A New York holiday is incomplete without a visit to the Statue of Liberty.
If time and money aren’t an issue, you can always book a Statue Cruises ferry and explore the Statue of Liberty on Liberty Island and the Immigration Museum on Ellis Island.
However, if you are a backpacker, a large group, or a family with kids, you have reasons to love Staten Island Ferry, also often known as Liberty’s free ferry.
This article covers everything you must know about the Staten Island Ferry and how you can use it to explore the Statue of Liberty for free.
Table of contents
- Statue Cruises Ferry vs Staten Island Ferry
- Why is Staten Island Ferry free?
- Staten Island Ferry terminals
- Directions to Whitehall Terminal
- Directions to St George Terminal
- Parking for Staten Island Ferry
- Schedule for Staten Island Ferry
- Best time to take Staten Island Ferry
- Staten Island Ferry route
- Views from Staten Island Ferry
- Where to sit for best views
- Staten Island Ferry at night
Statue Cruises Ferry vs Staten Island Ferry
Statue Cruises’ Statue of Liberty ferry is the best way to explore the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island because they drop you at the Island and then take you back.
However, this experience comes at a price.
The Reserve ticket is the most basic and popular Statue of Liberty ferry ticket and costs US$31 for all adults between 13 and 61 years.
Children aged between four and 12 years old pay only US$18 per head. Senior citizens aged 62 and above can get the tickets for US$24.
If you choose to land on Liberty Island and explore the monument up close, we recommend you buy Statue of Liberty tickets online.
Or you can decide to take the Staten Island Ferry and be done with your Statue of Liberty visit at zero cost.
Staten Island Ferry is an 8.4 km (5.2 mile) voyage from Manhattan to St. George in Staten Islands and takes approximately 25 minutes.
The ferry runs 24 hours a day, all through the year.
Around 25 million people ride a Staten Island Ferry every year – that’s about 70,000 a day.
The Staten Island Ferry is free, and you get to go right past Lady Liberty.
You don’t land on Liberty Island, but you can take in the massive statue’s stunning views and take many photographs.
Many tourists take the free Staten Island Ferry to see the Statue of Liberty.
Watch this video to get a quick overview of the ferry ride:
Why is Staten Island Ferry free?
Staten Island lies in New York Harbor, south of Manhattan and between New Jersey and Brooklyn.
In 1817, Staten Island Ferry was established, and since then, it has been one of the fastest ways to get to the Island.
However, the people of Staten Island, who had to take the ferry almost every time they came to the mainland, weren’t happy about paying 50 cents per ride.
Fifty cents seems like a small amount, but when one sees it in the context of the 25 million rides taken every year, it all adds up.
Staten Island people had been campaigning to make the Staten Island Ferry free for a long time. It finally happened in 1997 when New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani was up for re-election.
As a result, Staten Island Ferry became a no-cost service for the public, paid for by New York.
Important: Be aware of scammers trying to sell Staten Island Ferry tickets outside the terminals.
Staten Island Ferry terminals
Staten Island Ferry service is a commuter ferry that shuttles back and forth from the Whitehall Terminal at the tip of Manhattan to the St. George Terminal on Staten Island.
For the locals, the Staten Island ferry is a means of transport, while it is a means of entertainment for the tourists.
Here are a few things you must know about the Staten Island Ferry terminals –
- Both the terminals have escalators and elevators
- Passengers who use wheelchairs must use lower-level boarding
- Staten Island Ferry doesn’t carry vehicles
- Pets are not allowed on the ferry except for service animals
- Both Whitehall Terminal and St. George Terminal offer free wifi
If you are a tourist holidaying in New York, you are most likely to be boarding at the Whitehall Terminal.
Once you reach the St. George Terminal, you must sit on the return ferry and get back to the Whitehall terminal.
Directions to Whitehall Terminal
The Whitehall ferry terminal is in the South Ferry section of Lower Manhattan, New York City, at the corner of South Street and Whitehall Street.
Address: 4 Whitehall Street, New York, NY 10004. Get Directions
It is also known as the South Ferry. Some even refer to it as the Staten Island Ferry Manhattan Terminal.
There are many ways to get to this Staten Island Ferry in Manhattan.
Subway to Staten Island Ferry
Since many Subway Stations are within walking distance, most tourists use the Subway to reach this Staten Island Ferry Terminal.
Broadway 7th Avenue Line
Board Train 1 and get down at South Ferry Station. You must be in the first five cars to exit at the South Ferry.
From the South Ferry Station, the Whitehall Terminal is less than a minute’s walk.
Nassau Street Express
Get on either the J or Z train and get down at Broad Street Station to get to the ferry terminal.
Broad Street Station is half a mile from the ferry terminal, and you can walk the distance in around 8 minutes.
Lexington Avenue Express
Get on to 4 or 5 trains and disembark at Bowling Green Station.
The Bowling Green Station is a quarter mile from the ferry terminal, and you can easily walk the distance in around 4 minutes.
Queens Blvd – Broadway – 4th Ave Local
Use the R train and get down at Whitehall Street Station.
Whitehall Terminal is just next to the Whitehall Street Station.
Bus to Whitehall Terminal
Select Bus Service is the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s rapid transit service in New York City.
Select Bus Service is the brand name under which these buses ply.
| Bus No. | Weekdays | Saturday | Sunday |
| M5 | 5:45 am – 1:20 am |
4:50 am – 11:45 pm |
6:10 am – 12 Mid |
| M15 | All Times | All Times | All Times |
| M15 (SBS) | 4:45 am – 10 pm |
6:50 am – 10 pm |
7 am – 10 pm |
| M20 | 6:30 am – 11 pm |
7 am – 11 pm |
7 am – 11 pm |
Routes the buses take to South Ferry –
| Bus No. | Route to South Ferry |
| M5 | West 178 St. / Broadway. Via 6th / 7th Aves and Riverside Drive. |
| M15 | 2nd Avenue / East 126 St. Via 1st / 2nd Avenues. |
| M15 (SBS) | 2nd Avenue / East 126 St. Via 1st / 2nd Avenues |
| M20 | W 63 st / Broadway. Via 7th / 8th Avenues and Hudson St. |
Directions to St George Terminal
Address: 1 Bay Street, Staten Island NY 10301. Get Directions
St. George Ferry Terminal is at 1 Bay Street and can be accessed by Staten Island Railway (SIR) and MTA Busses.
But we won’t get into the details of how you can reach St. George Ferry Terminal because this article is for the tourists who board the free ferry at Whitehall Terminal in Manhattan to take in the stunning views of the Statue of Liberty.
Once you reach St George Terminal, you can’t continue to sit on the ferry, hoping to be dropped back at Whitehall Terminal, Manhattan.
When the boat reaches St. George Ferry Terminal, all passengers must disembark.
If you want to explore Staten Island, you can exit the Terminal.
Most tourists like to do the full round-trip and get back to Manhattan.
If you want to return, walk through the Terminal to the departure gates on the Staten Island side and board the next ferry back to Manhattan.
If you are fast, you can eliminate a layover and get on the boat, bringing you to Staten Island.
Else, you may have to wait for around 30 minutes in the waiting room.
Some years back, the waiting room at this Staten Island Ferry terminal was old and boring.
One of the significant design changes as part of the upgrade was removing the harbor side brick wall and replacing it with a 40-foot tall glass wall.
Now, people waiting for a ferry boat will be able to see it coming, and you also get to see views of the harbor.
Besides, there are lots of places for eating, drinking, and entertainment.
| Tours | Cost |
|---|---|
| Reserve Statue of Liberty ticket | US$31 |
| Guided tour of Statue of Liberty | US$39 |
| Statue of Liberty cruise | US$33 |
| Statue of Liberty sunset cruise | US$34 |
Parking for Staten Island Ferry
In this section, we detail the parking options near Staten Island Ferry terminals.
Parking at Whitehall Ferry Terminal
There is no public parking at the Whitehall Ferry Terminal.
However, you can try the parking at Quik Park, located at 1 New York Plz, New York, NY 10004.
Quik Park is a five-minute walk from the Terminal.
There are a few more private parking options around Battery Park, which is next to Whitehall Terminal. For more options, check out Icon Parking Systems.
Parking at St. George Terminal
There are two municipal parking lots at the St. George Ferry Terminal, both accessible off Richmond Terrace.
Ferry Terminal South Municipal Parking Field
This parking space is next to the Staten Island Ferry Terminal and has 222 areas (including nine for disabled spots).
It is open 24 hours, all through the year, and offers an unattended metered facility.
This public parking lot charges 25¢ for 15 minutes and a maximum of US$8 for up to 18 hours. Get Directions
Staten Island Courthouse Garage and Parking Lot
Located at 54 Central Avenue, Staten Island, this public parking has 721 spaces, including 37 slots for people with disabilities.
It is open Monday to Friday, from 6 am to 10 pm.
The parking lot charges US$2 for up to one hour and for additional hours, a maximum of US$8.
Besides these two, there are privately operated parking lots as well nearby. Get Directions
Schedule for Staten Island Ferry
As mentioned earlier, around 70,000 people take these ferries every day.
More frequent service – one boat every 15 or 20 minutes – is provided on the weekdays during the rush hours of 6 am to 9.30 pm and 3.30 pm to 8 pm.
Despite the higher frequency, during the rush hours, the ferry boats are full.
The Staten Island Ferry follows a separate schedule for weekdays, weekends, and holidays, and we share them below.
Staten Island Ferry’s weekday timetable
We have shared the schedule of ferries starting from both terminals below. The office rush hours are in bold.
From St. George Terminal
| AM Trips | PM Trips |
| 12:00 | 12:00 |
| 1:00 | 12:30 |
| 2:00 | 1:00 |
| 3:00 | 1:30 |
| 4:00 | 2:00 |
| 5:00 | 2:30 |
| 5:30 | 3:00 |
| 6:00 | 3:30 |
| 6:20 | 3:50 |
| 6:40 | 4:10 |
| 7:00 | 4:30 |
| 7:20 | 4:50 |
| 7:40 | 5:10 |
| 8:00 | 5:30 |
| 8:20 | 5:50 |
| 8:40 | 6:10 |
| 9:00 | 6:30 |
| 9:30 | 7:00 |
| 10:00 | 7:30 |
| 10:30 | 8:00 |
| 11:00 | 9:00 |
| 11:30 | 10:00 |
| 11:00 |
From Whitehall Terminal
| AM Trips | PM Trips |
| 12:30 | 12:00 |
| 1:30 | 12:30 |
| 2:30 | 1:00 |
| 3:30 | 1:30 |
| 4:30 | 2:00 |
| 5:30 | 2:30 |
| 6:00 | 3:00 |
| 6:30 | 3:30 |
| 6:50 | 4:00 |
| 7:10 | 4:20 |
| 7:30 | 4:40 |
| 7:50 | 5:00 |
| 8:10 | 5:20 |
| 8:30 | 5:40 |
| 8:50 | 6:00 |
| 9:10 | 6:20 |
| 9:30 | 6:40 |
| 10:00 | 7:00 |
| 10:30 | 7:30 |
| 11:00 | 8:00 |
| 11:30 | 8:30 |
| 9:30 | |
| 10:30 | |
| 11:30 |
Staten Island Ferry’s weekend time table
There are no peak times during the weekend.
From St. George Terminal
| AM Trips | PM Trips |
| 12:00 | 12:00 |
| 1:00 | 12:30 |
| 2:00 | 1:00 |
| 3:00 | 1:30 |
| 4:00 | 2:00 |
| 5:00 | 2:30 |
| 6:00 | 3:00 |
| 7:00 | 3:30 |
| 7:30 | 4:00 |
| 8:00 | 4:30 |
| 8:30 | 5:00 |
| 9:00 | 5:30 |
| 9:30 | 6:00 |
| 10:00 | 6:30 |
| 10:30 | 7:00 |
| 11:00 | 8:00 |
| 11:30 | 9:00 |
| 10:00 | |
| 11:00 | |
From Whitehall Terminal
| AM Trips | PM Trips |
| 12:30 | 12:00 |
| 1:30 | 12:30 |
| 2:30 | 1:00 |
| 3:30 | 1:30 |
| 4:30 | 2:00 |
| 5:30 | 2:30 |
| 6:30 | 3:00 |
| 7:30 | 3:30 |
| 8:00 | 4:00 |
| 8:30 | 4:30 |
| 9:00 | 5:00 |
| 9:30 | 5:30 |
| 10:00 | 6:00 |
| 10:30 | 6:30 |
| 11:00 | 7:00 |
| 11:30 | 7:30 |
| 8:30 | |
| 9:30 | |
| 10:30 | |
| 11:30 |
Ferry schedule on holidays
On New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day, the Staten Island Ferry operates on a different holiday schedule.
The Ferry’s holiday schedule is very similar to the weekend timings we have shared above.
Note: The schedule gets adjusted without prior notice during severe weather conditions or when fog reduces visibility.
Ferry Terminal late-night closures
While the waiting halls at Whitehall Terminal are always open, the St George Ferry Terminal waiting rooms are closed intermittently between the hours of 1 am and 4.30 am to follow federally mandated security procedures.
During such times, passengers must wait inside the Terminal at a designated location.
Once the Terminal authorities arrive, passengers can once again enter the waiting room and wait for their boat to arrive.
Best time to take Staten Island Ferry
While planning your leisurely ride on the Statue of Liberty free ferry, you must plan outside of the rush hours.
The best time to board the free Staten Island Ferry is between 10 am and 11:30 am or after 7 pm.
By 10 am, the office goers have reached their destinations, and the ferries are far more comfortable for a sightseeing trip.
By 7 pm, the office crowd is still trying to get back home, but they are few in number and don’t affect the sightseeing experience.
Some tourists believe that 7 pm is the best time to be on the Staten Island Ferry in summer because they get to see the sunset.
How long does Staten Island Ferry take
The Staten Island Ferry’s travel time in either direction between Whitehall Terminal in Manhattan and St. George Terminal in Staten Island is approximately 25 minutes.
Staten Island Ferry route
Staten Island Ferry’s route is 5 miles (8.4 km) long and takes 25 minutes to complete.
The ferry to Staten Island departs from the Staten Island Ferry Whitehall Terminal at the southernmost tip of Manhattan and follows a single route.
On Staten Island, the ferry boats to Manhattan depart from the St. George Ferry Terminal on Richmond Terrace, near Richmond County’s Borough Hall and Supreme Court.
The route followed by the Staten Island Ferries is a simple straight line between these two points.
However, looking at the route map, one can argue that the ferries try to get ‘a little’ closer to the Statue of Liberty when they pass by the monument.
Views from Staten Island Ferry
The experience of being on the free Staten Island Ferry is so moving (pun intended!) that the backdrop of the Staten Island Ferry’s route is a popular place for film shoots.
It has been featured in movies such as Working Girl, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, SpiderMan: Homecoming, etc.
The Staten Island Ferry isn’t just about seeing the Statue of Liberty.
You get to see a lot more fascinating views during your 25 minutes on the boat.
When looking forward toward the bow of a ship, port and starboard refer to the left and right sides, respectively.
We list them below –
Downtown Jersey City’s skyline
From the right side of the ferry, you get to see impressive views of New Jersey across the river.
Lower Manhattan skyline
See Manhattan with its impressive One World Trade Center (also called Freedom Tower), standing like a colossus.
Views of Ellis Island
When you realize the importance of Ellis Island – the place from where 12 million immigrants arrived at the Port of New York and New Jersey, it becomes an emotional moment.
Statue of Liberty on Liberty Island
Ten minutes into the ferry ride, you pass by the Statue of Liberty for one of the best views in New York City.
The photo above captures the Staten Island ferry view of the Statue of Liberty beautifully.
Governor’s Island
Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge
You get to see the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, one of the world’s longest suspension bridges on the Brooklyn side.
Besides these visuals, you are also likely to see many Naval vessels and ocean liners because New York Harbor is a highly active port.
Do keep an eye out for wildlife as well. Seagulls are aplenty, but then there are the occasional dolphins and rare blue whales, too!
Where to sit for best views
While boarding the Staten Island Ferry from Manhattan, you must go to the right side of the boat (starboard) for the best view of the Statue of Liberty.
When traveling from Staten Island to Manhattan, stand on the left side (port) of the boat for fantastic views.
If you stand in front of the ferry (the bow), you can see the oncoming sights and plan your position.
The outside upper decks on the New Jersey side of the ferries are always the most packed.
If you get caught in such a crowd, there is no need to push and shove to secure a good position.
Just head down to the main deck, which has a lot of space and equally good views.
Camera usage on Staten Island Ferry
You can take as many photographs and videos as long as they are for your personal use.
However, you must have a DOT-issued permit for commercial use of video, photography, or audio recording.
Staten Island Ferry at night
Since Staten Island’s free ferry is a 24-hour service, you can even ride it at night.
Night rides are pretty beautiful.
Staten Island Ferry at night or day?
If you plan to go on the Staten Island Ferry only once, we recommend scheduling your ride during the day.
If you have the time to go up to Staten Island and get back to Manhattan twice during your holiday – do it once in the daytime and once at night.
Both are different experiences.
Sources
# Siferry.com
# Nyc.gov
# Wikipedia.org
# Tripadvisor.com
The travel specialists at TheBetterVacation.com use only high-quality sources while researching & writing their articles. We make every attempt to keep our content current, reliable and trustworthy.
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