Staten Island Ferry

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Riding the Staten Island Ferry

Passenger Safety

See the Staten Island Ferry Safety Advisory (pdf) See the Staten Island Ferry Safety & Environmental Protection Policy (pdf)

Download the Staten Island Ferry Rules of Conduct (pdf) Read the Staten Island Ferry Rules of Conduct for Bicyclists.

Route Information

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

The St. George Terminal is located at 1 Bay Street, Staten Island.

The Whitehall Terminal is located at 4 South Street, Manhattan.

All passengers are required to comply with applicable U.S. Coast Guard Security Regulations regardless of which level they board from.

The Staten Island Ferry does not carry cars.

Lower-Level Boarding

St. George: Lower-level will be open weekdays from 6:40 am – 9:00 am, covering the 7:00 am – 9:00 am departures
Whitehall: Lower-level will be open every day from 12:00 pm – 8:00 pm, covering the 12:30 pm – 8:00 pm departures

Lower-level boarding will remain open 24/7 for people with bicycles and persons with disabilities. Bicycles must always board on the lower-level. Passengers who use wheelchairs or other mobility devices can board at both levels 24/7 without the need for prior documentation. More information on accessibility for passengers with disabilities is listed below in section titled “Accessibility.”

As with other aspects of our operation, lower-level boarding is subject to compliance with US Coast Guard Combined Security Plan. This requires security screening and mandates that embarking and disembarking passengers be kept separate at all times.

Gates for the lower-level will close promptly according to posted schedule. Lower-level will not serve as area for late passengers to board after the main loading doors are already closed. The gates must close on-time to maintain schedule.

There is a finite amount of space in the lower-level waiting areas. If capacities are reached, the lower-level will be closed and passengers will be directed to the upper levels.

Lower-level waiting areas are temporary in nature and the current configuration may go through changes as we adjust details to conform to the operational environment and regulatory regime.

Whitehall Lower Level Boarding Schematic

St. George Lower Level Boarding Schematic

Pets

Pets, other than service animals as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, are not allowed in the facilities and/or onboard the ferry boats, unless they are caged and/or muzzled.

Accessibility

Both terminals are equipped with escalators and elevators and operate within ADA guidelines. Passengers who use wheelchairs or other mobility devices can board at both levels 24/7 without the need for prior documentation. For those passengers not using wheelchairs or other mobility devices, authorization to board on the lower level during hours when lower level boarding is closed to the general public will only be issued with proper supporting documentation. For further information, please call 212-839-3061, Monday through Friday between 8:00 am and 4:00 pm, all other times please dial 311. You may also email your request and documentation to ferryaccessrequest@dot.nyc.gov. Please allow 3 to 5 business days for processing.

If you would like to file an American with Disabilities Act complaint alleging disability discrimination, visit 311 Online, file by mail, or contact our Customer Complaint Representative at (212) 839-3096.

To file a complaint by mail:	NYC Department of Transportation Office of the Commissioner Attn: Customer Complaint Representative 1 Ferry Terminal Drive Staten Island, NY 10301

Security

All passengers are subject to random screening by NYPD and K9 personnel. Passengers refusing to random screenings will not be allowed to board the vessel and will be asked to leave the terminal. Staten Island Ferry terminals are under 24/7 CCTV surveillance. Please note: NYPD is present on all Staten Island Ferry vessels and stationed in both terminals.

Ferry Schedule

The ferry operates on a holiday schedule on New Year's Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. On these days, service will be provided every 30 minutes throughout the day, with departures on the hour and half hour from each terminal.

Transit connections

The St. George Terminal is served by the Staten Island Railway and the S40, S42, S44, S46, S48, S51, S52, S61, S62, S66, S74, S76, S78, S81, S84, S86, S90, S91, S92, S94, S96 and S98 bus routes.

The Whitehall Terminal is accessible by the M5, M15, M15 SBS and M20 bus routes and the 1, 4, 5, J, R and Z trains.

Late Notes

A Staten Island Ferry is considered late if it departs more than five minutes past the posted departure time. Late notes are available through the Passenger Service Office located in the waiting room of the St. George Terminal between the hours of 9AM and 4PM, by contacting 311, or by emailing ferrylatenotes@dot.nyc.gov. Please include the date and time that you traveled as well as the terminal you departed from and your name and email address. Responses will be emailed within 3 business days. Please contact 212-839-3061 or 311 with questions or concerns.

Parking

No vehicles are allowed on the ferry.

In addition to privately operated lots, there is a DOT Municipal parking lot at St. George Ferry Terminal. The hourly parking rate is $1.50. The daily parking rate is $12.00. There is an 18 hour limit. Parking in the nearby municipal garage and lot at St. George Courthouse Garage costs $70 per month.

The upper South Lobby Kiss & Ride at the St. George Ferry Terminal is open for passenger pick-ups and drop-offs. Passengers should take the South Lobby elevator on the main concourse level to the third floor. Drivers can access this area by taking the bus ramp from Richmond Terrace, using the outermost right lane.

Facts about the Ferry

The City has operated the Staten Island Ferry since 1905. The Ferry carries approximately 25 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. The Staten Island Ferry is the most reliable form of mass transit, with a consistent annual on-time performance record of over 92 percent during the last several years.

On a typical weekday, five boats make 117 trips, carrying approximately 75,000 passengers. During rush hours, the ferry runs on a four-boat schedule, with 15 minutes between departures. 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 to make 96 trips across the harbor each day. The boats make over 40,000 trips annually. Ferry terminal supervisors, assigned around the clock at both Whitehall and St. George, are responsible for ensuring that the ferry operates according to its published schedule.

Ferry fleet

Molinari Class Boats

The Guy V. Molinary Ferry — *Guy V. Molinari*

There are three sister ships, Guy V. Molinari, Sen. John J. Marchi, and Spirit of America in this class. Each boat carries 4,427 passengers with a crew of 16. The boats are 310 feet long, 70 feet wide, with a draft of 13 feet 10 inches, 2,794 gross tonnage, service speed of 16 knots, and 9,000 horsepower.

Guy V. Molinari honors Staten Island's three-term Borough President of Staten Island, from 1990 to 2001. Prior to that, Mr. Molinari was a member of the United States House of Representatives, a State Assemblyman, and a successful attorney with a private practice on Staten Island. The Molinari began carrying passengers on January 26, 2005

The Spirit of America Ferry — *Spirit of America*

John J. Marchi is named for the New York State Senator who served in a variety of Senate and other community leadership roles. Senator Marchi was born in Staten Island, and received high honors from numerous academic, political and community oriented organizations and committees. Marchi entered service on May 20, 2005.

Spirit of America entered service on April 4, 2006.

Barberi Class boats

There are two ships in this class, Andrew J. Barberi and the Samuel I. Newhouse. The Barberi entered service in 1981 and the Newhouse in 1982. Each boat carries 5,200 passengers, with a crew of 15. The boats are 310 feet long, 69 feet 10 inches wide, with a draft of 13 feet 6 inches, 3,335 gross tonnage, service speed of 16 knots, and 7,000 horsepower.

Austen Class boats

There are two sister ships, Alice Austen and John A. Noble, in this class, which began service in 1986. Each boat carries 1,107 passengers, with a crew of 9. The boats are 207 feet long, 40 feet wide, with a draft of 8 feet, 6 inches, 499 gross tonnage, service speed of 16 knots, and 3,200 horsepower.

Kennedy Class boats

This class began service in 1965. Originally, there were three boats in this class — John F. Kennedy, American Legion, and Governor Herbert H. Lehman. Kennedy is still in operation, the others have been retired. Kennedy class boats carry 3,055 passengers with a crew of 13. They are 297 feet long, 69 feet 10 inches wide, with a draft of 13 feet 6 inches, 2,109 gross tonnage, service speed of 16 knots, and 6,500 horsepower.

Emergency response

The newest addition to the DOT fleet is the American Legion, the latest in the fleet to bear that name, a new high speed utility boat that was purchased with $1 million donated by the NASDAQ Disaster Relief Fund to enable DOT to respond to emergency situations in and around lower Manhattan. Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding in Somerset, Massachusetts built the vessel, which was delivered in March 2007. The new boat can hold 12 passengers in addition to its crew and has a top speed of 30 knots. In situations where a ferry may require assistance in mid-harbor, the utility boat will be used to shuttle maintenance staff quickly from the terminals to the boat. The boat will also be used to deliver DOT staff and equipment to the private ferry landings around Manhattan during an emergency.

Ferry Terminals

Whitehall Terminal

The new Whitehall Ferry Terminal, photo courtesy www.lowermanhattan.info

The Whitehall Ferry Terminal opened in 2005. The heart of the terminal is a 75-foot-high entry hall with panoramic views of the downtown Manhattan skyline and the harbor. The building has a state-of-the-art heating and air conditioning system, which is partially powered by solar panels. The terminal encompasses a total floor area of 200,000 square feet, including, a 19,000-square-foot waiting room (6,500 square feet larger than the previous one), 6,000 square feet of retail, 10,000 square feet of office space, and 10,000 square feet of ancillary support and ferry operation rooms. Percent for Art installed 28 granite benches designed by artist Ming Fay. Titled Whitehall Crossing they mimic Indian canoes crossing New York Bay. Learn more about musicians enlivening the ferry terminals through DOT's Arterventions program

The Whitehall Ferry Terminal exterior — Whitehall Terminal

In parallel with the construction of the new terminal, MTA oversaw the renovation of Peter Minuit Plaza. The newly configured plaza more safely accommodates pedestrians, taxis and buses. The redesigned space is home to 42 new trees, new public space for community activities, a covered walkways from the terminal to Whitehall Station and a dedicated cab drop-off area along Whitehall Street and a new bus loop.

St. George Ferry Terminal

The St. George Terminal was originally built in 1950. In 2005, the terminal reopened after extensive renovations. The renovated terminal's steel and glass design provides natural lighting and views of the harbor from floor-to-ceiling windows. The transparent waiting room is secured by ornamental rails. The renovation also brought the terminal to ADA-compliance and added 20,000 square feet of retail space, and added walkways to Richmond Terrace and the ballpark. The redesign also added green features, including a photovoltaic louver system that will save 25% of the energy needed to operate the facility, an 18,000 square foot garden of local plants on the roof, which will be irrigated by rain water.

Ferry Terminal late night closures

Ferry Terminal waiting rooms will be intermittently closed between the hours of 1:00 am and 4:30 am in order to comply with federally mandated security procedures. During such times, passengers will be requested to wait inside the terminal in a designated location. Upon completion of the sweep, passengers will have the ability to reenter the waiting room in order to board their intended boat. Thank you for your cooperation.

Lost and found

The Ferry's lost and found is located within the Passenger Service Office which is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. It is located in the St. George Terminal waiting room, next to the NYPD Police Room. For additional information, or Lost and Found assistance, visit 311 Online.

Pay phone locations

Pay phones are located in both terminal waiting rooms. At Manhattan Whitehall Terminal they are located inside the waiting room by the rest rooms. At Staten Island St. George Terminal they are located by the Passenger Service Office and Passenger Drop Off and Pick Up Area.

Ferries and the environment

DOT works to ensure compliance with National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit requirements as part of the Clean Water Act. This includes identifying operational discharges that are applicable to the vessel; continual implementation of related safety management system requirements; utilizing additional best management practices to reduce operational discharges; performing periodic onboard inspections; documenting instances of noncompliance or violation with permit requirements and to ensure corrective action.

Passengers on board the Staten Island Ferry can do their part for the environment and assist DOT's compliance with these environmental regulations.

Make a conscious effort to minimize wastewater when using sinks and toilets. Notify vessel crewmembers if sinks, faucets or toilets are observed to be running or leaking.
Use the trash cans that are provided onboard vessels and in terminals. Improperly discarded trash and waste can be washed or blown overboard, polluting the waters of New York Harbor.
Do not throw anything overboard while riding the Ferry.

Advertising on the Ferry

If you're interested in advertising on the Staten Island Ferry or at the St. George or Whitehall Terminals please contact Ferry Ads, 718-351-2557 or visit www.ferryads.com for rate cards and more details.

Filming or distributing literature on the Ferry

Permits are required to distribute literature in the terminals or for film or photo shoots in the terminals or on the ferry. The applications for these permits are online. Application processing takes 3 to 5 business days. Apply for a permit to film or photograph on the ferry or in the terminals Apply for a permit to distribute literature in the terminals

Title VI, Civil Rights, Discrimination Complaints

DOT is committed to compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and all related non-discrimination regulations. Persons who believe they have been discriminated against (i.e. excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or access to, DOT programs or services) on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, or income status have the right to file a complaint. Discrimination complaints can be filed online or by mail. You may also contact our Customer Complaint Representative at (212) 839-3096 during regular business hours. At other times, dial 311. Your complaint must be submitted within 180 days of the alleged discrimination.

To file a complaint by mail:	NYC Department of Transportation Office of the Commissioner Attn: Customer Complaint Representative 1 Ferry Terminal Drive Staten Island, NY 10301

File a complaint with DOT

Download the Title VI notice in English, Arabic, Bengali, French, Haitian Creole, Korean, Polish, Russian, Spanish, Chinese, Urdu, or Yiddish.