A new express bus route will soon carry passengers from 'Ewa Beach to Waikiki much faster than the current service, according to transportation officials.

The new CountryExpress! Route E is slated to begin in early December and will shave a half-hour off the standard route's travel time, said O'ahu Transit Services president Roger Morton.

"This is a major new service," he said. "It will essentially double the service from 'Ewa Beach."

Buses will depart 'Ewa Beach every half hour, starting at 4 a.m., and travel nonstop from Waipahu to the downtown area and then Waikiki. Much of the nonstop part of the route will follow the H-1 Freeway. The last bus will leave Waikiki at 10 pm.

The existing Route 42 service from 'Ewa Beach is one of the island's busiest routes, and those buses are often overloaded, Morton said.

Departures from 'Ewa Beach on the new route will be coordinated with the Route 42 service to try to provide consistent departures from 'Ewa Beach to Waipahu every 15 minutes.

The new service will bring seven additional buses to the 'Ewa Beach area, and will become the island's fourth all-day express route.

Two additional standard bus routes will begin serving Central O'ahu on Sunday.

Route 501 will run from Mililani Mauka to the new Mililani Transit Center at Mililani Town Center.

Route 504 will connect the center with lower Mililani.

Fares will be waived on those lines for the first week of operation.