Catching the NYC Ferry as a Tourist
Exploring NYC by Ferry: First Time Guide
Planning a visit to New York City? Want to try a different form of public transport that isn’t the subway or bus? The NYC ferry is a great way to explore the city while getting a mini sight-seeing tour. Whether you're a first-time visitor or a seasoned traveler, the ferry offers a unique perspective of the Big Apple, that's both fun and affordable.
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Where can I catch the NYC ferry from?
There are a few places you can catch the ferry from, see the locations here. If you are staying in the midtown Manhattan area (a good possibility if it’s your first time to New York), then the East 34th Street stop will be you’re closest stop.
How do I buy tickets?
You can either download the NYC Ferry App, or do what we did and buy them at the ticket machine at the ferry landing. These are available as single tickets, or a 10-trip pass.
How much to tickets cost?
$4 for a single ticket and $27.50 for a 10-trip pass (at the time of writing). You can transfer to another ferry for free within the first 2 hours of activating your ticket.
Where to go on the NYC ferry?
There are several routes that will take you to various parts of NYC. You can either plan a day trip somewhere or travel from one end to the other while enjoying the impressive city skyline. The timetable isn’t as frequent as the subway or bus, so it may check to look at this beforehand.
How long does the ferry take?
This will depend on where you take the ferry to and how close you are staying to a ferry landing. In terms of convenience, the ferry may take extra time than catching the subway or a taxi. The ferry also makes stops along the way which can add to the journey time. For us to travel to Brooklyn it took a similar time compared to the subway.
TIP: the open-air deck will be the best for sightseeing. Remember, even in summer it may be a little chilly.
What we did – Midtown Manhattan to Brooklyn
We planned a day that would use lots of options to travel around NYC – walking, ferry, and subway. You can read more about our experience with public transport in New York, see our Navigating NYC: A First Time Guide to Public Transport.
We stayed at the Moxy on 36th Street, so we headed south to 34th Street. From here, we stayed on 34th Street, walking towards the East River. This takes you past the Empire State Building, and various shops and eateries. Once you reach the impressive ‘Dalmatian and Taxi Sculpture’, you’ll almost be at the East 34th Street ferry landing. Looking at the river from 34th Street, use the crossing to get to the East River Esplanade. Turn left and you’ll reach the ferry landing.
Purchase your tickets and then jump on the ferry. As we were headed for Brooklyn, we took the East River Route which stops at Dumbo (next to the Brooklyn Bridge). This trip takes approximately 30 minutes, with a few stops along the way. If you get a clear sunny day, you will see some amazing views of the NYC skyline. Plus, you’ll go under three bridges, including the iconic Brooklyn Bridge.
If you want to read more about our journey on this day, exploring Brooklyn, Wall Street, 9/11 Memorial, the Statue of Liberty, and more, see our post here.
Catching the NYC ferry was an affordable public transport option with stunning panoramic views and some time out of the toxic city air! As a tourist it felt more like an adventure than public transport. If it suits your plans, we would highly recommend using the NYC ferry on your next trip to New York.
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