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What is the official ferry to Statue of Liberty?

Warning: Statue City Cruises is the ONLY ferry service authorized by the National Park Service to sell tickets for, and provide transportation to Liberty and Ellis Islands. Numerous third-party vendors sell tickets at higher prices or for boats that do not land at the islands.



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Staten Island Ferry The ferry route brings you directly across New York Harbor and right by the statue and Ellis Island. Pros: Of all the free options, the ferry has the best and closest view of the statue.

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Plan Your Visit First ferry from mainland – 8:30 A.M. Last ferry from mainland – 3:30 P.M. Last Ferry from Liberty Island 5:00 P.M.

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When visiting the Statue of Liberty be prepared for a long day. Queues to the ferry can take anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours. The Statue of Liberty and museum take approximately 90 minutes to see and Ellis Island is another one hour to 90 minutes.

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The ferries to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island depart every 15-20 minutes. The first ferry departs at 8:30 am in the high season and 9:00 am in the low season and the last ferry departs at 4:00 pm in the high season and 3:30 pm in the low season.

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BATTERY AND LOWER MANHATTAN: To see the Statue of Liberty without getting on a boat, just head to the southern tip of Lower Manhattan, an area known as the Battery (subway to South Ferry or Bowling Green).

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All visitors must purchase a ticket to board the ferry to Liberty and Ellis Islands. All tickets are available to purchase up to six months in advance. Grounds Tickets are available daily and can be purchased via the Statue Cruises website or in-person at the Statue Cruises ticket booths.

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Visitors arrive by ferry service. All ferry tickets include access to the Statue of Liberty Museum and the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration.

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How do I get from Times Square to Statue of Liberty the fastest? The fastest way to get from Times Square to Statue of Liberty is to line 1 subway and ferry. Taking this option will cost $19 - $27 and takes 52 min.

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There is not much to do there but it's a nice boat trip and you can just join the queue, jump back on board and head straight back to Manhattan. The ferry runs frequently but it's suggested that you avoid rush hour as it does get very congested. Definitely worth a trip especially as it's free!

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If you want to go inside the Statue of Liberty, you must buy a Pedestal Access or Crown Access ticket. General Admission tickets do not get you access inside the statue. If you are interested in tours of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, read more below.

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The absolute best time of day to see the statue is first thing in the morning. In the summer, the first ferry leaves at 8:30 and you should definitely try and be on it. Security will usually open around 8:15 so it's best to be in line before then.

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As a tour guide, a question I hear a lot is: “Is it worth it to see Ellis Island?” For those who have no familial connection or relation to the people who passed through, its importance and influence can often be overlooked. Which is why I am here to tell you that it is absolutely, 100% worth it.

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Nearby Ellis Island isn't much bigger, but loomed large in the passage of some 12 million immigrants who arrived here in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Staten Island is the least populated of the city's five boroughs, a mostly suburban area with a few unexpected attractions far off the usual tourist trails.

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Route Information The Ferry operates between the St. George Terminal on Staten Island and the Whitehall Terminal in Lower Manhattan. The trip is about 25 minutes. The Ferry ride is free.

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Eliminating the ferry fare was seen as an action to standardize Staten Islanders' MetroCard fares with those of commuters in other boroughs. Despite the fact that the ferry fare had netted $6 million in annual revenue for the city, its abolition only cost the city about $1 million.

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If you're getting on from the Manhattan side, go to the right (starboard) side of the boat for the best view of the Statue of Liberty. From the Staten Island side, go to the left (port). The ride is 25 minutes each way with boats departing every 30 minutes on either side on weekends.

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Make sure to keep your visit to the statue shorter, so it's closer to 2 1/2 hours, and you can save some time for Ellis Island. To see all of Ellis Island would take a few hours. But if you're in a rush and don't want to skip it, I'd say 1 hour to see the highlights.

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