Weekend Capacity Doubles for East River Ferry

"Opening up our waterways to transportation is making our City greater and greener," Mayor Bloomberg said at a news conference on May 25. "Since its launch, this pilot program on the East River has proven to be incredibly popular - so popular, it turns out, that we're going to need bigger boats. The larger vessels and other improvements will make sure more New Yorkers and tourists can get wherever they want to go."

The Mayor and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn announced that vessels accommodating 399 passengers (compared to last year's boats that held 149) will operate on weekends this summer. In addition, a new landing has opened at Pier 1 in Brooklyn Bridge Park to accommodate the larger vessels.

On weekdays, the East River Ferry Service operates from 6:45am to 8:45pm, with three boats running every 20 minutes during the morning and evening rush, and two boats running every half hour during off-peak hours. On Saturdays and Sundays, the larger vessels will operate every 45 minutes between 9:35am and 9:30pm. The service costs $4 for a one-way ticket, $12 for an unlimited all-day pass, and $140 for an unlimited monthly pass.