train goes from Kapolei through Ko Olina to Hawaiian Electric Park and back again. The train is decorated for the holidays with hundreds of lights and running reindeer. The narrator on the train keeps things fun and lively and so many people come out to wave at the train along the route. The folks that man the intersections along the way to keep everyone safe should be recognized as well. What a wonderful holiday tradition. Singing carols, wishing Mele Kalikimaka and seeing this area from a completely different perspective. The value of this ride is immeasurable if you are interested in the history of the area. I would pay the fare any day of the week. The quality is what one should expect from a historic railroad. This isn't an amusement park ride, and expectations should be in accordance with what is offered. We got everything we paid for and more. The other part of this experience that is so worth Yelping, is the Aloha from the folks that run this operation. From start to finish we were welcomed and cared for. A huge shout out to Big Ben DeLaCruz for his help and aloha. He made a significant difference in this ride with his kindness and compassion. Ben makes a difference. Thanks for arranging the escort by the owl for our trip ;) I would do this ride day or night, what a fun time we had. Last note, we wave at the train every time it passes our place in Coconut Plantation. The train brings more joy in this place of joy. Mahalo!