Halloween Express Shuttle Ticket Sales Begin

Halloween bus schedule announced. Maui Now image.

By Wendy Osher

Advance tickets go on sale beginning at noon today for the Lahaina Halloween Express shuttle that will operate on Oct. 31 for individuals looking for a way to get to and from the Front Street Halloween festivities.

Tickets cost $5 each way (cash only), with departing transportation offered at War Memorial parking lot in Wailuku, and at the Kīhei Aquatic Center parking lot in South Maui.

Shuttles are on a first come, first serve basis for purchase and boarding, and must be purchased in advance.

Tickets can be purchased at: the Kahului Shell Station; Super Stop 37o Dairy Road; Kīhei Shell Station; and Blackie’s Pit Stop 30 Mana’o Kala St.

Return tickets only are available for sale at the Old Lahaina Court House, Lahaina Visitors Center.

Departures from Wailuku are offered at 6 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.; with return shuttles offered from Lahaina to Wailuku at 10:30 and 11:30 p.m. from the parking lot at the Front/Prison Street intersection.

Departures from Kīhei are offered at 4:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m, 6 p.m, and 6:30 p.m.; with return shuttles offered from Lahaina to Kīhei at 9 p.m., 10 p.m., 11 p.m. and midnight from the parking lot at the Front/Prison Street intersection.

Ticket sales close at noon on Thursday, Oct. 31st, with any remaining return tickets available at Campbell Park on Front Street on Halloween night.

Check in is 15 minutes prior to bus departure time.  No food or beverages are allowed for consumption on the bus.

Aside from the Halloween Express shuttle, the Maui Bus is offering an extended bus schedule that is available at the normal rate of $2 each way, or $4 for an unlimited day pass.

The Maui Bus schedule includes the Kāʻanapali Islander Route 25, which will run on a regular schedule until 3:30 p.m., then every 30 minutes from the Wharf Cinema Center, with stops at Pāpalaua/Waineʻe, Lahaina Cannery Mall, and Whaler’s Village.

The last bus on this route will be Whaler’s Village bound at 10:30 p.m.  Officials say the regular Pāpalaua/Front Street stop will be moved to Pāpalaua/Waineʻe Street beginning at 3:30 p.m. due to heavy foot traffic on Front Street.

The Nāpili Island Route 30 will run on a regular schedule until 9 p.m., then every half-hour from Whaler’s Village.  The last bus on this route will be Nāpili bound, departing at 11 p.m.

Organizers of the Halloween in Lahaina event also advise guests of the Westin Kāʻanapali Ocean Resorts, Sheraton Maui, and Westin Maui Resort and Spa to seek information about free shuttle service from their respective concierge.

Another transportation option being offered is via vessel by some of Maui’s cruise companies, as a way to avoid the heavy traffic anticipated on the Honoapiʻilani Highway on Halloween.

The Pacific Whale Foundation is offering a Halloween Cocktail Cruise, with departures planned at 6:00 and 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 31, from Mā’alaea Harbor.

Upon arrival in Lahaina, guests disembark for two hours to take part in the Halloween festivities, then re-join the Pacific Whale Foundation vessel for a cruise back to Mā’alaea.  The total trip time, including the Lahaina stopover, is about four-and-a-half hours.

Cost is $79.95 for adults and $59.95 for children ages 12 and under, with a 10% discount offered to individuals who book online, and 20% discount to Pacific Whale Foundation Members who book online.

The Halloween in Lahaina event is hosted by the Lahaina Town Action Committee and the County of Maui, Office of Economic Development.

There is an anticipated increase in crowd size this year due as organizers host a full-return of the event for the third consecutive year after a lull in activity between 2008 and 2010 due to a dispute over festivities in the Lahaina Historic District, and failure to secure permits for a road closure on Front Street during those years.

More information on the Halloween in Lahaina event is available at the Lahaina Town Action Committee website.