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NYC Ferry prices bump up to $4 for most riders
By
Gwynne Hogan
Published Sep 12, 2022
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By
Gwynne Hogan
Published Sep 12, 2022
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Starting Monday, single rides for passengers on the NYC ferry system will now cost $4, up from $2.75.
While one-time riders will see a surge in ticket price, discounted fares are now available for frequent riders, senior citizens, disabled New Yorkers and low-income travelers.
The changes are part of a program announced by New York Mayor Eric Adams in July, in an effort to rein in spending by NYC Ferry, which has operated in the red since its creation by former Mayor Bill de Blasio.
City Hall estimates the changes in ticket price will bring the city an additional $2 million in revenue, though that will only make a small dent on the operating deficit, most recently pegged at $37 million last fiscal year.
As of Monday, ten-packs of ferry tickets now cost $27.50, bringing the price for regular commuters back to $2.75, though the tickets have to be used within 90 days of purchase.
New Yorkers with disabilities, senior citizens and anyone currently enrolled in the city’s Fair Fares program, which provides discounted MetroCards for low-income residents, are eligible for further discounted rides of $1.35. Passengers have to fill out an online application in order to qualify.
In a boon for cyclists, NYC Ferry is no longer charging riders a $1 fee to bring a bike on board, “to help encourage environmentally sustainable multi-modal transportation,” the city’s Economic Development Corporation said in a release.
Over the summer, NYC Ferry launched the Rockaway Rocket, a seasonal offering on weekends and holidays in the summer, where riders from Manhattan could reserve a spot on the ferry to the beach for $8, and skip what’s often an excessive line. That service ended for the season on Sunday.
Fiscal watchdogs have long criticized the funding structure for NYC Ferry, a pet project of former Mayor Bill de Blasio, arguing the boats were city-subsidized transportation most frequently used by seasonal and recreational travelers and by tourists, all of whom could afford to pay more.
A July audit from Comptroller Brad Lander’s office found each ferry ride cost the city $12.88, compared to the $2.75 passengers paid. A 2019 report found each ferry ride cost the city ten times as much as it pays for subway and bus riders.
Gwynne Hogan
Gwynne Hogan is a former Gothamist reporter.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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