City Hall in Your Borough: NYC Ferry sets Sail From Staten Island, Connecting St. George Terminal with Battery Park and Midtown West

August 23, 2021

NEW YORK—Mayor de Blasio and the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYC EDC) today officially launched NYC Ferry’s St. George Route. The new route starts in the St. George section of Staten Island and makes stops at Battery Park City and Midtown West in Manhattan. The St. George route, which takes approximately 35 minutes start to finish, connects workers and residents on Staten Island to job centers up the West Side of Manhattan, shortening commutes for thousands of New Yorkers.

“Today, we’re launching the first new transportation option to and from Staten Island in decades,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “NYC Ferry will shorten commutes for thousands of New Yorkers every day, and provide greater connections than ever between two iconic boroughs. I’m proud to make New York City more accessible than ever.”

“Starting today, Staten Islanders have an additional fast and reliable option to shorten commutes and leisure trips to and from Manhattan,” said NYCEDC President and CEO Rachel Loeb. “With the launch of the St. George route, we are truly running a five-borough system that is connecting underserved neighborhoods with additional transit options. Congratulations to Mayor de Blasio, Borough President James Oddo, and all others who have worked in partnership to make this milestone a reality.”

“The start of fast ferry service between Staten Island and Manhattan strikes a blow for fairness and equity,” said Staten Island Borough President James Oddo. “It will improve the commutes of many Staten Islanders, and in turn, better their quality of life. And that is meaningful. My hope and expectation is that the success of this route will result in additional service at some point, most obvious being a connection to Brooklyn. That day will come. I thank the Mayor and his team, the entire NYC EDC family, originally led by my friend James Patchett, and now steered so ably by Rachel Loeb, for all the time and effort that has brought us to this day. This is a legacy of which we all can be proud.”

Since its launch in May 2017, NYC Ferry has served over 20 million riders across the Astoria, East River, South Brooklyn, Rockaway, East River and Soundview routes, and the St. George route is expected to add approximately many additional riders annually. Vessels will run every 30 minutes during peak times, and every 45 minutes during off-peak times. Residents of Staten Island will be able to reach Battery Park City in just 18 minutes and Midtown West in 35 minutes, cutting many current commuting times by nearly 20 minutes.

Detailed timetables for the St. George route, along with a map of all NYC Ferry routes, can be viewed here.

"Staten Islanders have some of the worst commute times in the country and this fast ferry will significantly improve the commute of many residents on the North Shore. Special thank you to Mayor de Blasio, EDC, and the Borough President for his advocacy,” said Assembly Member Charles D. Fall.

“Today is a Good News Day for New York commuters and that’s something they rarely hear. The long-awaited opening of the St. George Route by NYC Ferry gives commuters and visitors a convenient, fast and comfortable option for travel between Staten Island and Manhattan’s midtown. Ferries are part of the solutions to move people throughout our city safely and expeditiously, helping to relieve our over-burdened mass transit system. We’re happy to complete the All-Borough plan for NYC Ferry service. Furthermore, I expect that the St. George Route will do much to enhance Staten Island as a tourist destination,” said Council Member Debi Rose.

"It’s a breath of fresh air to see the new fast ferry service launching in Staten Island. Getting people to and from our borough quickly and safely is a priority. We hope it’s just the start of even more transit options connecting us to the other boroughs,” said Linda Baran, President & CEO, Staten Island Chamber of Commerce.

“We are excited by this new transportation option as the additional NYC Ferry line to Manhattan will be an invaluable tool for helping the residents of Staten Island to quickly and cost effectively access lower and midtown Manhattan. This will open up more job opportunities for our struggling communities as well as making attending cultural, social and sporting events all the easier,” said Christopher Dowling, Director, Staten Island Community Partnership.

“We’re thrilled to welcome NYC Ferry’s newest route to St. George, enhancing connectivity from Manhattan and the boroughs into Staten Island,” said Joseph Ferrara, Principal, BFC Partners. “This new NYC Ferry route provides a seamless, speedy connector service for all New Yorkers, inviting even more of our city to discover the premier culinary, retail and entertainment offerings at Empire Outlets and all along Staten Island's North Shore.”

“The addition of the Battery Park City stop for NYC Ferry’s new St. George route is yet another beautiful way to connect to the neighborhood with ease,” said Jessica Lappin, President of the Alliance for Downtown New York. “We’re thrilled to see the city include this great Staten Island option amid its crucial assortment of transportation opportunities for connecting to Lower Manhattan.”

"The opening of the long awaited Staten Island fast ferry route brings an exciting day for our commuters and a great step in connecting Staten Island to the rest of New York City," said Rose Uscianowski, Transportation Alternatives.

"This new ferry route is exciting for the growing commuter residents in Staten Island. Staten Island has 43.3% workers working in other counties/boroughs of New York, according to 2019 ACS 5-year estimate, compared to 41.6% from the same survey five years ago. This route not only serves the existing commuters, but benefits Staten Island job-seekers, too, as more employers from midtown will be within our reach,” said Tianqi Robyn Yang, president and co-founder, New York Community League.

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