Twelve years and more than $8 billion in the making, the long-awaited, much-debated Honolulu rail transit system, dubbed Skyline, is just a week away from opening its sliding doors to the public.

Whether the largest public work project in state history is worth the time and money that went into it may not be known for decades, but preview runs for select city personnel and media have so far elicited positive reviews.

Skyline's Halawa stationvis located at 99-232 Kamehameha Hwy. and serves the Aloha Stadium Aiea, Salt Lake, Moanalua areas. It features ADA pedestrian access, TheBus and Handi-Van pick-up/drop-off sites and bicycle parking. (Spectrum News/Michael Tsai)

The cars arrive at 10-minute intervals and travel at a top speed of 55 mph. A trip from the Halawa Station to the end of the line in Kapolei takes about 22 minutes.

The ride is relatively smooth but not without its bumps and rumbles. Think of TheBus minus the occasional pot-hole jolt. The cars are roomy and lightly air-conditioned, with disability accessible seating and rack space for luggage.

The cars are roomy and lightly air-conditioned, with disability accessible seating and rack space for luggage. (Spectrum News/Michael Tsai)

The driverless cars are halved with seats in each half facing opposite directions to accommodate changes in direction on the back-and-forth lines.

An opening day celebration featuring dignitaries and entertainment is planned for the Halawa rail station prior to the 2 p.m. start of service on June 30.

Initial service will be limited to Phase 1 of the project, an 11-mile stretch between the Kualakai Station in East Kapolei and the Halawa Station near Aloha Stadium. The route will continue to expand east as additional stations are added over the coming years.

All rides on the new system will be free from 2 p.m. on June 30 through the final run on July 4. TheBus will also be waiving fares for all riders between July 1 and 4.

The full planned route for Skyline. The first segment, between Halawa and Kaualakai stations, opens June 30. (Courtesy City and County of Honolulu)

The Skyline tracks. (Spectrum News/Michael Tsai)

On opening day, rail passengers may tour any of the nine stations that will be open for service and ride on any train, in either direction, free of charge. Fare gates at all nine stations will be open to all riders until service ends at 6 p.m. that evening.

Beginning on July 1, the first full day of rail service, passengers must have a valid HOLO card in order to take advantage of the free fare. Riders will be required to tap their HOLO cards at fare gates to enter individual stations, but fares will not be deducted from those cards.

Adult HOLO cards can be purchased at local retailers, rail station ticket vending machines at the entrance of each rail station, or TheBus Pass Office. A list of retailers is available at holocard.net. Senior, disabled and youth riders can apply for a reduced-fare HOLO card at TheBus Pass Office at the Kalihi Transit Center (thebus.org for application requirements).

HOLO cards, the fare-payment method used by TheBus, will serve as the primary payment method for rail.

Park-and-ride facilities are available at the Halawa Station, Keoneae Station at the University of Hawaii-West Oahu and Honouliuli Station at Hoopili, pictured here. (Spectrum News/Michael Tsai)

Park-and-ride facilities are available at the Halawa Station, Keoneae Station at the University of Hawaii-West Oahu and Honouliuli Station at Hoopili.

Michael Tsai covers local and state politics for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at michael.tsai@charter.com.