The expanded service is part of the Waterfront Vision and Enhancement Strategy

This spring Mayor Michael Bloomberg and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn announced system-wide upgrades the popular East River Ferry service. Larger vessels -- accommodating 399 passengers instead of 149 -- will operate on summer weekends, and a new, expanded landing is now open at Pier 1 in Brooklyn Bridge Park.

As a public-private partnership between the city and Billybey Ferry Company, the ferry service is part of a three-year pilot program that launched in June 2011 to provide year-round ferry service between Pier 11 (at the foot of Wall Street) to East 34th Street, and several piers in Brooklyn and Queens. It also includes seasonal service to Governors Island.

The 2012 summer schedule will be able to carry more passengers on weekdays from 6:45 a.m. to 8:45 p.m. in both directions. During morning and evening peak hours, three boats will run every 20 minutes; during weekday off-peak hours, two boats will run on a 30-minute schedule. On Saturdays and Sundays, three larger vessels will run every 45 minutes from 9:35 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Governors Island will be served on the regular weekend route during the Islands operating hours.

The service costs riders $4 for a one-way ticket, $12 for an unlimited all-day pass, and $140 for an unlimited monthly pass. Ferries accommodate bikes on board for an additional dollar. Ticketing machines are available at all commuter locations along with staffed ticket agents at some stops. Concessions also are being improved this season, including a range of local establishments operating on the East River Ferry on a rotating basis.

This initiative is part of the Waterfront Vision and Enhancement Strategy (WAVES), a citywide strategy launched by Mayor Bloomberg and Speaker Quinn, which lays out a sustainable blueprint for the Citys more than 500 miles of shoreline.

Related Links