NYC Ferry prices are going up again
It seems like every year, getting around NYC gets more and more expensive, whether it’s because of subway fare hikes or Citi Bike rate spikes. If your favorite mode of transport happens to be on the water, you’re not off the hook: the price to ride the NYC ferry is about to go up (again).
The city’s Economic Development Corporation just announced that starting September 9, single-trip tickets on NYC ferries will increase from $4 to $4.50, while 10-trip passes will go up from $27.50 to $29.
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Once upon a time, riding the ferry across town cost a humble $2.75, the same price as a ride on the subway. Then, in 2022, Mayor Eric Adams raised the price to $4 for “tourists and infrequent riders” to help subsidize cheaper rides for low-income New Yorkers, as well as people who are 65 or older or have disabilities.
The ongoing price increases are part of Eric Adams’ “NYC Ferry Forward” project, which kicked off in 2022, aiming to tackle the public subsidy problem. At its peak, the ferry cost a staggering $8.55 per ride, per 6sqft, but, luckily the city has managed to bring it down since then.
Starting on September 1, approximately 350,000 New York high school students will be eligible for a discount program that will spare them from the most recent price change. For people enrolled in the NYC Ferry Discount Program, the fare will go up from $1.35 to $1.45. To find out if you’re eligible to sign up for the discount program, visit NYC Ferry’s website.
For those of us who are not eligible, it’s time to pay up.