For locals, the New York Ferry or NYC Ferry is one of the most important means of transportation when it comes to reliability and speed. The ferries offer a scenic, convenient, and affordable way to navigate the city’s waterways.
Whether commuting, sightseeing, or simply enjoying a ride, ferries provide breathtaking views of the Manhattan skyline, Statue of Liberty, and Brooklyn Bridge. Since the New York Ferry is popular with both locals and tourists, I want to provide you with an overview of the different possibilities as a tourist about using ferries in NYC.
1. NYC Ferry: The Ferry for the East River
The public NYC Ferry or New York Ferry used to be called the East River Ferry. It travels on the East River, which takes you to and from Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx (and back).
The ferry is especially popular with New Yorkers to get to work. It’s super-efficient, because it’s guaranteed to avoid any traffic jams. If you get thirsty or hungry, you can even buy small snacks and drinks on the ferries.
The best part about this is the ride is super-relaxing, it doesn’t put a dent in your wallet because it costs only $4.50 per ride. Also, just like other ferries, you get to see amazing views.
Schedule and Ticket Prices for the NYC Ferry
Ferry tickets are relatively cheap. A one-way ticket runs for $4.50, a 10-trip pass costs $29. Kids are permitted to ride the NYC Ferry for free as long as they are no taller than 44 inches.
Getting Your New York Ferry Tickets
There are three different ways to buy New York ferry tickets.
- Our favorite: The really good and easy-to-use NYC Ferry app (available for free download on iOS and Android). Choose your NYC Ferry ticket and pay by credit card.
- Buy the New York ferry tickets at kiosks at their respective seaports.
- The last alternative is the website itself, here you can order the tickets and then print them out at the end.
NYC Ferry Map and Stops
In total there are 7 routes. Depending on the particular route, the ferries start every 20-30 minutes on weekdays and every 45-60 minutes on weekends (you can see that they are very popular with commuters).
- Blue East River Route (blue): runs between Hunter’s Point South (Queens) and Wall Street/Pier 11 (Manhattan) with these stops: East 34th Street – Greenpoint – North Williamsburg – South Williamsburg – DUMBO
- Rockaway Route (purple): runs between Rockaway and Wall Street/Pier 11 with one stop in between: Brooklyn Army Terminal/Sunset Park
- South Brooklyn Route (yellow): runs between Bay Ridge (South Brooklyn) and Corlears Hook (Manhattan) with these stops: Brooklyn Army Terminal/Sunset Park – Governors Island – Red Hook – Brooklyn Bridge Park/Atlantic Avenue – Wall Street/Pier 11 – DUMBO
- Astoria Route (orange): runs between East 90th Streetan Wall Street/Pier 11 with these stops: Astoria – Roosevelt Island – Long Island City – East 34th Street – Brooklyn Navy Yard
- Soundview Route (dark purple): runs from Throgs Neck/Ferry Point Park (Bronx) to Wall Street/Pier 11 with these stops: Soundview – East 90th Street – East 34th Street – Stuyvesant Cove
- St. George Route (pink): runs between Midtown West/Pier 79 and St. George (Staten Island with one stop in between: Battery Park City
- Governors Island Shuttle (grey): runs between Wall Street/Pier 11 and Governors Island on summer weekends and holidays only
You can find the full NYC Ferry map with all the stops on the official NYC Ferry website.
2. NY Waterway–The NYC Ferry between Jersey and Manhattan
The NY Waterway Ferry connects New Jersey with Manhattan. It’s also known as the Hudson River Ferry. Many locals have moved to the neighboring state New Jersey, particularly Jersey City and Hoboken. In addition to the PATH and buses, the NY Waterway Ferry is also a reliable option.
The Ferry Terminal locations are in Midtown on W38th Street, Brookfield Place/Battery Park City in Lower Manhattan, and Pier 11 Wall Street.
While the South, such as Jersey City, Paulus Hook, and Hoboken, have good access to the PATH, areas like Weehawken and Edgewater rely on the NJ Transit Bus. So it often makes sense to take the ferry at certain times of the day, especially if you need to be somewhere.
Ticket Prices for the NY Waterway
In terms of price, the cost of the NY Waterway is higher than the NYC Ferry. A drive from Port Imperial in NJ can cost $14 per person to Lower Manhattan. Children from 6-11 years pay $8.50.
Ticket prices depend on your starting and destination point. A ticket can cost up to $18. There are monthly and weekly tickets which are worthwhile if you ONLY use the ferry
For the complete price list, check the NY Waterway website.
How To Get NY Waterway Tickets
- Buy your tickets in the NY Waterway App. You can download it for free in the Google Play Store and the App Store.
- Buy NY Waterway tickets online on the website.
- Get your tickets at the ticket kiosks that are located at every stop of the NY Waterway.
3. New York Ferry to Staten Island
One of the most popular ferries is the Staten Island Ferry which connects Manhattan to Staten Island. The orange-colored ferries are a part of New York City’s vibe just as much as the yellow cabs.
The best part is the Staten Island Ferry is FREE! During the 20-25 minute crossing, you’ll enjoy the photogenic skyline of Lower Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty.
Staten Island Ferry Schedule
During rush hour, the ferries leave every 15 minutes. Otherwise, it’s every 30 minutes.
The ferry starts in Battery Park in Manhattan. The nearest subway stations are Whitehall St., which you can reach by taking the lines and South Ferry Station, which is line .
The St. George Terminal is your destination on Staten Island. You can either take the next ferry back to Manhattan or take some time off at the North Shore Waterfront Esplanade Park.
You can see the schedule here.
4. New York Ferry to the Statue of Liberty
This is one of the most popular tours in New York. This New York ferry connects New York’s Battery Park with Liberty Island (where the Statue of Liberty is located) and Ellis Island.
If you only want to go to Liberty Island without going into the Statue of Liberty itself, then the price for the crossing is already included in all sightseeing passes.
Tickets for the Ferry to the Statue of Liberty
1. Ferry ticket and visit to Liberty Island and Ellis Island – includes a visit to the free Statue of Liberty Museum
2. Tickets to the crown of the Statue of Liberty (which are very popular, you have to book long in advance)
More about the Statue of Liberty can be found in this article.
Schedule for the Ferry to the Statue of Liberty
Every day, the first ferry leaves Battery Park at 9:30 AM and runs pretty much every 20-30 minutes. It takes about 15-20 minutes to get to Liberty Island.
From there, the ferries leave for Ellis Island which is about a 10-minute ride and then the ferries head back to Manhattan.
Find the full ferry schedule here.
5. The IKEA Ferry in New York
The IKEA Ferry is also called the Ikea Water Taxi or IKEA Express Ferry and is part of the NY Waterway. It commutes between Manhattan and Red Hook, Brooklyn.
The ferry stops right in front of IKEA in Brooklyn. The ride itself is relaxing: you can look at the wonderful skyline of Lower Manhattan and the Brooklyn Bridge.
IKEA Ferry Stops:
- Midtown W39th Street
- Wall Street/Pier 11
- IKEA Brooklyn
Schedule and Ticket Prices for the IKEA Ferry
The IKEA Ferry only runs on the weekends. They start every 90 minutes from 10:30 AM. The best thing about this ferry is: it’s completely FREE.
Find the full IKEA Ferry schedule here.
6. NYC Ferry–The Seastreak Ferry
This relatively large, very comfortable ferry in New York is both a ferry for commuters and for those looking for a weekend getaway. Seastreak has numerous destinations. We recommend taking weekend trips to beautiful Newport or to Martha’s Vineyard.
Obviously, you should only do something like this if you plan on staying in New York for a long time and want to plan an extra weekend outside of the city.
For more information check out the official website.
