What Nobody Tells You About the Staten Island Ferry (Including That It’s Free)

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The most spectacular view of the Statue of Liberty in New York doesn’t cost a dollar. It doesn’t require a ticket, a reservation, or a tour guide. It requires exactly one thing: getting on the right boat.

The Staten Island Ferry has been running for over a century. Every day, 70,000 commuters use it without a second thought. The tourists who discover it, though, tend to call it one of the best things they did in the city.

The Route That Became a New York Rite of Passage

The ferry runs between Whitehall Terminal at the southern tip of Manhattan and St. George Terminal on Staten Island. The crossing takes about 25 minutes each way.

It runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week — every 15 to 30 minutes during peak hours, roughly every hour late at night. No booking, no MetroCard, no fee. Just walk up and board.

The city has operated the ferry since 1905. In 1997, the last modest fare — 50 cents — was eliminated entirely. That decision quietly turned a commuter service into one of New York’s most beloved free experiences.

The Views That Make It Worth the Trip

The ferry passes within a quarter mile of the Statue of Liberty. Close enough to see the detail in the torch. On a clear morning, or a golden summer evening, it’s a view that visitors pay hundreds of dollars on other boats to see — and here it’s free, twice a day if you ride both ways.

The Manhattan skyline on the return trip is just as good. Watching the towers of Lower Manhattan rise as you come back across the water is something most people only see in photos. For the Statue of Liberty, stand on the starboard (right) side leaving Manhattan. For the skyline on the return, move to the port (left) side.

Locals who know go up to the open-air upper deck. Most tourists don’t. The view is completely different up there — unobstructed in every direction, with the harbor wind and nothing between you and the water.

The History That Most Passengers Miss

Cornelius Vanderbilt — yes, that Vanderbilt — ran a private ferry between Staten Island and Manhattan in the 1830s. He started it as a teenager with a small boat and a few paying passengers, and used the profits to build one of the great American fortunes. The harbor was where his empire began.

The current orange boats can carry up to 4,400 passengers each. The orange color wasn’t chosen for branding — it was chosen for visibility in fog. On a misty November morning, you can see exactly why.

When the Whitehall Terminal was being rebuilt in the 1990s, construction workers found a 300-year-old Dutch merchant ship buried beneath the site. The hull of the Tigre — sunk or abandoned sometime in the 1600s — is now preserved nearby at the National Museum of the American Indian, one of the best free museums in New York City.

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What to Do When You Arrive on Staten Island

Many visitors do the round trip and come straight back. That’s a perfectly reasonable plan — the whole experience runs under an hour and gives you both directions of the view.

But St. George is worth a short stop. The Staten Island Botanical Garden, a 10-minute walk from the terminal, contains one of the finest Chinese Scholar’s Gardens outside of Asia. Built by 40 master craftsmen brought from Suzhou, China, using traditional materials and techniques. Almost no one outside of Staten Island knows it exists.

The Staten Island Museum, open since 1881, covers the borough’s history from the Lenape people who lived here for thousands of years through every wave of immigration that followed. Entry is free on Sunday mornings.

Insider Tips for Getting the Most From the Ferry

Ride at sunset in July or August. The light catches the downtown towers from behind, the harbor turns copper, and the Statue of Liberty looks like it was made for that exact moment. New Yorkers who know go on warm summer evenings just for this.

Early morning crossings — around 6 or 7 a.m. — are quieter. The light is softer. The commuters have their headphones in. You can have the upper deck almost to yourself.

If you want to include the ferry in a 5-day New York itinerary, pair it with a walk through the Financial District and the 9/11 Memorial. The whole day stays in Lower Manhattan and never needs a subway.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Staten Island Ferry

Is the Staten Island Ferry really free?

Yes — completely free in both directions, every day of the year, including holidays. No ticket, no reservation, and no MetroCard required. Walk on at Whitehall Terminal in Lower Manhattan or St. George Terminal on Staten Island.

What can you see from the Staten Island Ferry?

The ferry passes close enough to the Statue of Liberty that you can see the torch and crown clearly. You’ll also see Governors Island, the Brooklyn and New Jersey waterfronts, and one of the best unobstructed views of the Lower Manhattan skyline available anywhere in the city.

How long does the Staten Island Ferry take?

Each crossing takes about 25 minutes. A round trip without stopping on Staten Island runs under an hour. That’s long enough to see both the Statue of Liberty heading out and the Manhattan skyline coming back.

When is the best time to take the Staten Island Ferry?

Sunset in summer is exceptional — the harbor light at that time of day is extraordinary. Early mornings are quieter and the light is softer. Avoid peak rush hours (7–9 a.m. and 5–7 p.m. on weekdays) if you want space to move around on the upper deck.

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Plan Your New York Trip

The ferry departs from Whitehall Terminal at the end of Whitehall Street in Lower Manhattan. It’s a short walk from the 1 train at South Ferry or the R and W trains at Whitehall Street. The terminal is open around the clock. There’s no reason not to go.