CITYWIDE — It will be easier than usual to get around New York City by water this summer, city officials said Tuesday.
The summer NYC Ferry schedule, which kicked off Monday, will bring the most ferry service in the city’s history, providing more frequent connections and reservable seats on beach-bound trips, according to Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Economic Development Corporation’s Jeanny Pak.
The city is adding vessels and trips across high-demand routes, officials said, including more weekend trips, bigger vessels, more connections and, later this summer, the return of the “Rockaway Rocket” to the beach, from Long Island City and Greenpoint.
There will also be extended weekend local service on the South Brooklyn route from Bay Ridge and Brooklyn Army Terminal to Red Hook and other points farther north.
The increased service will run through Sept. 13.
The ferry “Flyer” has been customized with a wrapper celebrating soccer and the Bronx for the duration of the summer. Photo: NYCEDC
All hands on deck
The FIFA World Cup, Sail4th 250 and the typically-busy beach season are all converging this summer.
Not only will service be increased, but, to celebrate the occasion, five of the ferries — one for every borough — will be wrapped in custom World Cup-inspired art, highlighting each borough’s distinctive character.
It’s all part of getting ready for the crowds and spreading the benefits, Mamdani said.
“We are investing in the infrastructure that keeps this city moving: new bus lanes, safer streets, greener public spaces and now the most ferry service in city history,” he said.
The 2026 Summer Ferry Service schedule kicked off Monday. Map: NYCEDC
Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso called the World Cup “one of the most exciting moments in our city’s history,” and praised the expanded weekend service on the South Brooklyn route, noting that more Brooklynites will have easier access to World Cup viewings.
Deputy Mayor for Economic Justice Julie Su repeated a theme the administration has stressed regarding the World Cup: The event will bring business and economic gains to the less-visited corners of the city.
“More service means more New Yorkers moving, more visitors exploring and more economic activity reaching communities across all five boroughs,” Su said.