Meet the new ferry route, with a lot of overlap on the existing — and free — route.
Mayor Bill de Blasio rolled out a new route for his heavily-subsidized ferry system that will link Staten Island’s North Shore to Battery Park and the Javits Center in Midtown.
It’s the first route for Hizzoner’s NYC Ferry system that will run up the Hudson River. The system, with a cost of at least $637 million, had previously focused on building a ferry network along the East River.
The new route also significantly overlaps with the existing free service provided by Staten Island Ferry.
“The St. George route will get you to Battery Park from Staten Island in 18 minutes,” de Blaiso said, touting the speed of the new fast ferry, which is approximately seven minutes faster than the current service provided by the famed orange boats.
“Staten Islanders have always had the Staten Island Ferry, but now another option for getting around the city and getting to Staten Island, in particular,” he added.
The fare remains $2.75 and does not include a transfer to the MTA’s subway or bus systems.
The NYC Ferry system previously focused on building a ferry network along the East River. Brian Zak/NY PostThe Staten Island Ferry will likely remain a more convenient service for many heading to Lower Manhattan because it will still run with far greater frequency during rush hours — with boats leaving every 15 to 20 minutes.
However, riders continuing to Midtown may see some time savings, provided they are heading to the far West Side.
The new route pulls into Pier 79, which sits behind the Javits Center and atop the Lincoln Tunnel — and four avenues away from the start of the Midtown office district.
The new route also significantly overlaps with the existing free service provided by Staten Island Ferry. Cindy Ord/Getty ImagesCommuters heading to Hudson Yards from Staten Island currently must transfer from the Staten Island Ferry to the 1 train to the 7 train — an ordeal that can take 1 hour and 20 each way.
This new route would shave that down to 54 minutes.
Those heading to Times Square might be better off sticking with the Staten Island Ferry and the subway for the 1 hour and 8-minute trip.
City Hall claims the ferry system will move as many as 11 million people a year by 2023. Brian Zak/NY PostThe trip on the new route would take 1 hour and 11 minutes and require a second fare to pay for an MTA bus, according to Google Maps.
City Hall claims the ferry system will move as many as 11 million people a year by 2023. However, that breaks down to an average of just 30,000 people a day — a met or exceeded by a half-dozen MTA bus lines pre-pandemic.
