Get ready for a new high-water mark for the price of the New York City ferry.
The cost of riding the NYC Ferry may rise to $5 from $4.50 next month, a more than 11% increase. Discounted tickets for middle schoolers are also on the table.
That’s pending approval Wednesday from the Economic Development Corporation board of directors, which oversees the city’s ferry system, according to a meeting agenda.
The fare hike would go into effect on Oct. 19, and the increased price is meant to bring in more revenue and maintain the ferry system’s growth, the board materials say.
Along with the standard fare increase for one-way tickets, the cost of a 10-trip pass will rise from $29 to $30, and the cost of discounted tickets will go up to $1.50 from $1.45. The board will also consider making all New York City middle school students eligible for the discounted fare, which is currently available only to high school students.
The $15 unlimited two-day ticket, which began as a pilot program last year, will become permanent at the same price if the board approves the changes.
City Hall did not respond to requests for comment, and EDC declined comment.
The last time the ferry fare increased was in 2024 when it rose from $4 to $4.50. At that time, the board expanded the discounted ferry program to all high school students, beyond just students at the New York Harbor School on Governors Island.
Subsidies for ‘The People’s Yacht’
The relatively low cost of ferry tickets — cheaper than the MTA’s express bus trips, which cost $7.25 per ride — has been criticized for the taxpayer subsidies required to keep the prices down. In 2025, the per-rider subsidy was $8.33, which the EDC said was its lowest subsidy for the boat system and cheaper than ferry subsidies in other cities. The subsidy is also less expensive than the $12.01 per-rider subsidy of the Staten Island Ferry, EDC said.
Andrew Rein, president of the Citizens Budget Commission, said the fare increase makes sense, as does minimizing the subsidy.
“NYC Ferry is a premium transit option, and its fares should reflect that. A $5 fare for leisure riders still won’t come close to covering the ride’s cost,” he said. “We should focus resources on ensuring lower-income commuters can get to work.”
When NYC Ferry service launched in 2017, a ticket cost $2.75, the same as subway fare.
Since its inception, the NYC Ferry — or “the people’s yacht,” as a new line of ferry merchandise calls it — is run by the Hornblower Group and has become a popular way to travel between waterfront neighborhoods. Its ridership has grown quickly in the years since the pandemic.
A performance report from EDC using Hornblower’s data shows just over 7.3 million boardings between July 2025 and July 2026. The system saw its highest-ever day of ridership on Aug. 15, with 56,882 boardings. Ridership is higher in the summer compared to the winter.
More than 60% of ferry riders use the ferry for purposes other than commuting to work or school, the most recent ridership survey, from 2024.
The ferry system most recently expanded service in late 2025 with new routes connecting Brooklyn, Staten Island and the west side of Manhattan, and connecting Rockaway with stops in The Bronx’s Soundview and Throgs Neck.
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