The primary ferryman within the data, in keeping with an 1853 historical past of New York, was Cornelius Dircksen, who ran a ferry from Peck Slip in Manhattan to Fulton Ferry in what’s now DUMBO within the 1640s. New York Metropolis loved a thriving ferry community till the Sixties, when most providers have been discontinued underneath Robert Moses.
However in recent times, extra city-backed boats have hit the water. In 2013, town’s Financial Growth Company (EDC), underneath then-mayor Michael Bloomberg, introduced the institution of a city-run NYC Ferry. The service formally launched in 2017, by means of a contract with the personal, for-profit Hornblower Group.
The service shouldn’t be with out its issues. Even with heavy public funding, the ferry has undergone important monetary troubles, requiring bailouts from metropolis authorities. Ballooning prices and accusations of mismanagement have plagued the community, as THE CITY has beforehand reported, with closely sponsored fares. In response to a 2022 report from town comptroller, these subsidies are nearly double their authentic promised price.
Weekly ridership has elevated steadily for the reason that ferries’ launch, from round 110,000 in the summertime months of 2017 to round 200,000 in 2024. In winter, numbers drop precipitously, to between 40,000 and 80,000 in 2024. NYC Ferry registered over 7 million boardings throughout all of 2024. Even so, ridership numbers lag far behind the subway, which in 2024 registered nearly 2 billion rides.
NYC Ferry is at present present process an “optimization plan” to scale back stops alongside routes, enhance seating capability on high-traffic routes and occasions and, it claims, scale back the system’s remarkably excessive subsidies per rider. The discharge of the up to date map — which features a route extension connecting Staten Island and Brooklyn — deliberate for Fall 2025. New Yorkers can add their enter right here.
At the moment, there are six common routes, plus a seventh weekend path to Governors Island — spanning over 60 miles — run by NYC Ferry. A community of personal and public operators run many extra ferries and routes throughout town’s waterways. When you’re attempting to include extra sea spray and fewer drips from subway ceilings into your commute, right here’s your information.
NYC Ferry
The NYC Ferry operates year-round, from 25 ferry landings throughout all 5 boroughs. A one-way ticket prices $4.50, however you’ll lower your expenses by shopping for a 10-trip move for $29.
When NYC Ferry was first launched, journeys price $2.75 — the worth of a subway ticket. On the time, the low value was criticized for pushing the price, closely sponsored by town, onto taxpayers.
A Wall Road-bound ferry arrives on the South Williamsburg terminal, Sept. 25, 2020. Credit score: Hiram Alejandro Durán/THE CITY
Transfers between ferry traces are free, however transfers to the subways and buses are usually not. If you wish to take the ferry to Wall Road and swap to the subway, for instance, you’ll should pay a separate fare.
Seniors, individuals with disabilities, individuals within the Honest Fares program, and highschool college students (solely on weekdays) are eligible for a lowered fare of $1.45.
NYC Ferry operates a further seasonal summer time path to the Rockaways. The Rockaway Rocket connects Lengthy Island Metropolis (forty sixth Ave and Middle Blvd) and Greenpoint (10 India St.) to Rockaway Seashore at 108th Road. One-way tickets on the Rockaway Rocket price $12. The usual Rockaway route hyperlinks Wall Road Pier 11 with the Brooklyn Military Terminal in Sundown Park and the Rockaways.
In summer time, when the Rockaway route will get crowded, passengers can reserve a spot on the ferry utilizing the Rockaway Reserve within the NYC Ferry app. Reserve tickets price $12.
A free shuttle bus operated by NYC ferry makes a number of stops alongside the Rockaway peninsula to totally different seashores, all the way down to Riis Seashore.
NYC Ferry’s personal TikTok account maybe says it finest: “When you realize that NYC Ferry is essentially a public yacht that goes from island to island.”
You should purchase ferry tickets at ticket machines on the terminals, or from the NYC Ferry App. Discover the complete checklist of routes and schedules right here.
You might end up commuting to work on the Tooth Ferry, Friendship Categorical or River Sprinter. Whereas the ferries are staffed by adults, most of the boats themselves have been named by second graders throughout town, from 2017 to 2019.
Staten Island Ferry
The Staten Island Ferry has been in service for greater than 200 years — since 1817, when a steamboat linked New York’s least populous borough to Manhattan.
The Staten Island Ferry, operated by the New York Metropolis Division of Transportation, runs 24 hours a day, on daily basis of the 12 months. Throughout rush hour, boats depart St. George Terminal in Staten Island and Whitehall Terminal in Manhattan each 15 or 20 minutes. At evening, they go away each half-hour. The journey takes round 25 minutes.
The ferry used to cost passengers a small charge – decrease than different transit choices within the metropolis. In 1990, when the round-trip cost elevated to 50 cents, Staten Islanders’ indignation helped gas a vote in favor of secession from New York Metropolis. When Rudy Giuliani received the 1993 mayoral election, and made the ferry free to all passengers in 1997, the specter of secession subsided.
The ferry can be ADA accessible, and has free Web entry.
Governors Island
Seasonal ferries join Governor’s Island to Manhattan and Brooklyn. Run by the Belief for Governors Island, these ferries run each half-hour between the Battery Maritime Constructing at 10 South Road in Manhattan and Soissons Touchdown on Governor’s Island. On summer time weekends, extra ferries join Yankee Pier on Governor’s Island to Atlantic Basin in Crimson Hook and Pier 6 in Brooklyn Bridge Park.
Roundtrip tickets price $5, however journeys are free on weekends earlier than 11 a.m. The ferry runs on daily basis year-round.
You possibly can test the schedule and map right here. The South Brooklyn route of the NYC Ferry additionally stops by Governor’s Island year-round.
Additionally, should you’ve ever needed to personal your individual ferry, the Belief for Governor’s Island is taking bids for the lately retired M/V Samuel S. Coursen.
New Yorkers having fun with outside house on Governors Island. Credit score: Rachel Holliday Smith/THE CITY
Different ferries: New Jersey and past
Ferry journey between Manhattan and New Jersey is operated by the personal firm NY Waterway. Weekday routes join Edgewater, Hoboken, Jersey Metropolis, Weehawken and extra to landings at Wall Road, Battery Park and Midtown throughout commuter hours. One-way tickets price $12.25, and routes and schedules are listed right here.
The Liberty Touchdown Metropolis Ferry, owned by Hornblower, additionally operates a route between Jersey Metropolis and Brookfield Place. One-way tickets price $10, and ferries go away each hour.
For an additional island-hopping expertise, you may take the free weekend-only Ikea ferry, which departs Manhattan from Pier 79 on West thirty ninth Road, and Pier 11 at South Road, and travels to the Ikea terminal in Crimson Hook.
The privately run Seastreak Ferries operates a number of routes working on the costlier finish. The corporate justifies its hefty price ticket by calling itself “the most civilized way to get there.”
The day by day ferry between Manhattan and Sandy Hook Seashore in New Jersey, which requires advance reservation and features a shuttle service on Sandy Hook, prices $49 spherical journey.
A commuter ferry connects Belford, Jersey Metropolis, and Manhattan for across the similar value.
Seastreak additionally operates a ferry between New York, Martha’s Winery and Nantucket. A one-way ticket begins at $185.
Vacationer ferries
Sure, they’re designed for daytrippers and out-of-towners, however they’re open to everybody, together with New Yorkers searching for a little bit of sea air:
Statue Metropolis Cruises run frequent journeys between Battery Park, Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. $25 roundtrip tickets embrace entry to the Statue of Liberty grounds and Ellis Island museum.
The Circle Line provides a number of excursions of New York’s waterways, together with a two-and-a-half-hour loop aroundManhattan beginning at $49, a 2-hour nighttime tour of town skyline ($53), and an eight-hour cruise all the way in which to Bear Mountain State Park ($84).
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