NewYork Staten Island Ferry Tourism

The Staten Island Ferry provides 20 million people a year (60,000 passengers a day not including weekend days) with ferry service between St. George on Staten Island and Whitehall Street in lower Manhattan.

The ferry is the only non-vehicular mode of transportation between Staten Island and Manhattan. NYC DOT operates and maintains the nine vessel fleet as well as the St. George Ferry Terminal on Staten Island, Whitehall Ferry Terminal in Manhattan, the City Island and Hart Island Facilities, The Battery Maritime Building and all floating dock building equipment.

The Staten Island Ferry is run by the City of New York for one pragmatic reason: To transport Staten Islanders to and from Manhattan. Yet, the 5 mile, 25 minute ride also provides a majestic view of New York Harbor and a no-hassle, even romantic, boat ride, for free! One guide book calls it "One of the world's greatest (and shortest) water voyages." From the deck of the ferry you will have a perfect view of The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. You'll see the skyscrapers and bridges of Lower Manhattan receding as you pull away and coming into focus again as you return. A typical weekday schedule involves the use of five boats to transport approximately 60,000 passengers daily (109 daily trips). During the day, between rush hours, boats are regularly fueled and maintenance work is performed. Terminals are cleaned around the clock and routine terminal maintenance is performed on the day shift. On weekends, three boats are used (75 trips each Saturday and 68 trips each Sunday). Over 35,000 trips are made annually.

The ferry operates 24 hours a day every day of the week. Through most of the day (the only exception being the hours of midnight to 6am), you will not have to wait more than half an hour for the next departure, and it will be more frequent-and crowded-during weekday rush hours. Weekdays and weekends, boats leave and arrive on the half hour.
Each leg of the ferry takes half an hour.
It is an attraction fit for young and old, New York first-timers and those who have lived here for years.
The ferry, which runs frequently enough that if you just show up, one is probably not far off, offers a wonderful view of the harbor and all it has to offer. Among the sights to take in from either side of the vessel, are Governors Island, the Statue of Liberty, the Brooklyn Bridge, lower Manhattan and Wall Street's skyscrapers, Ellis Island, and the Verrazano Narrows Bridge connecting Staten Island to Brooklyn.

Hop aboard. Or rather, push on board through the cattle-car feeling entrance way, and take a seat. If you want one of the seats on the benches on the borders of the boat, to overlook the harbor, grab one fast because they fill up quickly. Take the ride back and forth if you wish. Each leg is half an hour. Switch sides so you can take in all views. And as it pulls in to Manhattan, take a walk up to the front of the boat and bring your camera-it's a great view you won't want to miss.