What time is rush hour on the Staten Island Ferry?
The Ferry runs 24 hours a day / 7 days a week. More frequent service, (every 15 or 20 minutes,) is provided on the weekdays during the rush hours of 6:00AM – 9:30AM and 3:30PM – 8:00PM, with 30-minute service to follow.
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First off, avoid traveling at or around the commuter rush hours of 7:00 to 8:45 am and 5:00 to 6:45 pm! Even the boats right before and after these times are often very busy. Traveling in the late morning and early afternoon is your best chance to get a boat that isn't overly packed.
The Ferry carries over 12 million passengers annually on a 5.2-mile run between the St. George Terminal in Staten Island and the Whitehall Terminal in Lower Manhattan. The Ferry runs 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. In 2022, the Staten Island Ferry's annual on-time performance was 94%.
You 'queue' at the entrance and when the ferry docks it takes about 10 minutes to empty and another 10 to load. The crossing takes 20 minutes. At Staten island, if you can get off quick you may be able to rush round and get straight on the ferry back. We missed it so had about a 30 minute wait for the next one back.
Just try to avoid the rush hour and, yes, it's generally less crowded on weekends. I have taken it at various times of day -- morning, afternoon, sunset, late at night (when it's very romantic)-- and in various types of weather, and I don't know if I have a favorite time to take it, I always enjoy an excuse to ride it.
Due to the smaller size of the boat, the trip was a bit less smooth than what riders of the Staten Island Ferry have come to expect, with choppy water resulting in a bumpy ride at one point.
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.
The Staten Island Ferry boasts a 24-hour schedule. That's right: it never stops. It takes trips every half hour on the half hour, and every 20 minutes during rush hour. Each ferry has a capacity of around 5,000 people, and daily ridership frequently tops 70,000 passengers a day.
Staten Island FerrySince the service is completely free, this is a great option for viewing the Statue of Liberty up close. 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.
Effective Sept 8, 2022, masks are now optional for riders throughout the NYC Ferry system. We strongly encourage riders to continue to wear masks while inside the main cabin.
If you want to take photos of the Statue of Liberty, go up the flights of stairs until you reach the top deck, and go to the right side of the ferry. There is an outdoor deck on each side of the upper deck that you can stand on to get good photos. Coming back, you'll need to be on the left side of the ferry.
During rush hour, you could be out here for at least an hour, said Elroy Wallace, deckhand. Inland you may get a temperature of 20 degrees, but on the water it could feel like minus 10. Deckhands say they dress in layers, some with as many as three layers of trousers and six layers on their upper bodies.
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.
Staten Island FerryThe Staten Island Ferry is a free transportation service provided between Manhattan and Staten Island. Each boat is quite large, carrying over 4,000 people. But the route across New York harbor takes you directly in front of the statue.
It's up to you where you want to stand/sit, but if you want a prime viewing spot for a picture of the statue, head to the side of the boat that's facing Manhattan. Once it turns to head to Liberty Island, you'll have the perfect view.