NYC Ferry floats more service to Rockaway this summer
June 29, 2023, 7:36 p.m.
Starting July 1, riders will be able to secure a spot on select weekend and holiday Rockaway ferries to the beach from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and back from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.
In anticipation of a busier summer season, NYC ferry announced improvements to its Rockaway service on weekends and holidays, including reserve tickets and the return of the “Rockaway Rocket.”
Starting July 1, riders will be able to secure a spot on select weekend and holiday Rockaway ferries to the beach from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and back from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tickets will be available for purchase up to two weeks in advance of each departure date for $10.
“There’s no better place to be than Rockaway in the summertime,” Queens Borough President Donovan Richards said in a statement. “Better utilizing our waterways is both smart, climate-friendly policy and the most enjoyable trip our transit system can offer.”
The higher-priced tickets will guarantee riders a spot onboard and grant them access to an expedited line. Most spots on each vessel will remain unreserved however, for the regular $4 fare or $2.75 if bought as part of the 10-pack option. The program will end on Sept. 4.
An additional vessel will also operate to Rockaway on weekends and holidays this summer, amounting to a 25% increase in capacity.
The Rockaway Rocket is also returning on Aug. 12, now departing between Brooklyn Bridge Park Pier 6 and Rockaway for just four weeks until Labor Day. The Rockaway Rocket, first launched last year, is a reservation-only express vessel to the beach. Tickets will cost $10 and schedules will be announced in the coming weeks.
“After the success of last year’s Rockaway Rocket, we are excited to be bringing new and additional improvements for beach goers and regular riders this summer,” said New York City Economic Development Corporation President and CEO Andrew Kimball said in a statement. “These two new pilot programs are designed to make the entire NYC Ferry system more enjoyable, accessible, and efficient. As ridership continues to break records, it’s clear New Yorkers are endorsing the NYC Ferry Forward vision to create a more accessible, equitable and fiscally sustainable ferry system.”