Honolulu Marathon 2026: traffic and road closures

• Date: Sunday, December 13, 2026.
• Start: 5:00 AM, Ala Moana Boulevard at Queen Street.
• Course: through downtown and Waikīkī, around Diamond Head, through Kāhala and out to Hawaiʻi Kai, then back past Diamond Head to the finish.
• Finish: Kapiʻolani Park.
• No time limit: the finish stays open until the last participant arrives, so closures on the course lift section by section rather than all at once.

The 2026 plan may differ, but last year's official traffic advisory gives a good idea of what to expect. On Sunday, December 14, 2025:

• Traffic control started at 12:30 AM, with lanes along the course closed or coned until runners finished each section.
• Ala Moana Boulevard from Atkinson Drive to Ward Avenue was detoured from 12:30 AM and reopened at about 8 AM.
• From 3:30 AM, King Street from Nuʻuanu Avenue to Kapiʻolani Boulevard closed (detour at Smith Street), and Kapiʻolani Boulevard closed in both directions from King Street to Piʻikoi Street.
• From 3:30 AM, all H-1 eastbound traffic was routed off at the Waiʻalae Avenue / 22nd Avenue off-ramp. H-1 partly reopened to a contraflow lane at about 8:30 AM.
• Kalanianaʻole Highway had restricted access and contraflow in East Honolulu from 3:30 AM, with detours onto side streets, including Hawaiʻi Kai Drive.
• Tow-away zones were in effect from midnight to 5 PM on race day.

• Leeward and Central Oʻahu trips that stay west of downtown are unlikely to be affected. Skyline runs its normal schedule from about 4:00 AM.
• Trips into downtown, Kakaʻako, Ala Moana, Waikīkī or East Honolulu on Sunday morning should expect closures and detours. If you can, travel before the closures or after the course reopens near you.
• Going to the airport from Waikīkī or East Honolulu early that morning: allow extra time and check the closure map for your route.
• TheBus: in 2025 some routes were canceled or detoured. Check thebus.org or call (808) 848-5555 closer to the date.

Watch for the official 2026 traffic advisory on the Honolulu Marathon website. It usually appears in the weeks before the race.

Nalu's drive times come from TomTom live traffic, so on the morning itself they reflect what traffic is actually doing on open roads. Live data does not always know every planned closure in advance, so check the official closure map as well, especially for trips that cross the course.