Ferry good! NYC boosts summer ferry service ahead of World Cup
Direct beach service from Brooklyn to Rockaway to return
Five NYC Ferry vessels have been custom-wrapped to celebrate the identity of each borough. The Queens ferry, “Waves of Wonder,” is shown next to the Brooklyn Bridge. Photo: NYCEDC
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.
SUNSET PARK — “As a resident of Marine Park, one of the great surprises I found biking around Industry City and visiting Japan Village was to discover Bush Terminal Park. I continue to be amazed at the serene hideaways that the city offers in some of the busiest places — and, still, with an iconic view.”
BROOKLYN HEIGHTS — ‘A miracle that no one was killed …’ That’s what neighbors are saying about the collapse of the Hotel St. George marquee. Shown in this photograph are workmen beginning the removal and repair of the historic, old neon sign at the corner, referencing a relic of Brooklyn Heights’ past: the St. George Hotel.
ATLANTIC AVENUE — Exhausted shopper with cluster of bags and goods from mall at Boerum Place stops to look at huge construction site across the street. “Is that REALLY going to be a jail??” Her male companion is reassuring, “Nothing like Rikers … this is 21st Century.”
BROOKLYN HEIGHTS — Overheard in line at one of most popular pastry outlets on Montague Street: “Hope I can get them into a camp …” A mother with two pre-schoolers in tow was showing a friend the Dodge Y flyer for Healthy Kids Day on Saturday, April 18.
