Seastreak Ferry is launching a direct route between Lower Manhattan and Point Pleasant Beach this summer, giving weekend beachgoers a way to skip highway traffic and reach the Jersey Shore by water.
The high-speed ferry will depart from the Battery Maritime Building and make the trip in about 1 hour and 15 minutes, the company announced.
It will dock at Captain Bill’s Landing, located on the Manasquan Inlet.
From June 19 through Aug. 9, and Sept. 4 to Sept. 7, ferries will leave Manhattan at 11:30 a.m. on Fridays, while return trips from Point Pleasant Beach will depart at 1 p.m. on Sundays.
On Fridays, a return departure also leaves Point Pleasant Beach at 1 p.m. for travelers heading into Manhattan.
Ferry reservations must be made in advance. A round-trip adult ticket is $99.
James D. Barker, president of Seastreak, said in a statement that the nonstop service offers a travel time that no other option currently provides.
“Getting from Manhattan to the Jersey Shore in about an hour and fifteen minutes changes the equation entirely,” Barker said.
“Point Pleasant Beach is a great destination in its own right, but it also opens up the entire stretch of Shore towns nearby,” he added. “From Manasquan to Bay Head, this gives people a clean, direct way to access some of the best spots on the coast without dealing with traffic.”
Seastreak operates daily commuter ferries between New York City and Monmouth County towns, including Highlands, Atlantic Highlands and Belford.
During the summer, the ferry adds a daily route between Sandy Hook and Manhattan.
Other Northeast leisure routes include Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts, and Newport and Providence in Rhode Island.
Seastreak also operates seasonal fall foliage cruises and whale-watching cruises.