NYC Ferry – the City’s New Ferry

I’ve talked a few times here and need to repeat every time I have great news about New York to tell you: I always get surprised with this city, with the power of renewal and how there’s always something new around here. I have also spoken several times here about how I love public transportation. The subway system is fantastic and allows people to go everywhere in the city. If you add this to the bus system, you will realize that there is any place in this city where you can’t go with public transportation. And two weeks ago, New Yorkers were surprised by another breakthrough in this regard: the launch of NYC Ferry, a ferry transport system that will connect various regions of the city.

If we stop to analyze, it’s late, right? New York is a city bathed by rivers and also by the sea, but until then all this potential was only explored by sightseeing and the Staten Island Ferry (with a unique route between Staten Island and Manhattan) and the East River, with few routes by the side East of the city. Now, the NYC Ferry will connect several neighborhoods of the city and expand the range of public transportation options. For some routes, it will be much more practical – and even enjoyable – to use the NYC Ferry than the subway.

How it works?

Just like the subway, the NYC Ferry has lines, which make different routes. There are 6 lines: RW (Rockaway), AST (Astoria), SB (South Brooklyn), LES (Lower East Side), SV (Soundview) and ER (East River).

• RW (Rockaway) – connects Manhattan to Rockaway Beach, 3 stops: Rockaway, Sunset Park and Wall St/Pier 11.
• AS (Astoria) – connects Astoria, Queens, and Manhattan, Pier 11, 5 stops: Astoria, Roosevelt Island, Long Island City, East 34th Street and Wall St/Pier 11.
• SB (South Brooklyn) – connects Brooklyn and Manhattan, 7 stops: Bay Ridge, Sunset Park, Red Hook, Governors Island (Summer only, Brooklyn Bridge Park / Atlantic Avenue, Dumbo and Wall St/Pier 11.
• LES (Lower East Side) – connects Long Island City and Manhattan, 5 stops: Long Island City, East 34th St, Stuyvesant Town, Corlears Hook and Wall St/Pier 11.
• SV (Soundview) – connects  The Bronx and Manhattan, 4 stops: Soundview, East 90th Street, East 62th Street and Wall St/Pier 11.
• ER (East River) – connects Manhattan and Brooklyn/Queens at East River, 8 stops: East 34th Street, Hunter Point South, Greenpoint, North Williamsburg, South Williamsburg, Dumbo, Governors Island (Summer only) and Wall St/Pier 11.

Check out the schedule on the website. 

Tickets

One of the nicest things about the NYC Ferry is the price: $2.75 per ride, the same price as the subway (but be aware, the NYC Ferry does not accept Metrocard, it’s a different system! ). I think it’s a very affordable price if we consider convenience. And you can do “transfer” of lines without paying anything within the 90-minute period from the start of your trip. Children up to 44inches accompanied by an adult do not pay. You can buy the tickets on the machines available at each stop or with one of the agents. But the most practical way is by shopping through the NYC Ferry app. Just download the application and make the purchase there. The app also has the schedules of all lines.

Each ferry has capacity for 149 people and they are wheelchair accessible. Anyone who wants to bring a bicycle on board pays an extra fee of U $ 1.

I have not tried the service yet, but I did not want to wait to write about it  on the blog, since the NYC Ferry can be very convenient for some routes!